Introduction
The performance I attended was the UTD production of "Side Show" the musical at the University Theatre on April 16, 2010. It was a performance of a Broadway musical, where music is used to tell a dramatic or comedic story. This story was of two Siamese twins sold to a freak show who later made their fortune in the Vaudeville stages of the 1930s (Program Notes).
Music
The music consisted of two elements: vocal and band backup. The vocals tended to feature a lot of vibrato from the performers, and they usually sung very loud to project out to the whole theater. Responsorial forms were very common, as the singing was the primary way of advancing the story and presenting dialogue. The band played solely as a backing instrument, accentuating and supporting the moods and motifs set by the singers (Side Show).
Performers
The performers were all either vocalists or band members. The band players were not seen much; as in most Broadway music they stayed out of sight and played a strictly supportive and mostly invisible role. The vocalists were much more prominent, as they were also actually actors in full costume. They had dialogue, some spoken but mostly sung, and definite roles they were to play. Something noteworthy was that all of the performers continued to play their part even when they were far out of the spotlight, keeping the performance dynamic. The performers also had to be very versatile and composed; they often had less than 30 seconds for wardrobe or scene changes. Finally performers were required to have many talents; they had to act, sing, dance, and even be acrobatic; all performers had to be capable of doing many things to make this show work (Side Show).
Audience
The audience was composed of two dichotomous groups: those (students) required to attend the show and others who were either friends or family of performers. The first group tended to be less engaged and in many cases left at intermission, while the second group seemed more excited since they had a stake in the play. However there were definitely some actions such as the 'Jungle King' going into the crowd that elicited strong positive reactions from nearly everyone in attendance. Also, it seemed that even the skeptics seemed to warm to the performers and enjoy the show more as it went along; the amount and volume of applause steadily increased throughout the show. Finally, I found it interesting that the theatre was almost entirely full; based on previous experience with student productions this was a far fuller house than I had previously experienced (Side Show).
Time/Space
A unique way this performance used time and space was that the show was not limited simply to the stage. Performers actually went out into the audience during some numbers, making the audience feel not as if they were just watching a musical but were actually in the story themselves. Use of light was also crucial to this performance. Spotlights were used to signify which performers were featured in given scenes, but lights were also used for effect. For example, "The Boss" was spotlighted not in a traditional fashion, but by a light from below that never allowed you to fully see his face, cloaking him in an air of mystery. Finally, while the scenery changed each time the setting changed, there was also a less subtle reminder of a new scene: a small omnipresent sign in the front right corner of the stage served to remind everyone where the show was at any point in time (Side Show).
Conclusion
The most unique elements of this performance were the way it incorporated the audience into the show by expanding the realm of the performers beyond just the stage, and the use of music not just as support for the story but as the primary vehicle by which the story was told. It appeared to be a performance especially enjoyed by the performers, and by many audience members as well (Side Show).
Works Cited
Side Show. Book By Bill Russell, Music by Henry Krieger. Dir. Kathryn Evans. University Theatre, Richardson, TX. 16 Apr. 2010.
Program notes. Side Show. 16 Apr. 2010. Richardson TX: University Theatre.
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Monday, April 19, 2010
Through the Fire and The Flames, I carry on!!!
I figured I would go with a subgenre of rock that most people would be largely unfamiliar with…so prepare to have your mind blown away by the awesomeness of POWER METAL.
Power metal music is a relatively young subgenre, being able to trace its roots to bands in the 80s such as Motorhead and Dio, and more immediately to the speed metal of the 90s. These are some of the characteristics of power metal:
Loud, fast, and relatively simple drums: The drums provide a lot of volume and give all elements of metal the reputation for being “noise”.
Electric guitar: The front instrument of power metal is nearly always the electric guitar.
Clear singing: Unlike some other metal variants such as death metal, there is a clear vocal melody, usually sung by males in the upper registers.
Very high tempo: A vast majority of power metal music is very very fast, and the frenetic pace goes through the entire song.
Fantastic lyrics: The lyrics for power metal songs usually focus on themes of fantasy or of war, and finely toe the line between ridiculous and AWESOME.
