The first question I had for myself in sitting down to complete this assignment was...well what is a Formal Analysis? Specifically I mean. I know what it is, I have, in fact, been learning what it is for a resounding four years, but strangly enough I felt the need to really know. So I googled it.
Formal analysis here means one that examines the overall structure...formal analysis should include an examination of the harmonic structure, the melodic structure, motives, rhythm, variation techniques, and especially the relationships between small and large scale structures.
(http://solomonsmusic.net/formal.htm)
This led me to a very strange realization. Once again words have fooled me. When I thought the title 'Formal Analysis' I always had it in my head that this was, a black tie event kind of an analysis. But no....by Formal we are not speaking of a fancy upper crust dinner, but rather an examination of the Form. Id rather they called it a Form Analysis. Less confusion that way.
Ok so now I know what I am supposed to do. I promptly logged onto ichat and started complaining to the endearing miss Alana Bennett about how I didn't know what to do. Even though I darn well did, I mean come on, I just looked it up! (What good is a final paper if you don't get to complain about it?) So we talk a bit about her having to write her own eclectic analysis. (Oh the good ol' days...where Dr.Ferrara has laid out a detailed, fool proof plan on how to sound smart. An open listening? You mean...say what you think? Without specific guidelines telling you what you should be thinking? Who would dare prescribe such a thing.)
Well out of our discussion a Formal Alalysis was beginning, so I quickly opened another tab and began to blog!
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