On Thursday, April 15, 2010, the University of Texas at Dallas’s School of Arts and Humanities did a musical production of Side Show the Musical in the University Theatre. Side Show the Musical is a story of conjoined twins Daisy and Violet transitioning and making a big change in their life from being merely a circus act to becoming recognized stage performers. They are what you call an “overnight sensation” as stated by the first piece in the second half of Act II.
The performance repertoire was overall diverse and nothing like anything I have ever heard before. The music performed contained a lot of dynamic contrast and remarkable melodies and harmonies intertwined together. Usually as the relative highness of the pitch increased then the loudness dynamics increased creating a more intense and enchanting sound. The vast amounts of crescendos and decrescendos throughout the musical kept the pieces vigorous and pleasing to the ears. The tone of the overall musical could be described as intense, sinister, brilliant, smooth, and rich altogether. There was a variety of rhythm in Side Show the Musical. The tempo was constantly changing, going as slow as largo and going as fast as presto. The rhythm was never stagnant, keeping the repertoire from being dull and mundane.
Considering the fact that the first piece in Act I was “Come Look At The Freaks,” the performers were all, as you can imagine, lively and abnormal. The majority of the characters in the musical play were unusual in a way. Daisy and Violet were Siamese twins but together the moved and flowed together melodiously and gracefully. The Cannibal King, Jake was rather intimidating towards the beginning of the play. He interacted with the audience and approached an audience member and became up close and personal. I am sure the unfortunate spectator was startled. The performers all moved together very well and interacted amongst each other on stage well. The relationship between the Cannibal King and the Fat Lady was especially touching and emotive.
The audience consisted of mostly students seeing as it was a free and informal event. This performance was open to outsiders of its music culture. The audience had a positive reaction towards the performance. Everyone in the audience seemed to be enjoying him or herself because the musical play was not normal and traditional. Almost everything was sung or put in song and the characters were appealing to the audience because each character had a distinct feature. There were times when a certain character in the musical would actually make eye contact and talk to the audience, especially The Boss. The Boss frequently made eye contact with the audience, which made it feel like he was talking to the audience throughout the majority of the play. Since the performance was on a Thursday at 8PM in the University Theatre, the students who came out to watch were all done with classes and were getting ready for the weekend which would impact the amount of cheers and feedback from the audience. The performance experience of UT Dallas’ production of Side Show the Musical had a lot of abundantly vigorous and a considerable amount of cheers from the audience.
Side Show the Musical tackles the “themes of self-acceptance and identity” (Evans). The musical lets the audience know that it is okay to be out of the ordinary and different from everyone you meet, to be a “freak” and “have people stop and stare” (Evans). All the main characters in Side Show the Musical go through a journey trying to find themselves (Evans). Everything about Side Show the Musical captivated the audience, with its orchestral accompaniment and peculiarly striking characters.
Evans, Kathryn. Program notes. Side Show the Musical. 15 April 2010. Richardson: Venue.
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Shakespeare in Song
Introduction
On the Saturday of March 27, I attended “Shakespeare in Song” in the Jonsson Performance Hall on UTD campus. It was to be performed by a choir comprised of UTD students. The performances were basically Shakespearian plays converted into a musical piece in the form of opera.
Music
The piano and the choir together make a very powerful duo, yet they were accompanying one soloist. In Roger Quilter’s “Five Shakespeare Songs op. 23,” the harmonies of the soprano, alto, tenor, and bass parts as well as the accompaniment of the piano flow rather harmoniously with the main vocal part. “Fear no more heat o’ the Sun” is written and performed mostly in a simple quadruple meter or common time. At some parts it feels that the time signature changes to 3/2 where there are 3 beats per measure and the half note gets the beat. The tempo is about andante moderato. There is a lot of expression from the piano at the beginning of the piece with the crescendos and the poco ritard along with the a tempo. Already in the first few measures of the piece there are many dynamic changes. This piece is mostly legato and flows smoothly and beautifully. The rhythm for the most part is fairly simple, the main vocalist does not have anything particularly tricky as there are mostly quarter notes and half notes. The singer has an operatic style of singing, the way she pronounces the words are almost British-like and there is a natural vibrato produced. The piece overall contained a lot of expressivo, crescendos and decrescendos that kept the performance itself lively and entertaining. The dynamic changes along with the lyrics by Shakespeare (although hard to understand and decipher at times) easily captivated the audience along with the melodious and harmonious work of Roger Quilter
Performers
The performers consisted of UTD choir students. They were dressed in very convincing attire. The flamboyant and frilly costumes really contributed to the creation of the atmosphere of the play. Without the costumes, they would look like random people you find walking about, talking is silly accents. The more flashy outfits were reserved for performers with the lead and important roles. They also had spoken lines which were directed towards each other. Not only singing, the performance incorporated a bit of acting. At one point, a performer recited lines as if he were in a drunken stupor; using a beer bottle as a prop.
