Quartz 5

20220403114800 Musical sentence

3 min read

The sentence

A sentence is a kind of small structure form in music that has this structure:

  • The repetition of the basic idea can include variation
    • A very common way to create variation is by sequencing
  • The continuation usually includes some sort of a “reference” to the basic idea
  • The continuation should give forward motion into the cadence
    • Method: Increased harmonic rhythm
    • Method: shorter phrase lengths (typically half as long)

Examples

Super Mario World Title (A Section)

  • This consists of 2 main motifs (m1 vs. m2, m3 vs. m4, etc.), each of which is a measure long
  • The basic idea repetition is slightly varied (to better fit the harmony)
  • The “continuation” has a rushed feel to it because the harmonic rhythm has changed from once every 2 bars (ish) to once every 2 beats

Super Mario World Ending (A Section)

  • Once again 2 main motifs, each a measure long
  • The basic idea repetition begins the same way but it ends differently
  • The continuation feels rushed by the harmonic rhythm

Spirited Away (A Section)

  • 2 main motifs but it feels more cohesive, like a single idea in 2 measures
  • The basic idea repetition is slightly varied: fits the harmony better, but also more notes in the second half
  • The continuation doesn’t have a faster harmonic progression!
  • The continuation instead uses 1-measure ideas as opposed to the 2-measure basic idea

Super Mario Bros - Underwater Theme

  • Blue = basic idea, Orange = contrasting idea, Green = resolution
  • Repetition of basic idea is more or less a sequence
  • Continuation utilizes phrases that are half as long to create forward motion

Super Mario Bros 2 - Overworld (A Section)

  • Blue = basic idea, Orange = contrasting idea, Green = resolution
  • Repetition: almost exact
  • Continuation: phrases half as long
  • Continuation: very similar rhythm as basic idea

Super Mario Bros - Underworld

  • Blue = basic idea, Orange = contrasting idea, Green = resolution
  • Repetition: like a sequence
  • Continuation: gets rid of pauses to create forward motion

Super Mario World - Forest of Illusion

  • Blue = basic idea, Orange = contrasting idea, Green = resolution
  • Exact repetition
  • Continuation: phrases half as long
  • Continuation: uses the second half of the basic idea phrase as the basis

Super Mario 64 - File Select

  • Blue = basic idea, Orange = contrasting idea, Green = resolution
  • Exact repetition
  • Continuation: same rhythm as basic idea but jumps high

Super Mario Galaxy - Good Egg Galaxy (B Section)

  • Blue = basic idea, Orange = contrasting idea, Green = resolution
  • Exact repetition
  • Continuation: phrases half as long
  • Continuation: uses the rhythm from the first half of the basic idea

Double Cherry Pass

  • Blue = basic idea, Orange = contrasting idea, Green = resolution
  • Exact repetition (almost, last note is different)
  • Continuation: phrases half as long
  • Continuation: uses the rhythm from the second half of the basic idea

Bubblaine

  • Blue = basic idea, Orange = contrasting idea, Green = resolution
  • Repetition is similar rhythmically and in contour
  • Continuation: gets rid of pauses to create forward motion
  • Continuation: More frequent use of the fragment of the basic idea (in m2)

Graph View

Backlinks