The Lion King- Music and Stories

Background

Hi people. I had such a great time with the music and stories theme from last week that I’ve decided to do that topic again for this week. However, this week we will be focusing on one of the best Disney films ever made, The Lion King. The Lion King  is basically a retelling of the story Hamlet. The movie focuses on a young lion named Simba who is supposed to become king of the pride lands.  Simba runs away after Scar, Simba’s uncle, murders Simba’s father to gain control of the kingdom. While Scar is ruling the pride lands suffer and the animals run out of food. Simba is then prompted to return and challenge Scar for the throne (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lion_King)

“The Circle of Life” in Context

While there are many great songs in The Lion King  I have chosen to look at the opening song The Circle of Life. The Circle of Life was released on August 9, 1994 by Disney. Elton John wrote the music to the song, and Tim Rice wrote the lyrics. The Circle of Life was produced by Hans Zimmer, Mark Mancina, Jay Rifkin, and Chris Thomas (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circle_of_Life).

The Circle of Life is the opening to The Lion King. Through this song we are introduced to the African setting and the main characters. The specific context of the scene that the song is playing is that Simba is being shown to the kingdom as the future king. Having the lyrics talking about how life is a cycle is particularly impactful in the context of the succession of the throne, and how young Simba will one day take over the kingdom just like his father.

Musical Elements

Dynamics

The dynamics of The Circle of Life are both varied and interesting. The dynamics within the song change to fit the scene. It starts loud and powerful as the sun rises, and is also loud and powerful when Simba is raised into the air for the animals to see. The music is softer when the animals are traveling to Pride Rock, and when Simba is been adorned for the ceremony. Because there is no dialog and it’s the opening scene the music must reflect and add to the scenes, and having the varying dynamics helps to accomplish this.

Form

The Circle of Life is in a lose binary form. It has verses and a repeated chorus. The opening chant of the song is in Zulu, while the rest of the lyrics are in english. I say lose because it does no have a perfect A-B form. There is also an instrumental break between the chorus that acts as another verse. The form of this song is important when looking at the target audience of Disney. Although this movie is set in Africa, it is marketed to an American audience, therefore the songs represent western style music with an African influence (https://genius.com/Carmen-twillie-and-lebo-m-circle-of-life-lyrics).

Social Commentary

While there is less social commentary about The Circle of Life, there is plenty about The Lion King. One of the most interesting pieces that I came across discusses the representation of gender, sexuality, and race in the movie. Looking specifically at sexuality, the article proposes the circle of life means that heterosexuality will alway triumph over homosexuality (http://www.academia.edu/4893757/The_Representations_of_Gender_Sexuality_and_Race_in_Disney_s_The_Lion_King). Because the cycle must continue, offspring must be produced, which at least in this film supports heterosexuality over homosexuality. But in this context The Circle of Life becomes a not a celebration of life, but one of one groups domination over another.

My Opinion

The Circle of Life is one of my favorite Disney songs for its magnificent job of  opening the movie. It is able to introduce the landscape and characters in such a way that is instantly recognizable when parodied in other shows and movies.  As to my reaction about the social commentary reported above, I like to think that The Circle of Life is a celebration of life rather than a victory cry from one group who has gained power over another. Disney movies are suppose to have an element of magic and wonder to them, in which The Circle of Life accomplishes in a magnificent way.

Works Cited

“Carmen Twillie & Lebo M. – Circle of Life.” Genius, Genius Media Group Inc., 30 May 1994, genius.com/Carmen-twillie-and-lebo-m-circle-of-life-lyrics.

“Circle of Life.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 29 Nov. 2018, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circle_of_Life.

“The Lion King.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 29 Nov. 2018, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lion_King.

Vraketta, Georgia. “The Representations of Gender, Sexuality and Race in Disney’s The Lion King.” Academia.edu – Share Research, www.academia.edu/4893757/The_Representations_of_Gender_Sexuality_and_Race_in_Disney_s_The_Lion_King.

