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Musical Excerpts Journal #2

The Musical excerpt from Chapter 12 is Let's Do It by Cole Porter. The song has buoyant

rhythmic power and is intermittently contrasted through pointed accentuation and faster dynamic

changes making it a perfect accompaniment in terms of aesthetic appeal. The song also contains

sophisticated lyrics and is added by lower octaves at the best lyrical moments alongside

countermelodies and different idiomatic fills. The song features a series of comical and

suggestive contrasts and double extenders drawn from popular culture. According to several

arguments, the song was used to declare that sex is fun.

The music excerpt from Chapter 13 is Why I was Born from Sweet Adeline by George

and Ira Gershwin. The song is an early rendition song and is well known for combining jazz

rhythms alongside classical music. Clave rhythms, as well as ragtime rhythms, permeate this

song. The artists perfectly combined jazz and classical music. They resulted in a harmonious

union, and the work has endured as being one of the most distinctive masterpieces in the United

States. The artist's singing voice has been described by many as brassy. A contralto vocal range

was another feature in the music.

The music excerpt from chapter 14 is I Got Plenty O Nuttin from Porgy and Bess by

George and Ira Gershwin. It is one of the most famous and popular songs in opera. Different

singers and various groups have also recorded this track. Strangely, the tune of this song was

sketched even before the lyrics were made. The original orchestration of this song brought in a
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banjo. It was intended to lightly assist in sounding the vamp against the exuberant soloist's

melody. It has been established that this song's lyrics and tune are similar to the song I Got it

Rhythm by Gershwin.

The music excerpt from chapter 15 is from Bali Hai from South Pacific by Richard

Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II. In the song, Mary informs the Marines and Seabees

concerning a particular mysterious island where dreams and hopes flourish. According to

different commentators, the opening melody has a similar resemblance to that of the Bride Motif.

The two melodies in this track have a similar three-note pattern. The song also contains

evocative orchestral accompaniment. The writer used the obscure sign of the smooth island to

signify an innocent place in the song.

The music excerpt from chapter 16 is Anything You Can Do, I Can Do Better from Annie

Get Your Gun by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein. This lyrical music is a fictionalized

story of the life of Annie Oakley. Although its humor, enthusiasm, and color still hold an

irresistible ground for audiences, the song did not break or set any new records in theatrical

traditions. The show has become an unparalleled victory, and it has consolidated its position in

American musical comedy. The show also has one of the most understood tunes in popular

music and has stood popular for an extended period.

The music excerpt from chapter 17 is I Could Have Danced All Night from My Fair Lady

by Alan Jay Lerner and Fredrick Loewe. The song expresses the author's excitement after an

unplanned dance with her teacher. The dynamic of the track is loud and frequently changes at

some point. On the other hand, the harmonies applied in this song included polyphonic and

monophonic textures while its mood was sad. There is also one steady tempo in the song with

high variation use of dynamics used for expressions. The harmonies are of consonant sounds
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with very little dissonance harmonies. The rhythm is simple and balanced this is a classical

piece of music being played by low-pitched instruments of the instruments.

The musical excerpt in chapter 18 is There is No Business Like Show Business from

Annie Get Your Gun by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein. The show, a digital

celebration, marked a return to live theatre. The song had a lot of resonance at the time of its

production and even today. The song has cheerfulness and verve making it a show like never

before. This song uses a wide range of instruments from voice, strings, woodwinds, and

nonwestern string instruments. The music maintains one tempo up to the end when a tempo

variation is introduced holding the last notes longer.

The music excerpt in Chapter 19 is Shoeless Joe from Hannibal, MO Damn Yankees by

Richard Adler and Jerry Ross. The song is conjunct, making it easy and smooth to play or sing.

The mood or style of this song is comedic, carefree, and fun. Additionally, the tempo of the

music is fast and does not change frequently. The song is an orchestra accompanied by a wider

range of instruments from voice and other traditional string instruments. The singers sing with

both soprano and open tenor voices. Additionally, there is the use of both polyphonic and

homophonic textures in this track.

The music excerpt in chapter 20 is Lucky to Be a Lady from Guys and Dolls by Frank

Loesser. The song is about a gambler who hopes to win a bet so that he can save his relationship

with her dream girl. The mood of this song is comedic and fun. The song's performance uses

different dynamics, shifting gradually from one place to another. They use instruments such as

piano alongside other traditional string instruments. Tempo variation is used in the track. The

harmonies created are consonance, while the singers use both soprano and open terror voices.

The rhythms are simple, while the instruments are used to line up the players. 
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The music excerpt in chapter 21 is Wilkommen from Cabaret by John Kander and Fred

Ebb. The song is a devastating apathy critique and also cleverly talks about totalitarianism. The

melody of this song is conjunct in that it is easy to sing. The song's dynamic is composed of a

piano, while the song's harmony is consonance. The mood of the song is fun, intense, and

comedic. The instrumentation being used is solo piano while the tempo is slow, but it changes

frequently. The song's dynamic is loud, but it also changes frequently. The harmonies that were

used in this song involved polyphonic and homophonic textures, although most of the texture is

homophonic.

