Leaving Certificate Music THE BEATLES It was 40 years ago today……..!

The Album Gave the audience a lot more than just the songs – they also got: Two continuous sides of music The definite feel of a live performance with all the “extra” audience sounds Mixture of styles – classical to Indian raga! Printed song lyrics An kaleidoscope of colours on the front cover with the best “audience” collected in history A cut out moustache along with stripes and a badge A 41 piece orchestra on a Pop record Really encourage all the students to listen to the full album – the songs are really brilliant The opening pages in the student booklet will give a sufficient over view of what the group and album are about.

There are 3 Beatles songs for study: Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club She’s Leaving Home When I’m 64 These songs are the prescribed course They vary widely – Sgt Pepper is a rock song She’s Leaving home is a classical song similar to any love song of Schubert When I’m 64 has all the feel of a jazz vamp

Syllabus requirements All Levels! Understand, identify and describe the range of musical features used Study its musical style and place it in its historical context Analyse and Describe patterns of repetition and change within the music Explain that students need to know the songs in question but also the context of Pop music of the late 60s especially how the Beatles as a group were trying to function at that time. Arthur Sealys textbook has plenty of information for this ! ( can we plug a book?????) The study of the songs will enable students to contextualise the importance of The Beatles in relation to the other set works. There are many comparisons with Mozart, Berlioz and Deane Analysis is given in the book of notes for this course. Remember it is only my thoughts on these songs and is not exhaustive and open to interpretation! We all need to study these songs and not just regurgitate!!

And also for Higher Level……. To make Comparative Judgements about music To evaluate Interpretation and Performance in the light of experience already attained. Comparative judgements can be between certain sections of an individual song or between 2 different songs. It can also mean comparison between another set work e.g type of harmony used by Mozart and The Beatles !! Evaluating interpretation means 2 different versions of the same song e.g instrumental version and a vocal one.

So what do I have to know? The album- dates Concept idea What makes it different? General overview of the types of songs on the album. As with all the set works a thorough knowledge of each set song is important as examiners are most adept at asking anything of interest! The album – details - 129 days and 700 hours to produce –released in 1967 Sgt pepper – cockney slang for salt and pepper. Group decided that since people no longer listened to a live performance then lets put a “live” performance on a record. General Overview – so many fabulous songs to refer to e.g track 1 side 2 within You without you ( indian raga) or Track 4 side 1 Getting Better ( prepared Piano ) What makes it different is the amazing variety of types of songs as well as the myriad of detail in the actual production of this album. General overview – refer to page xx of student booklet.

What Kind of questions am I asked? Instrumentation Structure e.g. Verse, chorus Keys Textures Chord patterns Lyrics – word painting Production Techniques Shes Leaving …. String nonet and harp 64 – 2 clar and bass clar with bass and lead guitar and drums Sgt Pepper – Bass, lead guitar, drum kit and 4 French Horns !! Structure – stress each song is different though there is a verse chorus type structure prevalent. Keys – example Sgt Pepper is in G major Texture e.g polyphonic texture chorus she s leaving home Opening chord sequences in chorus Sgt Pepper Wonderful lyrics – “shes leaving home after living alone after all of these years” Use of band sounds at opening of album – a live band sound.Multi tracking, over dubs etc!

What Kind of questions am I asked? Differences between individual verses in particular She’s Leaving home Correct identification of each song and individual parts e.g. Sgt Pepper bridge section Be able to identify and insert missing notes and chords I use this song as an example of the clever use of instruments in such a simple melodic line . Just investigate how the instrumentation is used in each successive verse This is a continual problem when correcting exams – students not labelling sections of music correctly. The perennial problem of learning themes – it has to be done.

Examples of Syncopation, Chromaticism, etc – standard “classical” terminology also applies to these songs Just because this is “pop” music we should not underestimate the tremendous musicianship of this group Important for study of set works but also for the aural skills question as this terminology pervades the whole exam paper and can pose particular difficult for Ordinary level students Tricky one but there is still a view that The Beatles and Bohemian Rhapsody is not “proper” music – please dispel this myth!

Analysis (1) Sergeant Peppers Hearts Club Band. Intro Verse 1 Brass interlude 1 Middle Interlude2 Verse 2 link 4 bars 8 bars 5 bars 12 bars 1-4 5-12 13-17 18-29 30 -34 35 - 42 43 - 46 This is a simple template to illustrate the overall structure of the song. Students should learn the terminology above.

Analysis Sergeant Pepper (2) Introduction Initial sounds of audience in a concert hall! Four bar instrumental with tune on lead guitar Verse 1 Homophonic texture 4 x 2 bar phrases Key centres around G Repeated notes 1st 2 bars made up of just 2 notes Same chords as intro Self explanatory ! Repeated notes are g and F#

Sergeant Pepper (3) Brass interlude 1 4 French horns – London Philharmonic Orchestra Polyphonic Texture Key around G Get students to answer this question – This is the first brass interlude, expalin what happens here. Problem here is that they are told it is the interlude so question requires answer like….. There are 4 french horns. The key is F major The texture is polyphonic The use of the french horn is unsual.

Sergeant Peppers (4) Middle Section – Longest Section Interlude Refrain – We’re Sergeant ……. Vocal line rhythm is doubled in length i.e., semiquavers become quavers! 2/3 part harmonies Descending D7 arpeggio on horns Typical pop hook used – catchy tune to grab your audience! Interlude Chords as for Brass interlude Vocals Horns now a sustained dotted minim moving to quavers Important section Use of augmentation Arpeggios played by French horns Pop Hook – expression used in the business to describe a part of a song that initially grabs the audience. Just think of the mandatory modulation in a euro vision song !!!!