Into the Woods- Music and Stories

Background of Into the Woods 

Hi everyone. The focus of this weeks blog is using music to tell stories and I’ve decided to focus on one of my favorite musical movies Into the Woods. Into the Woods is a musical film brought to us courtesy of Disney. Into the Woods was originally a  broadway play created by James Lapine and Stephen Sondheim. The movie was directed by Rob Marshell after being adapted to film by James Lapine. It tells the story of “Little Red Riding Hood”, “Cinderella”, “Jack and the Beanstalk”, and “Rapunzel” from the Brothers Grimm fairytales who are all connected through a baker and his wife who are desperate to break the curse on their house to have a child (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Into_the_Woods_(film)

Context of Your Fault

The work within the work so to speak that I have chosen to exam is the song Your Fault. This song originates from the United States and was released on the album on December 15, 2014 while the film was released in the United States on December 25, 2014. The music and the lyrics are both by StStephen Sondheim and is performed by the main characters of the story. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Into_the_Woods_(film)

This song has a special context within the movie. It is the first time that all the main characters (little red riding hood, the baker, Jack, Cinderella, and the Witch) are together and are trying to figure what has happened. Because the individual characters only know snippets of the story this song serves to lay out the all the events that have taken place for both the characters and the audience. Most of the song is the characters trying to figure out who to blame for the giant destroying the kingdom. Through the course of the song each character realizes that they have all played a part in creating this mess, but agree to blame the witch who grew the beans.

Music Elements:

Lyrics

The lyrics are what makes Your Fault special. Because the song servers the purpose of recapping the story the lyrics have to summarize everything that has happened previously. It does this by breaking the story into three main events to help both the characters and the audience follow along. However, the lyrics also reflect the characters confusion into the why some things happened at all, as they try to justify their actions and put blame onto anyone but them self (http://www.themusicallyrics.com/i/443-into-the-woods-the-musical-songs-lyrics/5523-your-fault-lyrics.html).

Texture

The texture of this song is also interesting. For most of the song the texture is homophonic with the actors singing and the music accompanying. However, at the end of the song as the argument dissolves the texture switches to polyphonic as everyone is talking over each other, blaming each other. The texture then switches again at the end to monophonic as the characters come to an agreement that the witch is at fault. As everyone comes to the same conclusion, the voices sing together.

Social Commentary

One idea that is presented in Your Fault is that everyone is connected. Everyone said during the song is true, and it turns out that everyone has played a part in creating the situation. This is as true in real life as it is in the play, as everyone is connected to each other and we each play a part in creating the bigger picture. This song also hints at the point that at some point blame becomes irrelevant, while the real question becomes “what now”? (http://www.sondheim.com/discussions/uhm.html) .

My Opinion

I remember when I first heard this song I just started laughing. It reminded me of every group I’ve ever worked with when something goes wrong. Suddenly it is everyone’s fault your own. The more I’ve listened to it the more I have appreciated how the song neatly lays out what otherwise could be a fairly confusing movie. More then anything I love this song because it feels so relatable to a situation where something unexpected has happened and suddenly everyone is trying to figure out why instead of what to do next. I also appreciate the acting in the scene by the actors, as it makes the song that much better.

siminiblocker

Works Cited

“Into the Woods (Film).” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 23 Oct. 2018, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Into_the_Woods_(film).

Sondheim.com, www.sondheim.com/discussions/uhm.html.

“Your Fault Lyrics.” Musical Lyrics, Songs From Musicals, Lyrics Broadway Musicals, www.themusicallyrics.com/i/443-into-the-woods-the-musical-songs-lyrics/5523-your-fault-lyrics.html.

 

 

 

The Piano Guys- The Role of the Performer

Background

Happy November everyone! The focus of this week is the role of the performer. We were tasked with picking an artist or group that does not compose their own music, and instead chooses to perform music that was written by others. For this topic I choose the group The Piano Guys.

