Away in a manger

Above is a rather gross piece of music analysis done by me.

Away in a Manger is a christmas carol first published by composer James Ramsey Murray (1841-1905) during the year of 1885 in an Evangelical Lutheran Sunday School collection entitled "Little Children's Book for Schools and Families". It was set to a tune called "St. Kilda" credited to J.E. Clark. In recent context, this tune is affectionately known as, 'Mueller'.

This piece is an adaptation of the original tune harmonised by Edward L. Stauff. The song flows in an A-B-A-C structure, with the seperation of each section being defined by a pause denoted by a minum. Section A starts from bar 1 and ends on the first note of bar 5. Section B, second note of bar 5 to first note of bar 9. Section A is then replicated for the next 5 bars, and the song finishes with a different melody from section B, hence section C.

The harmonic function starts with a T-PD-D-T function. It is then followed by a short D-T progression of section B. The repeat of section A follows a T-PD-D-T function as expected, and the last section is quite unique, having a PD function preceding a T-PD-D-T ending. This preceding PD could probably be a preparation function to the ending functional progression.

Regarding chord progression, the writer uses much tonic expansions and voice exchanges to decorate the piece. Note the chords after the passing 6/4 in bar 8: I 6/4 - 5/3 ... I. He uses three different chord configurations for the F major tonic chord in the perfect cadential ending of the phrase. Voice exchanges also exist in bars 3-4, bars 11-12, and bars 14-15.

The phrase structure of this piece follows a double period which actually encompasses the entire song. The antecedent period flows from bars 1 to 9, while the consequent period overlaps in bar 9 and ends on the last bar. Within the antecedent period, the antecedent phrase is from bars 1-5, while the consequent phrase overlaps from bar 5 and ends on the first note of bar 9. In the consequent period, the antecedent phrase starts on the 2nd note of bar 5 and ends on the first note of bar 9, while the consequent phrase starts on the 2nd note of bar 9 and ends on the last bar.

Regarding sentence structure, there is no clear definition of and short or long sections within each sentence as the sentence segregation follows a fairly constant pace. If I were to define it, it would be a "long-long" configuration.

Prologue

Walking along the tunnel connecting City Hall MRT station and the Esplanade, I came across this phrase which left a lasting impression on me. "All it takes is inspiration". This led me to ponder about what it is that makes music ever so beautiful when composed from the heart of an individal. Is it inspiration? What kind of inspiration evokes such melodious thoughts and feelings which a composer pens down? Perhaps Beethoven's remark could enlighten us on this issue:-

"Music is the mediator between the spiritual and the sensual life".

Music has always been another part of my life, serving the purpose of life fulfilment in my everyday doings and washing away the dust particles shrouding my eyes. It has been a comfort in distress, an outlet for which to relase pent up emotions, as well as a means of communication for me. For Gustav Mahlet once quoted:-

"If a composer could say what he had to say in words he would not bother trying to say it in music".

Music is what feelings sound like. I have been exposed to music since the tender age of 4, from Junior Music Course in Yamaha Music School, to my current (albeit stagnant) level of Grade 8 (ABRSM). I have heard of things such as physical age and mental age, but let me now introduce you to something I would call "musical age".

"The years teach much which the days never knew". ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

From my years of exposure to music, I can safely say that music is something that needs to be grown in oneself. Witness those so-called musical 'prodigies' which garner so much attention, and whom people claim are musical geniuses at a mere age of, let's say, 5? How is it possible that a 5-year-old is able to have experienced enough about life and music to evoke the thoughts of others? I'm not saying it's entirely impossible, but the chances are low. Personally, I would define their new found talents as "technically superb", not 'magic'.

"Play the music, not the instrument".

Music has always been of a different pedestal from the instrument to me, for I believe that it is the instrument which serves the purpose of enhancing music which already contains its emotion. I have seen people who profess their love for music based on their ability to play an instrument, and also people who seek to impress other with their instrument-playing capabilities. Who cares if you can produce the most wonderful quality of music using the latest sound engineering technology, and who cares if u can play practically any song by heart or from score? The music is not there for our personal desires of attaining fame or praise, but rather, it is for the understanding of the feelings of the individual who played or composed it. Considering the former, music would then be merely an organisation of sound.

"The pleasure we obtain from music comes from counting, but counting unconsciously. Music is nothing but unconscious arithmetic"
~Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz

For my part, I have had the wonderful opportunity to share my music through 2 albums, Heartstrings 1 and Heartstrings 2 (part of a serial collection of piano instrumental CDs entitled 'Heartstrings'). Those two albums have a combined collection of 22 original songs composed by me, or rather, played by me. Yes, I am implying that composition was not part of the recording process, for each song was an in situ expression of me which did not require any prior preparation. Being able to improvise has been a blessing for me as I am able to truly express myself at any point in time through the piano.

"The notes I handle no better than many pianists. But the pauses between the notes - ah, that is where the art resides"
~Artur Schnabel

Though I consider my musical capabilities as mediocre compared to that of many others whom I have come to know, I feel that the magic is in the reason behind the performance of the piece, for each little pause, each sudden change in tempo, or each wonderful harmony that appears in my playing tells of my emotion at that very moment, and this is very magical to me.

As a final remark, music has made me really question myself about how much I know about life when I think about the difficulties I experienced in trying to play out what I have in mind. Such are the many complexities and wonders of life that should be experienced, have been collected, and are waiting to be gathered, that my music has not been able to keep up with it. Being a mild perfectionist myself, each piece of my playing encourages a greater desire to explore life, although it is the result of a feeling of voidness due to lack of understanding of what I am trying to play. I'll leave you with a final quote to ponder upon:-

Are we not formed, as notes of music are; For one another, though dissimilar?
~Percy Bysshe Shelley

Music can never be perfect replicas between two different individuals.