Sergeant Peppers (5) Verse 2 Homophonic texture Key centres around G 4 x 2 bar phrases Repeated notes Same chords as intro Link Similar to brass interlude Chords of C D E linking to With a little help from my friends Quickly go thro, this – it’s the same as verse 1

Arrangement – George Martin Analysis ‘64 Recorded Dec 1966 Arrangement – George Martin Structure Intro Verse1 Bridge1 Verse2 Bridge2 Verse3 Coda Bar 1-4 5-6 A 7-14 B 15-22 C 23-30 D 31-39 A 40- 47 B 48-55 C 56-63 D 64-72 A 73-80 B 81-88 89 -92 Useful template (I hope its right!!!!)

’64 (2) Intro – Fabulous use of 2 clarinets and 1 bass clarinet. ’64 (2) Intro – Fabulous use of 2 clarinets and 1 bass clarinet. Piano Vamp – (not part of Pop music) Really Jazz combo here! Such a great contrast to the previous track Relatively self explanatory although the previous track was “Within you without You” basically an indian raga tune

’64 (3) Verse 1 4 bar phrases A-B-A1-C Effective use of Chromatic notes C phrase – Harmonic sequence Ab-C-A7-D-G-C but with the added notes for colour. Homophonic Texture Augmentation “will you still ..”  “birthday greeting…” Relatively simple – students should familiarise themselves with the use of chromatic notes get a guitarist in class to strum the plain chords then play the actual piano ones so that all can hear the difference the chromatic notes make! Augmentation quavers become crotchets

’64 (4) Bridge 1 Begins in Am (relative minor) Melody less syncopated Much higher register used Alberti-type accompaniment Polyphonic texture ( John and Paul ) Verse 2 Harmonic sequence F Ab C A D G C Perhaps question students how we know it is Aminor? Rest is straight forward I have nt given anything on Verse 2 as it is a repeat of 1st verse – the students do have notes in their student book.

’64 (5) Bridge2 Begins in Am (relative Minor) Melody less syncopated Much higher register Alberti –bass accompaniment Polyphonic Texture – particularly “we shall scrimp and save” Use of diminution here minimscrotchets diminution - We shall scrimp and save

’64 (6) Verse 3 Similar to verse 2 but More instrumental ad libs i.e.,listen to solo guitar Does not go to bridge again Clarinet in 3rds with vocalist Coda Drum kit similar to opening Well timed oooh to finish 1 love instrumental ad lib is a honky tonky stlye piano sound – “you canknit a sweater by the firside” really a harp back to scott joplin again.

She’s Leaving Home - Structure Intro Verse1 Chorus Verse2 Verse 3 1-4 5-36 37-55 56-87 88-106 107-122 123-134 ABAB CD AB C Useful template its missing the “ outro” section – final 3 bars.

Leaving home (2) Instrumentation String Nonet 4 violins 2 Violas 2 cellos 1 Double Bass 1 Harp - Sheila Bromberg – 1st time a woman appears on a Beatles song! I know it adds up to ten “string” instruments but all info says nonet and a harp. You should refer to the classical feel of this song by the use of these instruments. Also alert students to that this song was arranged by Mike Leander and that it was the only Beatle song he ever arranged.

Leaving Home (3) Word Painting – some excellent examples here The actual lyrics are wonderful, particularly the reaction of the parents to what their daughter has done. Their concern seems only to be for themselves, which is why the girl leaves in the first place. Also phrases like “she’s leaving home after living alone for so many years” perfectly captures the dysfunctional nature of this family situation. You could refer to other classic Beatles Lyrics – Elenor Rigby “puts on her Face that she keeps in a jar by the door” These guys really did write some fab words.

Leaving home (4) Intro Harp Arpeggios Homophonic texture Fab contrast to previous track Verse 1 Voice and harp Cello counter melody (bar10 – 12) Form: ABAB, each phrase gets a different accompaniment Key: E (vocal score Eb) Word painting: “downstairs” – descending violin melody Previous Track was Fixing a hole The rest is self expanatory.

Leaving Home (5) Chorus 1 Beautiful vocal harmonies – Paul Falsetto with John‘s counterpoint Mainly 1 chord for 13 bars – Different forms of Chord I (Eb- Score) Verse 2 Similar to 1st verse but subtle differences in accompaniment e.g. strings first then Harp, cello has walking bass idea much richer string texture Homophonic texture Word painting: Mother sobbing – violin counter melody Self Explanatory

Leaving home (6) Chorus 2 As with 1st chorus but again changes to the accompaniment. Middle texture now richer. (Viola) 18 bars divided into 8 and 10 bars respectively + 1 extra bar giving a total of 19 bars this uncertainty in phrase length may mirror the daughters uncertain future. Verse 3 Shorter than other verses (Only 16 bars) Word painting: use of tremolo strings - daughters’ excitement at her prospective meeting. Use of quaver movement in cello part to mirror the man in the “motor” trade! Worth explaining the significance of the length of phrase – “she s leaving home after living alone for so many years” its 7 bars long. Quite unusual in that all of the other phrases are of equal length. Note how this is resolved in the final verse when she has left this awful family situation – maybe she has made the right decision.( or am I being too deep? )

Leaving Home (7) Chorus 3 Like others but all string parts more animated e.g. violins play a repeated rhythm pattern here Final chorus uses 20 bars as opposed to 19 perhaps she’s made the right decision? Accompaniment “calms” down towards end of this chorus – mainly dotted minims in upper parts Self explanatory