Analysis Of The Song 'Stairs'

The first theme heard in the song “Cambridge, 1963” is Stephen’s Theme, a simple progression of four chords, G minor, D minor F bass, D minor, E flat major 7 Stephen’s theme is first played during the opening credits of the film, depicting an older Stephen confined to a motorized wheelchair, while his son runs in front of him. A trio of violins play the theme in triads very quietly. The long notes of this theme contrast with the piano playing eighth notes as an accompaniment. Violins are instruments often associated with sadness, and this coupled with the fact that the piece is in G minor creates a very melancholy atmosphere. A shot of the wheelchair driving in circles is accompanied by a repeating rising major arpeggiated scale, which

The theme has transitioned into a minor key, and the tempo has decreased from 165 beats per minute to 75 beats. The piano still plays the rapid eighth notes sparsely, but lingers a little too long on each note, while a single bass note from a synth crescendoes and diminuendos at a seemingly random rate, mimicking a throbbing headache. The most significant change is that the theme is no longer played on the piano, but on a celeste, an instrument with a sound closely associated with children or childlike behavior. This use of instrumentation causes the audience to subconsciously relate Stephen to a child, because he cannot complete a task that even a toddler could easily do. As a direct result of these stylistic choices, the viewer does not feel Stephen’s struggle, but instead pities how childlike he has

This is first heard during the track “Chalkboard.” It consists of five chords, with the first and fifth chord being the same. The chords are A minor, D minor F bass, E minor G bass, E7 G# bass, A minor.

The piece is a minute long, beginning with a solo violin that plays a note from each chord, with a wailing vibrato. Halfway through the piece, a full string section plays staccato chords, while a piano plays descending major third and fourth intervals. This descending piano gives the song a chaotic sound, as the intervals seem random to the untrained ear but always remain inside the minor key of the song. There is another unpredictable factor to the piece, which comes from the amount of times that the chords are played. The first chord is played 8 times, the second 8, third 7, fourth 8, 6, 8, 8, 6, 6, 5, and finally five times. This erratic yet calculated approach defines Stephen’s state of mind. As he begins making complex connections on screen, the uneven score mirrors this perfectly. The quickening pace of chord changes also help the viewer feel Stephen’s excitement, even though they likely have no understanding of what is occurring on