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Information Sheet 1 - Time PDF

Time Lapse by Michael Nyman was composed for the film A Z and Two Noughts and uses a ground bass, which is a repeating bass line. It was unusual for the director to have Nyman compose the music before filming. Time Lapse uses a repeating chord sequence over the ground bass. The piece can be played and enjoyed without the film. It was scored to inspire certain feelings and moods in the filmed scenes.

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538 views2 pages

Information Sheet 1 - Time PDF

Time Lapse by Michael Nyman was composed for the film A Z and Two Noughts and uses a ground bass, which is a repeating bass line. It was unusual for the director to have Nyman compose the music before filming. Time Lapse uses a repeating chord sequence over the ground bass. The piece can be played and enjoyed without the film. It was scored to inspire certain feelings and moods in the filmed scenes.

Uploaded by

listentomerijn
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Ground Bass variations

Information sheet 1

Time Lapse by Michael Nyman


In this lesson you will:

Learn how Ground Basses are used by composers


Learn about the challenges faced by composers
who use Ground Basses

Look at a specific piece of film music that


uses a Ground Bass

Time Lapse
Time lapse by Michael Nyman was originally composed for a film called A Z and two noughts,
produced in 1984. Most unusually, the director, Peter Greenaway, asked for a recording of the music
to be given to him before filming began and then planned the scenes with the feeling and mood of
the music in his mind. Because it was composed before filming took place, the music for A Z and two
noughts works just as well without the film as with it.
Timelapse is composed using a ground bass and a repeating chord sequence. A ground bass is
a sequence of bass notes that repeats throughout an entire place. This device was used particularly
frequently by composers of the baroque period (1600 to 1750). This period in history inspired
Michael Nyman and many of his compositions reflect this baroque influence.
Firstly listen to Time Lapse and use worksheet 1 to help you.
Then, learn the ground bass together as a group, then add the chord parts below and melodies.
Note: all the parts fit together and can be played at the same time.
Next allocate parts to individuals or groups and plan a group performance of the piece. You will
need to:

Decide how many times the ground bass should be repeated, and on which repetition the
chord part and melodies should enter

Decide how to start an end the performance

Write-down a plan your performance (who does what and when).

Time Lapse
Michael Nyman

Ground Bass

? #4
4
E

? #4
4

Bass 2

?#

?#

A#

Michael Nyman
3
# 4 Chords
w
& 4

#4
& 4w

Chords 2

#4
Melody
& 4w 1

Chords 1

#4
& 4

#w

Melody 1

Melody 2

Time Lapse
w
w
Michael
Nyman

Lapse
Time
Michael Nyman

Melody 2

#4
& 4 Time
Lapse
# w

Melody 3
Michael Nyman

#4

& 4

Melody 3

J J
J J
&

Melody 4

Time Lapse
Michael Nyman

# 4

& 4
Melody 4

#
&

&

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