GCSE Music AoS 4 – World Music CAPERCAILLIE SKYE WAULKING SONG

KEYWORDS- can you define them? Pentatonic Vocables Oral Tradition Scots Gaelic Strophic Bouzouki

KEYWORDS- can you define them? Pentatonic Vocables Oral Tradition A 5 note scale based on the degrees 1 2 3 5 and 6 of a scale i.e. In C major, the pentatonic is C, D, E, G and A. Effects that are made by the voice, using vowel sounds such as ‘eh’, ‘ah’, ‘oh’. Music passed orally (by mouth) from generation to generation. It is learnt by continuous listening and repeating.

KEYWORDS- can you define them? Scots Gaelic Strophic Bouzouki A Celtic language native to Scotland. A song that uses the same music for every verse. A lute like instrument from Greece.

Waulking is part of traditional cloth-making.

You would sing this as you worked.

Capercaillie are a modern folk band and this is from their album of 200O NADURRA. Their music is often described as Celtic Rock.

What about the instruments? Can you name them?

The pipes- a common instrument in Scottish folk music

The accordion – typical in UK folk music

A bouzouki-traditionally from Greece but used in this song

Structure Section Bar numbers Chords used Intro 1 - 8 Em, G 1 Verse 1 9 – 11 Break 12 – 15 Verse 2 16 – 20 Verse 3 21 – 24 Verse 4 25 – 28 C, G, Em, G 2 Verse 5 29 – 32 Verse 6 33 – 36 Instrumental 37 – 43 C, G, Em Verse 7 44 – 48 Am7, Em, G Verse 8 49 – 52 Outro 53 – end C, G

2 Sections? From the intro until verse 3, the song has a distinctive traditional feel. Uses only the chords Em and G. Focus on the singer and atmospheric background. From verse 4 until the end. Tonality is in G major. Has a full rhythm section, backing vocals in harmony and instrumental.

Introduction bars 1 - 8 Starts with a sustained chord suggesting E minor. Fiddle joins in playing tremolo note to add effect. Bar 3, drums added, keyboard added with melody interlinked with bouzouki. By the end of this section, a chord sequence has been introduced Em and G. Ambiguous time signature.

Verse 1 bars 9 - 11 Instruments continue atmospheric background. Singers starts with typical Lombard (Scottish snap) rhythm. Singer’s melody works against the other instruments which continues to make the time signature a little ambiguous.

Break bars 12 - 15 Fiddle becomes more prominent with emphasis still on the effects rather than melody.

Verse 2 bars 16 - 20 Voice becomes the main rhythmic feature. This establishes the time signature as 12/8.

Verse 3 bars 21 - 24 Continues effortlessly from verse 2. Last line is sung unaccompanied. This serves a link to the next section.

Verse 4 bars 25 - 28 Chord sequence changes to C, G, Em, G. Drum part and rest of the band clearly set the 12/8 time signature. More noticeable bass part. Backing vocals join in nonsense syllables Main lyrics sung by lead singer. The accordion joins in along with strummed accompaniment on acoustic guitar/bouzouki.

Verse 5 bars 29 - 32 Same as verse 4. Accordion provides counter melodies to the vocal line.

Verse 6 bars 33 - 36 The same as verse 5.

Instrumental bars 37 - 43 The instruments (especially the accordion) emphasise the 2nd and 5th beats. Adds rhythmic interest. The uilleann pipes have the solo along with the fiddle. Heterophonic texture. Accordion provides accompaniment and sometimes melodic doubling.

Verse 7 bars 44 - 48 Chord sequence changes to Am7, Em, Em, G. Radical drop in dynamics to accentuate the intimate vocal sound. Backing singers continues on nonsense syllables.

Verse 8 bars 49 - 52 Full band plays. Chord sequence goes back to C, G, Em, G.

Outro bars 53 - end Instrument weave a counterpoint with each other. Vocals improvise the nonsense syllables. A long fade out concludes the song.