Music Composition Reading Response

In RLA, we have been learning about how music can connect to our books in terms of dynamics, tempo, timbre, and melody. I made a piece on Garage Band to represent the book Esperanza Rising by Pam Muñoz Ryan. Here is the response, with the piece I made.

Esperanza’s change and experiences through Esperanza Rising by Pam Muñoz Ryan are represented by the song ‘Fluctuation’ by Kavya N.

At the beginning of the book, things are very calm and easygoing for Esperanza. She lives in a rich family, has friends, and everything she needs. The song also starts with a major key, that is high. The start of the song gives a very positive effect. Here is an example from the first passage of the book that shows how relaxed things were for Esperanza.

p. 1: “‘Our land is alive, Esperanza,’ said Papa, taking her small hand as they walked through the gentle slopes of the vineyard. Leafy green vines draped the arbors and the grapes were ready to drop.”

Because the author is describing mainly nature and the outdoors, this depicts relaxation and calmness. Since Esperanza herself is going through this kind of scene, it shows that she doesn’t have much to think about, and has an easygoing life.

I added a harp into the beginning of the song as well to show smoothness, because a chord on the harp flows easily and connected (or legato in music terms). I did this because the melody was mainly detached (or staccato), but it still had a positive effect.

After this, the song has a minor key on strings, and has a low organ playing. This is meant to show chaos, since low notes and minor keys point to negativity. The minor key on strings starts at a note, goes very high, then goes lower than the first note. This makes it relate a lot to disorder. I chose to change the song’s mood so suddenly because the book’s mood changes suddenly as well. Esperanza has an easy life, until her father dies. Here is that scene:

p. 22 “‘Where’s Papa?’ she cried. Miguel hung his head. Alfonso didn’t say a word but the tears running down his round cheeks confirmed the worst. Mama fainted. Abuelita and Hortensia ran to her side. Esperanza felt her heart drop. A noise came from her mouth and slowly, her first breath of grief grew into a tormented cry. She fell to her knees and sank into a dark hole of despair…”

This scene really marks the beginning of the chaos in Esperanza’s life. All of the reactions that the author describes in detail in this scene contribute to the disorder.

After that part, the song starts to go into a fast and high piano player a minor key. This shows chaos as well, because of the tempo (speed) and pitch (high/low). This shows a lot of disruption or chaos. I did this because even after her dad dying, things get worse for Esperanza. Here is the scene:

p. 40: “‘Esperanza! Wake up!’ screamed Mama. ‘The house is on fire!’ Smoke drifted into the room… ‘Alfonso!’ screamed Mama. ‘Abuelita is not here!’ ‘We will find her. You must come now. The stairs are beginning to burn. Hurry!’”

The destruction and terror in this scene relate to the song getting faster. There is also a fast and high violin playing, that also relates. In general, the middle of the song shows a lot of chaos.

Then, I have a key on an electric piano playing that is neither a major nor minor key. This section gradually gets higher, which shows things improving. This connects to Esperanza because she learns to adapt to the new environment she is put in, and learns to solve her problems. Here is an example. Esperanza is taking care of the babies Pepe and Lupe (one of her jobs) and she feeds them plums because she thinks they will like them. But the plums don’t turn out to be so good for the babies:

(p. 142) ‘The plums,’ she groaned. They must have been too hard on their stomachs. What did Hortensia giver her when she was a child and was sick? She tried to remember. Rice water! But how did she make it? Esperanza put a pot on the stove and added a cup of rice. She wasn’t sure how much water to add but she remembered that when the rice didn’t come out soft Hortensia always said it needed more water… ‘That was exactly the right thing to do!’ Esperanza nodded and let out a long sigh of relief.”

This scene shows that Esperanza learns to solve her problems, and things are getting better for her. She was in a tough situation where she needed to act quickly. This also supports my next section, where I have another electric piano, this time in the minor key. It is also very soft and slow. This points to disorder. I added this in because Esperanza still goes through ups and downs even though she has accepted her situation. Here is another example of that, where Esperanza is getting to know about her mother having Valley Fever:

p. 157 “That she had already lost Papa and that Abuelita was too far away. Her voice strangled with fear. All she could do was whisper the doctor’s uncertain words, ‘If she survives.’”
This is a low moment for Esperanza, because she is struggling once again. But Esperanza has become a character who knows how to deal with issues better. I added a guitar strum in minor key at the end to show positivity because things are better for Esperanza internally. Also, I wanted to connect back to the beginning where I had a guitar playing, to show that Esperanza has come around in terms of how she feels about her life. But I didn’t use the exact same guitar piece to show that this time, she is a different Esperanza.