Assignment
The song: The Girl From Ipanema by Astrud Gilberto and Stan Getz (3:02)
You can hear it on youtube video: "Astrud Gilberto & Stan Getz - The Girl From Ipanema - 1964"
Format: Exact One page typewritten (no more or less than one page), double-spaced. Please use a 12pt font. No outside sources. Do not include the name of the song anywhere in the header or above the body of the paper.
Listening assignments are opinion papers. You will point out several objective points in the music, i.e. tonal color, dynamics, texture, etc., describe them, and then give your detailed (subjective) opinions of them.
Corcovado consists of a female vocal, tenor saxophone, piano, acoustic guitar, bass and drums. The style is Bossa Nova (Brazilian Jazz).
Specific questions to answer and topics to cover for Corcovado:
1. Name the instruments you hear during the song's introduction (before the vocal enters)?
2. Is the overall texture thin or thick during the intro? Why?
3. Is there a piano or a vibrophone in the song? Or both? Yes or no.
4. Would you say the tempo or pulse is slow, medium or fast?
5. What is the mood of the song? Why? Do you like the mood? Why or why not?
6. Do the dynamics change in the song? Why or why not? If so, where in the song?
7. Does Astrud Gilberto appear alone at times in the video or is the quartet always present?
8. Does the overall texture change from beginning to end? Why or why not?
9. Is the verse in strophic form? (look up strophic form) Why or why not? Is there a bridge or new section? If so, describe how it differs from the rest of the song.
10. Does the tenor saxophone play after the verses and is there saxophone solo?
11. How does the song end? Describe the instruments you hear. Does this ending sound good in your opinion?
12. Would you listen to this song again after completing this assignment? Why?
Note: Listening Assignments are not research papers. Please do not include any of the following:
- biographies of the musicians
- how successful the musicians are or how many records they sold
- a history of the song and/or the musicians
- any comparisons to any other song even if it is by the same artist
Final points: Please listen to the song several times and take notes during each performance. For example, listen once for texture, then again for dynamics, etc.
Write it as simple as possible.