ice core viva voce

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In the film, this music accompanies images of divers swimming through caverns of ice and water inside a glacier. Ice is compact (clusters), water is dense (thin texture). Instrumentation depicts this. Homophonic texture. A: 0:00-1:01 B: 1:02-2:02- development of A section. C: 2:03-2:39 Coda: 2:40- 2:55 (end) Opening guitar chord in quartal harmony (perfect 4ths in between) Pitch bend in the guitar creates and eerie effect through use of dynamics (p-mf-p) and a rapid accelerando and rallentando. Second, longer pitch bend extends this effect. Violin 2 part, alternating between D and Eb represents the earth breathing. Overall contour of melody is moving up and down. High note of harp ostinato sounds sharp and piercing, over the resonant, plucked tone colour of the guitar Final chord rootless voicing- creates a different harmonic sound Westlake often takes a phrase then repeats it. Extension in the repeated phrase. Con sord- with mute Sul tasto- with the bow over the fingerboard, produces a thin tone. Non vib- no undulating in pitch Basson- plaintive/expressive tone colour Flute+piccolo- brilliant/piercing/mystical tone colour at top. Clear/pure in middle Bass clarinet- dark and eerie in lower register Violin- bright, penetrating, brilliant at top. Dark and brooding at bottom 0:00- quartal harmony, pitch bend, harp, earth 0:49- agitated part 1:06- 1st motif, polyrhythm in accompaniment. Flute/piccolo/violin double up 2:05- theme. Followed by melodic answer in guitar.

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tone colour analysis for ice core, by nigel westlake

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Page 1: Ice Core Viva Voce

In the film, this music accompanies images of divers swimming throughcaverns of ice and water inside a glacier. Ice is compact (clusters), water is dense (thin texture). Instrumentation depicts this. Homophonic texture.A: 0:00-1:01B: 1:02-2:02- development of A section.C: 2:03-2:39Coda: 2:40- 2:55 (end)

Opening guitar chord in quartal harmony (perfect 4ths in between) Pitch bend in the guitar creates and eerie effect through use of dynamics (p-mf-p) and

a rapid accelerando and rallentando. Second, longer pitch bend extends this effect. Violin 2 part, alternating between D and Eb represents the earth breathing. Overall

contour of melody is moving up and down. High note of harp ostinato sounds sharp and piercing, over the resonant, plucked tone

colour of the guitarFinal chord rootless voicing- creates a different harmonic soundWestlake often takes a phrase then repeats it. Extension in the repeated phrase.Con sord- with muteSul tasto- with the bow over the fingerboard, produces a thin tone. Non vib- no undulating in pitchBasson- plaintive/expressive tone colourFlute+piccolo- brilliant/piercing/mystical tone colour at top. Clear/pure in middleBass clarinet- dark and eerie in lower registerViolin- bright, penetrating, brilliant at top. Dark and brooding at bottom 0:00- quartal harmony, pitch bend, harp, earth0:49- agitated part1:06- 1st motif, polyrhythm in accompaniment. Flute/piccolo/violin double up2:05- theme. Followed by melodic answer in guitar.2:30- chromatic descend, lyrical pattern become disjunct leaps. 2:46- final thing.