Tonal Harmony final project - Rhythm

1. - Rhythm -
The systematic arrangement of musical sounds, principally according to duration and
periodic stress.

2. Rhythm is what makes music interesting. It gives it depth and individuality. Music
would not be able to exist without rhythm. It creates shapes and lines with the
melody and with it, you can make something beautiful. Without rhythm, music
would be unbearably boring. There would be no drive, no personality, and no
beauty.

3. The Pas de deux from Tchaikovsky's ¨The Nutcracker¨ is a beautiful representation of rhythms and how they
shape a piece of music.
Originally intended for Act 3 of ¨Swan Lake,¨ this piece was discovered and first presented on stage in 1960 in
¨The Nutcracker.¨ The prima ballerina was dissatisfied with Act 3 and had it re-written.
This is absolutely shocking, seeing as the Pas de deux is one of Tchaikovsky's most treasured pieces.
Particularly in the harp line, the arpeggiated
rhythms create moving lines of art with many of
the 8th, 16th, and 32nd notes.
At 3:20, there is a very fast rhythmic pickup to
the next measure that repeats multiple times.
The 32nd notes create a propelling motion that
keeps you at the edge of your seat waiting for
the next measure.
Additionally, you can see more propelling
rhythms at 3:34 that get quicker and quicker
leadinging up to a massive crescendo and
explosion at 3:44.

4. Circled in red are some beautiful recurring
rhythms in Pas de deux. They occur in the
string instruments, mostly the harp, but also
the violin and viola.
Additionally, what makes these quick
rhythms stand out is the smoothness of the
8th notes within the melodic line above.
It is so hard to grasp how Tchaikovsky
could make two completely different
rhythms blend so well together.
This piece takes place while Clara is in the
Land of the Sweets, and she is watching
the Cavalier and the Sugar Plum Fairy
dance. I like to imagine the 32nd notes are
the fluttering of the Sugar Plum Fairy's
wings or the quick movements of her feet.
Pas De Deux Analysis

5. At this point in the piece, which lies around marker 2:58 in
the linked video above, we keep coming to these massive
buildups and then explosions of sound with big crescendos.
In the ballet, these are perfectly choreographed with the
music. Here, there are the big lifts and spectacular jumps
performed by the Sugar Plum Fairy and the Cavalier.
The rhythms here create a sound that almost sounds like
clapping. It feels like all the creatures and people from the
Land of the Sweets are watching them dance and clapping
everytime they do a big jump or leap.

6. The 32nd notes at this part in the piece sound like breath of
fresh air. Or an intake of breath. With smooth rhythms on
either side of these measures, the 32nd notes are like a
quick flutter of breath.
I see this as Clara having a sharp inhale breath of surprise
while watching the Cavalier and Sugar Plum Fairy dance.
She is so mesmerized by their dancing that every leap and
turn surprise her and fill her with delight.

8. Tchaikovsky´s Pas de Deux also widely relates to the
topic of melody.
In the analysis of the Pas de deux, there were many
visual examples of how the rhythms created a story
for the piece. When you layer melody with those
analyses, the story deepens.
For example: When there was the use of the 32nd
notes, they were analyzed saying that they sounded
like and intake of breath. The addition of melody
would further confirm this because the melody line
moves upward in an arpeggiation, which sounds like
an intake of breath.
Another example: When the 32nd notes sounded like
the fluttering of the Sugar Plums wings, the melody
is again, moving in an upward motion, as if the fairy
is flying higher and higher.

9. ¨Bad Guy¨ by Billie Eilish O´Connell and lyrics by
Finneas O´Connell is another great representation
of rhythms in modern music.
This song, which was released in 2019, instantly
blew up. It was so catchy, and every person had it
downloaded and was singing along to it.
The rhythms are what make this piece so unique.
The syncopation and staccatos make it sound like
she is jabbing her words at whoever she is singing
them to.
This song also connects to melody, with the melody
being at a lower pitch, which is fitting because she
is singing about being the bad guy.
The syncopated rhythms also give an effect of
clearing your throat. Which would make sense in
the context of the song. She would be clearing her
throat before she started yelling at the person she's
singing the song about.

10. Another absolutely breathtaking piece is ¨Into the Unknown¨ from Frozen II Featuring Idina Menzel and
AURORA.
Visually the rhythms play along with the choreography of the video. When she is marching up the hill, the
rhythms take on a staccato movement sounding like marching.
Another being when Elsa singing the words ¨Into the Unknown¨ there is a voice that responds. The rhythms
here create an echo-like sound for the response.