The Piano Guys are an instrumental cover group known for their videos of classically inspired covers of popular songs shot in stunning locations. Their Youtube channel has over half a billion views and some of their videos have been watched over 20 million times (https://www.classicfm.com/artists/piano-guys/guides/youtube-interview/)

This group is made up of Paul Anderson (Producer / Videographer), Jon Schmidt (Pianist / Songwriter), Steven Sharp Nelson (Cellist / Songwriter), and Al van der Beek (Music Producer / Songwriter). The group began when Jon Schmidt walked into Paul Anderson’s music store looking for a place practice piano before his gig that night. Paul was looking for a unique way to market his store by use of viral videos on Youtube and asked Jon if he was interested. Steven and Jon where longtime friends and performance partners, and Jon reached out to Steven due to his multi-instrument skills and unique perspective on playing the cello. The final piece of the puzzle came into place when Al help Steven move into a new home. Al invited his new neighbor to over to his house and a song writing partnership was born (https://thepianoguys.com/pages/about). All four men bring unique skills and perspectives that allow them to add such a different sound to popular songs. The Piano Guys have since released multiple albums and have performed all over the world.

Song Choices

While The Piano Guys have released many albums with amazing songs on them, for this week I am focusing on two songs that are covers of popular songs.

First, What Makes You Beautiful was originally a song performed by One Direction that was released online on September 11, 2011 and was written by Savan Kotecha,  Rami Yacoub, and Carl Falk (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/What_Makes_You_Beautiful). The Piano Guys then released their version arranged by Van der Beek, Schmidt, and Nelson on October 2, 2012.  (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Piano_Guys_(album)).

Second, Rolling in the Deep is originally a song written by Adele with Paul Epworth and performed by Adele. It was released online on November 29, 2010 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolling_in_the_Deep) . The Piano Guys released their version of the song arranged by Van der Beek, Schmidt, and Nelson on October 2, 2012  (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Piano_Guys_(album)).

 

Elements

Texture

Both these songs have a homophonic texture however, how they achieve this is different for each song. Rolling in the Deep has a more traditional style of two instrument types being played, a piano and a cello. The Piano Guys use different types of cellos to create a layered sound that accompanies with both the cello and piano taking turns for playing the melody. On the other hand there is only one instrument in What Makes You Beautiful. What makes this song unique is that both the melody and accompaniment is being played on the piano by using different parts of the piano. This makes the video even cooler as we are shown how a piano can be used in a nontraditional way.

Timbre

Timbre is also very important in both of these songs. In Just the Way You Are only one piano is being used however, how it is being played and the parts of the piano being used allows it to create different quality of sounds. In Rolling in the Deep  timbre is a bit more obvious as different cellos are being used to create different sounds that are then layered together. One interesting piece of this is the metallic cellos seen is the video that have a much different sound than the traditional wooden cellos.

Melody

As both songs were originally pop songs it is no surprise that they are clearly melodious. This carries over into the covers by keeping similar patterns and phrases despite the lack of lyrics. In Rolling in the Deep the piano and the cello take turns in the accompaniment role, while in What Makes You Beautiful different parts of the parts of the piano accompany while the melody plays on the keys.

Dynamics

While both songs vary the dynamics within the pieces, in Rolling in the Deep the articulation is interesting. The more defined steps of the notes by the piano and the smoother transitions made by the cellos provide contrast between the two instruments. The affect created by this mimics two people singing together.

Role of the Performer

One of the main points of this assignment was to develop a theory as to why this type of performer is necessary in the music world. The Piano Guys are necessary in the music world because they bridge the gap between modern and classical music. Modern music is popular for a reason, it is catchy and connects to the listeners on multiple levels. Classical music, on the other hand, may not be mainstream popular but is beautiful, full of history for how music evolves over time, and must be recognized for its level of difficultly to play. The Piano Guys fill the niche that is missing between the two genres. Taking popular music and arranging them into a more classical style brings together two different types of people and allows them to appreciate the others style. This creation of unity is the reason that The Piano Guys are so important.

My Opinion

For me personally I have liked The Piano Guys for years. I think their style of music is both fun and relaxing. While I didn’t really talk about their videos in this post, that is another reason that I love them. The visual effects they are able to achieve combined with their music is stunning. I enjoy how their music is layered in such a way that each sound builds on and contributes to the next. As for the role they play in the world, based on how fractured and divided society is currently, I think that anything thing that can bring together different groups of people in a positive way is valuable and important to continue.

