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Musical Close-up: Symphony for the Devil
The Rolling Stones' "Sympathy for the Devil"
recall
by the Rolling Stones (
- listening guide)
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The Rolling Stones' song is based on two simple ideas (p. 130) ... while listening,
try to focus on the piano & instrumental accompaniment without being distracted
by the vocal part ...
- 1st musical idea (Pattern A)
- 2nd musical
idea (Pattern B)
Blood, Sweat, & Tears' "Symphony for the Devil"
BS&T's version is more
than an "arrangement" … it transforms the song completely ( - listening guide)
Divides into three major sections: Emergence, Devil's Game, & Submergence
(p. 193)
Symphony
for the Devil
... detailed outline of the Musical Form
Emergence
Theme
A (0:00 to 0:45)
- presented with a musical theme (Theme A); staggered presentation
...
- first 6 notes
- first 15 notes
- pause
- notes 16-20
- tritone - "diabolus in musica"
- introduces concept of 12-tone composition
- exception to strict 12-tone compositions: repeated G at note
#12)
- celesta repeats notes 2 thru 6, ending with notes 7 & 8
- note accented brass entrances (notes 2-4 of theme)
- notes 9 to 20 of theme, ending on E in bass (dissonant chord builds)
Fanfare (1:20 to 1:24)
series of four drum rolls lead to fanfare, preparing for the devil's
speech
Devil's Game
Labyrinth ( 3 choruses)
- Theme B (tune from the Rolling Stones)
- notice changing musical texture with each phrase:
- Chorus I (1:24 to 1:51)
- phrase 1 - guitar on 1st beat of each bar
- phrase 2 - add piano (E) on 3rd beat of each bar
- phrase 3 - syncopated bass part
- phrase 4 - syncopated drum fills
- phrase 5 - full beat & accompaniment
- phrase 6 - suspend accompaniment in 2nd bar
- Chorus II (2:05 to
2:25)
- phrase 1 - organ chords
- phrase 2 - add brass chords (crescendo)
- phrase 3 - bass down an octave
- phrase 5 - full beat returns
- note horn transition to third chorus
- --where do those notes come from? (read Musical Close-Up in text)
- --also, notice meter changes
- Chorus III (2:41 to
3:08)
- 4 descending brass chords; pattern ascends (building)
- guitar notes rise constantly upward
- notice horn line inserted before phrase 6
Satan's Dance (3 subsections)
instrumental break in 3 sections:
- polyphonic section based
on Theme A
- motive s (notes 2 to 6)
- 3:19 - keyboards
- 3:29 - brass
- 3:35 - transposition (1st two 5-note phrases)
- 3:40 - inversion
- 3:45 - ascending keyboard line (notes 12 to 15)
- 3: 54 - motive s inverted (keyboards), leading to ...
- 4:06 - sax solo improvisation
- fugue on Theme A (fugue =
presentation of theme, then imitated successively in other voices at different
pitch levels)
- 4:53 - subject begins (low brass) a tritone (!!) away from original statement
(p. 272)
- 5:01 - 2nd entrance (trumpet; measure 6)
- 5:10 - 3rd entrance (piano & bass; measure 11)
- countermelodies continue above
- full theme at original pitch
level
- ritard to gong stroke (5:27)
The Demand (chorus #4)
- Chorus IV (5:38)
- phrase 1 - lyrics in whisper (organ plays theme A)
- builds to climax - "lay your soul to waste"
- 6:07 - phrase 5 - sarcastic "pleased to meet you ..."
- 6:17 - instruments drop out one by one until only bass is left
(6:28)
Submergence
Contemplation
- 6:33 - Theme A returns
- like beginning (1-2, 1-6, 1-15)
- 6:49 - spins around on notes 13-15
- damper pedal down ... blurs the pitches together
Return
- 7:05 - celesta (Theme A backwards)
- 7:24 - trombone, bass, & piano
- notes 6 to 1, then 2 to 1
- 7:41 - shuts trap door to Hell
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