Mountain Chant

One down, four to go: for the rest of the term we will be studying Ross Edwards' choral work Mountain Chant (2002-3) (especially the second movement, called (funnily enough) "Mountain Chant").

1. Read the background information here on the choice of texts, and the inspiration behind the work. 

Where did the text for the middle movement come from? What is Edwards trying to communicate and evoke in the work?

2. Ross Edwards' musical style is very distinctive and incorporates very diverse influences. What are some of these influences, and how are they specifically heard in his music? What are his "sacred" and "maninya" styles? Read this interview and the bio and summary underneath for info that might help you.

3. Listen to some other of Edwards' works

to help place "Mountain Chant" into context. Listen to them, and then to "Mountain Chant": what are the similarities and differences?

4. Edwards mentions Messiaen's use of birdsong in the interview above. Study the first movement of Quartet for the End of Time.

(i) Describe each instrument's melodic and rhythmic material.
Violin: Two ideas: the first consists of three notes on a high Eb followed by eight fast repeated notes on the A above (tritone interval); Second idea is a quick three note call - an arpeggiated diminished triad - C#-G-E. These ideas are continually repeated at varying intervals - using rhythmic displacement.
Clarinet: Consists of a main idea which is complex and unpredictable, but prominently features diminished octaves, tritones, semitones, minor sixths and other dissonant leaps, imitating birdsong. The rhythm and melodic ideas are freely transformed, extended, retrograded, embellished etc - a wider ranging part than
Cello: 5 pitches are rotated (the "color" in medieval theory) - C, E, D, F#, Bb - all from the whole tone scale; played with artificial harmonics and harmonic glissandos to create an otherworldly birdsong inspired timbre; the rhythms create a palindrome with the first 18 notes, and ALSO are based around a cycle of 17 durations - the medieval technique of isorhythm (talea) - also linked to Indian tala (rhythmic cycles).
Piano: 29 dissonant chords (clusters and more widely spaced chords) played in a repeating cycle of 17 note durations. Symbolising the end of time.
(ii) How are the layers combined?  Designed never to connect or synchronise at all (end of time).

(iii) Summarise from this analysis http://books.google.com.au/books?id=JANUr3mG3kAC&pg=PA237&lpg=PA238&ots=fKtTELbPaa&focus=viewport&dq=liturgie+de+cristal+taruskin&output=html_text

some of the techniques Messiaen has used here.
Independently operating pitch and rhythm cycles (isorhythm, color, talea), Indian talas, retrograde, "non-retrogradable" (symmetrical) rhythms

(iii) Compare and contrast Messiaen and Edwards' use of rhythm, structure and melody.

5. Composition activity: write a piece inspired by the nature and places around you. Go somewhere quiet and notice the sounds around you. Record and notate the interesting sounds. Use the pitches, "structures", "textures" and rhythms as the basis for a short (45s-1min) piece for your choice of combination of instruments and/or voices (anything except piano). (It could set a poem, or placenames, or could be wordless). Write a reflection and evaluation for inclusion in your portfolio.

6. Listen to "Mountain Chant" and follow the score.

(i) List every placename used in the text and write down the melody/rhythm. Describe each melodic idea and discuss how it is developed and harmonised within the work. How do the rhythms of the text influence their musical setting?

