Music in Musical Theatre and Film

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Music in Musical Theatre and Film
2
Music in Musical Theatre and FilmMusical Theatre

• Drama and music have existed as independent
  expressions of art for thousands of years. It
  was not until the seventeenth century that the
  two art forms blended to create a new art form,
  opera. Opera continued to evolve over the next
  three centuries, resulting in another new art
  form musical theatre. From its American roots,
  musical theatre has gained popularity around the
  world. Its unique and accessible blend of drama
  and music continue to attract new fans today.

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Music in Musical Theatre and FilmAn
Introduction to Musical Theatre

• During the 1800s, opera as an art form continued
  to evolve, but in two entirely opposite
  directions. In Germany, composers like Richard
  Wagner wrote lengthy heroic operas that took as
  many as six hours to perform. Meanwhile, in
  Paris and Vienna, a lighter, more sentimental
  form of comic opera was finding favor with
  opera-goers. These light operas, or operettas,
  were actually stage plays with songs and dance
  interspersed with spoken lines.

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Music in Musical Theatre and FilmThe Birth of
the Broadway Musical

• Toward the end of the century, the operetta
  crossed the Atlantic, where it underwent a
  transformation. Ultimately it evolved into a
  dramatic stage form that combines the art of
  acting and singing. The Broadway musical had
  been born.
• Like jazz, the Broadway musical or simply
  musical is a uniquely American invention.
  Its forerunners included not only operettas but
  minstrel shows and vaudeville. Vaudeville was an
  early staged variety show that included songs,
  dances and comedy skits.
• One of the first composers of Broadway musicals
  was George M. Cohan. His first show was Little
  Johnny Jones (1904). Give My Regards to
  Broadway, a song Cohan wrote for the show,
  became a classic in its own right. More
  importantly, the song contained the first-ever
  reference to Broadway as a synonym for musical
  theatre.

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Music in Musical Theatre and FilmThe Classic
Broadway Musical

• In the 1920s, the Broadway musical underwent some
  refinements. Although the emphasis was still on
  music, the stories began to assume more of the
  characteristics of actual drama. These included
  richer plotlines and carefully scripted dialogue,
  the spoken lines of a play or musical show.
  During this era, composers such as George
  Gershwin, Jerome Kern, and Cole Porter emerged on
  the scene. Among their legendary contributions
  to musical theatre were Lady Be Good, Show Boat,
  and Anything Goes.
• After World War II, composers and lyricists
  further developed the musical. The period saw
  the creation of beloved musicals including My
  Fair Lady (Frederick Loewe and Alan Jay Lerner),
  The Sound of Music (Richard Rodgers and Oscar
  Hammerstein II), and West Side Story (Leonard
  Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim). Such musicals
  added many unforgettable show tunes such as
  Maria, Edelweiss, and Somewhere to pop
  singers repertoires. A repertoire is an
  inventory of compositions mastered and performed
  by a musician.
• Prior to World War II, musicals by and large
  reflected optimism the belief that goodness
  will triumph over evil. During the latter part
  of the twentieth century, however, writers of
  musicals began addressing darker, more serious
  themes in their musicals. Examples of this trend
  include John Kander and Fred Ebbs dark comedies
  Chicago and Cabaret.

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Music in Musical Theatre and FilmFrom Broadway
to Hollywood

• The fact that classic musicals continue to be
  revived on Broadway today attests to the
  popularity of this art form. In addition, many
  Broadway musicals have been adapted into
  successful films. Several of these became
  Hollywood hits that earned numerous Academy
  Awards. These include
• West Side Story (1961) ten Oscars, including
  Best Picture
• My Fair Lady (1964) eight Oscars, including
  Best Picture
• The Sound of Music (1965) five Oscars,
  including Best Picture
• Cabaret (1972) eight Oscars
• Chicago (2002) six Oscars, including Best
  Picture

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Music in Musical Theatre and FilmAn
International Trend

• By the early 1970s, British and French creative
  teams were making important contributions of
  musical theatre. In the decades following, they
  have become a dominant force in this art form.
  London native Andrew Lloyd Webbers creations
  include Cats, Evita, and The Phantom of the
  Opera. Elton John, also of Great Britain,
  collaborated with Tim Rice to create shows such
  as The Lion King and Aida. French composers
  Claude-Michel Schonberg and Alain Boublil created
  such blockbuster hits as Les Miserables and Miss
  Saigon.

