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Janine ElyaThe Evolution of Music from Broadway Shows

History:

The first Broadway show was called The Black Crook and was performed on September 12 th, 1866The show was created by William Wheatley at the end of the Civil War to save his businessa smalltheater in New YorkIt was the first show to combine the elements of dance, music, and actingThe earlier musicals were usually comedies and were a way for people to get away from it all during thehard times

Musics role in shows:

To heighten emotionTo reinforce dramatic actionTo evoke atmosphere and mood in ways that words alone cannotTo develop characters and advance the storyline

The Musical Reprise:

Reprise: any repetition of an earlier song or theme, usually with changed lyrics to reflect the development of

the story.

Often times the songs that are sung by the same character or regarding the same narrative motifhave

similar tunes and lyrics, or incorporate similar tunes and lyrics

Examples: Im not that girl from Wicked; Look at me, Im Sandra Dee from Grease

The Orchestra Pit:

Most pit orchestras consist of anywhere from 3 to 24 musiciansNewer shows tend to require less instruments due to the use of synthesizersMany musicians in pit orchestras play multiple instruments, as not all instruments are used in each musicalnumberInstruments commonly used in musicals:

Keyboard & Piano Flute Trombone Trumpet Clarinet Guitar Bass

Cello Violin Viola French horn Saxophones Drums Percussion

A Musical Timeline

The Roaring Twenties:

Composers for musicals tended to ignore plot in favor of emphasizing star actors and actresses,big dance routines, and popular songsLight-hearted songs (in major keys) with little meaning and that did not help the storyline;awkward transitions between songs and dialogue scenesShows from this time included Funny Faceand No, No, NanetteShowboatwas the musical that started the progression away from frivolous plotlines and flashy,shallow musical numbers; it had music with depth, and dealt with serious social issues

The Great Depression:

Musicals returned to being light, escapist entertainment until the premiere ofOklahoma!In1943

http://www.answers.com/topic/themehttp://www.answers.com/topic/motif-narrativehttp://www.answers.com/topic/motif-narrativehttp://www.answers.com/topic/theme

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One of the most successful shows during this time wasAnything Goesby Cole Porter (1934)The start of political satires such as Of thee I sing

The Golden Age (1940s-1960s):

The peak for musical-writing duo Rodgers and Hammerstein; some of their works include The

Sound of Music, Cinderella, South Pacific, and The King and IMusical numbers began to move plotlines along, create emotional tones, develop characters, anddeal with serious issuesWest Side Storyat first criticized by many regular theatre-goers for its darker side; composed byLeonard Bernstein who used warped but beautiful melodies(for example, Maria, a song with amelody based on tritones)Stephen Sondheim: darker, more complex musical numbers and lyrical sophistication; composerforA Funny Thing Happened on the Way to theForum and later, Sweeney ToddJerry Herman: many of his pieces have become popular standards, such as We Need a LittleChristmas and the Best of TimesFiddler on the Roofand Cabaretmarked end of the Golden Age

The Rock Musical:

Storylines are told through rock music instead of classical style of show tunesHairstarted the rock musical movementMany musicals with African-American influences came on Broadway in the 1970s: The Wiz,Raisin, and Dream GirlsChicagoreturned back to musical theater roots, telling the story through the style of VaudevilleFamous rock musicals include Rent, Jesus Christ Superstar, Footloose, and GreaseSocial issues a dominant theme in most if not all rock musicals; these issues were expressed inthe musical numbers by both the thoughtful lyrics and emotional tones

The 80s and 90s (big budget musicals):

Dark, grim realities in these shows; most songs in minor keys

Phantom of the OperaAndrew Lloyd Webber; Les Miserables- Claude-Michel Schnberg;MissSaigon- Claude-Michel Schnberg and Alain BoublilThese musicals involve extraordinary special effects, dramatic stories, and complex, intensemusical scores

Juke Box Musicals:

Musicals that are based off of an album by a musical group; for example, Mamma Miacompiledthe songs of Abba, andAmerican Idiotturned Green Days punk rock album into a Broadway hit

The 2000s:

Many of todays shows are rock musicals

New shows without specific genres have emerged, such as WickedandAvenue QSocial issues still a dominant theme in the newer shows

Other Fantastic Composers:

Jonathon LarsonStephen SchwartzThe Gershwin Brothers

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claude-Michel_Sch%C3%B6nberghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claude-Michel_Sch%C3%B6nberghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alain_Boublilhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alain_Boublilhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claude-Michel_Sch%C3%B6nberghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claude-Michel_Sch%C3%B6nberg

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Sources:

http://larryavisbrown.homestead.com/files/theater_topics/Musical_Theater.htmhttp://www.ehow.com/about_6573046_broadway-musical-theatre-history.htmlhttp://www.americana-music-and-memories.com/history-of-broadway-musicals.htmlhttp://www.pbs.org/wnet/broadway/stars/composers.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Black_Crookhttp://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_instruments_are_typically_in_a_pit_orchestrahttp://www.answers.com/topic/reprisehttp://www.pbs.org/wnet/broadway/resources.htmlhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Musical_theater#Development_of_musical_comedy

Discography:

La Vie Boheme Jonathon LarsonMaria Andrew Lloyd WebberIm not that Girl Stephen SchwartzIm not that Girl (Reprise) Stephen SchwartzAnything Goes Cole Porter

http://larryavisbrown.homestead.com/files/theater_topics/Musical_Theater.htmhttp://larryavisbrown.homestead.com/files/theater_topics/Musical_Theater.htmhttp://www.ehow.com/about_6573046_broadway-musical-theatre-history.htmlhttp://www.ehow.com/about_6573046_broadway-musical-theatre-history.htmlhttp://www.americana-music-and-memories.com/history-of-broadway-musicals.htmlhttp://www.americana-music-and-memories.com/history-of-broadway-musicals.htmlhttp://www.pbs.org/wnet/broadway/stars/composers.htmlhttp://www.pbs.org/wnet/broadway/stars/composers.htmlhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Black_Crookhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Black_Crookhttp://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_instruments_are_typically_in_a_pit_orchestrahttp://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_instruments_are_typically_in_a_pit_orchestrahttp://www.answers.com/topic/reprisehttp://www.answers.com/topic/reprisehttp://www.pbs.org/wnet/broadway/resources.htmlhttp://www.pbs.org/wnet/broadway/resources.htmlhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Musical_theater#Development_of_musical_comedyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Musical_theater#Development_of_musical_comedyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Musical_theater#Development_of_musical_comedyhttp://www.pbs.org/wnet/broadway/resources.htmlhttp://www.answers.com/topic/reprisehttp://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_instruments_are_typically_in_a_pit_orchestrahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Black_Crookhttp://www.pbs.org/wnet/broadway/stars/composers.htmlhttp://www.americana-music-and-memories.com/history-of-broadway-musicals.htmlhttp://www.ehow.com/about_6573046_broadway-musical-theatre-history.htmlhttp://larryavisbrown.homestead.com/files/theater_topics/Musical_Theater.htm