Text	Description of rhythm & pitch	Development techniques
Warrum	Basses – F semiquaver- E dotted quaver tied to minim (“m”) repeated on the beat E Phrygian established (b2)	Length of final “m” changes each time Adds extra “bu” (extra quaver) Motif is altered in pitch (inverted & transposed) D-E instead of F-E
bungle	T – Sing “warrum” in unison with basses then split off to go up a fifth in crotchets	Final B changed in length each time (rhythmic alteration)
Crooked mountains	SAA- “Crooked” moves in contrary motion between A2 & S while A1 stays static; dissonance on “croo” resolves to third on “ked” – same with mountains – “mountains” – S & A1 in parallel 3rds while A2 begins in dissonant parallel 2nds with A1 then joins it on G to create an E minor triad with the underlying drone. First time it is qqqqc with accent on “moun”	Truncation (eg alters final crotchet to quaver) creating change of time signature Fragmentation (“mountains” repeated by itself the third time) Number of repetitions changes, gaps inserted between repetitions (increases intensity of climax)
Woorut	FG-CD – two fifths on top of each other resolving to unison B (diatonic dissonance)	Extra “woora” added – octave E in tenor (1st and third times) Clap two beats before “woorut” first three times – fourth time a quaver before Last time harmonies removed, TB sing “Woorut” S melody down 2 octaves Repeated each time with different length rests between
Whitegum	SSAA – in ¾ dc q tied c qqc       “white” and “gum” same length, whether dotted crotchet or crotchet       Bar 57 the first White is a C major chord in A and SS to an open fifth C and G       White-gum – first time parallel 5ths then it is in parallel thirds between S1 on F#-E and S2 on D-C and A in octave unison with S1 (somewhat because it is split between the parts)	Due to different time signatures the next White-Gum is cc qq c in SSA and A2 is cc cc. (diminution)       The Bass fragments the White gum White gum with just the first cc white gum on a G. (octave displacement)       Octave leap except S2 with a sixth still in the C major triad (moving to open fifth)       S1 and A1 are in contrary motion on the second white gum and S2 (the lower line) is parallel to S1. Bar 68-69 the ‘gum’ is extended in the bass from a crotchet to a crotchet tied to minim tied to another minim.       There is also staggered entry at 68
Wambelong	SSAAT sing wambelong dq s c tied minim tied crotchet.             Each are different intervals apart i.e. S1 D-E is a 2nd apart, S2 C-E is a third apart, A1 G-C is a fourth apart A2 C-G is a fifth apart and T plays G-C like A1 (a fourth) and also D-E like S1 (2nd) creating a C major chord.	The Bass sings it backwards with a semitone between D# and C and fragments it with only dq s c       The tenors at bar 70 shorten the full motif – truncation o   T1 like bass, with dq s c o   T2 dc s c tied minim o   They’re in oblique motion       Fragmented version of Wambelong at bar 73 with S1 and T playing dq s c o   S and T are playing in similar motion   (5 bars after fig. 6/8 Truncation)
Berrumbuckle	In ¾ S = dc qqq A = Crotchet rest qqqq T = crotchet rest qqqq then 2/4 quaver rest qqq B = 2/4 qqqq c       The T in second bar starts with ‘-rum’ and meets the SAB in bar 3 with Ber, so the word has been moved around to “rumbuckleber”	The ¾ bar on page 12 system 1 the T starts instead of S       The S starts with “rumbuckle” Fragmentation – cut and paste
Fan’s Horizon	S – descending chromatic melismatic quavers followed by falling m3 hoRIZON   TB then sing different version P dynamic – Basses sing cqcc…. Descending fifth and octave; T repeat horizon (qcc) Dissonance resolving to C chord	A repeats in canon transposed down a fifth Fragmentation of “horizon” from “fan’s” Antiphony – first TTBB then SSAA
Breadknife	SAA, sung ff – two crotchets – syllabically set First a rising 6th A-F# D and A harmonies underneath (D major)	Pitches altered but still D major in TB answer (antiphony); then B sing A- F# (octave displacement); then transposed into C major Occurs (mostly) every second bar, interspersed with “Balor” or “Ruadan” Rhythmically unaltered, but unpredictably juxtaposed with Balor and Ruadan cells
Balor	Tenors first time – sung ff – three quavers G-F#-E in separate 3/8 bar	Harmonised when subsequently sung by women’s voices – similar descending motion, original motif sung by A2 but third quaver E changed to D (resolving to D major) Rhythmically unaltered
Ruadan	Sung by SSAA – in separate 2/8 bar - Sq-sq-q – dissonant chord (G-C-D-F#) resolving to C major	Occasional antiphonal answer from TB in unison (G-F#-E – the S1 Ruadan) unaltered, but repetitions are unpredictably spaced – increasingly closer together towards end of this section
Tonduron Spire	Basses: three crotchets ("tonduron") followed by a minim on "spire". Static (all on low E). Return to E Phrygian.	This motif is fragmented ("Tonduron" repeated) and altered in pitch (at first just a semitone added - F-E, then wider ascending leaps B-C-G-E). Imitation is used (antiphonal echoes between male and female voices) and the pitch range and dynamic gradually increase throughout the section to a climax (as TB Macha Tor is introduced beneath SA). Harmonised with tense close (pandiatonic) dissonances over the E drone. Number of repetitions changes, and gaps between repetitions change (unpredictable antiphonal exchanges between SSAA and TBB). Rhythm and metre unaltered. Divisi of parts (SSSAATTBB) to create richer chordal textures here.
Macha Tor
Guri, Guri anawa	Original text seems to be treated as Guri, Guri, Gurianawa First “Guri” cq D#-E; second Guri qq rising fifth A-E; “Gurianawa” 5 quavers (2+3) Guri D#-E, “anawa” three falling steps C#-B#-A# “Guri” harmonised every time with A major chord with D# resolving up to E (#4-5), sometimes also B resolving to A too. “Anawa” F# major chord, with B# (#4) passing note	Fragmentation – used extensively. “Guri, guri anawa” repeated three times - the second “guri” is omitted the second time. Anawa then repeated (transposed into new key) on its own, fragmented (eg “nawa”) and repeated with extra “na” interpolated , and lengthened final note “wa” from quaver to crotchet, and then to 5 beats before final “wa” chord. Antiphony between male and female voices used extensively and unpredictably in this section. Anawa is also inverted in bass (making contrary motion with soprano), while some parts sing single notes. Complex, unpredictable changes of metre.

