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Hallelujah

How Pentatonix establishes harmony

Pentatonix’s a cappella work Hallelujah is filled with several points of harmony. Although the listener can follow the obvious lyrical line, there are times where the other members back up the lead vocalist with accompanying notes, providing more richness and color to the principal melody. The musical details of harmony can be investigated through a few examples.

Following Scott’s solo statement from the first four measures, all but Scott begin to hum (refer to Figure 5); this is the first evidence of harmony is enacted. Those who were humming seem to have an overall similar idea in regards to their humming accompaniment against the melody; for instance, they move up a half step from the dotted half note of measure 5, descend by either a 2nd or 3rd from measure 8 to 9, and then ascend in the 10th measure. The only exception is that the choir’s bass, Avi, enters the accompaniment on measure 9. Although they all follow a similar pattern, each voice represents different pitches with Kirstie in the highest range and Avi in the lowest. Starting the humming idea from measure 5, Kirstie starts on E-flat, Mitch on B-flat, and Kevin on G.

Figure 5: Humming accompaniment against Scott's solo

In the first chorus, Scott continues to lead, and the rest of the choir responds on the lyrics “lu-jah,” singing along Scott (refer to Figure 6). Each measure containing “lu-jah” involves repeated notes with the motive of a dotted half note followed by a half note. Again, the only difference is that each voice stands for distinct pitches.

Figure 6: Scott and the chorus

The second verse (focusing on measures 29 through 43), is sung by a different voice as the lead - the bass. Along with Avi’s leading melody is the accompanying harmony sung by the other members (refer to Figure 7). They all sing “Ah” in identical directions of notes, eventually performing a crescendo and concluding the verse with the lyrics “Hal-le-lu-jah” homorhythmically.

Figure 7: Avi and accompanying harmony

How Pentatonix introduces and varies the main themes

Pentatonix is known for giving each member (voice) the role to lead, with the exception of Kevin since he has the primary duty to establish rhythm. Scott, the baritone, takes the lead in both the first verse and chorus. The other voices accompany this main melody. Avi, the bass, takes the next verse and chorus, followed by Kirstie, the soprano, and then Mitch, the tenor. Another part of the variation is the fact that each harmonic accompaniment is altered in terms of the direction of the notes. Here are excerpts of each voice producing the melody:

Kirstie, Mitch, and Kevin begin harmonizing with dotted half notes per measure in different pitches. The overall contour is conjunct through the ascending and descending pattern of the accompaniment.

The second verse takes the motive “dum dum dum ha da da” from the transition between the chorus and the verse. The motive provides a more disjunct contour than the previous pattern of harmony represented in the first verse. Those involved in this motive is Mitch and Scott along with Kirstie and Kevin's "Ha" on the 4th beats (refer to Figure 8).

Figure 8: "dum dum dum ha da da" motive with Avi's solo verse

In Kirstie’s part, the accompaniment involves not just harmonies, but it also introduces the group’s percussion, adding rhythmic flavor to the work. One can listen that the strong beat produced by Kevin’s beatboxing lands on beats 1 and 4 in a 6/8 meter, indicating that there are six beats per measure with the eighth note representing one beat.

Kevin’s rhythmic flow follows along the rest of the choir in the chorus instead of just having the usual statements with the voice. Mitch’s solo passage in the fourth verse, however, is free from the rhythmic ideas produced by the percussion. The conclusion of this verse involves more homorhythm between the singers at “cold and it’s a broken hal-le-lu-jah” (refer to Figure 10). The only bit of difference regarding the homorhythm is the time in which “hal” is sung, as seen in measure 94.

Figure 10: Homorhythmic conclusion of Mitch's verse in measures 93-95

This last chorus starts out in mezzo-piano, implying to express moderately soft, as it builds up to the extended and varied chorus. It can be considered the most powerful portion of the piece due to its sempre fortissimo and strong overall homorhythm. The melody “Hal-le-lu-jah” transforms into a different set of notes but with the same sequential pattern. Initially, the melody in the chorus is in the general order (let’s use Kirstie’s statement for this example): D, F, G, G. In this last section of the song, the sequence of notes is: G, A, B-flat, B-flat.

La Campanella

How Liszt introduces and varies the main themes

Prior to the main theme, Liszt implements an introduction using shifting octaves (refer to Figure 11) and creates that hesitant tone. According to the score, Liszt establishes the main theme with a high, bell-like pedal, in minor mode - the key of G# minor. This piece is in 6/8 meter, otherwise known as 6 beats per measure with an eighth note representing 1 beat. The octaves played in the right hand generally go back to that high D# in the second sixteenth note of each beat; the D#, in this case, is interpreted as the pedal point as that note is the reference point for each octave. The left hand, also still primarily in the treble clef, performs basic accompaniment, playing an 8th note on the first and fourth beat of each measure. The second half of this A section brings about with paired eighth notes in the left hand, leading to eighth notes being played at the first and second, and the fourth and fifth beat of each measure. Then towards the close of the first section, the melody gets rid of the recurring octave idea to prepare for the transition to the second section.

Figure 11: Intro with shifting octaves/huge spans in right hand

The B section can be described in the major setting - the relative, B major. This section, in summary, contains sequential ideas. For example, regarding the right hand, along with the whole idea, one can realize the fact that the very first thirty-second note of each measure from measures 22 through 26 is ascending by an interval of a 2nd. The next, smaller idea occurs from measures 27 through 28; it can be shown as the first and fourth sixteenth note of each measure are descending by a 2nd (refer to Figure 12).

Figure 12: Sequential idea from top right to bottom left measures (22-26)

Now the A’ section is the first variation of the main theme, which is principally heard in the left hand now that the right hand has the recurring pattern of extended octaves for the first half of the section (measures 42 through 49). The second half (measures 50 through 59) introduces a huge idea of repeated notes in the melody, which is now played in the right hand. The B’ section also involves rapid repeated notes, followed by chromatic scales, which is used as a bridge to the second variation of the A section. The A’’ section is now heard under a high, trill-like pattern with 4 trill notes heard for each eighth note of the melody. The B’’ section executes shifts of octaves with many disjunct intervals in freer tempo with more dynamic contrasts. The final A variation is played in loud, staccato octaves. The coda closes the piece with the approach of primarily octaves played fortissimo.