ENYI’NOROSI

Author: Joseph Suberu Ph.D

Musical Analysis

Section A: The piece begins with an incomplete bar (anacrusis) and delivers the theme with
violin 1; while other strings accompany in harmony in a homophonic beginning, which has the
cello play some running scale-like sequence of notes. At bar 9, a little polyphonic part of the
A-section begins with successive entries of violin 1 and violin 2, but at bar 12, viola and cello
join, and together they flow to bar 17, where section A ends.

Section B: Begins from the same bar this time polyphonically, with a partial modulation to G minor. The violin 1 depicts a priest in explanation talking to his three elders (violin 2, viola, and cello playing a succession to harmonise dotted minims) with some melodic minor notes, and this runs till bar 33, where the B section ends. The cello, in agreement with the violin1 begins to play a contrapuntal crotchet melody from bar 26, easing the violin 2 and viola in as the return to B flat major was achieved smoothly at bar 33. Section A returns rather softly (mp), back loud (f)at bar 45, and runs till bar 49 with the same notes.

Section C, at bar 50, presents the violins making ‘calls’ on the relative minor key of G, and the viola and cello make responses. These short calls and responses last till bar 65, where a repetition of the closing part of SECTION B is replayed till the modulation of the home key happens at bar 73, and the last Section A returns running till bar 89, where a fermata is introduced before the closing three notes are played.

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Joseph Suberu Ph.D