 

(ii) Divide the piece into sections and describe how these melodic cells are juxtaposed, repeated and combined.
 

(iii) Examine Edwards' use of harmony. What sorts of chords are heard? Discuss the spacing of these chords, and the use of vocal registers.
Tonal Plan below:

Section	Tonality
Warrumbungle	E Phrygian (EFGABCDE)
Whitegum Wambelong	C Lydian (CDEF#GABC) (one Ab inflection added)
Berrumbuckle	A Lydian (ABC#D#EF#G#A)
Fan’s Horizon (1st SA version)	Chromatic (octatonic derived?) pentachord (1 b3 3 #4 5) on C (sopranos) and F (altos)
Berrumbuckle	A Lydian
Fan’s Horizon (2nd version)	C Lydian
Warrumbungle	E Phrygian
Whitegum Wambelong	C Lydian
Breadknife Balor Ruadan	D Mixolydian/C Lydian
Fan’s Horizon (2nd version)	C Lydian
Tonduron Spire/Macha Tor	E Phrygian
Guri	A Lydian
Anawa	F# Lydian
Guri	A Lydian
Anawa	C Lydian
Guri	A Lydian
Anawa	F# Lydian
Anawa	Gb wholetone
Anawa	Gb Lydian
Anawa	Eb Major (Lydian?)

 

(iv) perform the opening "Warrum" section (at a pitch comfortable for you) slowly, then up to speed. What challenges does the performer face?

(v) Discuss Edwards' use of rhythmic groupings and rhythmic variation in the movement, giving examples.

(vi) Look at some images of the Warrumbungles (and places mentioned, eg Tonduron Spire). What are some of the musical ways Edwards has represented or evoked the landscape of the Warrumbungles?

(vii) Referring to the list of characteristics of Edwards' "sacred" and "maninya" styles, find moments in the piece that exemplify these characteristics.

(viii) How does Edwards achieve contrast in the final section "Guri Anawa"?

(ix) What are some ways an Aboriginal musical influence could be heard in this piece?

(x) Listen to all three movements and follow the score. How does the middle movement fit within the other two?

(xi) Collate a concept analysis of the piece from your observations above, with musical examples.

(xii) Write a 500-700 word extended (essay) response to the following question: "Composers both break with and maintain conventions in their work. Discuss this statement with reference to TWO specific concepts of music, with examples drawn from "Mountain Chant".