2020 IB Extended Essays

There is no sense of key signature until the kit meets with the bass guitar where some form of an Eb 7 is referenced. (Figure 4)

Figure 4 - Jacob Collier’s Transcript (Lee, 2018)

Comparing the two pieces, Collier’s introduction is harmonically more complex than the Carpenter’s consisting of just the three bars of the C and C 9 chord. The freer treatment of metre, its lack of metrical pulse, Collier’s introduction introduces a variety of individual lines that increases in volume ( crescendo) illustrating the sunrise and birds. The soft bass guitar line represents the shy perspective of the narrator of the song. The Carpenter’s version does not feature irregular rhythms but provides an instant metrical stability through its use of the simply stated swing rhythm. This could be viewed as providing a gentle interpretation of love whilst Collier’s version with its lack of metrical direction could hint towards the organic growth love as pictured through each day’s dawn. When comparing the introduction of the two pieces, it can be concluded that Collier has effectively manipulated the introduction of the piece to create his own original style, whilst being diversely different with regards to metre and timbre through his selection of instrumentation, still remains true to the initial message being communicated through the work.

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