Briff 4

“Compose a melody and accompaniment in the minor key for a school production about the departure of the king.”

Notice that the leading note is sharp (#) in the example (bars 1, 5 and 7) – as it moves to the tonic. Choose how you wish to treat the leading note in your original composition. The melody reaches a climax in bar 6 on the high E but falls back to the tonic at the end of the melody. The piano bass has an important role creating emotion. It plays the minor sub-mediant (F natural) in bar 7 in order to add to the tense atmosphere. Also a crochet rhythm is pounded out in many of the bars and the quavers of the melody are mimicked in the bass.

Here are links to examples of sad melodies you could listen to before starting your own original composition:

How do the composeres create emotion in these pieces? Make notes concentrating on the elements listed in the table.

Element Notes
notes on the scale
key
rhythm
phrases
harmony
accompaniment