Essay Questions  

In Stephen Schwartz’ Defying gravity, a sense of intense excitement and climax is created though emphasizing a build of unease and unrelenting tension through the use of rests and dotted notes to create a sense of free time. In bars 169—171, this can be seen in both the homophonic chordal accompaniment and in the vocal line. This makes the listener unsure of the tempo, and builds suspense due to the almost inconsistent nature of the coda. This could allow the listener to connote that this is the part of the play where Elphaba reaches her final straw, and under the pressure of the people around her- shown by the seemingly relentless chords and vocal stabs which are thrown at her, will break free from the constraints of her town- signalling a sense of climax in not only the song but in Elphaba’s confidence. This confidence of Elphaba also creates a sense of climax as it could illuminate of the reader that Elphaba’s finally coming into her own persona, thus coming to a climax of her own confidence. This is shown through the use of her high vocal register, with her reaching her highest vocal note in the entire piece in bar 156 on the line “defy”, where she reaches a f sharp, over two octaves above her lowest note of the piece. And also belting this  This high note and the tremendous tessitura of Elphaba’s vocal line suggests her confidence rising throughout the piece and her highest vocal notes as a sign of soaring self believe, highlighting it as the most intense feeling of conviction that she must leave, signifying the culmination of many years of being judged and of her feeling of mis belonging resulting with the need to escape, which closes the act of the production. Similarly, Minchin’s, “bruce”, the vocalists are also seen stretching to extremely high notes as we near the end of the piece, their highest note being an Eb, as seen on the word “coming” on the line “but here it is com-ing true’. This creates a sense of climax as it shows the very top end of the vocalist’s register being utilised, which suggests there is something special to come alluding to a the pinnacle of the plot of the song-the climax . You could compare one is solo one is ensemble – which is more successful? This is further supported by use of chromaticism. Chromaticism is the use of notes/chords that are not seen in the key signature. These are seen many times throughout the extract, which is the end of the song. An example of where they are found is in the accompaniment of the melody, especially in the bass which plays under the first “ahhhh” where an Ab should be played but an A natural is played instead. The use of chromaticism could connote that there is change coming or that, due to it being a semitone higher, that slightly upwards direction of the chromaticism signifies reaching the pinnacle of the piece and can be quite unsettling – both are risky songs in terms of story, not sure on the outcome. 

In defying Gravity, Schwartz employs the use of tremolandos in the strings as a method of creating tension and suspense. This is seen in the strings, especially the violin in bar 162. By highlighting the long crescendo to the final contrapuntal movement of the piece with the use of subtle tremolandos, it creates anticipation and a faster pace which creates a sense of an incoming climax. By bringing in the entire pit orchestra in bar 168 to the end, it also suggests a climax due to it giving the last but of the piece a sense of importance and a thick texture, drawing attention to it unlike any other part of the piece due to the sheer dynamics of it, creating a sense of climax. In Minchins’ “Bruce”, on the line ,”come on bruce, be our hero”, in between the pauses of lyrics, the piano employs a trill, which much like Defying Gravity’s tremolandos, instils a sense of suspense and tension and increases the pace, signifying an oncoming climax. This also happens in the build up section after the spoken line of, “come on bruce, do it”, a cello plays trill – its a tremolo which has an identical effect, allowing for the entrance of the last chorus, which acts as the climax of the song. There is also a pedal note under this line, building tension 

Finally, in Schwartz’s Defying gravity, the change from homophony to a contrapuntal polyphony highlights the climax of the piece. In bars 168- end, a polyphonic texture is introduced, with three different vocal lines over the whole band playing homophonic chords. Could also emphasis her coming away from the norm, stepping out on her own. This increases the dynamics of the piece and instils a sense of chaos. This all acts as an explosion of not only this song, but of the entire act and encapsulates all of the mental warring and bullying that Elphaba has endured, and the explosive and complex nature of the end at the end of the crescendo acts as a pinnacle of emotions for Elphaba, between the confidence of herself and the contrasting sarcasm and bullying of Glinda and the ensemble, highlighting the ‘point of no return’ in Elphaba’s persona in the play. 

FInish with closing statement going back to the question, which was more successful at creating that climatic moment?  Can you be critical about both pieces in how they handle the musical elements?