Set Work ‘Release’ – Afro Celt Sound System To understand the background and contextual - PowerPoint Presentation

Set Work ‘Release’ – Afro Celt Sound System To understand the background and contextual elements of this piece. To develop knowledge of the instruments used in the piece and their place in the music genre.

Listen and Think How would you define the genre of music? What regions of the world does this music originate? What instruments can you identify? Can you identify anything else about this piece? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=- I_T3XvzPaM https:// www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LhIkAKJzs8

Afro Celt Sound System Release Music = fusion of African, Celtic and electronic dance music. Afro Celt Sound System formed by guitarist Simon Emmerson in 1995 and has featured a number of guest artists over the years . After the death of a core member of the group (Jo Bruce, son of Cream bass player Jack Bruce), the album Volume 2: Release was put on hold until Sinéad O’Connor stepped in and wrote the lyrics to a track that became ‘Release’. The album was released on 25 January 1999. In 2000 Afro Celt Sound System was nominated for a Grammy Award in the Best World Music category.

Fusion African Basic form of all songs is 'call and response'. Melodies are usually short and simple and repeated over and over. This is known as an ostinato. Melodies can be changed at will by other singers so that we end up with a theme and then variations on that theme. Performers often improvise new melodies while others continue the original melody creating a polyphonic texture. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v= lVPLIuBy9CY Celtic Melodies are often eight bars long and symmetrical. Tunes are usually divided into two eight-bar phrases or strains. Melodies are decorated with ornaments. Celtic music usually uses modes (a type of scale often found in folk music ). Chords are often played with the third missing giving a bare, drone-like feel that is neither major nor minor. Several instruments play their own version of the melody at the same time resulting in a heterophonic texture . https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBRo- LORA8I

Instrumentation Listen again, now you know a bit about the background, the genre and the stylistic ideas behind the piece try and identify instruments.

Instrumentation - African African Instrumentation : K ora , T alking drum https://www.youtube.com/watch?v= 0DEKQjj6Ga0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4oQJZ2TEVI

Instrumentation - Celtic Celtic Instrumentation : H urdy - gurdy U illeann pipes BodhránFiddleWhistleAccordionhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ypuaJLHK_LQhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dq3m_R3Lnu4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NhpybB6lfcc

Instrumentation – Western (Dance) Music Western (dance) Instrumentation : Male vox & Female vox , synthesisers (including string pad, soft pad, bells, string bass), Drum machine Electric pianoWestern Percussion (shaker and tambourine)Music Technology

Following the score. This piece is based on loops playing an ostinato, the score reflects this by notating each instruments loop independently. These loops come in at different times creating the layers and texture of the piece. As you listen again, refer back to the traits of the music’s origins and see which transfer into this piece.

Set Work ‘Release’ – Afro Celt Sound System To develop understanding of various melodic devices. To apply this understanding to the set work.

Know you traditional instruments. You will need to write down what instruments you think are playing. You may use notes made from last lesson to aid you in determining what instrument is being played.

Melody Listen and follow. What instrument is play the melody? Try and keep notes on either the time or which loop is playing the melody.

Vocals For the most part the melody is provided by two vocalist (1x Female 1x Male) Looking at Fig1 what can you see in bars 7 and 8? In Fig 2 how could we describe the movement of the vocal line? How long are the phrases the vocal melody uses? Look at Fig 3 and Fig 4, why are there no lyrics written for the vocal line?

Motifs in vocal melody The female vocal line is based around a motif, work out where this motif begins and ends. (give bar numbers) Does this motif change?

Melody in the Instruments. What other instruments play a melodic line? Uilleann Pipe (Fig 5) Listening to the Uilleann solo, what two melodic devices can we hear (also see in the score) Fiddle (Loop 15) W hat is different about the way the fiddle part is written to the majority of fiddle parts?

Melody in the Instruments. What other instruments play a melodic line? Hurdy-Gurdy(Loop 20) Two melodic devices used in the Hurdy-Gurdy melody line. Low Whistle Three melodic devices used in this melody line. Loop 25 Moves using an arpeggio pattern.

Melody in the Instruments. The instrumental solos and melody lines are based on traditional folk melodies. Look at the instrumental melody lines mentation, how do they move? (Note value, step and leap) All melodies are IDOMATIC.

