The Sopranos

the range of the music. For example, in Boulez’s piece, the flute part contains multiple leaps, extended range, a plethora of accidentals, and difficult rhythms. Babbitt’s piece display similar technical challenges that Boulez’s piece does, but for soprano and piano/tape. My current musical understanding is revolved around tonal music and not atonal music, so this music is more difficult for me analyze what I hear. The music sounded choppy and it was difficult to find were each measure began. In…

levels of hell and though out his journey we see what evil doings and evil persons that inhabit each level. A current example of this that we see in today’s world is through the eyes of a TV screen with shows like The Sopranos and Breaking Bad we can compare the characters of Tony Soprano and Walter White to Dante journey through hell while the seasons progress we see the changes of that character progressively get worse. Which leads me to this point why are we so enthralled with the “evil”…

starts to sing again. After the phrase ends, the choir goes back to head. Towards the end of the song, only the altos start sing the tag, “I can’t believe” and “I just can’t believe”, they are soon accompanied by the bass, and light drumming. The sopranos and baritones soon join in and add in accent. The end of the song has the standard tune and all the instruments play in a sharp…

We all dream of travelling to Italy, where beauty has no limits. The culture is inundated by the arts, families are vibrant and strong, architecture is unrivaled, musical genius is ubiquitous and of course…the food. With every aspect of life so influential and awe-inspiring, it is no wonder George Frideric Handel has returned with compositions that leave us speechless. His operas, arias, Oratorios, anthems and concertos never cease to amaze me; however, this time he has really outdone himself.…

When one examines the field of fine arts, he is unlikely to find a category as mysterious, captivating, and expressive as music. Given the greatly varied psychological and physiological effects music has on individuals, it is apparent that composers must utilize a variety of complex techniques to stimulate our myriad of senses. Most simply, perhaps, is the usage of musical patterns that match the lyrics of a piece. For an early example, in Weelkes’ madrigal As Vesta Was from Latmos Hill…

Gender roles stem from social norms; these norms are encouraged through many mainstream channels such as literature, public interactions, and especially media. From a very young age we are influenced to conform to gender roles and express ourselves the way society says we should, based on our biological sex. Classic children’s movies such as Beauty and the Beast, Cinderella, and Mulan give off the impressions on how a girl should behave as well as a boy without us really recognizing the gender…

for the role of the femme fatale. Aided by theatrical elements and her role, it was clear the audience could not take their eyes off of her when she was on the stage. At times, she also appeared to be the best female singer, with her full, mezzo-soprano voice. To my surprise, Chelsea Basler, who played Micaëla, overcame her during Micaela’s captivating aria…

The tuba is the largest and lowest-pitched musical instrument in the brass family. Sound is produced by vibrating or "buzzing" the lips into a large cupped mouthpiece. It first appeared in the mid 19th-century, making it one of the newer instruments in the modern orchestra and concert band. The tuba largely replaced the ophicleide. Tuba is Latin for 'trumpet'. A person who plays the tuba is known as a tubaist or tubist. In the United Kingdom a person who plays the tuba in an orchestra is known…

Similarly, Mitchell’s own perspective echoes Plath’s concerns and sufferings. In conjunction with the poet, Mitchell critiques “old friends” who “are acting strange,” and she regrets that much of life has become “just another show” in her song Both Sides Now. Throughout the balled, Mitchell describes once beloved aspects of life, clouds or love and the fairytale images they evoke. However, as she has grown older, Mitchell explains how these once beloved treasures have become sullied by newfound…

piece had four or more melodic fragments performed simultaneously, which is known as Polyphony, a staple of the Renaissance period. Throughout the piece there are no instruments, it is strictly acapella, the voice types used in the song include SATB (Soprano, Alto, Tenor, and Bass). This mass was sung at Papal coronations until 1963 when Pope Paul VI decided to halt the tradition of Papal Inaugurations. Today the piece is mainly used as a study tool for listeners to understand the 16th Century…