Dulce et Decorum Est

''Dulce' was written for a competition at Kingston Uni (which the piece won). The piece is based on the war poem of the same name by Wilfred Owen. The music is based on a number of motifs which appear early on and later are used in ostinati in a layered texture. The recording on this page is taken from the premiere in which I was conducting the Kingston University New Music Ensemble. The score is too long to place here as pictures so if you wish to view it, please click here. If you wish to purchase the score, please email me for a price list. Upon receipt of the fee, a PDF of the score will be emailed to the purchaser.

Performances:
-(May, 2001) Kingston, UK. Performed at the Kingston University Concert, G. Bunce conducting.

Analysis:
The poem ‘Dulce et Decorum Est’ is one of many war poems written by the poet-soldier Wilfred Owen during his service for Britain in the First World War. ‘Dulce’ was written in August 1917 (fitting in with the ‘third waAve’ of war poems) and vividly depicts the horrific conditions of trench warfare. The music was composed with these strong visual images in mind and also contains a slightly sarcastic tone, similar to that found in the poem’s conclusion.

The short introduction presents two main motifs X and Y (see example 1). The ascending arpeggio of motif X and the dark chords of motif Y evoke a sinister atmosphere. Motive Y consists of minor chords moving in parallel motion (Ebm, Dm, Ebm, Gm, Ebm). This motif plays an important part by representing dreaming or the apocryphal.

The vocal line for the first stanza is built around the chromatic scale, which generally descends. This represents the dark and dismal tail the soldier has to tell and also the tiredness he feels. The melody ascends at points of emphasis (i.e. important or significant words/phrases): ‘limped’ ‘blood-shod’, “All went lame” etc.
The vocal line of the opening stanza is set against a chromatic wash of parallel strings chords which purposely omit the 3rd to give a rustic and primitive feel. They move independently of the voice, pulling the rhythm in different directions creating the staggered sound of the soldiers trudging on. Their parallel movement also links them with motif Y.

In section [B] the flutes and clarinets take up an idea presented by the voice in bar 14. Against this, the saxophones double the voice with the Alto sax. a major 3rd higher [relating to the interval in motif Y] in a bitonal fashion. At bar 17, the relationship between the vocal line and a fragment of motif Y inverted can be found. The staggered entries between b20-23 accentuate the trudging feel; help along by the offbeat timpani and bass drum. The horn and trombone entries at this point consist of the whole-tone scale; a feature of the piece that always remains in the background. The idea behind employing the whole-tone scale is that it serves as an unconscious reminder of a style of music that gripped France at the time of these events, putting the piece in its historical context.

The two violins enter canonically at [C] with a new motif ‘Z’ (example 2), the trumpet imitates this a bar later. The word ‘deaf’ is heavily emphasized as the climax to the stanza. The chord and the grace notes in the flutes and clarinets are built on the notes of motif X. The saxophones use the whole scale for their ‘run-up’.


Following the first stanza is an orchestral interlude that prepares for the ‘gas attack’ in the second stanza. The mood changes completely to one of haste and approaching panic. Three brass chords lead into this section based on motif Y. Sections [E] – [G] are polymetric and polyrhythmic with many ideas presented at once as ostinati patterns. A fragment of the woodwind theme at bars 40-45 is taken and added to the inverted fragment of Y to create the main idea of this section presented by the horn and piano from bar 42 (the time signatures line up with this theme from b46 onwards) see example 3. The lower strings continue with the parallel chords of the previous section until beginning a jocular waltz at b45, joined by the tuba five bars later. The trombones, followed by clarinets, enter with a chromatic ostinato at b44. Throughout this interlude, the percussion adds a military feel to the music by employing marching rhythms (b40-46), or by emphasizing the main theme (b47-56). The 1st violin enters at b46 with a variant of the clarinet motif of b20. Later, at b52, the trumpets and violin 2 enters with motif Z. The chaotic drive of this section is accentuated by the gradual acceleration of the bass drum rhythm (b58-65) and the layered textural effect caused by the many ostinati. Before the climax at [H], the whole-tone scale appears again, first by violin 2 (b58), and again by the piano (b62).

The gas attack finally arrives at [H] with rapid trills and arpeggios from motif X that begins in the strings but soon move to the woodwind. This, along with the alarm bell over a foundation of timpani glissandi, creates a mood of great panic. Again, cross rhythms are important with the piano working in ‘6’ against the orchestral ‘4’. The words of the 2nd stanza are shouted over this section to stress the drama and panic of the situation. The trumpets play a theme (b74) based on the woodwind at the beginning of section [E]. The notes given for the violins and viola improvisation at [I] are based on segments of previous themes and allow spontaneity, which conveys the soldiers panicking. Before the brief third stanza, the double bass echoes the original chromatic vocal theme.

A calmer atmosphere is evoked at [J] with high string harmonics and bass and cello pizzicato which, when played in order form the note row of motif Z with octave variation (b84-90). Motif Y is presented in its original form but re-orchestrated. This ‘dream’ motif is then developed against stanza three that describes a dream. The vocal line in this section is based on the horn and piano motif of sections [E] – [H] remembering the earlier panic.

The final stanza is set in a similar way to the first with the string chords returning as well as the bitonal mimicking, this time by the flutes (b99-102). Section [L] reverts back to the trudging soldiers with its lopsided accompaniment and swaying glissandi. The violins play an ostinato based on motif Y (b103-116) while the clarinets and saxophones continue to add a bitonal flavour. The ‘close-harmony’ writing for the clarinets and saxophones between b110 – 116 is significant in the same way as the whole-tone scale by subconsciously suggesting music of the period, in this case ‘Jazz’ or the ‘Popular’ idiom.

The rapid arpeggios of motif X return once again to lead into the final section. The words are set to a mixture of motif X (b120-123) and the chromatic line of stanza 1. Again, rhythm is important with the bass beginning, but not quite staying, in sync with the voice (b124). Finally, with a sarcastic tone, Owen’s poem turns to early war poets such as Jessie Pope who, writing from the comforts of home, spoke of war with “such high zest.” The ‘dream’ motif (Y) has its final airing set to the ‘old lie’ of “Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori” (it is sweet and honourable to die for one’s country). This is for the soul purpose of emphasising Owen’s meaning; it is not sweet and honourable to die for one’s country, this is an historic fable associated with war. The work ends with eerie stillness by quoting the Last Post.