Audience
The audience consisted of people of all ages. I saw little toddlers as well as older people with less than dark hair. The performance was open to anyone who was willing to listen and enjoy. Most of the audience however, seemed to consist mostly of students from UTD. For many, it seemed as though it was their first time attending such an event.
Time and Space
Because this was the second day of the performance, the auditorium was less than packed. Since the event took place during the earlier portion of the afternoon, everyone was awake and alert. Because it was the first performance of the day, the performers were quite energetic and lively. For a smaller sized audience, the applause and feedback was exceptional.
Conclusion
This was the first time I had experienced an opera perform in the style of a choir. The costumes really made it feel as though I was watching a play. The performance was not merely a choir performance but it also integrated acting you might find in a play. Solo performances added variety and enhanced the overall experience.
On the Saturday of March 27, I attended “Shakespeare in Song” in the Jonsson Performance Hall on UTD campus. It was to be performed by a choir comprised of UTD students. The performances were basically Shakespearian plays converted into a musical piece in the form of opera.
Music
The piano and the choir together make a very powerful duo, yet they were accompanying one soloist. In Roger Quilter’s “Five Shakespeare Songs op. 23,” the harmonies of the soprano, alto, tenor, and bass parts as well as the accompaniment of the piano flow rather harmoniously with the main vocal part. “Fear no more heat o’ the Sun” is written and performed mostly in a simple quadruple meter or common time. At some parts it feels that the time signature changes to 3/2 where there are 3 beats per measure and the half note gets the beat. The tempo is about andante moderato. There is a lot of expression from the piano at the beginning of the piece with the crescendos and the poco ritard along with the a tempo. Already in the first few measures of the piece there are many dynamic changes. This piece is mostly legato and flows smoothly and beautifully. The rhythm for the most part is fairly simple, the main vocalist does not have anything particularly tricky as there are mostly quarter notes and half notes. The singer has an operatic style of singing, the way she pronounces the words are almost British-like and there is a natural vibrato produced. The piece overall contained a lot of expressivo, crescendos and decrescendos that kept the performance itself lively and entertaining. The dynamic changes along with the lyrics by Shakespeare (although hard to understand and decipher at times) easily captivated the audience along with the melodious and harmonious work of Roger Quilter
Performers
The performers consisted of UTD choir students. They were dressed in very convincing attire. The flamboyant and frilly costumes really contributed to the creation of the atmosphere of the play. Without the costumes, they would look like random people you find walking about, talking is silly accents. The more flashy outfits were reserved for performers with the lead and important roles. They also had spoken lines which were directed towards each other. Not only singing, the performance incorporated a bit of acting. At one point, a performer recited lines as if he were in a drunken stupor; using a beer bottle as a prop.
Audience
The audience consisted of people of all ages. I saw little toddlers as well as older people with less than dark hair. The performance was open to anyone who was willing to listen and enjoy. Most of the audience however, seemed to consist mostly of students from UTD. For many, it seemed as though it was their first time attending such an event.
Time and Space
Because this was the second day of the performance, the auditorium was less than packed. Since the event took place during the earlier portion of the afternoon, everyone was awake and alert. Because it was the first performance of the day, the performers were quite energetic and lively. For a smaller sized audience, the applause and feedback was exceptional.
Conclusion
This was the first time I had experienced an opera perform in the style of a choir. The costumes really made it feel as though I was watching a play. The performance was not merely a choir performance but it also integrated acting you might find in a play. Solo performances added variety and enhanced the overall experience.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
blog post 10
Gioachino Rossini was a renowned opera composer, having composed thirty-nine operas. His opera, Bianca e Falliero, II consiglio dei tre, consists of two acts. The act in this youtube video is act II, which consists of the quartet and stretta. The opera singers use a lot of vibrato in their voices; as the music intensifies, the amount of vibrato used increases. There is not really a distinct melody; the music is always different since it is telling a dramatic story. The tempo is very upbeat and fast, a bit on the allegro side. The opera singers use a great deal of accents, crescendos and decrescendos along with their many facial expressions to add more drama into the opera. The strings in the accompaniment part use a lot of fast scales and chromatics. There is a great range present within this opera, the soprano’s pitch can go extremely high and the bass’ pitch can go relatively low. The majority of the second act is polyphonic, although there are parts where the instruments are homophonic. For the most part, act two of Bianca e Falliero is in compound meter; there is a part where the soprano singer sings sort of an acapella and the meter is almost undistinguishable. After all the singers’ passionate arguing, the opera ends on a happy note.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Dance Dance Revolution Ethnography
Introduction
A steady stream of sweat flows down my face and collects in a small puddle beneath me. My feet move as if I were stepping on hot coals. The display with its many flashing colors fastens my eyes in a gaze. My heart races as I attempt to control my breathing. All the while the blaring music envelopes my entire body and forces me into a trance. The intense techno beat pumps my adrenaline to new heights. I fell into my own world as my sense of reality became twisted and mangled. When the stage finally came to an end, I collapsed onto the floor as I struggled to catch my breath. Thus was my experience on the Dance Dance Revolution (DDR) arcade machine.
