Show Music

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Show Music

• Exploring Music 8
• Mr. Corey

2
Unit Outline

• Early American Shows
• Opera
• Musicals
• Who Makes a Successful Show

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Early American Shows

• Minstrel Shows popular during 1830-1920 1st
  original show in America songs, dances, skits
  
• Imitation of black men by white men
• Popularized the banjo and tambourine
• Stephen Foster (Pennsylvania, 1826-1864) famous
  song writer for minstrel shows wrote Camptown
  Races
  
• Vaudeville variety songs and dances
• George M. Cohan (Rhode Island, 1978-1942)
  Americanized musical comedy songs include
  Yankee Doodle Dandy, Its a Grand Old Flag,
  Give My Regards to Broadway

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Opera

• Definition An opera is sung throughout the
  performance, no spoken words. The libretto is
  the book that translates the opera. The overture
  is the instrumental introduction to the opera.
• Amahl and the Night Visitors Gian-Carl
  Manotti important because it is a serious opera
  sung in English
  
• Porgy and Bess George Gershwin important
  because of its jazz style and all-black cast
  
• Tommy The Who important because it was one
  of the first rock operas

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Musical

• Definition A musical usually has a lighter
  storyline than opera, spoken dialogue, dancing
  
• Oklahoma Richard Rogers (Oscar Hammerstein,
  lyricist) important because it made the plot and
  choral singing a major part of the show
  
• West Side Story Leonard Bernstein important
  because it made ballet an essential part of the
  show
  
• Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
  Andrew Lloyd Webber (Tim Rice, lyricist)
  important because it was written by two show
  music geniuses
• A Chorus Line Marvin Hamlisch (Michael
  Bennett, choreographer) important because it
  features dance

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Who Makes a Successful Show?

• Producer (responsible for finances)
• Director (supervises staging, lighting, music,
  rehearsals, etc.)
  
• Composer (writes the music)
• Choreographer (creates the dance)
• Lyricist (writes words)
• Arranger (adapts the music to the show)
• Set Designer, Stage Manager, Lighting Director,
  Music Director, Financial Backers, Costume
  Designer, Advertising, etc.

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• On To The
• Next Unit!

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Stephen Foster
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George M. Cohan
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Amahl and the Night Visitors
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Porgy and Bess
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Tommy
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Oklahoma
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West Side Story
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Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
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A Chorus Line