Robert Falcon Scott

647 Words2 Pages

Robert Falcon Scott

Robert Falcon Scott was an explorer who led an expedition to the South

Pole. The film tells of his expedition with motorised snow sledges,

ponies and dogs; the feeling that they could master the elements. This

first 'theme' I have used in my composition. To make the beginning of

the piece sound jolly, happy and determined.

To do this I used an adventurous melody, with a steady tempo. I

created an upbeat rhythm on the snare drums which also can count for

the sound of the ponies hooves trotting up and down the slopes. I have

created a feeling of unawareness of any doubt and negativity. An

ascending modal scale works well for the beginning of my piece to

create an atmosphere and a sequence of notes which I develop into a

countermelody for the strings and percussion and various woodwind. The

percussion repeats a 4 bar rhythm all the way through the first theme.

This demonstrated Scott's desperation for a glorious victory and to

raise the flag in the North Pole.

Then the warm strings are introduced to a 4 bar ascending modal scale

which they then play and repeat. I alter the tune and increase the

tempo. To join the warm strings, comes the flute. Now, since the flute

can become a high pitched instrument, I use the flute to play my

simple tune yet an octave higher and add an appoggiatura onto each

note.

The trumpet can sound triumphant and glorious when it is used to play

a melodic ascending scale; so I have incorporated the trumpet into

this 'theme' and it plays the tune in a tonal, muted like manner. As

this theme draws to an end, I use the use of one by one, taking away

the triumphant timbres e.g. the trumpet and adding more mournful and

creature like sounding instruments. Firstly, I take away the trumpets

glorious tune and add in a synthesizing whale sound. The flute still

plays in the backround, yet in a more haunting manner. The strings

become colder and play into an ascending minor scale.

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