This post will look deeper into the links between The Rum Tum Tugger and Bim Bom. In my previous blog post, I listed the main features lying within both pieces. First link that connects both pieces would be their use of repetition, imitation and sequencing.
Both 'The Rum Tum Tugger' and 'Bim Bom' consist of a MOTIF/HOOK that repeats throughout the whole piece. The repetition, imitation and sequence used to reinforce motifs make the music more repetitive and appealing to the listeners. With the wide range of repetition and imitation, it provides a clear direction to the music, that makes both pieces to be quite predictable.
Both 'The Rum Tum Tugger' and 'Bim Bom' consist of a MOTIF/HOOK that repeats throughout the whole piece. The repetition, imitation and sequence used to reinforce motifs make the music more repetitive and appealing to the listeners. With the wide range of repetition and imitation, it provides a clear direction to the music, that makes both pieces to be quite predictable.
Figure 1
Figure 1 introduces main motifs or hooks in both The Rum Tum Tugger (Top) and Bim Bom (Bottom). For The Rum Tum Tugger, the main motif is composed mainly with quaver and crotchet notes with accents in the last two beats, showing a sequencing of a phrase from Bar 3 to 5. By using accents in the last two beats, it creates a forceful feeling in the intro, which automatically draws attention to the song. This will later be imitated in Bar 8 to 9, shown in figure 2. The Rum Tum Tugger, Bim Bom's two bars of polyrhythmic motif is introduced in Bar 5 and 6. This motif gives a core rhythm base to the piece which is being constantly repeated after the verse. The rhythmic bass line is later imitated between Bar 7 and Bar 8 with a change in pitch in the bass line, from G to D. It maintains the musical coherence but with the change in pitch, the music becomes more interesting due to the change in musical atmosphere. Additionally, there is a melodic sequence from Bar 5 to Bar 8 with Staccato and syncopated rhythm that is not evident in The Rum Tum Tugger. The fact that syncopated rhythm was heard is an evident indication of Bim Bom being influenced by the jazz.
Figure 2
As shown in figure 2, the last two beats for the original motif in The Rum Tum Tugger (above) are two accented quaver notes. However, during the first imitation happened in Bar 5~7, note values are kept the same but the beats were changed with no accents. In addition to this, the second imitation happens in Bar 8~9 but with the leading note of E that ultimately leads to section B. With the introduction of a new section, the contrast to the previous section is clearly emphasized. Equivalently, imitation is also found in Bar 17 to 20 in Bim Bom (below), which the rhythm slightly changes. It is to maintain the musical consistency, but at the same time, pulls out a different atmosphere. In figure 2, the original motif has been introduced in Bar 17 to 18 and the rhythm consists of crotchet beats. Nonetheless, during the imitation the rhythm changed into quaver and dotted crochet beats. (For a clear visual representation, I have circled the part in yellow. Syncopation is evident in here.) These changes in rhythm adds an uplifting feel, yet maintaining the repetitive aspect.
Imitation of the melody can further be found from Section B of The Rum Tum Tugger.
Figure 3
According to The Rum Tum Tugger in figure 3, section B is introduced in Bar 9 to Bar 11. Then from Bar 11 to Bar 13, it is imitated again with different rhythm and pitch. This creates a sense of variety to the music which prevents the listeners from being tedious of the music. First two beats of the section B are two semiquaver beats, when it changed into two quaver beats when imitated. The purpose is to reinforce the parlando style in the piece, highlighting the aspect of musical theatre. To be precise, I have circled yellow in the part that has a change in pitch, which G# alters into F# and B to A.
According to The Rum Tum Tugger in figure 3, section B is introduced in Bar 9 to Bar 11. Then from Bar 11 to Bar 13, it is imitated again with different rhythm and pitch. This creates a sense of variety to the music which prevents the listeners from being tedious of the music. First two beats of the section B are two semiquaver beats, when it changed into two quaver beats when imitated. The purpose is to reinforce the parlando style in the piece, highlighting the aspect of musical theatre. To be precise, I have circled yellow in the part that has a change in pitch, which G# alters into F# and B to A.