Defying Gravity - Wicked - Analysis 2 - Melody, Texture, Tonality, Harmony,Tempo, Metre, Rhythm - ANSWER

Comment on the tonality It is in D major. In the opening the tonality is

[Bars 1 - 19] Free Tempo (colla voce) ambiguous with chromatic movement and
in the opening section
Recitative -like unrelated chord progressions.

Describe the text setting in bars 1 to 5

The text setting is syllabic with rhythms moving in a Bars 1 - 19 Free Tempo (colla voce)
speech-like manner. In fact apart from a few
The time signature
moments (e.g. bar 175) the text setting throughout changes from 3/2 triple
the entire song is syllabic time to 2/2 duple time in
the opening section

Comment on the texture in the opening 5 bars

The opening shows a sparse texture with punctuating
instrumental chord stabs (e.g. bar 1) with some
monophonic unaccompanied bars (e.g. bar 3).

Describe the melodic writing in bars 1 to 5

The melody starts in a conjunct/stepwise manner. However,

the verse and chorus combine conjunct and wide angular
leaps in the melodic line.

What melodic device is used in bars 6 and 7

Bars 6 and 7 show an ascending sequence

Rhythms are predominantly
Each phrase starts with an off-beat entry
crotchet and quaver based, What do you notice about the start of the after a crotchet rest (e.g. bar 15). This
although there are some vocal phrases in bars 9, 11 and 15? frequently occurs in other places
notes of longer duration throughout the piece.
particularly at the ends of
phrases.

Rhythms are predominantly

crotchet and quaver based,
although there are some notes of
longer duration particularly at the
ends of phrases.

Comment on the harmony in

bars 9 - 12

Chord progressions are often

unrelated and in the opening we can
see shifts downwards in parallel
semitones. For example in bars 9, a
C minor chord to a Cb major chord
to a Bb major chord, then B major.
The chords are in root position.
 What is the key of the music at At bar 20 it is in B major for two bars before arriving in F major
[Bars 20 - 48] Andante at bar 22.
Verse bar 34 bars 20 and bars 22.
Bar 20 Andante
Describe the texture at the start
of the Andante section

Homophonic chordal opening moving

through different major keys.

Motific
Describe the vocal melody in
bars 23 - 29

Legato, conjunct/stepwise melody except

for the leap at the end of bar 29. Motif B

Comment on the texture of the

brass writing in bars 20-21

The brass section plays homophonic

chordal music in an almost fanfare-like
manner (e.g. bar 20).
 Ascending minor 7th interval here is influenced by ‘Somewhere’ - West
Throughout the piece pause marks or fermatas are
Side Story
used to lengthen and give freedom to longer
rhythms, for example here in bar 29 and also
again at the end (e.g. bars 174 and 176).

Verse 1 bar 34
What is the key of the music at bars 32? Bars 34 - 42 use only 5 pitches

At bar 32 it arrives in the tonic key of D major for

the verse. It remains in D major until bar 88

Perfect 5th. Leaps of a rising perfect fifth is What is the melodic interval highlighted above?
featured throughout the piece
Throughout this song there are some In the verses there is a melody and accompaniment or
Comment on the texture
exceptionally large leaps such as a melody-dominated homophony texture where the
in the verse.
compound perfect fourth (e.g. bars 39–40). singer is accompanied by chords in the orchestra.
Explain what a compound interval is.

A compound interval is an interval more than

an octave. E.g a compound perfect fourth is
an octave plus a perfect 4th.

Bars 34 - 42 use 5 new pitches

[Bars 49 - 87] Allegro

Chorus 1 bar 50
Verse 2 bar 63
Built on the first 5 notes of D major
Chorus 3 bar 79

How is rhythmic momentum

created n bars 51 - 53?
The metrically shifting 3 note quaver
ostinato in the piano against the
constant crotchet rhythms in the Chorus 1 bar 50
closed high-hat add rhythmic
momentum.

Ascending 4ths
 LINK bar 59
Comment on the rhythm of the melody
in bars 60-62

Glinda sings a crotchet triplet-based melody

 Verse 2 bar 63
Comment on the rhythm of the melody
in bars 63 - 70

Elphaba sings syncopated version of the

verse, which leads into the chorus
Bar 71-79 Hexatonic Melody i.e 6 note diatonic scale (missing the note C)

Chorus bar 79
 What key has the music been in since CHORUS 2 bar 80
from bar 32? At bar 88 the key signature
changes to what key?