Works Cited

“About The Piano Guys.” The Piano Guys, thepianoguys.com/pages/about.

Davis, Lizzie. “The Piano Guys Share the Secrets of Their YouTube Success.” Classic FM, 5 May 2015, www.classicfm.com/artists/piano-guys/guides/youtube-interview/.

“The Piano Guys (Album).” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 29 Oct. 2018, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Piano_Guys_(album).

“Rolling in the Deep.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 3 Nov. 2018, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolling_in_the_Deep.

“What Makes You Beautiful.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 30 Oct. 2018, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/What_Makes_You_Beautiful.

 

 

 

Musical Trip to Kodiak Island

Introduction

Hello everyone. The challenge this week was to take a musical trip to anywhere outside of western style music. That being said I decided to take a trip back home and look at the traditional style of music of the Alutiiq people, who are the native inhabitants of Kodiak Island. Below are two examples of traditional Alutiiq songs, with one video also including traditional dance that normally accompanies songs. I was unable to find the name, composer, or the date that either song was released; however, both songs are performed by the Kodiak Alutiiq Dancers in 2016. The country of origin is technically the United States and Sun’aq Tribe of Kodiak is the tribe of the Alutiiq Dancers in partnership with Native Village of Afognak, and Woody Island Tribal Council. (http://sunaq.org/alutiiq-dancers/).

Beat

Photo by Peg

Drums are the central instrument in Alutiiq music. Drums are used to mark out the beat for both the singing and the dancing. While this is true in a lot of music, in Alutiiq music the drum is really the pulse and the lif of the music, tying everything together. The beat is also not standard in this type of music, and the tempo can change within the song, based on the story they are tying to tell. The prominent drum beat is one of the unique elements that separates Alutiiq music from western music and one of the elements that I enjoy the most.

Texture

Another thing that separates Alutiiq music from western music is it’s texture. While western music primarily uses homophonic texture, Alutiiq music uses monophonic texture. Alutiiq singers sing the same melody together as one voice accompanied only by drums and rattles. This gives an almost hymn like feeling; however, the beat of the drum makes the music markedly different from a hymn.

Timbre

Another interesting thing is the use of the drum. By using either the rim or the skin the player can change the quality of sound produced by the drum. Also the types of sticks used to hit the drum can also change the quality of sound. This is important as the type and quality of sound can greatly influence the story the performers are trying to tell.

Cultural Significance

Music is greatly important to the Alutiiq people. Singing not only expresses emotion, but is also used in storytelling. Traditionally music was used for hunting, curing illness, praising ancestors, dancing, and visiting. It was also thought that music could be used to obtain help from spirits (https://alutiiqmuseum.org/learn/the-alutiiq-sugpiaq-people/cultural-arts/singing). Today Alutiiq music and dancing is used as a way to both honor cultural and ancestors and to keep the cultural and language alive in the community.

My Thoughts

Growing up on Kodiak means that I have both heard and seen Alutiiq music and the Alutiiq dancers, but never thought too deeply about it. It was very interesting to examine this type of music using the general elements taught in this class. I also never realized how important music is to Alutiiq cultural in general. I have a new appreciation for both the cultural significance and the uniqueness of Alutiiq music.

Photo by Peg

Works Cited

“Singing.” Alutiiq Museum, alutiiqmuseum.org/learn/the-alutiiq-sugpiaq-people/cultural-arts/singing

Sunaq.org, sunaq.org/alutiiq-dancers/.

Evolution of DJ Shows

Background

Welcome everyone to this week’s blog post. This week is all about evolution and innovation in music. For this topic I have decided to research a topic I don’t know very much about, but have always thought was really interesting; how DJ shows have changed across the years.

