Topic: Fanfares

revision task
Learn these features of Fanfares, and their purposes!

Fanfare Feature Purpose

Loud dynamics To capture the listener’s attention

Moderate-fast tempo Gives the piece energy and momentum

Dotted rhythms and Triplets Rhythm has more ‘bounce’ and ‘energy’

Brass and Percussion instruments Loud instrumental families, have a bright and
piercing timbre

Major Key used Sounds celebratory

Question and Answer structure Makes it memorable and has a clear pattern

Uses basic Triadic harmony The harmony remains consonant and pure
 Triad – a three note chord
Notes of the C major Triad Notes of the G major Triad

Treble Clef Treble Clef

Bass Clef Bass Clef

C major is Chord I (chord ‘one’). G major is Chord V (chord ‘five’).

Its proper name is the Tonic. Its proper name is the Dominant.

If you add an ‘F’ to the triad to make

GBDF, this is called a Dominant 7th.
 Triads (piano view)
A Triad can be visualised on a piano by playing a note and skipping a
note. When you have three notes, you have a triad.
e.g. e.g. e.g.

C E G E G B A C E

Play Play Play

Skip Skip
Melody

This melody is Triadic because it only uses

the notes from the C Triad (CEG).
E E C C E C C

This melody has passing notes because it

has notes in-between the triad notes.
E D C C E D C
The passing notes are the ‘D’ notes.
Texture

A single melodic line. One layer of

Monophonic melody without accompaniment

Melody and accompaniment together.

Homophonic Everything plays similar or the same
rhythm in harmony.

Multiple melodic lines, interweaving

Polyphonic amongst each other.

All layers perform the same pitch and

Unison rhythms.
Listening practice Listen to the example – identify what you think you can hear… (click to reveal answers!)

Instrumentation
All Brass instrumentation – a pure timbre and powerful sound.

Texture
Mostly homophonic (with a clear melody on top), moments of
polyphonic texture

Rhythms
Predominantly triplet rhythms

Dynamics
Loud dynamics throughout, extreme crescendos and
diminuendos

Harmony/Tonality
Major key and triadic with a few moments of dissonance

Tempo
Quite a fast tempo