Louis Armstrong What A Wonderful World Analysis

Louis Armstrong is an American icon in the jazz industry because of his unique voice. Armstrong was born in 1901 and lived in New Orleans, Louisiana. His most famous song, “What a Wonderful World,” put his career in the record books for the greatest jazz singer of all time. When I was younger, my grandmother would play “What a Wonderful World” every day I visited for lunch. Personally, this song has impacted and taught me to look at the world we live in with a positive attitude. Through Armstrong’s song, we can evaluate: melody, tempo, dynamics, form, texture, range and the voice itself. First off, melody is defined as a memorable series of pitches or the tune of a song. The beginning of “What a Wonderful World” starts off with a somber tune that eases into a happier mood. The piano starts to pick up around the one minute and seventeen second mark, and then slows back down around one minute and forty-eight seconds. Ever since my childhood, I have been able to trap the melody in my head around the twenty-seven second mark. Harmony is slightly different than melody because harmony occurs when two or more notes occur at the same time. When the song begins, the instruments: piano, violin and a small drum are harmonized. This harmony continues until the fifty second mark when a trumpet …show more content…
Tempo is an Italian word that indicates the speed of a particular piece. The tempo in “What a Wonderful Word” is slow to start and then picks up around the one minute and fifteen second mark. Rhythm is defined as the pattern of sound and beats in the music. Just before the tempo picks up, the flute is in rhythm with Armstrong’s voice, which creates a harmony. Texture is another key element in music because it is the ability to distinguish one voice or instrument from another. I do not have an ear for music, but I thought it was very easy to hear the piano, violin, flute and his voice at thirty-six