How the Gershwins create mood in their songs essays

How the Gershwin's create mood in their songs essays The four Gershwin songs I have studied are Someone to Watch Over Me, Lets Call the Whole Thing Off, Fascinating Rhythm and Foggy Day. In each song the Gershwins have managed to create mood easily through various compositional Techniques. Fascinating Rhythm was written in 1924 for Fred and Adele Astaire. The mood of the song is upbeat, but frustrated. The melody is highly syncopated which along with breathless lyrics makes the song sound agitated and it adds to the effect that this rhythm is causing them disturbance. In the verse of the song it is explaining the situation which is the first thing that sets the mood. The use of a three note droning motif in the main melody creates a rather lost feel to the song, the rhythm is taking over them and they are becoming powerless towards it. The blues notes creates a major/minor ambivalence which adds to the confusion of the singers about the rhythm. The blues notes also emphasises the word rhythm, which emphasises its importance and annoyance in the song. The use of a hard p in pit-a-pats reinforces the constant beat, which in turn reinforces the rhythm and how it is constant and wont let leave them alone. The refrain in FR has 4 sections to it, which are all 8 bars long. The consistency of the bars links to the consistency of the rhythm. The lyrics in the refrain describing the rhythm, are quite different to those in the verse, which are little rhythm whereas in the refrain it is seen as a fascinating rhythm. This changes the mood of the song, it isnt so much of a nuisance anymore, it is actually quite intriguing. Major tonality is established in the refrain for the first time which makes the song sound more together, it no longer is confused. The second A section is a 4th higher than the first, this makes the music sound agitated and breathless. The beginn...