The origin of DJs or Disk Jockeys started with those who played and mixed music over the radio, however, DJ’s where not confined to this role for very long. The first events similar to the raves seen today sprang up in the Jamaican ghettoes in the 1950’s. DJs were known as selectors, who’s job was to keep the momentum of the crowd going the entire night. Three main inventions helped to propel DJs into their current form. First, was beat matching, the alining of beats so one track flows into the next, courtesy of  Francis Grasso. Second, the extended breaks of DJ Kool Herc, who mixed between two identical tracks to create more time for dancing. The third invention into the DJ world comes from  DJ Grand Wizard Theodore, the iconic vinyl scratch which allowed for layering of more complex rhythms by the DJ. These techniques and equipment were then adopted into other genres  to create the Dance, EDM, and hip hop music heard today. (https://mn2s.com/news/dj/evolution-of-the-dj/). An example of a more traditional DJ show (as seen below) is a tribute to Jam Master Jay by Kid Capri, DJ Premier, DJ Jazzy Jeff and Grandmaster Flash. This video uses multiple songs and was preformed in 2003 and published on youtube in 2011. This video serves as our point A or starting point.

Fairly recently music has become digitalized, allowing for multiple sounds and tracks to be stored in smaller devices. Our point B example takes full advantage of this fact by using a computer to store sounds and music to be played during a show. Introducing DJ AFISHAL.

AFISHAL uses a computer combined with a home made DJ rig he calls a tremor. By linking the pads on the tremor to his computer AFISHAL is able to create a live DJ show that combines the mixing capabilities of traditional DJ equipment with the visual appeal of drumming. While the tremor allows AFISHAL to control different sounds to mix together it also allows him to display different visuals and lights. An example of his show is from Swedish T.V. in 2018. Tracks played Avicii – Without You (AFISHAL Remix) BroSis – AFISHAL, Sonic Snares & Tim Tailor.(https://www.floatedmag.com/single-post/2017/02/08/From-the-Turntable-to-Drums-Afishal).

Rhythm

The primary tools that any kind of DJ employs have the ability to match beats between different songs, then layer rhythms over the top to create a unique sound. The traditional or point A DJ was restricted to the records they had with them and the abilities of their equipment to mix and scratch over the recorded beats. Point B DJ’s have the ability to use a computer which allows them more sounds to choose from to layer over the beats. While the idea of layering rhythms to create a unique sound has not changed from point A to B the capability of the tools that DJ’s can now use has changed vastly. Because DJ’s have more access to sounds and tracks they can create more complex rhythms than the traditional DJ’s.

Performance

Another musical element that has changed greatly overtime is the type of performance that DJ’s are able to give. Point A DJ’s performances where limited to just music, and eventually some limited graphics or videos playing in the background. AFISHAL has revolutionized DJ performance by becoming what he calls a “visual DJ”. Because the tremor is linked not only to sounds, but also lights and visuals AFISHAL has the ability to have a fully customizable live light show while DJ’ing. The performance aspect of DJ’ing is where this type of music has truly evolved.

My thoughts

Truth be told Dance, EDM, and hip hop are some of my least listened to types of music. That said I came across AFISHAL’s version of Avicii’s Without You (linked below because it is such a cool video) a couple of months ago and it really caught my interest. It was a way to create a live show complete with music, lights, and visuals in a drumming format. Its just such a cool idea that in hindsight makes complete sense. DJ’ing (and many other types of music) are meant to be an interaction between the performer and the audience. While point A DJs where able to accomplish that, with the technology available today performers are able to do so much more. I look forward to seeing what  DJ’s are able to come up with in the future.

Work Cited

“Evolution of the DJ.” MN2S, mn2s.com/news/dj/evolution-of-the-dj/.

Karpovage, Cassidy. “From the Turntable to Drums: Afishal.” Floatedmagazine, Floatedmagazine, 8 Feb. 2017, www.floatedmag.com/single-post/2017/02/08/From-the-Turntable-to-Drums-Afishal.

 

‘The Parting Glass’- Celtic Women, Musical Analysis

Background

Happy October everyone! For this weeks Musical Analysis I have decided to choose The Parting Glass preformed by the Celtic Women. This song showed up on my Discover Weekly a couple of weeks ago and I haven’t been able to stop listening to it. The song gives a peaceful quality to the otherwise sad event of parting ways. The Parting Glass is a traditional song originating from Ireland and Scotland, and can traced back to as early as the 17th century. Because it has origins in both a folk song and a hymn and has evolved over time no one person can be credited as the sole composer. It is thought that the lyrics have developed over time by various poets such as William Hunter and David Herd. The melody evolved separately and is thought to have some from a song called  “Sweet Cootehill Town” by Joyce ( http://justanothertune.com/html/partingglass.html).

