Madan Bellgarde

Nathalie Joachim
Piece Duration: 6:55

About this Piece

Melody / Imitation / Quintet: The composer gives the melody is given to a different member of the ensemble in every section. Listen to the original melody at the start of the piece. Then, listen for where it travels, and how it is arranged in the quintet.

Oblique Motion: Most sections feature contrapuntal motion underneath sustained harmonics (see notable passages, below)

Theme and Variation / Timbre: (each highlighted below)
Theme: Original melody, sung by the composer’s grandmother
1 - Voice and Viola perform the melody together, harmony is added
2 - 2nd Violin takes the melody, and the rest of the string quartet plays harmonized version
3 - Flute takes melody above string quartet
4 - 2nd Violin takes melody. The Flute and 1st Violin play harmony, and the Cello plays counterpoint underneath
5 - 1st Violin takes the melody, the Flute plays harmony, and the Viola + 2nd Violin add counterpoint
6 - The Flute and Cello take the melody together, the 1st Violin takes the harmonic, the 2nd Violin plays in harmony, and the Viola plays a countermelody
7 - Voice takes the melody with Viola in harmony
Outro: A recorded conversation plays over sustained tones

Notable Passages

Time Stamp: 0:00 — 0:22
Description:

Original melody, sung by the composer’s grandmother


Keywords: Theme and Variation - Form , Live Instruments with Electronics

Time Stamp: 0:22 — 1:15
Description:

Voice and Viola perform the melody together, harmony is added


Keywords: Theme and Variation - Form , Timbre - Composition Technique

Time Stamp: 1:15 — 2:00
Description:

2nd Violin takes the melody, and the rest of the string quartet plays harmonized version. A pulsing note is heard in the electronics.


Keywords: Theme and Variation - Form , Timbre - Composition Technique , Oblique Motion , Live Instruments with Electronics , Homophony , Parallel Motion

Time Stamp: 2:04 — 2:59
Description:

Flute takes melody above string quartet, the 1st violin plays a countermelody, and the electronics become more complex


Keywords: Timbre - Composition Technique , Theme and Variation - Form , Live Instruments with Electronics , Oblique Motion , Parallel Motion , Polyphony

Time Stamp: 2:54 — 3:40
Description:

2nd Violin takes melody. The Flute and 1st Violin play harmony, the Cello plays counterpoint underneath, and the Viola plays a sustained harmonic


Keywords: Theme and Variation - Form , Timbre - Composition Technique , Oblique Motion , Parallel Motion , Homophony

Time Stamp: 3:40 — 4:33
Description:

1st Violin takes the melody, the Flute plays harmony, and the Viola + 2nd Violin add counterpoint. The cello takes the sustained harmonic


Keywords: Theme and Variation - Form , Timbre - Composition Technique , Oblique Motion , Parallel Motion , Polyphony

Time Stamp: 4:36 — 5:22
Description:

The Flute and Cello take the melody together, the 1st Violin takes the harmonic, the 2nd Violin plays in harmony, and the Viola plays a countermelody


Keywords: Theme and Variation - Form , Timbre - Composition Technique , Oblique Motion , Polyphony

Time Stamp: 5:25 — 6:22
Description:

Voice takes the melody, the Viola plays in harmony, and the rest of the quintet plays sustained harmonics


Keywords: Theme and Variation - Form , Timbre - Composition Technique , Oblique Motion

Time Stamp: 6:22 — 6:56
Description:

Outro: A recorded conversation plays over sustained tones


Keywords: Live Instruments with Electronics