Bernstein - 'Somethings coming'

Bernstein - 'Somethings coming'

1. Texture

   • Homophonic
   • Three main ideas
     • 1. Repeated riff (opens the song)
       • 2. Short, syncopated chords (bars 21-26)
         • fast, um-ch accompaniment (first heard bar 32 'me')

2. Harmony and Tonality

   • Harmony
     • Tonal
     • jazz-influenced
     • frequent 7th chords
     • added note chords
   • Sharpened fourths
     • creates a tritione
   • flattened sevenths
     • toner's last note
       • sense of incompletion

3. Rhythm, Metre and Tempo

   • metre - 3/4 and 2/4
   • fast tempo, syncopation and change in metre
     • Gives a feel of excitement and anticipation
   • Cross rhythms
   • accompaniment made of: on-beat bass part with off-beat chords

4. Structure and Melody

   • syllabic
   • three main themes:
     • 1. Quiet, syncopated opening theme
       • 2. Loud, strident theme 2/4, first heard bar 21
         • 3. Lyrical, slow moving theme, first heard bar 73
     • Varies the themes
       • changes words and metre
     • Themes are alternated
       • repetitions are not exact

5. Instrumentation

   • solo tenor
   • accompaniment: Woodwind, Brass, Percussion and strings
     • Quiet dynamics
     • soft timbres
     • Homophonic texture
   • 'air is humming'
     • strings us harmonics
     • tremolo

6. West Side Story

   • composed: 1957
   • set in New York
   • Rival gangs: Jets and Sharks
   • Tony and Maria are in Love
   • 'Something Coming' is Tony's first solo

7. Musicals

   • Plays except a lot of it is sung in a popular style by actors
   • developed in the 1920's
   • Leonard Bernstein
     • American
     • Composed 'West Side Story'
   • Take inspiration from rhythms and harmonies of 20th century classical music and jazz