UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATION, WINNEBA

SCHOOL OF CREATIVE ARTS

DEPARTMENT OF MUSIC EDUCATION

THE SOLDIER’S WIFE

JULIUS YAW DOTSE

202130524

2023
UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATION, WINNEBA
SCHOOL OF CREATIVE ARTS
DEPARTMENT OF MUSIC EDUCATION

THE SOLDIER’S WIFE

AN ORIGINAL COMPOSITION
BY

JULIUS YAW DOTSE

202130524

SEPTEMBER, 2023

PRESENTED TO UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATION, WINNEBA,

DEPARTMENT OF MUSIC EDUCATION, IN PARTIAL
FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF
BACHELOR OF ARTS, MUSIC EDUCATION

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 DECLARATION

I, Julius Dotse Yaw, do hereby declare that this work is my original composition and that it

has neither in whole nor in part been presented for any award in this university or elsewhere.

…………………………………. …………………………………..

Signature Date

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 APPROVAL

HEAD OF DEPARTMENT DR. MRS. AUGUSTA ARKO

MENSAH

………………………………….. …………………………………

Signature Date

SUPERVISOR MR. FRANCIS ANNAN

……..……………………………… ……………………………….

Signature Date

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 DEDICATION

To my mother, Mad. Beauty Dzimabi, and my guardian in the U.K., Mad. Coleman Beryll

Agodi.

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 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Glory be to the Lord God almighty for giving us a chance at life every day and empowering

us. I want to express my immense appreciation to all friends of mine who in one way or the

other contributed to the completion of this work.

I would like to also specially appreciate my mother, Mad. Beauty Dzimabi and my guardian,

Mad. Coleman Beryll Agodi, for their continual support both financially and morally. I also

thank W.O. Aryee, Sergeant Akoensi James, my little brother, O.S. Dotse Famous, and any

other person who has positively contributed to the journey so far. May the good Lord reward

your selfless dedication.

I am extremely grateful to my supervisor Mr. John Francis Annan as well, for his continual

guidance and direction throughout the process of the composition of this piece.

I cannot end without appreciating Dr. George Asabre Maclean, and Mr. Edwin Ekow

Ferguson for always being there for me when I call.

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS

DECLARATION ii

APPROVAL iii

DEDICATION iv

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS v

PREFACE vi

LIST OF INSTRUMENTS AND PERFORMERS vii

GENERAL ANALYSIS viii

SECTIONAL ANALYSIS ix

SECTION A (INTRODUCTION [bars 1 – 9]) x

SECTION B (bars 10 – 25) x

SECTION C (bars 26 – 33) xi

SECTION D (bars 34 – 49) xii

SECTION E (bars 50 – 57) xii

SECTION F (bars 58 – 73) xiii

SECTION G (bars 74 – 90) xiii

SECTION H (bars 74 – 90) xiii

SECTION I (bars 74 – 90) xiii

THE SOLDIER’S WIFE xiii

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 PREFACE

Being a soldier’s wife means being a part of something bigger than yourself, and always

being willing to put others before your own needs. I grew up with these values strongly

instilled in me, watching my mom, as she put everyone else first.

These values guided me in all my works of life. This inspired me to create this work as a

reminder to myself to always uphold the values that have been implanted in me since infancy.

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 LIST OF INSTRUMENTS AND PERFORMERS

Tenor Sax Trumpet

Dotse Julius Hayibor Manfred

Daniel Adarkwa Yiadom Adzobade Alfred Mawuli

Bitu Paul

Alto Sax Trombone

Sarpong Emmanuel Jonathan Odartei Mills

Afenyo Godson Pius Anyaraque

Taylor

Bass guitar Drums

Samuel Obeng Yeboah Mc-Kenzie Eyi Arquah

Piano Electric guitar

Reagan Gyawu Lucas Doe

Conductor: Klutse Ivan Sena

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 GENERAL ANALYSIS

TITLE: The Soldier’s wife

INSTRUMENTS: Alto sax, Tenor sax, Piano, Trumpet, Trombone, Drum

set, Electric Bass, Electric Guitar.

KEY: B minor
FORM: Rondo
MEDIUM: Jazz Band
TEXTURE: Monophonic
TEMPO: Allegro
TIME SIGNATURE: 4
4

DYNAMICS: ff (fortissimo): very loud

f, (forte): loud
mf (mezzo-forte): moderately soft
p (piano): soft
mp (mezzo-piano): moderately soft

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 SECTIONAL ANALYSIS

This work was written in rondo form. It begins with an introduction featuring all the

instruments playing in unison, after which a solo section comes before the main theme of the

song. After the theme, there is two other solo sections are played with the theme recurring in

between each section. The intro is repeated as coda.

SECTION A (INTRODUCTION [bars 1 – 9])

The piece starts with an introduction of 9 bars. The first bar involves only the drum set setting

the tempo for the other instruments (see fig 1). All the instruments join in bar 2 playing the

theme of the introduction in unison. The bass guitar and the drum set play fortissimo (very

loud) while all the other instruments play mezzo-piano (moderately soft). A portion of the

theme is shown in fig. 2 below.

Figure 1: Drumset setting the tempo in the first bar

Figure 2: A portion of the introductory theme

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 SECTION B (bars 10 – 25)

This is the first solo section of the piece. In this section, tenor sax 2 takes a solo right from

the end of bar 9 (see fig. 3) while the piano, drums, bass guitar, and electric guitar provide

backing to the tenor sax by holding the progression and the rhythm (see fig. 4 and fig. 5). The

tenor sax starts forte (loud) and moves to piano (soft) in bar 11. It crescendos from bar 14 and

plays forte (loud) from bar 16 to the end of the solo passage. The progression of this section

is a movement from chord vi (B min) to a chord III (F maj).

Figure 3: Inception of solo

Figure 4: Piano progression

Figure 5: Drum set, bass guitar, and electric guitar

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 SECTION C (bars 26 – 33)

This section contains the main theme of the song. The alto sax, tenor sax 1, trumpet, and

trombone take the theme in monophony (see fig. 6) while the piano, bass guitar, and electric

guitar support by holding the progression. The drum set maintains the tempo but this time

switches up the rhythm a little (see fig 7 below). The progression of this section remains the

same as the one in section B.

Figure 6: Main theme

Figure 7: New drumset rhythm

SECTION D (bars 34 – 49)

Section D is the second solo section of the piece but this section is an improvisatory section

for tenor sax 2. The piano, bass guitar, and electric guitar continue to maintain the same

progression while the drum set maintains the tempo as well but reverts to the rhythm that was

played in section B (see fig. 8). A modulation is initiated in the last bar of this section (bar

49) by tenor sax 2 but the modulation is established in the next section.

Figure 8: initial drumset rhythm

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SECTION E (bars 50 – 57)

The modulation initiated in section D is established in this section. Section E is complete

restatement of the main theme as it appeared in section C but this time, it is taken in the key

of D minor.

SECTION F (bars 58 – 73)

Section F is another improvisatory section but this time, for tenor sax two. The solo is taken

in the new key of D minor right from the beginning of the section and in the last bar of the

section (bar 73), another modulation to the home key is initiated by tenor sax one.

SECTION G (bars 74 – 90)

This is another restatement of the main theme.

SECTION H (bars 74 – 90)

Section H is the third and final solo section which is taken by tenor sax one. The solo is taken

in the home key of D major.

SECTION I (bars 74 – 90)

This is the last part of the piece. It is the outro of the piece but it features a restatement of the

same theme employed in the introduction of the piece. The song ends with all instruments

playing in homophony over the root chord of the home key (B minor)

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THE SOLDIER’S WIFE

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