1. Leaving Certificate Music
THE BEATLES
It was 40 years ago today……..!

2. The Album
Gave the audience a lot more than just the songs – they also got:
Two continuous sides of music
The definite feel of a live performance with all the “extra” audience sounds
Mixture of styles – classical to Indian raga!
Printed song lyrics
An kaleidoscope of colours on the front cover with the best “audience” collected in history
A cut out moustache along with stripes and a badge
A 41 piece orchestra on a Pop record
Really encourage all the students to listen to the full album – the songs are really brilliant
The opening pages in the student booklet will give a sufficient over view of what the group and album are about.

3. There are 3 Beatles songs for study:
Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club
She’s Leaving Home
When I’m 64
These songs are the prescribed course
They vary widely – Sgt Pepper is a rock song
She’s Leaving home is a classical song similar to any love song of Schubert
When I’m 64 has all the feel of a jazz vamp

4. Syllabus requirements All Levels!
Understand, identify and describe the range of musical features used
Study its musical style and place it in its historical context
Analyse and Describe patterns of repetition and change within the music
Explain that students need to know the songs in question but also the context of Pop music of the late 60s especially how the Beatles as a group were trying to function at that time. Arthur Sealys textbook has plenty of information for this ! ( can we plug a book?????)
The study of the songs will enable students to contextualise the importance of The Beatles in relation to the other set works. There are many comparisons with Mozart, Berlioz and Deane
Analysis is given in the book of notes for this course. Remember it is only my thoughts on these songs and is not exhaustive and open to interpretation! We all need to study these songs and not just regurgitate!!

5. And also for Higher Level…….
To make Comparative Judgements about music
To evaluate Interpretation and Performance in the light of experience already attained.
Comparative judgements can be between certain sections of an individual song or between 2 different songs.
It can also mean comparison between another set work e.g type of harmony used by Mozart and The Beatles !!
Evaluating interpretation means 2 different versions of the same song e.g instrumental version and a vocal one.

6. So what do I have to know? The album- dates Concept idea
What makes it different?
General overview of the types of songs on the album.
As with all the set
works a thorough
knowledge of each
set song is important
as examiners are
most adept at asking
anything of interest!
The album – details days and 700 hours to produce –released in 1967
Sgt pepper – cockney slang for salt and pepper.
Group decided that since people no longer listened to a live performance then lets put a “live” performance on a record.
General Overview – so many fabulous songs to refer to e.g track 1 side 2 within You without you ( indian raga) or Track 4 side 1 Getting Better ( prepared Piano )
What makes it different is the amazing variety of types of songs as well as the myriad of detail in the actual production of this album.
General overview – refer to page xx of student booklet.

7. What Kind of questions am I asked?
Instrumentation
Structure e.g. Verse, chorus
Keys
Textures
Chord patterns
Lyrics – word painting
Production Techniques
Shes Leaving …. String nonet and harp
64 – 2 clar and bass clar with bass and lead guitar and drums
Sgt Pepper – Bass, lead guitar, drum kit and 4 French Horns !!
Structure – stress each song is different though there is a verse chorus type structure prevalent.
Keys – example Sgt Pepper is in G major
Texture e.g polyphonic texture chorus she s leaving home
Opening chord sequences in chorus Sgt Pepper
Wonderful lyrics – “shes leaving home after living alone after all of these years”
Use of band sounds at opening of album – a live band sound.Multi tracking, over dubs etc!

8. What Kind of questions am I asked?
Differences between individual verses in particular She’s Leaving home
Correct identification of each song and individual parts e.g. Sgt Pepper bridge section
Be able to identify and insert missing notes and chords
I use this song as an example of the clever use of instruments in such a simple melodic line . Just investigate how the instrumentation is used in each successive verse
This is a continual problem when correcting exams – students not labelling sections of music correctly.
The perennial problem of learning themes – it has to be done.

