Defying Gravity from “Wicked”

• RHYHM, METRE and TEMPO

  Rhythms in the vocal part are mostly crotchets and quavers, but there are some longer notes at the end of phrases.

  Rests break up phrases, and phrases often start with a rest.
• TEXTURE

  There is an ostinato accompaniment at bar 88

  Sometimes the orchestra play homophonic chordal textures, like at bar 132. The main texture is homophonic (melody and accompaniment).
• TONALITY

  During the intro the piece modulates briefly to B major at bar 20, F major at bar 22, and finally gets to the tonic D major at the start of the verse.

  The “unlimited” section is in G major, then it goes back to D major when it returns to the chorus.

  The following andante section (“well, are you coming?”) returns to the chromatic melody of the intro.

  It returns to D major for the final verse (“so if you care to find me”) The final maestoso section is in B minor, before finishing on a D major chord.
• INSTRUMENTS/SONORITY

  The brass plays homophonic chordal music, like a fanfare

  The drum kit adds rhythmic momentum with a repeated hi hat in the first chorus. There is a cymbal roll moving into the chorus which adds excitement.

  The strings sometimes use tremolo to add tension (eg the start of verse 1).
• STRUCTURE and TEMPO

  There is a verse chorus form, but within that structure there are multiple sections defined by changes in tempo and mood
• MELODY

  Leaps often feature a rising perfect fifth (e.g. bar 34 “has changed”). There are some exceptionally large leaps such as a compound perfect fifth (13 whole notes!- e.g. bars 140 “told me lately everyone de- serves..”). These big leaps could be described as angular.

  Often the melody is legato (“you can still be with the wizard”)

  Bars 6 and 7 show an ascending sequence (“hurt your cause forever, I

  hope you think you’re clever”).
• HARMONY

  Most chords are in simple root position

  There is some use of dissonance (eg bar 30 (“I don't want it, no”) At the end there is a pedal note (bar 168)