Pineapple Song And Married

Nichi Tuitt Compare and contrast two ensemble songs of your choice with reference to text setting, melody, rhythm, tonality, and harmony.

It couldn’t please me more and married are both similar through their romantic styles however they are portrayed through different styles. In it couldn’t please me more, strings are used to give the music a romantic feel. However in married the romantic mood is set by the change in meter. The introduction is in simple quadruple meter but then moves into simple triple meter which gives a slow waltz feel contributing to the romantic mood. Another feature of the music that adds to the romantic feel of the pieces is the word painting. In it couldn’t please me more a disjunct leap is used to emphasise the pineapple the highlight of the song. Similarly married makes use of word painting to emphasise the main feature if the song. The music makes a disjunct leap to emphasise the positive view of each other. Both married and it couldn’t please me more are written in syllabic format for simplicity and clarity of the words and message in the song. The syllabic format could also be to do with the music. Syllabic is simple and so doesn’t take away from the music which is vital for the romantic genre. However the Ah’s in it couldn’t please me more are written in mellismatic format. This format is used to emphasise the unison of the couple’s voice. Highlighting the romance. The instrumentation adds to the romantic feel of the pieces. In it couldn’t please me mores strings are used throughout but are most prominent at the introduction. It’s almost as if the music is telling the reader about the romance between Herr Shultz and Frau Schneider. Brass instruments are used for comical effect, to show the comical link between the pineapple icon and the elderly relationship. A glockenspiel is used to show the innocence of Frau Schneider. There is also an instrumental section used for a romantic dance the brass takes the melody. A Guitar slide is used to give a Hawaiian feel to the music- association with the pineapple. The instrumentation in married is different to that it couldn’t please me more though they both aim to portray the same romantic feel. The introduction of married is similar to that of it couldn’t please me more, it’s based on the Ah’s it links to the previous song reminding the audience of the romance. The decoration in the main accompaniment played by the flutes adds innocence and a fluttery feel to the music. A Celeste is used in bar 20; it adds in magic,

lightness and innocence another example of word painting. The violins double the melody, the bass plays pizzicato and the flutes provide a counter melody. However one main difference between married and it couldn’t please me more is the tremolo style in the strings. It gives a sinister feel to the music which reminds the audience that even though there is romance there’s still the danger with being associated with a Jew. Chromaticism is prominent throughout it couldn’t please me more, it adds to the light heartedness of the music. The bass line moves from tonic to dominant constantly. Within one phrase the music moves between one octave again emphasising the pineapple. Disjunct leaps also emphasise the pineapple. The Ah’s are conjunct; the voices imitate the Hawaiian breezes however there are clashes in the harmony. Similarly married makes use of chromaticism; the semitones are repeated on the word married for emphasis. The bass line moves i-v throughout. The music starts in F major however later on moves into Ab major. There are broken chords and arpeggios (including 2nd inversion arpeggios) throughout the piece adding to the romantic feel of the music. Married makes use of pervasive rhythms which are repeated throughout the music. Sequences are used throughout the music but with variety they move one tone higher, in descending scales and link back to the original melody.