Essay About Music Alone.Tone Colour And Choice Of Instruments Link Music

Viva Voce – the Godfather
Viva Voce An explanation of how composer Nino Rota creates the sound of rural Sicily in the Love Theme in “The Godfather”Script:Function of Film:To create mood and atmosphere as well as set the time and place of the scene in the movie. This wasn’t pre-composed.The composer uses the following concepts to enhance the on-screen action by painting vivid picture of rural Sicily through the music alone.Tone Colour:Ensemble type- Orchestral Featured instruments- oboe, accordion, mandolin and strings sectionLink: The choice of instruments link music with the scene, as the mandolin and accordion are Old Italian peasant’s instruments, the way that they are played gives the song a regional and European feel. The music is passionate and rich, clarifying the place by painting a picture of Italian culture.

Duration:MetreSimple quadruple metre with a 4/4 time signatureBeat- Strong,  regularRhythmSimple, played on beatCombination of long and short notesOstinato throughout the song soloed by accordion, oboe and strings and also possesses syncopation (EXAMPLE 1)TempoSlow Tempo (adagio), with small pauses Link: Scene looks simple and is repetitive in what the viewer sees in terms of scenery.  The music presents a slow paced tune perfectly representing regional Italy.Pitch (Melody):Clear melodic theme is wide in its pitch Because of the mandolin the pitch is quite jagged, which makes the piece foreboding, unsure, unease (EXAMPLE 2)Uses chromatic harmonies which creates dissonance due to the (D) Minor Key Signature, chromatic harmonies and minor chordsLink: because of the minor key signature, melody seems somehow simultaneously unsettling and hopeful showcasing the mood of main character, Michael in the sceneDynamics and Expressive Techniques:The piece is played in (mezzo piano) and stays quite constant. The orchestra quiets for oboe, piano accordion and some strings solos (EXAMPLE 3)Link: The scenery is simple and quiet. To be able to fully experience Italy, you must be stillPlayed legato, creating a smooth, passionate, romantic and intense piece Link: Legato (making the piece expressive and romantic, like Italy)