Sep 9

Sep 9 Rise Like a Phoenix, by Conchita Wurst

Defiance and resurgence in the fight against cancer

Round one of my friend’s chemo treatment was over (see my About page for more info) and I hoped that this song would give them a spiritual lift. The symbolism of the phoenix rising from the ashes resonated as my friend awakened from the depths of chemo hell and began to feel vaguely human again for a few days between rounds. Not a rebirth just yet, but a reminder that they could get through this terrible treatment, that they did have the inner strength and courage for it.

How do they do that?

The lyrics.to this song are clearly uplifting, but how does the music itself convey that feeling? I am going to focus on the harmonic structure (the chords). I wrote in my blog piece on ‘Don’t Stop Believin’ about use of minor and major chords and how these have become part of our collective consciousness of what sounds sad (minor chord) and happy (major chords). It is perhaps no surprise, then, that this piece uses the interplay between minor and major chords to musically symbolise transitioning from a dark place to one that is brighter and more hopeful. The piece is in D minor (one of the saddest minor keys) and begins with a short sequence of minor chords (D minor, A minor, G minor). Then, before we get too depressed, it throws us one of the brightest major chords - A major. This repeats to complete the first verse. The next phrase alternates between minor and major chords and also ends on bright A major to lead us into the chorus. The vocal line soars at this point, yet the key remains minor (G minor) and the sound is strained, due to the singer being on the 2nd note of the G minor scale and wanting to resolve to…somewhere. The vocal part continues to slightly strain against the harmony, whilst the lyrics talk of retribution and transformation. You can really feel the inner struggle taking place within the music before it suddenly surges upwards, freely, transcendentally into the relative major key of F major to the word, “reborn”. Being the relative major key to D minor (our home key), this represents an actual key change, not just a little pass through a major key on the way to somewhere else, and that is what makes the moment so significant. It demonstrates the perfect pairing of harmonic meaning with literary meaning to create drama, resurgence, restraint and freedom. We are treated to a repeat of it in the final rendition of the chorus and then plunge into the final four chords which accompany the vocal line as it rises up the scale from D minor to G minor, to happier Bb major to brilliant A major. But we don’t end quite there, the piece wants to resolve to its home key, but to end in D minor (the saddest of minor keys) would go against the story, so instead we have a mash up of various keys in the final chord - a D in there so that we know we have reached the finish, but combined with the notes F, B and E. It is dramatic, rebellious and triumphant all at once and, somehow, the only way this piece could possibly end!

Hope you enjoy it or feel inspired to listen to something new today.

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