Musical plagiarism

The music that I have chosen is D major Violin Concerto No.1, Op.6, composed by Niccolò Paganini. To gain a more complete understanding of the composition, first we need to check the background information of the composer. Paganini was an Italian violinist, violist, guitarist, and composer. [iii] That explains why the composition mainly uses violin throughout the whole composition. It was also noted that was one of the most famous classical music composers on the romantic era. When I first…

Differentiating Musical Exoticism Musical exoticism comes from the influence of non-European elements, often imitating styles from other cultures as a way to differ from the customs of the audience and creators. The motives for exoticism lie on a spectrum, ranging from pure exoticism to transcultural composing. Pure exoticism includes “othering” a subject, labeling them as different from one’s own group (Lecture 5/16). On the other hand, transcultural composing uses both non-western and western…

Learning in my classroom is the combination of acquired skills (critical thinking, singing in tune, and good string technique) and the development of a learner’s character. I know I have taught a student successfully when the student has developed a musical skill,…

For this concert report, I attended a concert at The Runcible Spoon. This was on a Tuesday evening and the environment was different than I thought. What struck me was the environment of the concert. I didn’t feel like I was really at a concert as I thought that I would because of the informality and it being at a concert. From going to this concert, I was able to conclude that concerts at restaurants have a much different feel to them than formal concerts. When we walked in, the musicians…

In 1960, a telecast was recorded featuring George Balanchine’s Apollo Musagete. It was premiered on a DVD later released with the name New York City Ballet in Montreal, Vol. 5. This version of Apollo was choreographed by George Balanchine. The score for Apollo was done by Igor Stravinsky. The performance was done by Jacques d’Amboise, Melissa Hayden, Jillana, and Patricia Neary (New York City Ballet). This recording of Apollo emphasized George Balanchine’s aesthetic of ballet. In the…

The next musical work performed by the Alabama Concert Band was entitled Xerxes by John Mackey. This piece begins in a very disjointed and seemingly unappealing way, as the low brass and percussion begin with a homophonic rhythm. The tempo is one of moderato, as it is not fast, yet all slow either. All of the notes are staccato and separate from neighboring notes, which creates a sound that may seem strange or odd at first listen. It is written in a chromatic key, with no clear major or…

The Lubbock Moonlight Musicals in partnership with Texas Tech’s School of Music definitely did not disappoint with their amazing performance of Phantom of the Opera. This is one of the most well know and classical musicals but doesn’t fit into any specific category. It is not exactly classic musical theatre due to the music being for classically trained singers, but it is not exactly an opera either because it has dialogue while an opera is traditionally completely sung. This makes for a…

can have many purposes. It can change the mood of the audience, alert them to danger, or even be used to give exposition of the story to the audience. The latter, along with its variation, such as a monologue delivered in song, are used to create musicals--a genre used by Disney since its very beginning. For this journal I watched Disney’s Moana to see how it used music to move the plot, and influence its audience. The song “Where You Are” is used in Moana to tell exposition and to forward…

West Side Story book turned musical was written in 1957 by Arthur Laurents. West Side Story is a musical interpretation of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, giving it a modern spin and a change from the original class to race rivalry. The setting of this play is based in the 1950s in the Upper West Side of New York City. The rivalry is between two gangs called the Jets, a white gang, and the Sharks, a Puerto Rican gang. Comparable to Romeo and Juliet the main plot to this story is based on the…

Premiering in 1997, the musical Ragtime, written by the trio of Terrence McNally (Book/Script), Stephen Flaherty (Music), and Lynn Ahrens (Lyrics) was something along the lines of a smash hit. Featuring a star studded cast, with such luminaries as Brian Stokes Mitchell, Marin Mazzie, and Audra McDonald, the musical won four Tony Awards and was nominated for 14, including Best Musical. The musical is based on E.L. Doctorow’s 1974 novel Ragtime, a work of historical fiction that has various…