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History The song Mary Had A Little Lamb lent itself to several Counter Melodies, of which this seemed the most interesting, both for the music and for the words, placed on a larger level, Level +1. The boys are evidently mocking the girls that they have the story all wrong.
Comparison Of The Two Melodies
Mary Had A Little Lamb - - - It Stayed With Her Mother All Day
General Form = AA' Level 0 for each A = 0 + 4 - - - Level +1 for each A = 1 + 4 including dashed Bar-lines placed at Level -1, - - - with only solid Bar-lines placed at Level 0 2 2/4 bars per cell, 4 bars (2 cells) in each A - - - 2 4/4 bars per cell, 4 bars (2 cells) in each A, 16 2/4 bars in all - - - 8 4/4 bars in all. A A' A A' - - - A A'
2 Levels This question of 2 simultaneous levels certainly merits an explanation. Melody 1 starts first and is in short 2/4 bars at Level -1 while Melody 2 starts later and is in longer 4/4 bars at Level 0. This is what allows them to cadence together at the end of each line, and especially at the end of the piece. Another way to look at it would be to situate both levels within the large Level +1 grouping of 4 2/4-bars, in which Melody 1 is grouped with Bar-Beats 2 3 4 / 1, and Melody 2 is grouped with Bar-Beats 3 4 / 1 2, in which it is quite clear why Melody 2 comes in a bar later. The DOMINANT C7 chord always appears on Bar-Beat 4. To simplify comparison, the 2/4 bar numbers will be used for both melodies.
MeloHarmony The two melodies evidently have the same harmonies, chords, "changes" M54 54 54 54 - - - M54 54
2 Levels Again The M54 (F F C7 F) is the only 2-cell chord pattern which can act as both Antecedent and Consequent, with the result that M5454 becomes M54 at a larger level, with a very subtle action of Tenant Chords. All of this is of merely theoretical interest because Melody 2 follows the exact chord pattern of Melody 1, with the DOMINANT C7 at (2/4) chords 3, 7, 11, and 15, which produces a completely different harmonic sensation in each melody.
MeloRhythm Two Entities for Melody 1 - - - One Entity for Melody 2. K2F= F=F= K2F= pK2M twice - - - pK2F= pF=pF= pK2F= pK3M once (for code).
The MeloRhythm of these two melodies, each in its own size, is remarkably similar, with only a few dots and pick-ups added in Melody 2. It is evidently preferable to have different sizes (and number) of Entities for the two melodies, the Langer Hinge of Melody 2 (A F C) at the end of the first Entity of Melody 1, (F) keeping the whole piece "open" (at Bar 8), to "close" only at the very end (at Bar 16).
MeloLines 2 / 2 \ 3 / 2 \ 2 / 2 \ 1 / 1 \ 2 / 2 \ 3 / 2 \ 2 / 2 \ 1 / 1 - - - (0)/ 3 \ 2 / 1 \(0)/ 1 \ 3 / 2 \(0)/ 3 \ 2 / 1 \(0)/ 3 \ 2 / 1 (for code),
Only one Orbit has been chosen for each bar, and whatever precedes Orbit 2 is considered Orbit 3. The same number and size of Entities as in the MeloRhythm, the Langer Hinge of Melody 2 (3 / 2) at the end of the first Entity of Melody 1, (1 / 1), keeping the whole piece "open" (at Bars 7-8), to "close" only at the very end (at Bars 15-16). Orbits being the four components of harmonic Voice-Leading, they are only truly pertinent where a harmonic progression occurs, in this case at each DOMINANT/TONIC progression, (C7 / F), at Bars 3-4, 7-8, 11-12, and 15-16. At Bars 3-4 and Bars 11-12, we have 3-2 with 2-1. At Bars 7-8, we have 1-1 with 3-2. At Bars 15-16, we have 1-1 with 2-1. During the 2 TONIC bars (F), at Bars 1-2, 5-6, 9-10, and 13-14, the Orbits have relatively little importance because they were chosen for reasons of Sonorities.
Analysis Of Melody 2
General Everything satisfactory in its AA' form.
Melo-rhythm Everything satisfactory in its pK2F= pF=pF= pK2F= pK3M shape.
Melo-harmony Everything satisfactory in its F C7 / F F chord pattern, the same as that of Frère Jacques.
Melo-lines Everything satisfactory in its Langer Hinge.
General Review of Entities Everything satisfactory in their proportions, 1 entity in the Melo-rhythm and 1 entity in the Melo-lines, but 4 entities in the Melo-harmony.
To see Example 4
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