As you have probably noticed the progression of this song is anywhere but linear, and to add another level the Celtic Women have released slightly different versions of the this song with different singers and  different arrangements. For this analysis I am looking specifically at the version song on the album: Believe, sung by Chloë Agnew, Lisa Lambe, Lisa Kelly, and Mairead Nesbitt.

 

Melody

First up, this song is clearly melodious. It uses background instruments and vocals to accompany the three lead vocalists and the lead fiddle. This accompaniment serves to support the lead vocals and provide more depth to the song. The lyrics also accompany the melody. As the lyrics are talking about parting it is only fitting that the singers start out alone, as they would be once they set out on travel. As the song progresses more instruments and voices join the lead which echoes the support that is given to the travelers in the song. The lyrics in the song are fairly simple, which allows us to focus on  both the beauty of the singing and the meaning of the song, that parting is inevitable but doesn’t have to be a sad event, that it can be celebrated as an adventure (http://www.metrolyrics.com/the-parting-glass-lyrics-celtic-woman.html).

Texture

To be 100% honest the texture of this song is why I love it so much. Because this song originates from hymns and folk songs, it incorporates multiple voices in a way that is not often heard in modern music. When the song starts there are three voices singing and one fiddle playing, however they are all playing/singing the exact same thing making the texture monophonic. Once the song has progressed through the first verse and chorus an accompaniment kicks in switching the texture to homophonic. While the rest of the song has accompanying instruments the last chorus in particular sounds like it has more of a monophonic texture then many modern songs. There are more instruments and voices but they are all playing/singing the same thing, there is no clear accompaniment with the exception of the snare drum. I think that the texture is so cool because it is so different than what we normally hear. There are three voices that are distinctly different, but work and weave together in such a beautiful way that they make one beautiful sound. The other thing that is really cool about this song, and this group in particular is the fiddle. I argue that the lead fiddle in this song acts more as a voice then as an instrument, as it works with the other lead voices in a way that is different then simply an accompanying instrument. All of this adds to my enjoyment of the song as something different then what is heard on the radio today.

Timbre

The Timbre or the tone color of this song also immensely adds to my enjoyment. First off is the bagpipes used in the song. Bagpipes produce a drone like noise that is played repeatedly and accompanies the melody. What is interesting about The Parting Glass is that they use multiple bagpipe drones to create a layered effect. In a similar way different voices are used to create a sound that can span multiple octaves. Each of the lead voices brings a sound that, while being different from the others, works in harmony to create one beautiful sound. Add to this the other instruments and vocalists and we are left with a more choir like effect than a song with simply voices and instruments.

Form

As noted above the lyrics in this song are fairly simple. Keeping in line with that the form is also simple. The Parting Glass shows a AB or Binary form where there are verses and chorus which alternate back and forth. In fact there are only two sung verses in the this version. What is more interesting in this song are the bridges. After the second chorus there is an instrumental bridge, which functions more like an additional verse with the vocals accompanying the instruments. After that part of a pervious verse is repeated

“But since it fell unto my lot
That I should rise and you should not
I gently rise and softly call
Good night and joy be to you all”

Repeating this part of the previous verse severs to propel us listeners into the final repetition of the chorus. I like that they chose to repeat part of the previous verse instead of adding additional lyrics to the song as it serves to reenforce the simplicity and hymn like nature of the song.

Dynamics

Finally the dynamics of the song are also somewhat simple. The song starts out quiet with only the lead vocals and fiddle and slowly builds in both number of vocals/instruments as well as the volume of the song. By the end of the song we are immersed in a crescendo of vocals and instruments. The fact that the song builds throughout makes the transition between the beginning and end more smooth. I like that the song starts soft and seems to add levels with each verse/chorus. It helps keep the song from feeling overwhelming at any one point.

