Helen Jane Long Biography, Composition History, and Listening Guides Megan Koplin - Music 1010 Semester Project - 07/08/2013

Biography

Helen Jane Long has inspired many: Joe Ross says that when Helen Jane Long “composes music, she wants to attain nothing less than tranquility. Not the tranquility of numbness or sleep, but the tranquility through affirmation, through a music that aspires to an elegance and civility rarely found in this world. In other words, the music of Helen Jane Long makes you feel good.”

Background

Helen’s Career Ronnie Hazlehurst Jerry Goldsmith Nigel SmithHoward Shore

Helen’s Own Musical Work

Composition History

“To Dust” by Helen Jane Long

“Embers” by Helen Jane Long

“Passes” by Helen Jane Long

“Drift” by Helen Jane Long

Listening Guide

“To Dust” 1. 0:00 Introduction: The violin is the only instrument playing. There is a narrow range, with an arch contour. This part of the song is setting the overall beat and rhythm. It has a triple simple meter, a quick tempo, and the volume would be considered medium. The violin has a strong beat, and there is compound timing in this section. 2. 0:10 Introduction continues and the piano starts playing on top of the violin. Piano would have a medium/loud volume, and a strong beat. It is compound timing, with a quick tempo, and wide range. This section has arch contour. 3. 0:29 Violin slows and the underlying beat stops. Violin stays consistently calm, with simple timing. There is ascending contour, a wide range, a slow tempo, and the volume is medium. The rhythm in piano changes, and the smoothness is disjunct.

4. 0:47 This section the violin stays slow and calm. The piano starts playing louder and has a stronger beat. I would consider this to be the chorus. The piano has a very strong beat, the timing would be considered compound. The volume is loud, with a quick tempo, wide range, and is an ascending contour. -From this point in the song, it repeats the last 4 timings. 5. 1:06 The song goes to the violin only playing just like introduction. This section is re-setting overall beat and rhythm again. There is a narrow range, quick tempo, and a medium volume. The contour is arch and the timing is compound. This whole timing section has a strong violin beat. 6. 1:15 Here the piano starts playing on top of violin beat and rhythm. The volume is medium/loud. There is a strong piano beat, and compound timing. I would consider it to have a quick tempo, with arch contour.

7. 1:34 The violin slows and is consistently calm while the underlying beat stops. I notice ascending contour, a slow tempo, and medium volume. The rhythm in the piano changes to simple timing, and there is a disjunct smoothness. 8. 1:53 This section is the same as (0:47). The violin stays slow and calm, and the piano starts playing louder with a stronger beat. I would consider this the chorus again. Strong piano beat, quick tempo, loud volume, and compound timing. This has a wide range and an ascending contour. 9. 2:11 This part of the song is new, the violin goes from low to high, then evens out and continues again higher, then evens out and then goes from high to low. This means there is both ascending contour, and descending contour. The violin is simple timing, and the piano is compound timing. There is a wide range, quick tempo, medium to medium loud volume, soft beat, and every whole note has a strong beat.

10. 2:37 This section is the same as (1:53). The violin slows and calms, and the piano starts playing louder with a stronger beat. This is the chorus Strong piano beat, wide range, loud volume, compound timing, ascending countour, 11. 2:57 violin slows and quiets, low piano, descending contour, soft/quite volume, one last soft beat, simple timing 12. 3:03 Coda: music ends 13. 3:08 song is complete

“Embers” 1. 0:00 There is a wide range in this section while the piano goes from high note to low note, then ends with a high note. The song doesn’t start out loud but I would consider it to have medium volume, medium pitch, and an arch contour. The smoothness is disjunct, and it starts with a slow tempo. I wouldn’t consider this section to be an introduction, throughout the entire song this particular section will be repeated and repeated. 2. 0:13 Here the speed is increasing making it have a quick tempo, and the piano is going from low to high showing an ascending contour. The pitch is high, the volume is medium/loud, and timbre is demonstrated in this section. 3. 0:17 The violin starts playing in this section over the constant piano beat. The violin is a slow, quiet, low pitch subtle piece. There is descending contour with a narrow range.

