Song Character Analysis Worksheet - The University of North ...

The phrases are positioned to show grammatically complete thoughts rather than
the original poetic phrasing. In the application of “phrasing from the lyric” to Kern’s
music it is obvious that he had this technique in mind when he set the melodies to the
text; they correspond almost exactly. The few instances where Kern introduces a rest
within a phrase group are needed for clear articulation of the ending consonant for the
previous word, not for a breath.
Applying a subtext as the next step is a personal choice for the performer. I will
offer some suggestions rather than impose my ideas on that process. Some general
scenarios include remembering childhood games of “pretend,” or imagining career
possibilities after finishing one’s degree, or a reconciliation of any kind. The singer
should remember that the goal of the subtext is to relate the essence of the lyric to a
personal experience, or emotion, that provokes a physical response.
The formal structure of the Verse is periodic in six sections (A-A’-B-B’-C-C).
Kern provides great clues to the naiveté and playfulness of Magnolia’s ingénue character
in the contrasting sections of the verse. The first section is set in a slow waltz in the key
of C major, as if feigning a sophisticated nobility for the text, “We only pretend.” The
“B” section (“The game of just supposing”) is a sprightly allegretto in duple meter,
reminiscent of the piano tune that Magnolia was practicing during Gaylord’s previous
song. The melody has modulated to F major with a quicker melodic rhythm and an
“oom-pah” accompaniment. The final section of the Verse is the most revealing of
Magnolia’s innocent, yet knowing sophistication. In the performance practice tradition
of text painting, the audience should anticipate a melodramatic musical style for the text,
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