Dance dance Revolution is a music rhythm based game produced by konami. This game can be found in almost every arcade you go to. The core gameplay involves the player moving his or her feet to a set pattern, stepping in time to the general rhythm or beat of a song. Arrows are divided by 1/4 notes, 1/8 notes, and so on (with differing color schemes for each), up to about 1/32 notes. This game became quite popular and gained a fairly large following. With its large number of fans, there became a certain culture associated with it.
Methodology
On one weekend, I ventured to a local Nickelrama to conduct some research. When I arrived, I found a group of high schoolers tearing it up on the DDR machine. There was also a good sized crowd surrounding them. It was almost as if it were a spectator sport. I talked to the people in the crowd that was watching the player. I was surprised to learn that about half of the people in the crowd were only there to watch and not play. I approached some of the people that had just finished playing. I asked them questions about the game and they were more than happy to share their knowledge. I also played a few songs and successfully made an enormous fool of myself. Nearly all of my data was obtained from this group of kids and from my overall experience on that day.
Interview with DDR Player
After a player (Justin, age 16) had finished a song, I asked him for an interview and he gladly accepted. He too like many others started off as a spectator. He would watch people play, and when someone really good shows up, large crowds usually form. DDR is able to attract so many people because it’s unlike any other video game. You have to move around instead of just standing there, pushing buttons. Because there are so many songs to choose from, there is a reason to come back and play again. It’s not like other games where you can just beat and never touch again. “It’s like a new experience every time I play a different song.” For Justin, the music is one of the main reasons why he continues to play. “If the music was slow and boring, there’d be no point to put my coin in.” The audience also plays a role in the DDR experience. “When a crowd strangers clap and compliment you after you’ve finished a song, it’s one of the best feelings in the world.”
Ideas About Music
Music plays an absolutely huge role in Dance Dance Revolution, both for the player and the spectator. The music that is played is very upbeat and fast-paced. Even if you are not the person playing, you can’t help but move to the rhythm of the music. There is none of that soft slow music you would find when you go out for brunch with Grammy. It’s the type of music a club would play to get the people moving. Because Konami is based in Japan, a lot of the music has influences from Japanese pop music. The aesthetics in this culture include the way you dress and the way you “dance.” When playing in an area with a lot of people, it is important to look presentable and somewhat well dressed. This way, you may be able to attract a crowd.
Activities Involving the Music
The music is not only found in DDR but also around on the internets. Many of the songs can be downloaded from iTunes and sound tracks are floating around. A broad range of people enjoy playing DDR. However, the population of players mainly consists of what the general public would refer to as “nerds.” The music featured in DDR is imported and is exclusively produced by professionals. Like any other arcade game, DDR is open to anyone. Most people who play only do so once in a while when they have free time. On the other hand, there are those who play religiously. Every once in a blue moon, tournaments are held where the winner is awarded with cash prizes and prestige.
Repertoires of Music
The genre associated with DDR is primarily techno and Japanese pop. The series promotes a music library of music produced by Konami’s in-house artists. They also import popular music from many other genres. The beats and melodies of the music are crucial because they are what the steps are based off of. The “dancing” that the player performs is not limited to the set pattern of steps. Some people are able to freestyle and add their own moves into play. There are competitions in which the participants must come up with choreography that matches the step pattern. The players as well as spectators listen to the music and the catchy tunes get stuck in their heads. They then find themselves looking up the songs on the internet and listen to them at home. A passerby may find the music intriguing and end up listening to it too.
Material Culture
The materials used within this culture include the arcade machine itself. The game has also been ported to consoles (Xbox and Playstation) to be used at home. It is possible to buy the pad to play on. The pads can be made out of metal or they can be soft and foldable. A sturdy pair of shoes is recommended while playing so you won’t slip and die. A clean towel is useful for wiping off sweat.