What Others Say

Because The Parting Glass is only one song done by this group, I decided to look for reviews for the group as a whole. Critics have been both positive and negative toward the Celtic Women. Nicole Nole with Triangle Arts Entertainment claims that the group is “to perfect”.  The article states that the show is too choreographed to be a concert and lacks emotion( http://triangleartsandentertainment.org/2017/03/celtic-woman-might-be-a-bit-too-perfect/). On the flip side Orla O’sullivan from New York Irish Arts loved the performance, as it reminded her of her childhood in Ireland ( https://www.newyorkirisharts.com/2012/03/concert-review-celtic-woman-makes/ ). I think that the difference in the reviews might stem from different expectations. If one is going to a show and expecting a more concert type atmosphere, I can see where the disappointment might stem from.

Personal Reaction

I have not had the opportunity to see the Celtic Women live so my opinions come from Spotify and Youtube. Based on the videos that I have watched it does look like more of a show than a concert, but I fail to see what’s wrong with that. It still looks like an amazing performance regardless. As for The Parting Glass in particular it is hard for me to pinpoint in particular why I like it so much. I think that it boils down to the fact that it is both different what I normally listen to, and very relaxing at the same time. Also I relate to the lyrics as I had to leave home to go to college.

One thing to note is that while this analysis is about the version of the song on the Believe album, this is not actually my favorite version of this song by this group. I prefer the version that was released on the Emerald Musical Gems album. I like the that version better because it amplifies the monophonic texture component. A final comment is that there is actually another version of this song that was released by the Celtic Women last year with different singers. In this version there is less of a monophonic texture but the individual voices are beautiful. Below is a list of the three different versions all by the Celtic Women ranked by how I like them. I encourage everyone to take a listen and pick which version they like the best and let me know why in the comments. See you next week!

1. The Parting Glass – Emerald Musical Gems
2. The Parting Glass-  Homecoming Live From Ireland
3. The Parting Glass – Believe ( This is the one in the video and the analysis is actually done on)

https://www.clipzui.com/video/j4d4k5f4m485r3d436n4x2.html

Works Cited

“Celtic Woman Might Be a Bit Too Perfect.” Triangle Arts and Entertainment, 27 Mar. 2017, triangleartsandentertainment.org/2017/03/celtic-woman-might-be-a-bit-too-perfect/.

“Celtic Woman – The Parting Glass Lyrics.” Carly Rae Jepsen – Call Me Maybe Lyrics | MetroLyrics, www.metrolyrics.com/the-parting-glass-lyrics-celtic-woman.html.\

“Concert Review: Celtic Woman Makes A Believer out of Reviewer Orla O’Sullivan.” New York Irish Arts, 22 Mar. 2012, www.newyorkirisharts.com/2012/03/concert-review-celtic-woman-makes/.

Jk. Some Notes On The History Of “The Parting Glass”, justanothertune.com/html/partingglass.html. 

 

 

 

‘This is Me’- A Musical Analysis

Introduction

 

Easily one of my favorite movies of 2018, maybe of all time is “The Greatest Showman”. This musical tells the tale of P.T Barnum and his creation of the Barnum Circus. It is an uplifting movie about family, love, and believing in yourself. No song in the movie hones in on that third point like ‘This is Me’ performed by Keala Settle as Lettie Lutz and the rest of the circus cast. ‘This is Me’ was released on December 8, 2017 and was written by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul. It was produced by Greg Wells, Benj Pasek, and Justin Paul in the United States (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/This_Is_Me_(Keala_Settle_song) To me this song encompasses what the movie is about, believing in yourself no matter who you are or where you’re from. The first time that I heard it, and a few times after I teared up, as it truly speaks to anyone who has had self doubt about their abilities or reason on earth.

