Rhythm and Tonality in Melody

The link between the two pieces relates to the rhythm and form. The repetitive nature of the two rhythms as well the the shifts in tonality of the melody is similarly applied in both pieces.

Cello Suite No.1 in G Major

In the Cello Suite the primary rhythm is a consistent set of three slurred 16th notes and five 16th notes, repeated. To begin the piece from measures 1-4 the first three slurred notes are arpeggiated chords always starting on the tonic, G, and variating the second two notes (See Figure 1). This idea resembles a basso continuo, which is usually considered a harmonic part to a Baroque piece of music.

Figure 1

The first shift of rhythm and melody occurs at measure 6 as the bass note shifts up to a C#. In measures 5 and 7 the rhythm changes to only have the slur on the first set of notes, instead of both as before. From here the melody progresses to a sort of extensive exploration of scales ascending and descending with less repeated themes as the first 6 measures of the piece. This exploration sounds similar to improvisation, however it is notated. At measure 31 through the end an interesting bridge theme appears (See Figure 2).

Figure 2

In this this theme a drone-like note shifts from A to D (37) to descending arpeggiated chords and finally ending on an G-B chord. The rhythm loses the slurs that occurred earlier throughout the piece. The notation of the theme ends by ascending chromatically against the D-drone. This theme creates dissonance and a dark tone at this point in the piece, and it continues with the descending arpeggiated chords ending the piece opposite to how it started. 

Blackbird

This piece also begins with a repeating theme in the harmony part. The guitar begins in the piece with a theme inspired by Bouree in E minor by Bach. When writing the piece Paul McCartney said he had learned the Bach piece to show off skill at a young age and enjoyed one segment so much that he adapted it to the relative major key and used it to help create the theme for Blackbird. (See Figure 3 for theme)

Figure 3

This theme contains a change of meter in the middle of it from 3/4 time into 2/4 time. However, this rhythm is similar to the theme in the Cello Suite because it has an ascending pattern that concludes with a repeated rhythm of the same notes. Where as in the Bach piece the repeated rhythm was simply 16th notes between two notes, this theme features a syncopated rhythm with less tone change than the former. Specifically the repeated notes are B and D. Later on in the piece this rhythm is continued, but with changing notes instead (See Figure 4).

Figure 4