I provided a relatively familiar example of power metal in the video below; anyone who has beaten Guitar Hero has probably heard (and been frustrated) by this song, and if you haven’t then sit back and enjoy 5 (abridged) minutes of awesome.
Listening Guide
0:11 -- After a short intro, the song begins in earnest with the introduction of the lead guitar and the drums in earnest
0:58 -- Here, the pre-chorus and refrain begin. The high vocals lead, and the lyrics of this section bring to mind the themes of fantasy and war.
2:27 -- In the background for the next 15 seconds or so, note the drummer playing a fairly constant and fast rhyhtm.
3:24 -- The extremely fast guitar solo. Here, the speed of the electric guitars is showcased in a responsorial format. In layman's terms, it'll melt your face off.
4:29 --The refrain makes its final appearance, once again bringing back the soaring vocals and dominant drum.
4:53 -- Rock.
Power metal music is a relatively young subgenre, being able to trace its roots to bands in the 80s such as Motorhead and Dio, and more immediately to the speed metal of the 90s. These are some of the characteristics of power metal:
Loud, fast, and relatively simple drums: The drums provide a lot of volume and give all elements of metal the reputation for being “noise”.
Electric guitar: The front instrument of power metal is nearly always the electric guitar.
Clear singing: Unlike some other metal variants such as death metal, there is a clear vocal melody, usually sung by males in the upper registers.
Very high tempo: A vast majority of power metal music is very very fast, and the frenetic pace goes through the entire song.
Fantastic lyrics: The lyrics for power metal songs usually focus on themes of fantasy or of war, and finely toe the line between ridiculous and AWESOME.
I provided a relatively familiar example of power metal in the video below; anyone who has beaten Guitar Hero has probably heard (and been frustrated) by this song, and if you haven’t then sit back and enjoy 5 (abridged) minutes of awesome.
Listening Guide
0:11 -- After a short intro, the song begins in earnest with the introduction of the lead guitar and the drums in earnest
0:58 -- Here, the pre-chorus and refrain begin. The high vocals lead, and the lyrics of this section bring to mind the themes of fantasy and war.
2:27 -- In the background for the next 15 seconds or so, note the drummer playing a fairly constant and fast rhyhtm.
3:24 -- The extremely fast guitar solo. Here, the speed of the electric guitars is showcased in a responsorial format. In layman's terms, it'll melt your face off.
4:29 --The refrain makes its final appearance, once again bringing back the soaring vocals and dominant drum.
4:53 -- Rock.
Monday, April 12, 2010
Let's go to...Gullah Gullah iiiiisland!
No not that, I meant Gullah island...my bad.
The Gullah people of South Carolina are descendants of slaves brought over from areas in Western Africa, particularly Sierra Leone, and a large part of their music culture is an effort not only to preserve their ties to their ancestral home but also to celebrate their culture, which in many ways is distinct from American culture. Since the Gullah lived in such isolation for so long, many elements of their culture remain nearly unchanged from those of their ancestors.
For instance, much of the music is in Mende or other traditional African languages, and at last count over 100,000 people in the area spoke fluent Mende. Similar to other West African forms of music as well, drums are the center of the music. In the words of Queen Quet, nominal leader of the Gullah, “everything is about rhythm”. You will hear some of the same polyrhythmic drum beats in Gullah music as in the music of such West African cultures as the Mende or Wolof.
Another characteristic of Gullah music culture is how much of it centers around religious rituals. Music is a large part of things such as funerals, worship services, and public feasts. While many Gullahs are Christian, their worship music is closer to that of West Africa than of a Georgia choir. Finally, a part of Gullah music culture that cannot be ignored is the pride taken by the Gullah in their music and heritage. To them, their music is an expression of who they are, and a reminder that they have a proud and distinct tradition, which they show the world through their music.