 

Meter

Part of what makes this song so catchy is it’s common meter. As seen in the sheet music ‘This is Me’ uses a 4/4 meter making it easy to tap your foot or clap along to.  (https://www.musicnotes.com/sheetmusic/mtd.asp?ppn=MN0179225). Even though this movie is set in the 1800’s the song writes choose to make the songs more modern and catchy, something that could be played on the radio and still be a hit. Also worth noting is that there is no mixed meter or polyrhythms making the song technically simpler, but increasing the catchiness.  The 4/4 meter makes the song feel familiar to me and I enjoy being able to tap along without having to try and track more complex rhythms.

Form

Also contributing to the catchiness and familiarity of the song is the form. ‘This is Me’ uses the Binary Form or AB. This means that there is a verse and a chorus that alternates back and forth. ‘This is Me’ puts an emphasis on the chorus throughout the song and uses various bridges to propel the listener in the next chorus. (https://www.classicfm.com/discover-music/music-theory/this-is-me-greatest-showman-analysis/)

“and I know that I deserve your love
(Oh-oh-oh-oh) ’cause there’s nothing I’m not worthy of
(Oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh, oh, oh)” When the sharpest words wanna cut me down
I’m gonna send a flood, gonna drown them out…..”

The bolded section above is an example of the bridge that propels us into the next section of the chorus.  Similar to the meter the fact that the from is binary makes the song both catchy and familiar which makes it more fun to sing along, and helps me and other listeners to connect to it.

Melody

The most striking part of this song is the melody. Combining both accompaniment and lyrics we can describe ‘This is Me’ as a power ballad. Starting with a light piano and quieter vocals, the song builds in power, volume, and number of components used. By the end of the song the lyrics are being belted out and we are fully submersed in the music without being detracted by any one element.(https://www.classicfm.com/discover-music/music-theory/this-is-me-greatest-showman-analysis/) Speaking of lyrics, this song wouldn’t be half as powerful with out the combination of lyrics and vocals. Benj and Justin are able to capture exactly what the charters are feeling at that moment, but at the same time are able to make it relatable a wide audience. Keala Settle is truly spectacular in both the power of her voice and the emotion she puts into the song. Both the lyrics and Keala’s performance is why it is so amazing. You can hear the emotion behind the lyrics which to me is what makes this song so relatable.

While all the songs on the “Greatest Showman” album are amazing, ‘This is Me’ is special in its ability to connect the audience with the characters while empowering those who worry about their place in society. ‘This is Me’ makes me feel empowered like I can do anything and be anyone despite where I came from, and that is the true power of this song.

https://scatteredquotes.com/best-the-greatest-showman-quotes/

Works Cited

Pasek, et al. “‘This Is Me’ from ‘The Greatest Showman’ Sheet Music in D Major (Transposable) – Download & Print.” Musicnotes.com Blog, www.musicnotes.com/sheetmusic/mtd.asp?ppn=MN0179225.

Roberts, Maddy Shaw. “A Geeky Music Theory Analysis of ‘This Is Me’ from The Greatest Showman.” Classic FM, Classic FM, 31 Jan. 2018, www.classicfm.com/discover-music/music-theory/this-is-me-greatest-showman-analysis/.

“This Is Me (Keala Settle Song).” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 10 Sept. 2018, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/This_Is_Me_(Keala_Settle_song).

 

 

 

Introducing Me

Welcome one and all to the first post of the semester for the class explorations in music offered by way of University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF). My name is Annie and I’ll be your guide for this journey into various music topics and ideas. First a bit of background on myself. Currently I am a senior at UAF studying Natural Resource Management, but originally I come for Kodiak Island. On sunny days I enjoy gardening and landscaping, while on rainy days I enjoy curling up with a good book and my cat Breeze.

 

Music has always been apart of my life. Being little I can remember moving from one end of the house to the other and never being out of earshot of a radio. When I was little I was part of a hand drumming group, but nowadays I just listen and enjoy. I love going to concerts and other venues where live music is being played, and you can bet that there is always music playing in my room. Older to early 2000’s country composes most of my musical wheelhouse. That being said, my taste in music really has more to do with individual songs than artist or genres making some of my playlist a jumble of artist, sounds, and styles. I’ll end this introduction post with a song that I have loved for years, please enjoy “Meet in the Middle” by Diamond Rio. See you next week!