| home key | Bm |
| despite the home key being Bm, what does the piece start in? | F# dominant minor |
| ambiguity between what two keys signifies what? | Fm and Ab major juxtaposes sweetness of dream-like young love with foreboding uncertainty |
| how does T modulate? | through semitones e.g. Fm to Em |
| how is there tonal instability leading to first subject? | between F#m and Bm first inversion |
| what is used to increase tension in the first subject? | rising chromatic bass line |
| what key is the love theme introduced in? | Db major since overture drops by a semitone |
| what two keys does the development explore? | Bm and F#m |
| what keys is there tonal ambiguity between in the reacpitulation? | Bm/D |
| what key is the coda in? | B major |
| what is the structure of the piece and why? | loose sonata form as first subject is the conflict theme and second subject is the love theme |
| why can Tchaikovsky’s overture be argued not to be sonata form? | because the love theme isn’t developed before the recapitulation |
| describe opening friar theme | in low register like a bassoon and clarinet chorale, similar to chanting monks due to the vocal-like quality of the clarinet |
| how does Tchaikovsky provide thematic development and give an example? | changes in instrumentation e.g. b.21 where flute motif is moved to the violins |
| what are the stab chords in the first subject used to give an impression of? | a swordfight |
| describe what happens in b 260 after the love theme | drastic change in mood as the cor anglais plays held notes with chromatic sourness as well as dramatic register drop in clarinet alluding to friar theme like a warning |
| what theme does the coda have snippets of with what in the timpani? | love theme with heartbeat motif in timpani |
| how does Tchaikovsky use instrumentation to portray a religious atmosphere in the opening which recurs throughout the overture? | ascending Fm arpeggios in the harps |
| how does Tchaikovsky use instrumentation in the development of the friar theme and what does it portray? | high register of flutes to give angelic feel |
| what does Tchaikovsky’s use of the middle register of instrumentation signify? | the level of earth opposed to higher religious powers shown through high instrumental registers |
| how is a sense of urgency leading up to the conflict enforced in the friar theme? | excessive accentuation emphasised by ascending semi-chromatic scale in the cor anglais |
| what texture does Tchaikovsky use to signify opposing forces? | antiphonal texture as same chord is passed between the woodwind and strings |
| what type of texture is used to introduce the first subject? | homorhythmic |
| what texture is used to portray the two families in the first subject? | interrupting canon between the strings and woodwind which slowly leads to a loss of clear rhythmic beats reflecting the disorientating nature of battle |
| what texture is used to introduce the second subject? | homophonic accompaniment in gentle syncopation |
| describe the texture Tchaikovsky uses during the reinstatement of the love theme | appogiature counter-melody in cor anglais with oscillating harmonic support |
| what type of texture is used in the love theme during the recapitulation? | canon between the cello and bassoon against the flute and oboe |
| as urgency grows in the recapitulation, what happens to the repetitive canonic idea between the horns and the flute against the oboe and clarinet? | it is shortened by rhythmic diminution emphasised by the accompaniment changing into triplets |
Romeo and Juliet Fantasy Overture
December 16, 2019