All of the music from bars 32 until bar 88 is in D

major. At bar 88 it moves to G major.

Comment on the melody in bars 83 - 86?

It covers a wide range and moves by leap.

It’s very angular.
[Bars 88 - 102] Moderato

Comment on the texture at bars 88-93

[Bars 88 - 102] Moderato
Homophonic. Ostinato accompaniment at
bar 88 with repeated semiquavers.
Different keys are being
G Major played at the same time

C Major

The unlimited theme is built on the same notes as

Somewhere Over the Rainbow
[Bars 103 - 110] Allegro
Chorus 3 bar 103

Comment on the interaction between the

vocal parts in bars 100 - 107

Elphaba and Glinda usually sing

separately (e.g bar 100) but sometimes
sing together in unison (e.g. bar 101) or in
harmony (bar 106).

Comment on the tonality, the vocal

writing and the at the start of the chorus Chorus 3 bar 103

Return to D major for the chorus

sung by both characters, opening in
unison with strong piano
accompaniment - 3 note
ostinato/arpeggio in the right hand
and in the left hand - bare 5th/octave
chords (no 3rd)
[Bars 111 - 128] Andante

Comment on the accompaniment

style and the texture of the music in [Bars 111 - 128] Andante
bars 111 - 116

Homophonic chordal music from

earlier which leads into the
recitative-like music of the opening
In Bars 115 - 128 the chord
progressions are often unrelated and
we can see shifts downwards in
parallel semitones. In what previous
section did you hear similar harmony?

The opening section.

 [Bars 129 - 161] Allegro
Verse bar 135
Chorus bar 151
The use of harmony in 3rds creates a ‘warmer’ feeling.

Comment on the interaction between the

vocal parts in bars 125 - 128. What
interval is used to harmonise the melody?

Elphaba and Glinda usually sing

separately but sometimes sing together in
in harmony such as (bar 125) in thirds.

[Bars 129 - 161] Allegro

Comment on the accompaniment

style and the texture of the music in
bars 129-133

Homophonic chordal music.

What key is the verse in?

Verse bar 135

The tonic key of D major.

What compound interval is used in the

melody in bars 140-141?

Compound Perfect 5th

Explain what happens to the tempo in bars
142 - 143?

There is a rall (slowing down) at bar

142 immediately followed by ‘a
tempo’ at bar 143 (resume the
previous speed)

Are the many other examples of rall in this

piece?

Yes, quite a number.

Comment on the rhythm of the melody

in bars 144- 149?

It’s syncopated. In fact syncopation is

used frequently throughout the piece
 Chorus 4 bar 151

The use of open 5th chords is used throughout

the piece. This bare chord sound creates a feeling
of space and freedom

Use of ostinato/metric shifting

[Bars 162 - 177] Andante to Maestoso
What happens to the tempo at
bars 160 - 161? Bar 162 Andante

There is a rall. ( it slows down).

Are there many examples of tempo

changes in this piece? Explain.

Yes there are many changes in

tempo through the piece.

Rallentandos are used particularly

at the end of sections to go from
Allegro to Andante as in the
example opposite at bar 160 - 162.

Sometimes there are ralls are

followed by an a tempo. (bars
141-142)

There is also a rall used at the end

of the piece.

How is the texture in this final section
different to the rest of the song?
For the final Maestoso section, bar
What key is the final section in?
168 it is in B minor until we finish on a
chord of D major.

The ending is contrapuntal/polyphonic Bar 168 Maestoso/CODA

with three different musical ideas with
different lyrics (e.g. bar 168).

What harmonic device is used in the

bass in bars 168 - 171?

B tonic pedal note

 This is melismatic writing i.e. that is when a single syllable
of text is sung carried through many notes. This is in Comment on the text setting in
contrast to syllabic singing in which each syllable of text Bar 175. Is this melismatic or
gets a single note. Sometimes it’s called vocalisation or ‘ a syllabic writing?
vocal run’. Apart from a few isolated moments all of the
vocal writing in Defying Gravity is ‘syllabic’

Briefly comment on the use of

tempo in this piece. Below is an
overview of the various tempo
changes to help you.

For the final Maestoso section, bar

168 it is in B minor until we finish on a
chord of D major.
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