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Music in Musical Theatre and FilmMusical
Theatre Today

• After a centurys history, Broadway musicals
  still flourish today. Classics are revived in
  innovative ways even as composers and lyricists
  push the envelope of this art form. On Broadway,
  it is common to see traditional productions
  playing side by side with contemporary rock
  musicals.
• New stars continue to rise on the Broadway stage.
  As in the past, the allure of the Broadway stage
  will continue to attract and produce great
  singing and acting talents.

9
Music in Musical Theatre and FilmMusical
Theatre Terms

• Operettas stage plays with songs and dance
  interspersed with spoken lines
• Broadway musical a dramatic stage form that
  combines the arts of acting and singing
• Vaudeville an early staged variety show that
  included songs, dances, and comedy skits
• Dialogue the spoken lines of a play or musical
  show
• Repertoire an inventory of compositions
  mastered and performed by a musician
• Monologue a dramatic speech or song delivered
  by one character in a play

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Perceptive Listening

• Number your paper 1-16. Listen to each excerpt.
  Write the name of the song that is playing next
  to the correct number.

• Big, Blonde, and Beautiful
• Youre Timeless To Me
• Big, Blonde, and Beautiful (Reprise)
• I Can Hear the Bells
• You Cant Stop the Beat
• Without Love
• The Nicest Kids in Town
• Its Hairspray

• Miss Baltimore Crabs
• The Ladys Choice
• Welcome to the 60s
• Run and Tell That
• Good Morning Baltimore
• It Takes Two
• I Know Where Ive Been
• The New Girl in Town

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Perceptive Listening

• Answers

1. Good Morning Baltimore
2. The Nicest Kids in Town
3. It Takes Two
4. Miss Baltimore Crabs
5. I Can Hear the Bells
6. Ladies Choice
7. The New Girl in Town
8. Welcome to the 60s

• Run and Tell That
• Big, Blonde and Beautiful
• Big, Blonde and Beautiful (Reprise)
• Youre Timeless To Me
• I Know Where Ive Been
• Without Love
• Its Hairspray
• You Cant Stop the Beat

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Music in Musical Theatre and FilmComposers
John Williams

• John Williams (b. 1932) is an American composer,
  conductor, and pianist. Williams has composed
  many of the most famous film scores in Hollywood
  history, including Star Wars, Superman, Harry
  Potter, Indiana Jones, Schindlers List, E.T.,
  Home Alone, and Jurassic Park. In addition, he
  has composed theme music for four Olympic Games,
  NBC Nightly News, and the inauguration of Barack
  Obama. Williams is a five-time winner of the
  Academy Award. He has also won 4 Golden Globes
  and 21 Grammy Awards.

13
Music in Musical Theatre and FilmComposers
John Williams
14
Music in Musical Theatre and FilmFilm Harry
Potter

• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
• Music John Williams
• Book J. K. Rowling
• Soundtrack The Harry Potter and the Prisoner of
  Azkaban original motion picture
  soundtrack was released on 25 May 2004.
  The film's score was composed and
  conducted by John Williams. It introduced two
  major themes Window to the Past and
  Double Trouble, although neither have been
  in any other films as of yet. Other notable
  themes were the theme used to represent the
  Time-Turner and to represent Sirius Black's
  hunt for Harry. Some other minor themes also
  appeared for the first time.

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Music in Musical Theatre and FilmFilm Harry
Potter

• Soundtrack
• Double Trouble
• Double Trouble was composed by John Williams
  during the production of the film as he felt to
  be a warm welcome back to Hogwarts. The song was
  sung by the London Oratory School Schola. The
  lyrics to this song are taken directly from
  Shakespeare's Macbeth.
• Forward to Time Past
• The track is heard when Hermione and Harry use
  the time turner to go back in time. During the
  whole piece a ticking sound is heard, indicating
  that time is running out. Loads of flourishing
  strings over-lap the four note motif that the
  brass repeat rhythmically, and lastly the little
  bursts of woodwind throughout enforce the
  sensation of movement.
• The Dementors Converge
• This music is heard when Harry is attempting to
  save Sirius Black from the Dementors. The piece
  mainly consists of discordant, wavering strings
  at the beginning, but as it progresses, Williams
  weaves punctuating piccolos and long notes of
  brass that gradually build up the menacing
  tension. This rises to a climax where thunderous
  clusters of timpani and hair-raising choir are
  introduced only to die back down, followed by an
  atmospheric flutter from the harp. The strings
  then lead into another extremity which uses bits
  and pieces from William's "The Patronus Light",
  interjected by harsh, grating brass. The music
  appears to die off again instantly, however the
  familiar sound of lush strings and celesta (so
  prominent in William's earlier scores for these
  films) subdue the tension afore.
• Finale
• This is probably best known for appearing in the
  Goblet of Fire film trailer.