4. 0:27 The piano is playing high note to low note and ends on a high note. The violin stops and takes a break. There is arch contour, loud volume, wide range, and has a medium pitch. Timbre is demonstrated in this section. 5. 0:34 The violin starts again, it begins with a very low pitch, and a narrow range. The piano has an ascending contour. 6. 0:39 There is ascending contour demonstrated by the piano. The speed increases, the pitch is higher, and the volume is medium/loud. I would say this is a high to maybe medium pitch. This section shows and example of timbre, it has a wide range, and a quick tempo. 7. 0:52 This section is a slow, quite, descending piano contour.The violin is steady and slow and seems to be almost stopping. It has a medium pitch, narrow range, the smoothness is conjunct, and has a slow tempo. You haven’t heard this section in the song yet. Since the rest of the song is practically repeating itself the entire time, this is a new section of the song.

8. 0:59 The piano plays high note to low note, then ends on a high note. This volume is medium with a medium pitch. 9. 1:11 The piano is slow, and the contour starts by ascending, then slows and begins descending contour to a quite volume. Overall volume is medium/loud, and it goes from high pitch to higher pitch then to medium pitch with a wide range :24 Piano is playing high note, low note and ending with a high note once again. The violin stops playing here, and there is an overall soft volume. The pitch is medium, with a slow tempo and an arch contour :36 The piano is playing ascending contour, and has a high pitch. The violin begins with a low pitch. There is medium volume going to loud volume, with a high pitch and a wide range. Timbre is demonstrated in this section as well :50 Piano continues to play from descending contour, slowly to arch contour, then to descending contour. The violin stops, and the overall volume is medium/loud. There is a medium pitch to high pitch, a wide range, and a quick tempo.

13. 2:07 The violin starts up again being subtle and quiet. Overall low pitch, wide range, and an ascending contour :15 The violin stops here so the piano is the only instrument playing in this section. The piano is playing the high note, low note, then ending with a high note section that we have heard many times throughout this song already. There is a medium volume, high pitch, wide range and an arch contour :28 Here the piano speed increases, pitch increases, and the violin starts again here demonstrated ascending contour. This has medium volume to medium/loud volume, a very high pitch, wide range, and the piano is displaying descending piano contour. Timbre is demonstrated in this section as well :41 This is a piece of music that you wouldn’t have heard in the song yet. The piano is playing a chord which makes such a difference compared to a single note being played like the rest of the song. It has medium/loud volume and medium pitch.

17. 3:07 This section is back to the same old high note, low note and ending with a high note that the piano plalys. The violin ends, and the whole song has medium volume, medium pitch, and wide range. There is also an arch contour :20 Piano speed increases, during a descending contour. This section sounds like the end of the song because it quiets down. This section plays a chord on the piano which doesn’t happen in the song more than two times so you really hear a difference. There is a loud volume and a low to medium pitch, and a wide range :33 The piano is playing a very high pitch, there is ascending contour, and the tempo is slow but slowly increasing through the section. The volume begins at a medium level to medium/loud level. There is a high pitch, and a very wide range :50 You’re hearing the violin for the last time here. It is a slow, soft and subtle section, and you can tell the song is ending. It has descending contour, a high to low pitch with a wide range.

21. 3:57 The song is ending, and you really don’t hear much :06 This is the finish, the song is complete.

“Passes” 1. 0:00 This is the introduction to the song. The piano is the only instrument playing. It sounds a little depressing and maybe “dark.” It has compound timing, and a slow tempo. The smoothness would be considered disjunct, and this section has a narrow range with low/quite volume. 2. 0:11 In this section the guitar starts to play with the same piano melody as the first section. I would consider this to be the second part of the introduction. Adding the guitar makes this section sound like an island song and has a happier sound to it. This section has compound timing, a quick tempo, disjunct smoothness, a narrow range, and quite volume. 3. 0:23 In this section the violin has started playing as well so we have three instruments, the violin, guitar, and piano. This section is calming and has an arch contour. The violin is the dominant instrument heard here. It has compound timing, a quick tempo, and the smoothness would be considered disjunct. It also has a wide range with a quiet/medium volume.