Quick Fire – Key Points Write down (on rough paper) a mix of true or false statements about the melodic devices used in the piece. Minimum of 5!

Set Work ‘Release’ – Afro Celt Sound System To develop understanding of the structure of the piece. To develop knowledge of the texture of this piece. To apply this understanding to the set work.

Find these in the score Recit (Spoken Word) Vocal Motif Glissando (at least 2 examples) The use of slides (in at least 2 instruments) Acciaccatura Double Stopping Why does the vocal line in Figs 3 and 4 have no lyrics attached to them?

Structure Order the cards in the order way you think the piece is structured.

Structure The structure of this piece relies on how the texture develops, rather than a typical verse, chorus structure. The textures give the pieces a sense of movement. Intro Verse1 Verse2 Solos Verse3Build Outro

Texture Listening to the piece, how can we define and describe the texture of the music? Homophonic Polyphonic During the outro, the pieces uses one more texture Hetrophoninc – characterized by the simultaneous variation of a single melodic line

Textural Effects As the piece is based on loops, the piece use these to create texture, having them drop in and out is a huge part of this. Listen to when instruments drop in and out and how that adds to the textural feel of the piece? Bass Guitar Doesn't ’ t appear until Verse 2, It the leave 2 bars before the end of verse 2 (with other instruments) creating a very sparse texture before all reentering for the solos. Chromatic Line Look at Loop 10, which way is it moving? How does this create textural effects?

The Use of Technology Think about the structure and the use of loops, how can technology aid this? Multi Tracking Mixing (Creating the Balance) Panning Effects (Reverb/ Delay)

The Use of Technology Think about the instrumentation used in this piece, are there any that aren't acoustic traditional instruments? Synth Strings Synth Bells Synth Pad These are changed using modulation effects, this means they are altered to be unrecognizable. Looking at the synth instruments what parts are they playing?

Set Work ‘Release’ – Afro Celt Sound System To develop understanding of the tonality of the piece. (Modes) To develop understanding of the harmony within the piece. To apply this knowledge to the piece.

Questions Give at least two of the three textures used in this piece, giving both their definition and why. How else is texture used in this piece? How has music technology aided in the creation of this piece?

Tonality What is the key of this piece? Listen - is it Major or Minor? Give reason for your answer (Does it sound happy or sad, key signature) The tonality is Modal

Tonality – Modal Modes - are alternative scales that can be derived from the major scales by starting on a different note in the scale. The key of this piece is C Aeolian ( C Minor) How do we know this? In minor scales the 7th tends to be raised allowing for our dominant to be major, with modes they stay flat keeping our dominant minor. An easy way of working out an Aeolian mode is flatten (lower) the 3rd 6 th and 7 th degrees of the scale.

Tonality – Modal Does this piece change key or mode (Modulate)? During the Uilleann solo the tonality changes to C Dorian, this meaning the 6 th degree is raised. Changing the subdomainant triad to a major chord F Minor > F Major An easy way of working out a Dorian mode is flatten (lower) the 3rd and 7th degrees of the scale.

Harmony During the into of the piece (and carrying on throughout) what can be heard? This drone is based on C, how could we describe this? In loops 15 and 23, the fiddle is using a specific technique, but what type of chords is it playing? Double stopping, playing bare fifths How could we describe loop 11? Tonic pedal using a Major 3rd

Harmony Look at loop 17 what is this loop adding to the piece? The accordion is play a C minor chord, reinforcing the tonality of the piece and the modal sound of the music. Loop 12, how is the bass influencing the harmony? The bass reinforces the harmony by the repeated use of C. The harmony of the piece stays the same throughout, however at the end of each section loop 10 provides a chromatic movement, what does this do the piece?

Harmony Loop 22 have a look at the chords being played. What can you notice about them? Extended chords – chords that go beyond the regular triad (7 th 9 th ) Bar 1 C G Bb - C7 Bar 5 C G Bb D - C9 (C7(9))Look at the loops playing chords, what common feature ties almost all of them together?

Set Work ‘Release’ – Afro Celt Sound System To develop understanding of the rhythm, metre and tempo used within the piece. To apply this knowledge to the piece.

Ask The Class You have 1min to go through notes from previous lessons. Think of at least 2 questions to ask the rest of the class.