Conclusion
DDR has grown into a popular form of entertainment and has formed its own culture. It attracts people from all walks of life. The fast-paced and upbeat music gets the blood pumping and makes for an exciting experience. Because of its interactive nature, people are able to add their own flavor and styles (freestyle) into the mix. You might see people C-walking, breaking, raving, flipping, and so on. People are able to enjoy DDR even if they don’t wish to play it. Watching others playing and listening to the music is a good way to kill time and socialize with other people that are also interested in the game.
Sources
http://www.ddrfreak.com/
http://www.ddronlinecommunity.com/
http://www.ddrfreak.com/newpress/Youth%20Outlook.htm
Justin from the arcades (Nickelrama)
A steady stream of sweat flows down my face and collects in a small puddle beneath me. My feet move as if I were stepping on hot coals. The display with its many flashing colors fastens my eyes in a gaze. My heart races as I attempt to control my breathing. All the while the blaring music envelopes my entire body and forces me into a trance. The intense techno beat pumps my adrenaline to new heights. I fell into my own world as my sense of reality became twisted and mangled. When the stage finally came to an end, I collapsed onto the floor as I struggled to catch my breath. Thus was my experience on the Dance Dance Revolution (DDR) arcade machine.
Dance dance Revolution is a music rhythm based game produced by konami. This game can be found in almost every arcade you go to. The core gameplay involves the player moving his or her feet to a set pattern, stepping in time to the general rhythm or beat of a song. Arrows are divided by 1/4 notes, 1/8 notes, and so on (with differing color schemes for each), up to about 1/32 notes. This game became quite popular and gained a fairly large following. With its large number of fans, there became a certain culture associated with it.
Methodology
On one weekend, I ventured to a local Nickelrama to conduct some research. When I arrived, I found a group of high schoolers tearing it up on the DDR machine. There was also a good sized crowd surrounding them. It was almost as if it were a spectator sport. I talked to the people in the crowd that was watching the player. I was surprised to learn that about half of the people in the crowd were only there to watch and not play. I approached some of the people that had just finished playing. I asked them questions about the game and they were more than happy to share their knowledge. I also played a few songs and successfully made an enormous fool of myself. Nearly all of my data was obtained from this group of kids and from my overall experience on that day.
Interview with DDR Player
After a player (Justin, age 16) had finished a song, I asked him for an interview and he gladly accepted. He too like many others started off as a spectator. He would watch people play, and when someone really good shows up, large crowds usually form. DDR is able to attract so many people because it’s unlike any other video game. You have to move around instead of just standing there, pushing buttons. Because there are so many songs to choose from, there is a reason to come back and play again. It’s not like other games where you can just beat and never touch again. “It’s like a new experience every time I play a different song.” For Justin, the music is one of the main reasons why he continues to play. “If the music was slow and boring, there’d be no point to put my coin in.” The audience also plays a role in the DDR experience. “When a crowd strangers clap and compliment you after you’ve finished a song, it’s one of the best feelings in the world.”
Ideas About Music
Music plays an absolutely huge role in Dance Dance Revolution, both for the player and the spectator. The music that is played is very upbeat and fast-paced. Even if you are not the person playing, you can’t help but move to the rhythm of the music. There is none of that soft slow music you would find when you go out for brunch with Grammy. It’s the type of music a club would play to get the people moving. Because Konami is based in Japan, a lot of the music has influences from Japanese pop music. The aesthetics in this culture include the way you dress and the way you “dance.” When playing in an area with a lot of people, it is important to look presentable and somewhat well dressed. This way, you may be able to attract a crowd.
Activities Involving the Music
The music is not only found in DDR but also around on the internets. Many of the songs can be downloaded from iTunes and sound tracks are floating around. A broad range of people enjoy playing DDR. However, the population of players mainly consists of what the general public would refer to as “nerds.” The music featured in DDR is imported and is exclusively produced by professionals. Like any other arcade game, DDR is open to anyone. Most people who play only do so once in a while when they have free time. On the other hand, there are those who play religiously. Every once in a blue moon, tournaments are held where the winner is awarded with cash prizes and prestige.
Repertoires of Music
The genre associated with DDR is primarily techno and Japanese pop. The series promotes a music library of music produced by Konami’s in-house artists. They also import popular music from many other genres. The beats and melodies of the music are crucial because they are what the steps are based off of. The “dancing” that the player performs is not limited to the set pattern of steps. Some people are able to freestyle and add their own moves into play. There are competitions in which the participants must come up with choreography that matches the step pattern. The players as well as spectators listen to the music and the catchy tunes get stuck in their heads. They then find themselves looking up the songs on the internet and listen to them at home. A passerby may find the music intriguing and end up listening to it too.