4. 0:35 The violin here is playing a very low note that is smooth and very quiet. The piano is the louder piece which is clearer. It is kind of difficult to hear the violin. There is a wide range, compound timing with violin and guitar. The piano is at a higher pitch then the rest of the song and the piano would be considered to have simple timing. This section has an ascending contour, medium tempo, disjunct smoothness, and the piano is the dominant instrument heard. 5. 0:44 The violin starts with same piano and guitar melody. There is a quick tempo, with compound timing and disjunct smoothness. The violin is the dominant instrument heard. There is also a wide range, arch contour, and medium volume. 6. 0:56 Here the guitar stops playing and the piano is playing a different melody than the rest of the song, the piano is higher pitch than normal. The piano would also be considered the dominant instrument heard in this section. There is a wide range with the violin still playing and sounding very smooth with a low pitch. It has an ascending contour, timbre, loud volume, compound time, quick tempo, and conjunct smoothness. 7. 1:15 This section is now repeating a section from earlier in the song. The violin, guitar, and piano are playing again. This section is calming and has an arch contour. The violin is the dominant instrument heard here. It has compound timing, a quick tempo, and the smoothness would be considered disjunct. It also has a wide range with a quiet/medium volume.

8. 1:26 This section is also repeating a section from earlier in the song. The violin here is playing a very low note that is smooth and very quiet. The piano is the louder piece which is clearer. It is kind of difficult to hear the violin. There is a wide range, compound timing with violin and guitar. The piano is at a higher pitch then the rest of the song and the piano would be considered to have simple timing. This section has an ascending contour, medium tempo, disjunct smoothness, and the piano is the dominant instrument heard. 9. 1:37 The violin starts with same piano and guitar melody. There is a quick tempo, with compound timing and disjunct smoothness. The violin is the dominant instrument heard. There is also a wide range, arch contour, and medium volume. This section is repeating from an earlier section in the song :48 Here the guitar stops playing and the piano is playing a different melody than the rest of the song, the piano is higher pitch than normal. The piano would also be considered the dominant instrument heard in this section. There is a wide range with the violin still playing and sounding very smooth with a low pitch. It has an ascending contour, timbre, loud volume, compound time, quick tempo, and conjunct smoothness.

11. 2:08 Here is another repeating section. The violin, guitar, and piano are playing together. This section is calming and has an arch contour. The violin is the dominant instrument heard here. It has compound timing, a quick tempo, and the smoothness would be considered disjunct. It also has a wide range with a quiet/medium volume :19 The guitar here is loud and is the dominant instrument in this section. This is my favorite section in the whole song. There is an ascending contour then little descending contour. It has conjunct smoothness with guitar and violin, and medium volume. The guitar has simple timing, and the piano has compound timing. It is an overall slow tempo and a wide range :39 The violin, guitar, and piano are playing together. This section is calming and has an arch contour. The violin is the dominant instrument heard here. It has compound timing, a quick tempo, and the smoothness would be considered disjunct. It also has a wide range with a quiet/medium volume :01 The guitar here is loud and is the dominant instrument in this section. There is an ascending contour then little descending contour. It has conjunct smoothness with guitar and violin, and medium volume. The guitar has simple timing, and the piano has compound timing. It is an overall slow tempo and a wide range.

15. 3:21 The violin, guitar, and piano are playing together. This section is calming and has an arch contour. The violin is the dominant instrument heard here. It has compound timing, a quick tempo, and the smoothness would be considered disjunct. It also has a wide range with a quiet/medium volume :41 This is the ending of the song. Like most endings it has descending contour and also has arch contour. The song is slowly fading off getting quieter and quieter. It still has a wide range, with compound time, and a slow tempo. It has disjunct smoothness and medium volume fading to quite/soft volume :49 There is no more music playing, only silence :56 Song has ended.