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
More on Shakespeare in Song
This was one of the hardest papers I've ever written. Why? I actually counted my handwritten notes...I had 200 words of freaking notes!! No way I could encapsulate that all in 600 words...so I had to settle for clipped sentences and missing content. Now that I'm outside of the paper though, I can be judgmental...and that concert was awesome. To be fair, I do love Shakespeare so I'm biased...but it was a ton of fun. The music was great, the performers were really good, and the acting was a lot of fun. So while my official report is below, my personal review would read something like "This concert was freaking awesome, and I had a blast attending it- so if you didn't go to it and chose another event instead, you missed out, and should be very sad."
If they ever do an encore...everyone who reads this blog should go. Yes...EVERYONE!!
If they ever do an encore...everyone who reads this blog should go. Yes...EVERYONE!!
Performance Report 1: Shakespeare in Song
INTRODUCTION
The performance I attended was the UTD Chamber Singers performing Shakespeare in Song at the Jonsson Performance Hall. They sang songs either directly from Shakespearean plays or composed for them by various composers, as well as acting out certain scenes from the plays represented by the music. This paper aims to describe some of the characteristics of the performance.
MUSIC
The music was mainly “art music”, or music composed by the classically trained to be performed by others with such training (Young). It consisted of a full chamber chorus augmented by soloists, with a piano accompaniment. On some pieces the chorus led the piece by itself, others it acted as a supporting harmony for leading soloists. The large number of voices allowed for many notes and harmonies to be employed and also for strong changes in volume to emphasize important sections. Most of the music had regular rhythms and chord progressions, but a couple songs seemed to display more jazz-inspired beats and intervals. Each piece reflected the tone of the scene it corresponded to; somber scenes had slower tempos and mournful vocal melodies, while upbeat scenes featured faster tempo and generally higher pitched singing (Shakespeare in Song).
PERFORMERS
All of the performers (including the director) were dressed in period costumes. This gave the entire show the feel of a Shakespearean medley, as did the multiple roles of the performers: choral singer, actor, and soloist. Most performers performed at least two if not three of these roles at some point. The performers seemed to really enjoy the acting, and it helped accentuate the music. They also brought out the mood of the songs by their expression- smiling during happy pieces and looking wistful during the more reflective songs. Finally, the conductor was an integral performer; she served to coordinate the pianist and chorus, as well as to indicate proper times for applause to the audience (Shakespeare in Song).
AUDIENCE
The audience was generally students, along with some faculty and what appeared to be parents. Interestingly, few of the students were taking notes; it seemed most of them were there as friends of the performers or simply as interested public rather than for a class. As students, they often seemed unsure of protocol, especially when to applaud- as mentioned above this was remedied by the director. At times the audience also seemed detached and almost bored, but the acting scenes would always elicit strong positive response, as did some soloists. Finally, as one would expect of students the audience thinned notably after intermission; however, those that stayed tended to be the more engaged audience members (Shakespeare in Song).
TIME AND SPACE
The chorus was set in the center of the stage and took up most of it; this helped emphasize their point as the central instrument in the performance. The piano was off far to the side, also reflecting its subordination to the vocalists. Soloists usually sung and acted together at the front of the stage, but sometimes they would be on opposite sides to imply a dialogue and make the atmosphere more like that of a play. Also, to emphasize the moods and Shakespearean nature of the songs, there was a projector which projected the play the song came from along with a pictorial scene reflective of the musical mood onto a screen behind the performers (Shakespeare in Song).
CONCLUSION
By using varying rhythms and tones, sweeping volume modulations, period costumes, and changes in scenery the performance both reflected its base in Shakespearean play and worked to avoid getting repetitive and losing the audience. They attempted to portray the mood of the various scenes through the music and scenery, and this effort seemed to be generally appreciated and approved of by the audience.
Works Cited
Shakespeare in Song. Dir. Kathryn Evans. Perf. UT-Dallas Chamber Singers with Michael McVay. Jonsson Performance Hall, Richardson, TX. 26 Mar. 2010.
Young, MaryAnn. Understanding World Music: Art Music. UT-Dallas. Richardson, TX. 25 Mar. 2010. Class Lecture.
The performance I attended was the UTD Chamber Singers performing Shakespeare in Song at the Jonsson Performance Hall. They sang songs either directly from Shakespearean plays or composed for them by various composers, as well as acting out certain scenes from the plays represented by the music. This paper aims to describe some of the characteristics of the performance.