Modes What two modes are used in the piece? Aeolian Lower the 3 rd / 6 th / 7 th DorianLower 3rd / 7th Where are these two modes used?

Metre Using you previous knowledge of metre how can you describe the metre of this piece? 4/4 Simple Quadruple Time Listen to the intro, does this sense of pulse start at the beginning?

Tempo What is the tempo of this piece? Does it change? Give reasons for your answer! Listen again to the intro, does this fixed tempo start at the beginning?

Rhythm The rhythmic backbone of the piece is based around a one bar ostinato played by the Bodhran . This is elaborated on, and different beats accented to add interest to the rhythm. How could we describe this rhythm?

Rhythm On top of the rhythm played by the Bodhran other interweave. What type of texture is this? One of the most prominent rhythms to be played along side the Bodran is below. How could this rhythm be described?

Quick Rhythm

Rhythm Looking through are there any other rhythmic devices used in this piece? Vocal – what rhythmic devices are used in the vocal lines? Loop 3 Loop 13

Rhythm Looking again at the accordion, rhythm as an example, what is being used to add more dimension and interest to the rhythm? Find other rhythms where accents are used to give more life to the rhythm.

Rhythm Look at Fig 6. what rhythm techniques are being used? Do any other instruments make use of triplets or sextuplets in their playing?

Set Work ‘Release’ – Afro Celt Sound System To consolidate areas covered.

Mind Mapping Take a pen and a piece of paper! In the middle of the paper write “Afro Celt Sound System” You will need to have 6 branches called Performing Forces / Melody / Texture / Harmony and Tonality / Rhythm, Metre and Tempo / Structure

Performing Forces Music = fusion of African, Celtic and electronic dance music. African Instrumentation : Kora , Talking drum Celtic Instrumentation : Hurdy-gurdy Uilleann pipesBodhránFiddleWhistleAccordion Western (dance) Instrumentation: Male vox & Female vox , synthesisers (including string pad, soft pad, bells, string bass), Drum machine Electric piano Western Percussion (shaker and tambourine) Music Technology

Melody Use of recit (Bars 7 & 8) Vocal Melody is syllabic Use of nonsense lyrics typical of African music Vocal melodies based around one reoccurring motif. Uses short 4 and 8 bar melodic phrases typical of Celtic music. Instrumentation makes use of slides and glissandos ( Uilleann and Whistle) Uses of slurs Use of acciaccatura Very ornate melodies, typical of Celtic music

Texture Predominantly Homophonic. Some elements of polyphonic and polyrhythmic texture. Uses Heterophoninc texture during the build and outro. Use of loops to build texture and give the piece movement.

Structure The structure of this piece relies on how the texture develops, rather than a typical verse, chorus structure. The textures give the pieces a sense of movement. Intro Verse1 Verse2 Solos Verse3Build Outro

Harmony and Tonality Key – C Aeolian During the Uilleann solo this moves to C Dorian Harmony is based around C being played as a drone. Use of Bare Fifths in chords Use of extended chords 7 th / 9 th Use of ascending chromaticism at the end of each verse/ solo (loop 10)

Tempo, Metre and Rhythm Intro uses free tempo and metre Simple quadruple metre (4/4) Use of syncopation (Vocals) Use of triplets and sextuplets Accents to add depth and interest to rhythmic parts Short 2 and 4 bar phrases Ostinatos

Questions What is the key of piece? Give reasons for your answer. Using both a rhythm and melody, how would you describe the vocal line in Fig 2? In Loop 15, what type of chord are the fiddle playing? And what technique are they u sing to play them? Other than triads, are there any other type of chords used? What are they called? and give at least one example. During the outro, the vocal line, plays over a Uilleann solo (Loop 28) what type of texture does this create? How would you describe the rhythm of loop 17 and what is being used to create interest in the piece? How do loops 21 and 22 aid in keeping the tonality fixed during this piece? Give three melodic devices used in Fig 6

Homework Y10 You will listen to the following three pieces of music: Paul Simon – Boy In a Bubble The Cat Empire – Song for the Day Buena Vista Social Club - Buena Vista Social Club You will then create a ven diagram featuring all the musical elements of the song and how they could have potential overlaps.

Buena Vista Social Club The Cat Empire Paul Simon

Multi Mark Question Evaluate how successfully the Celtic style is fused with other musical styles in these extracts.