Homework #1 Name___KateLynn Titus U572E387__ 1. Examine the first 10 measures of Mendelssohns Song without Words, Op. 67, No.

4, then answer the following questions. A. What factors create a sense of forward motion? Rhythm, Tempo, and the pivoting. The pivoting around the f gives you a sense of moving forward because your ears are anxious to hear where it will resolve. B. What type of contour does the melody exhibit? When I draw a graph of the music, it looks like a wave. Does the melody have a narrow, moderate, or wide range? The melody has a moderate range- more than an octave, but not by much. Is most of the melodic motion by step or by leap? There are some leaps, but the melody is predominately steps. What part does the articulation play in establishing the character of this excerpt? The articulation plays the biggest part in this pieces character. The staccato gives it a bouncy feel while still driving it forward, and the presto gives it even more drive. C. After the two-measure introduction, this excerpt consists of two similar phrases. Which of the two do you think generates more tension? Explain why you think so, and how the effects of tension and relaxation are accomplished in this passage. I feel that the second phrase creates more tension, but it also releases the tension. The staccato and crescendo to the climax of the phrase gives me the sense of tension, and then a quick release of the tension with the decrescendo and chord progression. If it were not for the articulation of those three elements, the notes would suggest that the first phrase has more tension because of the leaping and pivoting around f but never releasing the tension until the next phrase.