(a) Identify the climax points throughout the piece with the use of bar numbers, and tell Miss Huang how they are achieved using what Dr Kelly Tang has taught us (i.e. diminution of rhythm, thickening of texture, muted strings -> bowed strings, addition of the lower brasses (register)) things like that.

1. From bar 17 to the first quaver beat of bar 20.

It is achieved through the effect from barely a few instruments playing at the same time leading to the tutti at bar 17. In addition, the gradual increase of dynamics (crescendo) starting from bar 17 to the first crotchet beat of bar 19 as p to f, and from which continues to have a crescendo all the way to the first quaver beat of bar 20. The sound effects from the whole orchestra that is experience a crescendo builds up tension that in turn, becomes a brief yet distinct climax point. At bar 17, the motif for the climax [as seen from bar 17 of the oboes] is first played by the oboes and the clarinets an octave apart from each, and proceeding from that bar, the motif is then played by yet more instruments with a wider range of registers from the orchestra, from bars 18 to the last quaver beat of bar 20, by the oboes, clarinets and the violin ones. Also, throughout the climax point span, the violin twos, violas and cellos repeatedly play tremolos as the bass line of the climax, thus contributing further in building the tension with the crescendo as the climax.

2. From bar 24 to the first crotchet beat of bar 25

The main melody held by the flutes consisting of the triplet rhythm that ascends in terms of pitch as well as the crescendo is one factor that contributed to the building climax, as well as the bowed strings (arco) that are also doing a crescendo. The brief climax point ends off with an interrupted cadence.

3. From bar 37 to bar 50.

One of the aspects as to building a climax in these bars are that there are crescendos throughout, that soften once more and then go back to a crescendo. For example, there is a crescendo starting from bar 39, which softens to an mf then a p at bars 41 to 43, and back to a crescendo at bar 43. Additionally, there are imitation of melody lines that contributes to the climax due to the melody repetition, like at bar 43, the violin ones and twos imitate the melody of the flutes from bar 42; and at bar 45, the violin ones and twos imitate the melody of the oboes from bar 44. At bar 39, the strings overpower the first oboe melody, which may be Debussy’s inclination that the next melody line would be played by the strings section and true enough, at the next bar [bar 40], the violin ones and violin twos play the melody an octave apart bowed [arco]. Furthermore, there is the thickening of texture with the gradual addition of other instruments, starting from bar 37 when the solo oboe plays a passage and then in bar 39, the clarinets, cor anglais and the horns come in, thickening the once thin texture. After the climax, music dies down progressively with dimuendo.

4. From bar 63 to bar 71

At this climax point, the strings holds the melody line above the tutti, and goes on a crescendo from pp, causing a swelling effect that contributes to the climax. The registers of all the instruments at this particular climax point are all relatively high, especially the bassoon in bar 63, and the registers gradually increase at the span of the bars. Towards the end of that climax from bar 69, there is the most obvious crescendo of that passage from tutti, that goes up to an ff, and then decreases in dynamics to an f.

(b) identify possible factors contributing to static moments in the piece (USE BAR NUMBERS) e.g. use of pedal point, repetition of motifs, etc

The possible factors contributing to static moments in the piece can vary quite differently. For example, one factor could be that there are very little instruments playing at that time and at a soft dynamic. One example of this is the starting of this piece at bar 1 to 2, where only the flute is playing and in a p, as there is only on melody line moving slowly and softly. Other than that, there can be a few instruments playing together yet still be static, like at bar 4 when the harp comes in with a glissando and the oboes, clarinets and horns play a chord in bar 4, the music still sounds static due to the limited movement of the melody. Static moments does not mean only one instrument playing only, it can also refer to many instruments playing but with a stagnant movement.

hahaha im done =) sorry for the ultimate lateness