Musical Structure

Ternary Form
0:00-0:08- Timpani plays perfect 5ths (tonic and dominant) crochets in
simple time.
0:09-0:27- Large chorus with male and female voices sing Sanctus in
Latin with timpani accompaniment.
0:28-0:40- Male solo voice singing a traditional African melody,
accompanied by bells at first, then introduction of rock drum kit.
0:41-0:52- Rock drum kit lead into African chorus (male and female)
accompanied by both drum kit and bongos.
0:52-1:21- Timpani dovetail into a recapitulation of the second section
with the chorus, but at a double time, reflecting on the speed of the
previous section. The previous accompaniment of the rock drum kit
and the bongos are also kept.
Musical Elements
- Work for large male and female chorus as well as recording of
traditional African voices.
- Chorus sings in Latin, the African singers sing in another
language.
- Written in simple time, but the melodies of the B section are
more rhythmically fluid. The melody of section A is also very
syncopated.
- Tonal A section, emphasised by the dominant-tonic timpani
notes.
- Atonal B section
- Contrasting sections.
Musical Terminology
- Tonal/Atonal
- Homophonic chorus melody.
- Simple time
- Perfect 5ths (Dominant-Tonic progression)
- Syncopation
- Dovetailing
Musical Context
- Orchestral context with the timpani and chorus
- Contrast with casual, street-like music of the B section.
- Rock idiom with the rock drum kit and the rock beat.
- Changes constantly due to use of dovetailing.
The extract in ternary form begins with a solo timpani playing perfect
5ths crochets in a simple time (4/4 or 2/4). The use of a dominant-tonic
progression shows that this section is written tonally. These crochets
are on the beat and sustained, with a ringing tone. These timpani

belong primarily in a Western orchestral context and this is further

reinforced when the male and female chorus enters. All the chorus
members sing the homophonic melody at a forte dynamic on top of the
timpani accompaniment. The melody has 2 phrases. The first phrase
makes use of sustained note values with tied quavers over
the bar line and is syncopated. It is also a few bars longer than the
second. This contrasts with the shorter second phrase, which uses
much shorter note values and quaver rests, making it even more
syncopated. This section is tonal, anchored by the tonic and dominant
notes in the timpani, but it is difficult to tell whether it is major or
minor. The melody is also sung in Latin, further implying the Western
nature of this section.
Then follows a contrasting B section, which begins with a solo male
voice singing a traditional African melody. The tone of his voice is quite
nasally and thin, which suggests that this is no longer from a Western
classical idiom, in addition because he is being accompanied by bells
at first, then a rock drum kit, and sings in another language. The
melody that he sings is atonal and less pitched. The rhythm, although
kept in a simple time signature, is extremely rhythmically fluid and this
section does not appear to have any distinct bars. A male and female
choir, also African, who sing a repeated phrase, accompanies him after
one phrase. The rhythm provided by the drum kit, belonging to a rock
idiom, is in quavers, with each second crochet beat accented.
This section is dovetailed by the drum kit, which plays a lick that leads
into a section where the whole choir sings the same repeated phrase
as previously, except this time it alternated around the male and
female voices of the choir. The dynamic here is softer than the
previous solo dynamic and the accompaniment with the drum kit and
bongo roll at the end is much more easily heard.
Again, there is dovetailing done by the timpani that leads into a
recapitulation of the first section with chorus that is repeated.
However, this time the accompaniment is not only comprised of
timpani, as the rock drum kit and bells have been kept from the
previous section. There is also a quaver ostinato played by the
tambourine. In addition, this section is at double the speed as the
original first section. This reflects on the lively nature of the previous
section.