MUSIC
The music was mainly “art music”, or music composed by the classically trained to be performed by others with such training (Young). It consisted of a full chamber chorus augmented by soloists, with a piano accompaniment. On some pieces the chorus led the piece by itself, others it acted as a supporting harmony for leading soloists. The large number of voices allowed for many notes and harmonies to be employed and also for strong changes in volume to emphasize important sections. Most of the music had regular rhythms and chord progressions, but a couple songs seemed to display more jazz-inspired beats and intervals. Each piece reflected the tone of the scene it corresponded to; somber scenes had slower tempos and mournful vocal melodies, while upbeat scenes featured faster tempo and generally higher pitched singing (Shakespeare in Song).
PERFORMERS
All of the performers (including the director) were dressed in period costumes. This gave the entire show the feel of a Shakespearean medley, as did the multiple roles of the performers: choral singer, actor, and soloist. Most performers performed at least two if not three of these roles at some point. The performers seemed to really enjoy the acting, and it helped accentuate the music. They also brought out the mood of the songs by their expression- smiling during happy pieces and looking wistful during the more reflective songs. Finally, the conductor was an integral performer; she served to coordinate the pianist and chorus, as well as to indicate proper times for applause to the audience (Shakespeare in Song).
AUDIENCE
The audience was generally students, along with some faculty and what appeared to be parents. Interestingly, few of the students were taking notes; it seemed most of them were there as friends of the performers or simply as interested public rather than for a class. As students, they often seemed unsure of protocol, especially when to applaud- as mentioned above this was remedied by the director. At times the audience also seemed detached and almost bored, but the acting scenes would always elicit strong positive response, as did some soloists. Finally, as one would expect of students the audience thinned notably after intermission; however, those that stayed tended to be the more engaged audience members (Shakespeare in Song).
TIME AND SPACE
The chorus was set in the center of the stage and took up most of it; this helped emphasize their point as the central instrument in the performance. The piano was off far to the side, also reflecting its subordination to the vocalists. Soloists usually sung and acted together at the front of the stage, but sometimes they would be on opposite sides to imply a dialogue and make the atmosphere more like that of a play. Also, to emphasize the moods and Shakespearean nature of the songs, there was a projector which projected the play the song came from along with a pictorial scene reflective of the musical mood onto a screen behind the performers (Shakespeare in Song).
CONCLUSION
By using varying rhythms and tones, sweeping volume modulations, period costumes, and changes in scenery the performance both reflected its base in Shakespearean play and worked to avoid getting repetitive and losing the audience. They attempted to portray the mood of the various scenes through the music and scenery, and this effort seemed to be generally appreciated and approved of by the audience.
Works Cited
Shakespeare in Song. Dir. Kathryn Evans. Perf. UT-Dallas Chamber Singers with Michael McVay. Jonsson Performance Hall, Richardson, TX. 26 Mar. 2010.
Young, MaryAnn. Understanding World Music: Art Music. UT-Dallas. Richardson, TX. 25 Mar. 2010. Class Lecture.
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Phillip Glass makes my head explode
Much like a cartoon character, or one of the Nazis at the end of "Raiders of the Lost Ark". But not necessarily in a bad way (if there is a good way for one's head to explode). I wanted to respect the professor's request to let others get a chance to speak in class, but since anyone who's had a class with me knows I am THAT GUY, who has something to say on absolutely every topic whether its well informed or not, I will not be silenced!!!!!
She said early in the semester that everyone hates the Phillip Glass lecture; I was expecting the worst, but was actually really surprised. This is the most complex music we have listened to all semester. Some of his "microscopic changes" in the music really are microscopic- so small that it almost sounds like simply a performer slightly missing rhythm, but its amazing how much effect these tiny changes have. It also makes it extremely difficult to listen to...there are so many layers to his music, so much texture, and the expressions are so subtle that its really a mental strain to listen to pick it all out. When you combine that with the fact that the meter changes every other measure...I believe that if I tried to sit through a 3 hour opera of that and try to actively listen to it, my head would literally explode, leaving me a headless corpse. That would be unfortunate for me, as I prefer my head remain intact, and was my primary reason for not wanting to attend a Phillip Glass opera.