The music excerpt in chapter 22 is "The Ballad of Sweeney Todd" from Sweeney Todd by

Stephen Sondheim. The important theme in the song is love and revenge. Sweeny insists all that

he needs is revenge and others to suffer the way he suffered. The melody of this song is conjunct,

while the mood of his song is carefree and intense. This music genre is opera and is accompanied

by traditional string instruments alongside a piano. The tempo of the music is medium and does

not change frequently. The rhythms of this song are balanced, making it a piece of really

classical music.

The music excerpt in chapter 23 is All that Jazz from Chicago by John Kander and Fred

Ebb. The song is a satire concerning corruption in the criminal justice administration. The

melody of this song involves both conjunct and disjunct motions. The track's harmonies include

both dissonance and consonance, even though a lot of dissonances are given prominence. The

song also uses a steady tempo from the beginning, but it is slower as it progresses. The technique

used in this music is from the classical music period. The instrumentation used in this song is a

piano, even though traditional string instruments are used. Also, there is a gradual key change in

this song.
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The music excerpt in chapter 24 is Medley of Songs from Les Miserables by Claude

Michel Schonberg and Herbert Kretzmer. The song is all about revenge and love. The melodies

in this song are conjunct, while the song texture is mainly polyphonic with dissonance

harmonies. Also, there is greater use of dynamics through orchestral instruments. The singers

sing with both closed and open speech-like tones.

Additionally, the song gradually changes the key and uses chromaticism. There are no tempo

variations in the song. The lead soloist uses a baritone color to express the song's mood.

The music excerpt in chapter 25 is ‘’’ Taxi and" Bring in da Funk from Bring in da

Noise, Bring in da Funk by Ann Duquesne. The song tells the story of the history of blacks from

when they were enslaved to the present time. Projected images, videotapes along with supertitles

are presented in the musical numbers. The show is splendid while the dancing is exuberant.

Additionally, the singers sing the melodies in unison, with drums acting as instrumentation tools.

On the other hand, the actors use a wide range of dynamics where they gradually move from one

place to another. 

The music excerpt in chapter 26 is Popular from Wicked by Stephen Schwartz. The song

is concerned with one popular girl doing all she can to assist her unpopular friend. The melodies

of this song are polyphonic, while the tempo also varies from time to time. The track is classical,

concerning the daily experiences of the singer. The textures in the music are both polyphonic and

homophonic. Additionally, the singer sings with an open soprano voice. The rhythms used in the

song are also balanced, making it a classical song. The tempo of the music is also steady while

the harmonies are consonant.

The music excerpt in chapter 27 is Yorktown The World Turned Upside Down from

Hamilton by Lin Manuel Miranda. The song's main purpose is to act as a reprise in addition to a
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lyrical reference. It represents immigrants from all walks of life. The song is accompanied by

various string instruments playing in the background. On the other hand, the singers sing with

open tones while the melodies are conjunct motions. The tempo of the song is also maintained

throughout the performance. Conversely, there is a gradual change in the keys in this song, and

the song uses the classical music period.

Works Cited
“Let’s Do It” from Paris by Cole Porter
https://youtu.be/9cuArUG6sOc
“Why Was I Born” from Sweet Adeline by Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II
https://youtu.be/jfH4hSv5mrg
“I Got Plenty O’ Nuttin’” from Porgy and Bess by George and Ira Gershwin
https://youtu.be/6T_rLSebLOM
Bali Ha’i” from South Pacific by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II
https://youtu.be/1uqn7MM67sI
“Anything You Can Do, I Can Do Better” from Annie Get Your Gun by Richard Rodgers and
Oscar Hammerstein II
https://youtu.be/S7nB6jVlUh4
“I Could Have Danced All Night” from My Fair Lady by Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe
(3:51)
https://youtu.be/-Ctsd3C1hzE
“There’s No Business Like Show Business” from Annie Get Your Gun by Richard Rodgers and
Oscar Hammertsien II (2:37).
https://youtu.be/PIiQMsDQ0Uo
“Shoeless Joe from Hannibal, MO” from Damn Yankees by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross (2:09)
https://youtu.be/NAvhrpuG1gQ
“Luck Be a Lady” from Guys and Dolls by Frank Loesser (3:17)
https://youtu.be/MaidcPEDgaE
“Wilkommen” from Cabaret by John Kander and Fred Ebb (3:40)
https://youtu.be/ysf3GW-PASA
“The Ballad of Sweeney Todd” from Sweeney Todd by Stephen Sondheim (3:03)
https://youtu.be/FtM-dJZtDVA
“All that Jazz” from Chicago by John Kander and Fred Ebb (1:44)
https://youtu.be/MnQKqtWT6nM
Medley of songs from Les Misérables by Claude-Michel Schonberg and Herbert Kretzmer (2:49)
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https://youtu.be/Q3HGB3YjeqE
“Taxi” and “ Bring in ‘da Noise, Bring in ‘da Funk” from Bring in ‘da Noise, Bring in ‘da
Funk by Ann Duquesnay, Daryl
Waters, Zane Mark, Reg E. Gaines and George C. Wolfe (4:28).
https://youtu.be/IxlNOvMvLJA
“Popular” from Wicked by Stephen Schwartz (1:51)
https://youtu.be/R4rpG-dipYA
“Yorktown (The World Turned Upside Down)” from Hamilton by Lin-Manuel Miranda (4:07)
https://youtu.be/ZNnDjLHLtuo
“I’m Gonna Make You Love Me” from Ain’t Too Proud by Kenneth Gamble, Leon Huff, and
Jerry Ross (1:25)