Comments on: Anything Goes, Cole Porter (And The Musical Theatre Sound In General) http://www.thelisteningblog.com/2009/06/anything-goes-cole-porter-and-the-musical-theatre-sound-in-general/ “Listen all the time, and remind yourself when you’re not listening, or else the mike and the tape recorder will get the best of you.” – Pauline Oliveros Fri, 18 Jun 2010 02:15:03 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Rachel http://www.thelisteningblog.com/2009/06/anything-goes-cole-porter-and-the-musical-theatre-sound-in-general/comment-page-1/#comment-12424 Rachel Thu, 02 Jul 2009 03:32:40 +0000 http://www.thelisteningblog.com/?p=248#comment-12424 First of all, I love the new layout! Okay, now to the post response: I've never seen Anything Goes, and have only heard select songs at various musical theatre senior performances at school. But I like what I've heard. First of all, I love the new layout!

Okay, now to the post response: I’ve never seen Anything Goes, and have only heard select songs at various musical theatre senior performances at school. But I like what I’ve heard.

]]> By: ajharbison http://www.thelisteningblog.com/2009/06/anything-goes-cole-porter-and-the-musical-theatre-sound-in-general/comment-page-1/#comment-11632 ajharbison Mon, 29 Jun 2009 22:11:29 +0000 http://www.thelisteningblog.com/?p=248#comment-11632 Mark: Excellent comments! The two types of songs idea is true, I think, in any kind of musical drama--that distinction exists in opera as well (exposition is done in recitatives and emotions are expressed in arias). And your point about "danceability" is also a great one. Good thinkin'! AJ Harbison Mark: Excellent comments! The two types of songs idea is true, I think, in any kind of musical drama–that distinction exists in opera as well (exposition is done in recitatives and emotions are expressed in arias). And your point about “danceability” is also a great one. Good thinkin’!

AJ Harbison

]]> By: Mark Harbison http://www.thelisteningblog.com/2009/06/anything-goes-cole-porter-and-the-musical-theatre-sound-in-general/comment-page-1/#comment-11361 Mark Harbison Mon, 29 Jun 2009 00:26:45 +0000 http://www.thelisteningblog.com/?p=248#comment-11361 I feel like the style of singing in musicals contributes a lot to a general "musical theater" sound. in my experience, it tends to fall somewhat in between classical and pop—most theater singers have some classical training (a lot, if they're in a show good enough to have a soundtrack made), but their singing is a lot less rigidly controlled by the rules and there's always some belting and stylizing thrown in. Also, and I'm not sure how to describe what this sounds like, I feel like the purpose of music in theater determines the sound. Music in musicals is almost always doing one of two things: expressing emotions of characters (usually internal struggles or some such thing), or expositing the plot. Naturally, this leads to essentially two types of songs, although there's obviously a lot of variety within those two types. But anyway, the songs also have to entertain the audience (especially the expositional ones), and so they also often have to have the additional requirement of being danceable. I couldn't describe what "danceable" sounds like, but there's some songs you can do choreography to and some that you really just can't. Most musical theater songs have to fall into the first category. I feel like the style of singing in musicals contributes a lot to a general “musical theater” sound. in my experience, it tends to fall somewhat in between classical and pop—most theater singers have some classical training (a lot, if they’re in a show good enough to have a soundtrack made), but their singing is a lot less rigidly controlled by the rules and there’s always some belting and stylizing thrown in.

Also, and I’m not sure how to describe what this sounds like, I feel like the purpose of music in theater determines the sound. Music in musicals is almost always doing one of two things: expressing emotions of characters (usually internal struggles or some such thing), or expositing the plot. Naturally, this leads to essentially two types of songs, although there’s obviously a lot of variety within those two types.

But anyway, the songs also have to entertain the audience (especially the expositional ones), and so they also often have to have the additional requirement of being danceable. I couldn’t describe what “danceable” sounds like, but there’s some songs you can do choreography to and some that you really just can’t. Most musical theater songs have to fall into the first category.

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