9. Examples of Syncopation, Chromaticism, etc – standard “classical” terminology also applies to these songs
Just because this is “pop” music we should not underestimate the tremendous musicianship of this group
Important for study of set works but also for the aural skills question as this terminology pervades the whole exam paper and can pose particular difficult for Ordinary level students
Tricky one but there is still a view that The Beatles and Bohemian Rhapsody is not “proper” music – please dispel this myth!

10. Analysis (1) Sergeant Peppers Hearts Club Band.
Intro
Verse 1
Brass
interlude 1
Middle
Interlude2
Verse 2
link
4 bars
8 bars
5 bars
12 bars
1-4
5-12
13-17
18-29
30 -34
This is a simple template to illustrate the overall structure of the song. Students should learn the terminology above.

11. Analysis Sergeant Pepper (2)
Introduction
Initial sounds of audience in a concert hall!
Four bar instrumental with tune on lead guitar
Verse 1
Homophonic texture
4 x 2 bar phrases
Key centres around G
Repeated notes 1st 2 bars made up of just 2 notes
Same chords as intro
Self explanatory !
Repeated notes are g and F#

12. Sergeant Pepper (3) Brass interlude 1 4 French horns
– London Philharmonic Orchestra
Polyphonic Texture
Key around G
Get students to answer this question – This is the first brass interlude, expalin what happens here.
Problem here is that they are told it is the interlude so question requires answer like…..
There are 4 french horns.
The key is F major
The texture is polyphonic
The use of the french horn is unsual.

13. Sergeant Peppers (4) Middle Section – Longest Section Interlude
Refrain – We’re Sergeant …….
Vocal line rhythm is doubled in length i.e., semiquavers become quavers!
2/3 part harmonies
Descending D7 arpeggio on horns
Typical pop hook used – catchy tune to grab your audience!
Interlude
Chords as for Brass interlude
Vocals
Horns now a sustained dotted minim moving to quavers
Important section
Use of augmentation
Arpeggios played by French horns
Pop Hook – expression used in the business to describe a part of a song that initially grabs the audience. Just think of the mandatory modulation in a euro vision song !!!!

14. Sergeant Peppers (5) Verse 2 Homophonic texture Key centres around G
4 x 2 bar phrases
Repeated notes
Same chords as intro
Link
Similar to brass interlude
Chords of C D E linking to With a little help from my friends
Quickly go thro, this – it’s the same as verse 1

15. Arrangement – George Martin
Analysis ‘64
Recorded Dec 1966
Arrangement – George Martin
Structure
Intro
Verse1
Bridge1
Verse2
Bridge2
Verse3
Coda
Bar
1-4
5-6
A 7-14 B
C 23-30
D 31-39 A
B 48-55
C 56-63
D 64-72
A 73-80
B 81-88
89 -92
Useful template (I hope its right!!!!)

16. ’64 (2) Intro – Fabulous use of 2 clarinets and 1 bass clarinet.
’64 (2)
Intro – Fabulous use of 2 clarinets and 1 bass clarinet.
Piano Vamp – (not part of Pop music)
Really Jazz combo here!
Such a great contrast to the previous track
Relatively self explanatory although the previous track was “Within you without You” basically an indian raga tune

17. ’64 (3) Verse 1 4 bar phrases A-B-A1-C
Effective use of Chromatic notes
C phrase – Harmonic sequence Ab-C-A7-D-G-C but with the added notes for colour.
Homophonic Texture
Augmentation “will you still ..”  “birthday greeting…”
Relatively simple – students should familiarise themselves with the use of chromatic notes get a guitarist in class to strum the plain chords then play the actual piano ones so that all can hear the difference the chromatic notes make!
Augmentation quavers become crotchets

18. ’64 (4) Bridge 1 Begins in Am (relative minor) Melody less syncopated
Much higher register used
Alberti-type accompaniment
Polyphonic texture ( John and Paul )
Verse 2
Harmonic sequence F Ab C A D G C
Perhaps question students how we know it is Aminor?
Rest is straight forward
I have nt given anything on Verse 2 as it is a repeat of 1st verse – the students do have notes in their student book.