“Drift” 1. 0:00 This section I would consider to be the introduction, and it starts out with the piano playing alone. The piano has a very strong beat and an ascending contour. It has a fast/quick tempo, medium/high pitch, wide range, and medium/loud volume. It seems to be repetitive piano notes and the smoothness is disjunct. -The piano is compound time throughout the entire song -The violin is simple time throughout the song 2. 0:09 This section demonstrates disjunct smoothness. The same piano melody is playing the ascending contour with fast tempo and medium/high pitch. There is a strong piano beat, and the violin has slow tempo and starts with low note. The violin is smooth, calm, and has a very quite volume. The piano goes into lower pitch with ascending contour and the same melody. The piano has a wide range, and the violin has a narrow range.

3. 0:35 Here the violin stops playing, while the piano is playing more complex notes and simple/single notes over top. It has a fast/quick tempo, ascending contour, wide range, and medium volume. The smoothness is disjunct, and the piano has a medium/strong beat. 4. 0:52 The violin starts playing again in a smooth low note. The piano continues to have a strong beat. The violin is sounding monotone and has a narrow range and slow tempo. The piano continues playing ascending contour overtop the violin. The piano has a wide range where the violin has a narrow range. The violin’s smoothness is conjunct and the piano has disjunct smoothness with a quick tempo. 5. 1:09 The violin starts playing higher with a slow tempo. The piano is playing the same melody as the last song in a quick tempo; it’s just in lower notes than last section. It still has a wide range and the violin has narrow range. The piano has disjunct smoothness and the violin has conjunct smoothness. 6. 1:27 This section is being repeated from earlier in the song. Here the violin stops playing, while the piano is playing more complex notes and simple/single notes over top. It has a fast/quick tempo, ascending contour, wide range, and medium volume. The smoothness is disjunct, and the piano has a medium/strong beat.

7. 1:44 This section is also being repeated from an earlier section in the song. The violin starts playing again in a smooth low note. The piano continues to have a strong beat. The violin is sounding monotone and has a narrow range and slow tempo. The piano continues playing ascending contour overtop the violin. The piano has a wide range where the violin has a narrow range. The violin’s smoothness is conjunct and the piano has disjunct smoothness with a quick tempo. 8. 2:02 Plucking of the violin strings is the very first thing you will notice in this section. It sounds really strange and it is mixed with high pitch piano playing single notes. The violin sounds to be playing short, quick tempo, spastic/abrupt notes making it sound rough. The piano has wide range, quick tempo, and arch contour. The violin has a narrow range, conjunct smoothness, strong beat, and quick tempo. The piano has a quick tempo and disjunct smoothness. 9. 2:20 The piano starts to play lower notes and still has the arch contour. The violin still has the rough sound, but there is no more violin string plucking that made the last section so noticeable. There is a quick tempo, medium pitch, medium/loud volume, and wide range for both the piano and violin. For both the piano and the violin there is a disjunct smoothness. The violin has slow tempo.

10. 2:54 The violin has a calm, low pitch in this section. There is a slight ascending contour, and the piano has a high pitch and strong beat. There is an overall quick tempo and both instruments have a wide range. The volume is medium/loud, disjunct smoothness for both piano and violin, and the violin has a slow tempo :12 Here is descending contour, and a narrow range for the violin. You will also notice descending contour as well. It has medium volume to quiet volume to extra quiet volume going quieter and quieter. There is an overall slow tempo, but the piano still has a quicker tempo and has a wide range. The violin has a narrow range and a slow tempo with conjunct smoothness. The piano would be disjunct smoothness :26 The music stops playing here, almost the end :28 Complete end of the song.

References: "British Composer/Pianist Helen Jane Long." Arts Council of Medocino County. Arts Council of Medocino County, n.d. Web. 26 June "Composer Biography Helen Jane Long." AudioNetwork. AudioNetwork, n.d. Web. 26 June "Helen Jane Long." Helenjanelong.com. BLE Music Group, n.d. Web. 26 June "Helen Jane Long Biography." Last.fm. Last.fm, n.d. Web. 26 June "Helen Jane Long Drops New Album ‘Intervention’." CDInsight. CDInsight, 6 Sept Web. 26 June "Helen Jane Long Intervention." Music Room. musicroom.com, n.d. Web. 26 June "Helen Jane Long." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 26 June