Material Culture
The materials used within this culture include the arcade machine itself. The game has also been ported to consoles (Xbox and Playstation) to be used at home. It is possible to buy the pad to play on. The pads can be made out of metal or they can be soft and foldable. A sturdy pair of shoes is recommended while playing so you won’t slip and die. A clean towel is useful for wiping off sweat.
Conclusion
DDR has grown into a popular form of entertainment and has formed its own culture. It attracts people from all walks of life. The fast-paced and upbeat music gets the blood pumping and makes for an exciting experience. Because of its interactive nature, people are able to add their own flavor and styles (freestyle) into the mix. You might see people C-walking, breaking, raving, flipping, and so on. People are able to enjoy DDR even if they don’t wish to play it. Watching others playing and listening to the music is a good way to kill time and socialize with other people that are also interested in the game.
Sources
http://www.ddrfreak.com/
http://www.ddronlinecommunity.com/
http://www.ddrfreak.com/newpress/Youth%20Outlook.htm
Justin from the arcades (Nickelrama)
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Japan is Superior
Music of the Japanese Noh classical theater is extremely distinguished. The actress of this particular Japanese Noh performance moves rather slowly almost like she is gliding while moving her fan up and down to the chants and accompaniment by the hayashi. Elements of the Japanese Noh based on this performance include a hayashi that includes a taiko, o-tsuzumi, ko-tsuzumi, nohkan, and a small male chorus that does all the chanting and singing. It includes the nohkan being the only melodic instrument aside from the singing of the male chorus. There are also hollers and howls from the drummers. The drumming patterns are varied - different drummers play different patterns, which creates an unsynchronized effect, but the fact that the drumming is layered makes it distinctive. There is a freedom of rhythm, sometimes when it gets louder the rhythm is faster. The melodious music you hear from this performance is all from the nohkan and some of the male chorus, the other percussion instruments and the disgruntled-like chanting establishes an inconsistent beat. Since the nohkan is the only melodic instrument, it leads the hayashi. The melodies provided by the nohkan are brief and stereotyped. The actress is the main focus of the performance, using exaggerated gestures and fan waving along with the immensely decorated costume, which includes a mask.
Monday, February 15, 2010
Blog Post 5
Hindustani music is unlike any other music genre I have ever listened to… and I thought polka was peculiar. Listening to Ali Akbar Khan and his performance with Swapan Chowdhury in “in Rag Zila Kafi” was a whole new experience. There really is no distinct melody that stands out, there seems to be no climax. There are elements of North Indian Classical Music in this performance. Although the whole performance seems to sound sort of the same throughout the whole song it seems as if Ali Akbar Khan is improvising a lot and adding on his own ornamentations. His improvisation is based on raga – certain notes that he plays sounds different because he is sliding his finger across the fingerboard of the Sarod. Meter is very difficult to determine here, there are so many notes being played and the rhythm seems to be rather dynamic, not really a steady tempo – it isn’t just simple quarter notes and eighth notes. The meter seems to be made up of cycles of beat groups in systems, which is tala. Swapan Chowdhury accompanies him on some sort of drums using just his palms and fingers to intricate patterns to accompany Khan’s classical performance. There is also a man sitting behind Chowdhury and Khan playing an instrument that looks like a tanpura and accompanies the performance with a constant sounding pitch, or drone, of the tonic note and maybe another pitch. Overall I thought the performance was different, I suppose Sarods are the equivalent to guitars in our music culture.
Monday, February 8, 2010
Blog 4
Googoosh’s performance of her song, “Doh Penjereh,” or “Two Windows,” is very unique, such as having many irregularities in its rhythm, but also contains elements of Middle Eastern music. At the beginning of the song, the tempo fluctuates. It constantly ritards, but then goes back to a tempo again in order for it to ritard again. The beginning is also in 4/4 meter, but then once you get into the song, past the introduction, it switches to 6/8 meter. It is also, for the most part, performed at an Allegro appassionato tempo, with the eighth note getting the beat. As for dynamics, there are many decrescendos at the beginning of the song; as the song slows down, the volume decreases. Strings are predominant throughout the song, although you mostly hear the violin playing rather than the viola or cello. In the accompaniment, there is also a very strong bass line played by a bass. There is also slight woodwind instrumental although the strings overshadow it. The melody in this song is very basic, but has many improvisations so the melody does not sound exactly the same each time she sings it. The texture of the song is more polyphonic since there isn’t chordal accompaniment but rather many melodies being played at once that it almost sounds like a canon. The song ends with very dramatic ritards and a fermata on the last note being played by the strings so the audience is left with a sense of contentment.
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