In the Bottoms Suite: His Song
Robert Nathaniel DettPiece Duration: 2:09
About this Piece
(Starts at 4:52)
Program Note: "This piece depicts scenes and moods in the lives of Black Americans, along the river bottoms [low-lying land along a river] of the Southern United States. It was composed in 1913, during Dett's tenure at Lane College. Having been inspired by Dvorak's inclusion of traditional folk melodies in larger forms, Dett, in 'In the Bottoms,' made use of characteristics indigenous to Black folk music. Dett felt that not only that Black folk melodies were worthy of being used in art music, but that they themselves could be expanded to become larger forms. It was not, however, until several years later that this concept clearly became his objective." - Debra A. Miles
Sheet Music: (Pg. 48, PDF Pg. 7)
https://vmirror.imslp.org/files/imglnks/usimg/c/c8/IMSLP64680-PMLP131763-Dett_In_the_Bottoms.pdf
Cadences: Listen to the Notable Passages below, for three types of cadences:
-Deceptive Cadence
-Half Cadence
-Imperfect Authentic Cadence
Chords: This movement is for students who love a challenge! "His Song" features more advanced types of chords, such as the Neapolitan chord (flat 2), and the Augmented 6th chord. Click through the Notable Passages below, and try to find them in the music!
Minor Tonality: This movement is in Harmonic Minor, which features a raised 7th scale degree in the melody [C#].
Motif: Found in Measures 1-2 [D E F G]. This motif is briefly set in Major at 6:53, [D E F# G], before the final cadence in D Minor.
Table of Contents - Featured Movements:
Prelude - Night
His Song
Honey Humoresque
Dance Juba
Notable Passages
Description:
Listen for the four note motif [D E F G] in the first three phrases!
Keywords: Motif
Description:
The first 32 measures show us how call and response is used throughout the movement! Each melodic phrase is four measures long. The first melodic phrase is answered by the second, and the third phrase is answered by the fourth.
Try the following call and response activity:
- Listen to this Notable Passage
- Sing the first four melodic phrases together
- After your teacher sings the first phrase, answer with the second phrase
- After your teacher sings the third phrase, and answer with the fourth phrase
- Switch jobs with your teacher!
Extra Credit!
- Split up into two groups
- Group 1: Sing phrases 1 and 3
- Group 2 Sing phrases 2 and 4 in response to Group 1
Keywords: Call and Response
Description:
This movement features a special type of chord, the Augmented 6th chord! These examples are on PDF Pg. 7, on the second beat of measures 7 and 23, and in measures 13 and 29.
These chords are called Italian Augmented 6th chords [Bb D G#], with a leading tone above for melodic purposes [C#]. The chord gets its name from the Augmented 6th interval found in the chord [Bb -> G#].
Circle the Augmented 6th chords in the sheet music, and follow along with the opening section of this movement!
Keywords: Chords
Description:
More Augmented 6th chords, here! On PDF Pg. 9 of the sheet music, an Italian Augmented 6th chord is played [Bb D G#], until an additional F natural is played in measure 73, turning it into a German Augmented 6th chord! [Bb D F G#]
Keywords: Chords
Description:
In the B Section, dramatic Neapolitan chords are found on PDF Pg. 8, measures 35 and 39. These chords lead us to the dominant key of A Major, and are based on the flat-2 scale degree [Bb], giving us a Bb Major chord [Bb D F].
Inversion: These Bb Major chords are in second inversion [F Bb D], over a pedal tone of A.
Keywords: Chords , Harmonic Inversion
Description:
Listen to this deceptive cadence in D Minor [A7 -> Bb Major]. This happens on PDF Pg. 7, measures 8 and 9!
A7 Chord: [A C# E G]
Bb Major Chord: [Bb D F]
Keywords: Cadence
Description:
Listen to this half cadence in D Minor, landing on a V7 chord [A7 - A C# E G]
(Found on PDF Pg. 7, measures 21-24)
Keywords: Cadence
Description:
Listen to this Imperfect Authentic Cadence in D Major [V7 to I].
A7 Chord: [A C# E G]
D Minor Chord: [D F# A]
(Found on PDF Pg. 9, measures 85-88)
Inversion: The cadence is labelled imperfect because the A7 Chord is not in root position [C# is in the bass, instead of A]
Keywords: Cadence , Harmonic Inversion
Description:
Let's listen for harmonic rhythm in the first four phrases!
Each phrase is four measures long. In phrases one and three, the harmony changes once every measure. In phrases two and four, the harmony changes twice every measure!
(Found on PDF Pg. 7, measures 1-16)
Keywords: Harmonic Rhythm