That said...I'm really impressed by the guy. I love subtlety, and this guy defines subtlety...his music's most differentiating characteristic seems to be the use of nuance; its fascinating and by far (in my humble know-it-all opinion) the most interesting stuff we've listened to all semester. It may be minimalist, but I think he shows that minimalism is pretty far from dead, despite what some may think! (and yes...despite Glass's aversion to the term, it is minimalism.)
She said early in the semester that everyone hates the Phillip Glass lecture; I was expecting the worst, but was actually really surprised. This is the most complex music we have listened to all semester. Some of his "microscopic changes" in the music really are microscopic- so small that it almost sounds like simply a performer slightly missing rhythm, but its amazing how much effect these tiny changes have. It also makes it extremely difficult to listen to...there are so many layers to his music, so much texture, and the expressions are so subtle that its really a mental strain to listen to pick it all out. When you combine that with the fact that the meter changes every other measure...I believe that if I tried to sit through a 3 hour opera of that and try to actively listen to it, my head would literally explode, leaving me a headless corpse. That would be unfortunate for me, as I prefer my head remain intact, and was my primary reason for not wanting to attend a Phillip Glass opera.
That said...I'm really impressed by the guy. I love subtlety, and this guy defines subtlety...his music's most differentiating characteristic seems to be the use of nuance; its fascinating and by far (in my humble know-it-all opinion) the most interesting stuff we've listened to all semester. It may be minimalist, but I think he shows that minimalism is pretty far from dead, despite what some may think! (and yes...despite Glass's aversion to the term, it is minimalism.)
Monday, March 29, 2010
Figaro's Aria from "Barber of Seville"
So I watched/listened to this clip from the “Barber of Seville” (Figaro’s Aria). I have to admit that the thing that stood out most for me the first time I watched it was Figaro’s fantastic mustache, but that didn’t fall into the scope of this assignment so I had to watch it a couple more times.
Musically, a couple of things from the piece really caught my attention. First, the pitch modulation was nearly constant- there were rarely two consecutive notes of the same pitch, and if there were they were part of a repeating ascension of pitches to a climactic peak. With the exception of the end, pitch was used for emphasis- high pitch equaled high emphasis, while lower pitches were usually less stressed. Also beat-you-in-the-face obvious is the vibrato in the voice. It was so strong that I could barely understand what the vocalist was saying (hooray for subtitles!).
The speed of the piece was relatively quick the whole time. It slowed slightly for a while, in the cantabile section of the aria (at about 2:15), but even here it wasn’t especially slow, just less fast. Volume modulation was used a lot in the piece for emphasis; beginnings and endings of sections were louder, with a lot of the parts in between being quieter.
The aria was set in a marketplace presumably, with Figaro’s barber cart being the center of the action. Figaro was the only vocalist, but the others around him helped act out the scene and provide background information for it, as well as being foils for Figaro. However, he and his sweet polka-dot vest were undoubtedly the center of the show.
Musically, a couple of things from the piece really caught my attention. First, the pitch modulation was nearly constant- there were rarely two consecutive notes of the same pitch, and if there were they were part of a repeating ascension of pitches to a climactic peak. With the exception of the end, pitch was used for emphasis- high pitch equaled high emphasis, while lower pitches were usually less stressed. Also beat-you-in-the-face obvious is the vibrato in the voice. It was so strong that I could barely understand what the vocalist was saying (hooray for subtitles!).
The speed of the piece was relatively quick the whole time. It slowed slightly for a while, in the cantabile section of the aria (at about 2:15), but even here it wasn’t especially slow, just less fast. Volume modulation was used a lot in the piece for emphasis; beginnings and endings of sections were louder, with a lot of the parts in between being quieter.
The aria was set in a marketplace presumably, with Figaro’s barber cart being the center of the action. Figaro was the only vocalist, but the others around him helped act out the scene and provide background information for it, as well as being foils for Figaro. However, he and his sweet polka-dot vest were undoubtedly the center of the show.
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