19. ’64 (5) Bridge2 Begins in Am (relative Minor) Melody less syncopated
Much higher register
Alberti –bass accompaniment
Polyphonic Texture – particularly “we shall scrimp and save”
Use of diminution here minimscrotchets
diminution - We shall scrimp and save

20. ’64 (6) Verse 3 Similar to verse 2 but
More instrumental ad libs i.e.,listen to solo guitar
Does not go to bridge again
Clarinet in 3rds with vocalist
Coda
Drum kit similar to opening
Well timed oooh to finish
1 love instrumental ad lib is a honky tonky stlye piano sound – “you canknit a sweater by the firside” really a harp back to scott joplin again.

21. She’s Leaving Home - Structure
Intro
Verse1
Chorus
Verse2
Verse 3
1-4
5-36
37-55
56-87
88-106
ABAB CD AB C
Useful template its missing the “ outro” section – final 3 bars.

22. Leaving home (2) Instrumentation String Nonet 4 violins 2 Violas
2 cellos
1 Double Bass
1 Harp - Sheila Bromberg – 1st time a woman appears on a Beatles song!
I know it adds up to ten “string” instruments but all info says nonet and a harp.
You should refer to the classical feel of this song by the use of these instruments. Also alert students to that this song was arranged by Mike Leander and that it was the only Beatle song he ever arranged.

23. Leaving Home (3)
Word Painting – some excellent examples here The actual lyrics are wonderful, particularly the reaction of the parents to what their daughter has done. Their concern seems only to be for themselves, which is why the girl leaves in the first place. Also phrases like “she’s leaving home after living alone for so many years” perfectly captures the dysfunctional nature of this family situation.
You could refer to other classic Beatles Lyrics – Elenor Rigby “puts on her Face that she keeps in a jar by the door”
These guys really did write some fab words.

24. Leaving home (4) Intro Harp Arpeggios Homophonic texture
Fab contrast to previous track
Verse 1
Voice and harp
Cello counter melody (bar10 – 12)
Form: ABAB, each phrase gets a different accompaniment
Key: E (vocal score Eb)
Word painting: “downstairs” – descending violin melody
Previous Track was Fixing a hole
The rest is self expanatory.

25. Leaving Home (5)
Chorus 1
Beautiful vocal harmonies – Paul Falsetto with John‘s counterpoint
Mainly 1 chord for 13 bars – Different forms of Chord I (Eb- Score)
Verse 2
Similar to 1st verse but subtle differences in accompaniment
e.g. strings first then Harp, cello has walking bass idea
much richer string texture
Homophonic texture
Word painting: Mother sobbing – violin counter melody
Self Explanatory

26. Leaving home (6)
Chorus 2
As with 1st chorus but again changes to the accompaniment.
Middle texture now richer. (Viola)
18 bars divided into 8 and 10 bars respectively + 1 extra bar giving a total of 19 bars
this uncertainty in phrase length may mirror the daughters uncertain future.
Verse 3
Shorter than other verses (Only 16 bars)
Word painting: use of tremolo strings - daughters’ excitement at her prospective meeting.
Use of quaver movement in cello part to mirror the man in the “motor” trade!
Worth explaining the significance of the length of phrase – “she s leaving home after living alone for so many years” its 7 bars long. Quite unusual in that all of the other phrases are of equal length. Note how this is resolved in the final verse when she has left this awful family situation – maybe she has made the right decision.( or am I being too deep? )

27. Leaving Home (7)
Chorus 3
Like others but all string parts more animated e.g. violins play a repeated rhythm pattern here
Final chorus uses 20 bars as opposed to 19 perhaps she’s made the right decision?
Accompaniment “calms” down towards end of this chorus – mainly dotted minims in upper parts
Self explanatory