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Use of the "call-and-response" to establish the mood

In order to get a good understanding of the 1812 Overture by Tchaikovsky we must place ourselves in the story being told by the composer throughout this piece. As mentioned before, this piece tries to “illustrate” a battle. In this piece, Tchaikovsky (as a proud Russian) reflects the outstanding victory of the Russian army against the Napoleonic invasion of 1812. Through the use of different musical elements such as distinct themes and an assigned melodic range Tchaikovsky managed to musically represent both the Russian and the Napoleonic armies. Not only are you able to differentiate between the two armies as you listen to this piece; you are able to picture in your head the different events taking place within the invasion. In order to achieve this, Tchaikovsky had to emphasis on building the different types of mood according to the event. Two of the main elements used to achieve this, were; use of late motifs (which we already talked about) and the use of the call-and-response element. Throughout the piece there are a number of times where specific motifs are repeated consecutively but played by different instruments and in different tonalities. In relationship to the context of the piece, this element creates a mood of anxiety and thriller.

The call-and-response element contributes in a similar way in the construction of the mood. “In music, the call and response is a succession of two distinct phrases usually played by different musicians, where the second phrase is heard as a direct commentary on or response to the first. It corresponds to the call-and-response pattern in human communication and is found as a basic element of musical form.”

More specifically, in classical European music this musical element it is known as antiphony. Unlike in the musical element mentioned before (motif repetition) in call-and-response two “characters” have to be taking part of the event or section. Within the two pieces analysed, we can see the way in which two different types of this "call-and-response “element are present. In the fist type, the "argument" or confrontation is created by the repetition of two recurring motifs one after the other. While, in the second type of "call-and-response", the confrontation is created by imitative monophony in which the same (or similar) motif is repeated consecutively with variations in the tonality and medium.

In the 1812 overture by Tchaikovsky this musical tool is used to create a scene of conversation within the same "side" (same motif, change in tonality and medium) and to create a scene of direct confrontation between two different sides (motis vs. motif). As from bar 119 we can listen to the way in which the "La Marseille" is first played by the viola but immediately after, it is imitated by the brass instruments, creating a polyphonic "conversation" (due to the other melodies being played simultaneously) between the two groups of instruments (also thanks to the difference in terms of record and tonality between the two types of instruments). But the as from bar 36 to bar 43 we can see how there is a confrontation created as the oboe and the cello each play there own motif immediately one after the other, both corresponding motifs (not alike) also differentiate in the tone in which they are played; this confrontation between motifs and between low and high pitch instruments contributes into creating a tense mood filled with uncertainty for the listener.

Surprisingly as it may sound, more than 150 years after the composition of the 1812 Overture by Tchaikovsky, musicians where still using these two musical techniques or resources in order to create tension and thrill in mood of specific sections of songs.

In Bohemian Rhapsody we see the way in which the two types of call-and-response are also present, but in this case they are only present within one section of piece, the opera section. In this section, three male singers with very different voice registers and colour are able to create the appropriate balance between depth and brightness in the tone as the sing simultaneously (this may also be referred to as chiaroscuro). Initially we can listen to the way in which a conversation is created as two male voices repeat the same motif with the lyrics "Galileo" one after the other, but the conversation effect is created due to the wide difference in voice register between the two male voices, on the one hand, the first voice is a tenor´s and the second one stays on a constant falsetto, reaching the register of a soprano. The other type of call-and-response can be identified later on within the opera section, as there is a confrontation between various voices and a single voice, in this section two motifs are sung correspondingly, but in this case, the second motif (response) is a section of the first motif. In this case lyrics also play a fundamental roll as the two motifs have their corresponding lyrics; "we will not let you go" (accompanies motif 1) "let me go" (accompanies motif 2). As the content of what they are saying is contradictory you can tell it’s a discussion. The two are used in order to contribute to mood. When referring to the structure of the call-and-response you can say that it follows an A-B-A-B-A structure. In this case he thrilling mood created by the “discussion” builds up the tension that is then released with the guitar solo.

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