Tracy Chapman’s song Fast Car was written in 1988. Tracy was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio where she and her mother lived without a lot of money. By the age of 8 Tracy played the guitar and wrote songs. The song Fast Car is about a relationship and its ups and downs where the fast car is a metaphor for their love. The song won Tracy Chapman an award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance in 1989.
Richard Rodney Bennett - Die Lerche (The Lark)
This was written by Richard Rodney Bennett who was born in Britain in 1936 and who has produced over 200 productions and 50 scores for the TV industry. It has been showed that he used a European Avant-Garde and subsequently he developed his own style named Dramato-Abstract. Closer to now, his compositions, has a style which i more tonal idiom.
Les Miserables - Claude-Michel Schönberg - Castle on a Cloud
The song is from the musical Les Miserables which is set in France. The play is about a man called Jean Valjean who, after being released from prison, went to a small town to find shelter. After being declined several places, he finally finds a woman who lets him in and in turn he steals her silverware but when the police catches him the woman covers for him, by saying it was a gift, and makes him promise to become a decent man. He changes identity and starts a manufactoring business and soon after becomes the mayor.
In another city, a girl named Fantine, gets pregnant and abandoned by her lovers and returns to her hometown. She realizes that she is not able to bring back her daughter, Cosette (who sings Castle on a Cloud) so she agrees with a family that after an allowance for every month, they will take care of Cosette. As the family demands more money than Fantine has, she turn to prostitution and is shortly after prisoned . She falls ill and is hospitalized where Jean Valjean visits her. Fantine begs Valjean to bring her back her daughter, but before he has a chance to get Cosette, he is arrested as a police officer finds out about his real identity. Fantine finds out, and dies from the shock of this.
When Valjean escapes prison, he returns to the family who has Cosette where he learns that the family had abused Cosette and Valjean quickly finds a way to buy her out of the family. Together they escape to a Convent in the South of France where Cosette goes to school and Valjean becomes a gardener.
Music functions as a means of personal and communal identity and expression, and embodies the social and cultural values of individuals and communities. This scenario invites exciting exploration and sensitive study. Music, and all of its associations, may vary considerably from one musical culture to another: yet music may share similarities. Such richness offers a variety of ways to encounter and engage with a constantly changing world. A vibrant musical education fosters curiosity and openness to both familiar and unfamiliar musical worlds. Through such a study of music we learn to hear relationships of pitch in sound, pattern in rhythm and unfolding sonic structures. Through participating in the study of music we are able to explore the similarities, differences and links in music from within our own culture and that of others across time. Informed and active musical engagement allows us to explore and discover relationships between lived human experience and specific sound combinations and technologies, thus informing us more fully of the world around us, and the nature of humanity.
Penny:
ReplyDeleteTracy Chapman - Fast Car
Tracy Chapman’s song Fast Car was written in 1988. Tracy was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio where she and her mother lived without a lot of money. By the age of 8 Tracy played the guitar and wrote songs. The song Fast Car is about a relationship and its ups and downs where the fast car is a metaphor for their love. The song won Tracy Chapman an award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance in 1989.
Richard Rodney Bennett - Die Lerche (The Lark)
This was written by Richard Rodney Bennett who was born in Britain in 1936 and who has produced over 200 productions and 50 scores for the TV industry. It has been showed that he used a European Avant-Garde and subsequently he developed his own style named Dramato-Abstract. Closer to now, his compositions, has a style which i more tonal idiom.
Les Miserables - Claude-Michel Schönberg - Castle on a Cloud
The song is from the musical Les Miserables which is set in France. The play is about a man called Jean Valjean who, after being released from prison, went to a small town to find shelter. After being declined several places, he finally finds a woman who lets him in and in turn he steals her silverware but when the police catches him the woman covers for him, by saying it was a gift, and makes him promise to become a decent man. He changes identity and starts a manufactoring business and soon after becomes the mayor.
In another city, a girl named Fantine, gets pregnant and abandoned by her lovers and returns to her hometown. She realizes that she is not able to bring back her daughter, Cosette (who sings Castle on a Cloud) so she agrees with a family that after an allowance for every month, they will take care of Cosette. As the family demands more money than Fantine has, she turn to prostitution and is shortly after prisoned . She falls ill and is hospitalized where Jean Valjean visits her. Fantine begs Valjean to bring her back her daughter, but before he has a chance to get Cosette, he is arrested as a police officer finds out about his real identity. Fantine finds out, and dies from the shock of this.
When Valjean escapes prison, he returns to the family who has Cosette where he learns that the family had abused Cosette and Valjean quickly finds a way to buy her out of the family. Together they escape to a Convent in the South of France where Cosette goes to school and Valjean becomes a gardener.
Caitlin Barrett
ReplyDelete1. Ode To Joy by Ludwig Van Beethoven
Ode To Joy is from Beethovenʼs 9th symphony and was composed in 1823. It is based
on the poem by Frederich Schiller and was written in Germany. The poem was
published in 1785 and was titled An die Freude. The poem was about the belief that
men became brothers which most young German men believed. The music shows
these emotions through its upbeat melody that conveys freedom, peace and happiness.
It was later made into the European anthem in 1872.
2. The Toreador Song from Carmen by Georges Bizet
The Toreador Song is from the french opera Carmen and is sung by Escamillo the
matador.It was written in Paris and the lyrics are in french. It is about the situations
within the bull ring such as the crowds applauding and the victory that leads to fame
which is shown through the pitch and tone of the music throughout. It is written in 4/4
time, has a very Spanish style to it and is the theme song from the opera.
3. Sleeping Beauty Waltz by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Sleeping Beauty Waltz is well known from the Disney movie ʻSleeping Beautyʼ and also
from the ballet. It is a Russian waltz piece. It is about the the emotions that are
occurring when Sleeping Beauty has been awakened and her and the prince are
dancing at the ball. This is the last number in the ballet and the slow melody conveys
the love and joy shared between the new couple as they share the dance.