Bernstein: Something’s ComingLesson 3

Starter Activity

Do this n

ow!

Learning Objectives: Today I will:

Identify the musical features of Something’s

Coming by exploring the:

• Structure

• Instrumentation and dynamics

• Melody

• Harmony and Tonality

• Rhythm and Metre

• Texture

Structure of ‘Something’s Coming’• The song does not follow a conventional verse-chorus

structure, but has several musical ideas and sections that recur. In broad terms, the structure is shown in the table below:

Part of song Length

Introduction Bars 1-3 (bar 3 is repeated ad lib)

Section A Bars 4-39

Section B Bars 40-105

Section B1 Bars 106-140 (shortened version of B)

Section A1 Bars 141-157 (shortened version of A)

Outro Bar 158 is a slow fade out

The Music of West Side Story

The music of WSS was cutting edge when

compared to musical theatre pieces up to this time.

The new elements in this work were:–The dark theme rooted in violence and tragedy–The use of long, extended dance scenes to

convey the drama.–The sophisticated synthesis of jazz and

classical musical idioms.–The focus on social problems and tensions of

contemporary America.

Instrumentation and Dynamics• 'Something's Coming' is a song for solo tenor

accompanied by a band made up of woodwind, brass, percussion and strings.

• To make sure the band doesn't overpower the solo singer, the accompaniment uses:

-Quiet dynamics-Soft timbres, such as muted trumpets and pizzicato

strings-A homophonic texture.• Listen out for the two techniques used in the

accompaniment to illustrate the words 'The air is humming': the strings use harmonics (very high notes) and play tremolo (very quick notes).

Melody

• Melody almost entirely syllabic• Based on the alternation of 3 main themes1. The quiet, syncopated opening theme2. The loud, strident theme in 2/4, first heard at bar 213. The lyrical, slow-moving theme, first heard at bar 73.• These three ideas are alternated a number of times. • The repetitions are not exact, and Bernstein varies the

themes by changing such things as the words or metre.

Rhythm and Metre

• The metre changes between 3/4 and 2/4.• These changes of metre, the fast tempo and

the frequent syncopation help to maintain a feeling of excitement and anticipation.

• The accompaniment is largely made up of an on-beat bass part with offbeat chords.

• At the start of the piece, these two parts create cross rhythms.

Harmony and Tonality• 'Something's Coming' is in D major. • There are two contrasting sections in C major.• There is frequent use of the sharpened fourth and

flattened seventh in both keys (G# and C natural in the D major sections, and F# and Bb in the C major sections).

• The sharpened fourth creates the interval of a tritone with the key note, an interval that acts as a unifying feature throughout West Side Story.

• The tenor's last note is a flattened seventh (C natural against D major harmonies).

• This is unusual as the note is unresolved and the music just fades out beneath it. It creates a feeling of incompletion and fits well with Tony's sense of expectation.

• The harmony is tonal and jazz-influenced, with frequent 7th chords and other added note chords.

Texture and Accompaniment

• The texture of the song is homophonic. There are three main ideas in the accompaniment:

1. The repeated riff that opens the song

2. The short, mainly syncopated chords heard in bars 21-26

3. A fast, um-cha accompaniment first heard at bar 32 for the long note on 'me'.

Close analysis of ‘Something’s Coming’: Introduction

Bar numbers

Analysis

1-3 -Breathy and excited mood in the repeated figure (riff) of the accompaniment. This riff pervades the song and the melody is used by the singer (Tony). -D major.-One in a bar tempo (176 crotchets per minute)

Close analysis of ‘Something’s Coming’: Section A

Bar numbers

Analysis

4-12 -Piano section-‘Could be’ + ‘Who knows’ = statements of tonic to dominant

13-20 - Tony sings a melody closely based on the opening riff = short two-bar phrases (one bar answered by the next)- ‘Soon as it’ triplet outlines the tritone (G# to D)-Long crescendo ‘blue’ note (flattened 7th in D major)

21-39 - Fast, loud, recitative like phrase.-Bar 21- G major 7th chord.- Word painting- ‘It may come cannon balling down through the sky....’- Accents on the weak part of the beat- Riff in accompaniment (bars 27-30)- Sustained E on ‘me’ (bar 31) highest note on the piece.-Accompaniment style changes to oom-pah- straight on beat rhythms (to contrast with the opening riff)-Four note minim riff is heard in the middle part (NEW!!)

Close analysis of ‘Something’s Coming’: Section B

Bar numbers Analysis

40-51 -Based around C major rather than D major and in 2/4 time.-Tritone is used harmonically from the bass note to the melody note.-One-beat accompaniment.

52-72 - Repeated one tone higher at bars 63-73.- On-beat crotchets add to the strength and conviction that something is going to happen at the dance that evening. -Chords used are diatonic to C major but with added notes from jazz inspired harmony (bars 52-58).

72-105 - Expansive and lyrical section.-The whole section comprises four long eight-bar phrases.-Higher melody range.-Use of triplets- fluid movement.-Bass plays on-beat quavers.-Chromatic harmony.-Full of suspense and mystery.- Neapolitan chord is used at bar 95 (flattened supertonic in first inversion).-Shift of key to C major

Close analysis of ‘Something’s Coming’: Section B1

Bar numbers

Analysis

106-140 -Music that repeats that start of the lyrical section.

Close analysis of ‘Something’s Coming’: Section A1

Bar numbers

Analysis

141-157 -Bernstein changes back to ¾ at bar 141. -The orchestra plays the one-bar riff.-The hopeful question of ‘maybe tonight’ at bar 153 sounds the tritone for the last time G# to D as the long held final voal ‘blue’ not of C natural (flattened 7th) ends the piece in the air, suspended and unresolved just like Tony’s future.

Close analysis of ‘Something’s Coming’: Outro

Bar numbers

Analysis

158 -This is a simple ‘ad lib fade’ bar taking us into the music for a change of scene (instrumental).

Test your knowledge1. On which Shakespeare play is West Side Story based?2. In which year was West Side Story first performed?a) 1935 (b) 1946 (c) 1957 (d) 19683. Name the two different metres used in this song.4. What unusual interval recurs throughout this song and the rest of West Side

Story?5. Is the melody largely melismatic or syllabic?6. What musical term best describes the repeated accompaniment pattern that

opens the song?7. What two instrumental techniques does Bernstein use to illustrate the words

'The air is humming'?8. How is the second theme (first heard at bar 21) different to the opening vocal

melody?9. What musical term is used to describe two conflicting rhythms heard at the same

time?10. West Side Story was originally written to be performed without amplifying the

voices. In 'Something's Coming', how does Bernstein ensure the instruments do not drown out the voice?

11. What is the texture of this song?(a) homophonic (b) monophonic (c) polyphonic12. How does Bernstein create a sense of expectation at the end of the song?

Homework: Listen to Something’s Coming by

Bernstein and think about the following aspects:Instrumentation/timbre , harmony,rhythm, texture, structure, melody

You will answer a listening question and an essay question on this set work in the next lesson.

Be wise, be prepared!!

PLENARY – SELF ASSESSMENT KEY WORDS – Melody, Rhythm, Metre, Harmony, Tonality, Instrumentation, Structure

I can identify tritones, cross rhythms and push rhythms

I can explain a blues scale and know how “blue” notes are used in Something’s Coming

I can describe other musical features such as

dynamics, articulation, melody and harmony in

Something’s Coming

I can talk about Bernstein and musicals intelligently