Music Phenomenon/Design/Tune Tune-Up Shop/Anthems/God Save the Queen


God Save the Queen

Original

Both words and tune from God Save The Queen (America), the British National Anthem, are anonymous, probably from the XVII century. The tune has been used in other countries, including the American patriotic song "America", with words by Samuel F. Smith.

God Save the Queen, Revised

Revised

The first issue is in the quirky ternary structure of the first 3 cells (bars 1-6), which are grouped 2 and 1, rather than 1 and 2.

The second issue is in bars 7-10, where we find The Joy Syndrome of harmonies stagnating, remaining on the I and V7 chords where they should change, and thus detrimentally suggesting a misplaced larger rhythmic level.

Try the revised version, compare it to the original, join MusicNovatory.com's Analysis Judges, and submit your appreciations and suggestions, as well as contribute to the appreciation statistics available on-site, with the revised version.

God save the queen

Fugue

Using only the first cell (bars 1-2) as a subject, this short 24-bar, 1-minute Fugue is in a medieval, Elizabethan style.

The fugue uses only the first cell (bars 1-2) as a subject, indicated "A", with melo-harmony I-VI-II / V, the chords C-Am-Dm / G, for the first and third entries, which has, as symmetrical counterpart V-VII-IV / I, the chords G-Bb-Fm / C, for the second and fourth entries, producing a medieval, Elizabethan sound, for 24 bars, 1 minute.

This fugue is of ternary form, three 8-bar sections - the first section has 4 subject entries AAAA of 2 bars each, the second and third sections have only 2 subject entries, preceded by canonic interludes, BBAA, for an overall form of AAAA BBAA BBAA.

Round

Based on cells 1 and 3, bars 1-2 and 5-6, this round is of quite conventional structure, with the words appropriately disposed, for 16 bars, 15 seconds, per repeat.

Line 1 is based on cells 1 and 3, bars 1-2 and 5-6.
Line 2 is a third higher, a standard procedure.
Line 3 is in octave (and fifth) jumps on degree 5, the notes D and G.
Line 4 in an inversion of line 1 with a fundamental base at the end.

The words are appropriately disposed, for 16 bars, 15 seconds, for the 4 lines.

Performance
2 forms are recommended:
(a) Each of the 4 voices performs the canon twice, and then stops,
     leaving the remaining voices peter out until the last is alone, for 44 bars in all.
          On the recording, each line is played only once for 28 bars in all.
(b) The canon is first performed as a melody by the four voices in unison,
     then the four entries are made in a specified order, in this case BSTA,
          so as to end on the best disposition of the final chord, for 32 bars in all.

Evolving Canon

Based on cells 1 and 2, bars 1-4, this 2-voice evolving canon is of quite conventional structure, with lines 1 and 3 identical, and lines 2 and 4 similar with different endings and rhymes.

It is in two 4-line sections, the first using the words and the second using carolish "Fa-la-la"s, with the traditional instrumental pick-up at the beginning. In all 32 bars, 15 seconds, per section.

This 2-voice evolving canon, in two 4-line sections, is of quite conventional structure, with lines 1 and 3 identical, and lines 2 and 4 similar, but with different endings and rhymes. The first section is based on cells 1 and 2, bars 1-4, of the song, for lines 1 and 3, using its words for the 4 lines.

The second section is based on cells 4 and 5, bars 7-10, of the song, for lines 1 and 3, using "Fa-la-la"s, with the traditional instrumental pick-up at the beginning.

In all 32 bars, 30 seconds, for the 8 lines.

Performance
Performance offers many choices as each 4-line section can be used separately and repeated indefinitely, and since line 4 is almost the same in both sections allowing one to pass from one section to the other at will.