Musicals = theatre music? (1 Viewer)

[starbaaa]

Ok, um... I feel kinda stupid for asking this, but... ok, well, I'm doing music 1, and I just need someone to give me their opinion because I don't trust my teachers... does a song from a musical (like, one on video) count as a perfomance item for the topic 'theatre music'? Does it even matter for music 1? How far can you stretch it? (does that even make sense?) Opinions/experiences please. And what about animated movies that have lots of songs in them (like the Lion King)? Do they count as musicals, and hence theatre music? Can you do the theme song from an animated film/musical as a performance for theatre music? I'm just confusing myself here. Help me out. (In case you haven't guessed, I haven't decided on my perfomance item for the Theatre music topic, and am tossing ideas around)

 

[Happeninchick]

Hey!

Music from an animated film is known as "Music of Film and Multimedia." Music Theatre incorporates anything that has been adapted to stage. For eg: although Chicago is more commonly know as a movie, it has been and was originally adapted as an on stage musical. Therefore, it would be classed under Music Theatre. Depending on what song you were choosing from the Lion King, in order to be classed as Musical Theatre, it would have to be a piece that is actually performed within the on stage production of "The Lion King" and be performed by you the same way as in the musical. I'm not sure if every song from the movie was placed in the adaptation to the on stage musical, but it probably just needs a little research before claiming it to be MUSICAL THEATRE.

What I'm trying to say is that a "song from a moive" cannot be classed merely as Music Theatre, it must have been or is adapted to the stage as a MUSICAL. For eg: Pochahontas 'Colours of the wind' - Song from movie/film or mulitimedia (NOt a musical).

I hope that helps you out a little! Goodluck with everything!!

 

[Emma-Jayde]

What she said. *Points to Happeninchick*

If you're using a song from a musical film, check to see if it's also a stage production. Also, while you're looking at theatre music, don't just look at pieces from musicals-been-made-films. There are heaps of fantastic musicals out there that have never been made into movies.

Btw, there are a lot of songs from "The Lion King" that weren't in the stage production, so if you're using that one be careful.

 

[Happeninchick]

What she said. *Points to Happeninchick*

If you're using a song from a musical film, check to see if it's also a stage production. Also, while you're looking at theatre music, don't just look at pieces from musicals-been-made-films. There are heaps of fantastic musicals out there that have never been made into movies.

Btw, there are a lot of songs from "The Lion King" that weren't in the stage production, so if you're using that one be careful.

Definately agree with that Emma-Jayde - good point about the musicals that remain stage musicals and not delve into film. I actually love those musicals the most! True Musical Theatre!!

 

[Kwittal]

Hey there.
I agree with whats been said above but there is also one other thing to think about, your audience. The examiners watch so many people perform. If you perform a piece thats popular you will get compared to other people performing that piece. Another thing, ask at your school if they have the hsc standard packages on the computer, if they do go to music 1 then performance and there you will find performances that you can watch. Each performance has been taken from a different band, this should be of some help to you as it will show you what to aim for. In one of them there is a guy that plays the keyboard and sings a song from the lion king, its pretty hilarious, watch it - I think its band 2.
Whatever song you choose to perform remember to make it yours and original, your the star in your performance, own it and sell it.
Good luck!
Luv alwayz
Crystal xxx

 

[Zoltan]

Ask your teachers, that's what they're there for... doesn't really matter if you feel stupid asking them, cos you'll feel worse if you get it wrong.

 

[poonie]

Ok, being somewhat of a theatre buff...and doing both the theatre music and music for film as electives, here is my understanding...

If a song was written for a film then it is in film music

If it was originally written for stage then theatre.

eg. "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" although used in the stage show, was originally in the film, therefore it is film music.

"The Morning Report" was written for the stage show, and although added to the special edition version of the movie later on, is therefore theatre music.

Now here's where it gets tricky...the song "Shadowland" was actually taken from what i believe was a flute? motif in the incidental music in the movie. However in the show it was taken and made into a proper song for a vocalist. Theatre or film? My guess would be that it would technically be theatre...but I'm sure you could justify choices such as this for either topic.

If you are doing a song from a show that is both a movie and musical, the main catch is to find out (depending on what topic you want the song for)
a) which came first...stage show or movie..sometimes its not what you think.(despite what most people think, grease was not a movie first.)
b)is the song you want actually in the movie/stage version (often various songs are changed/cut etc.

it is fairly easy to find these things out.....and if you need anymore help, give us a yell.

oh and also i agree with delving further than shows that have been made into movies....there is some wonderful, yet more obscure stuff if you're willing to search!

good luck to all!

 

[chibi_teazer]

Hey dude, everyone ^^^^ up there are a million percent right. I just wanted to say that even if you were able to do a song from a disney movie unless you do something amazing to it (Disneymania style) it's not really seen as a good idea because the examiners don't see them as 'challenging' enough (even though to singers they ARE!!). But like they said ^^^ Don't be scared to ask teachers. By year 12 they are so much MORE helpful than they were in year 8,9,10 cos now they realise we're so close to bein adults GOOODLUCK!

 

[Phanatical]

It's not that the pieces are seen as challenging - it's that the performance must be of extremely high quality.

 

[chibi_teazer]

Yeah, true, but they also aren't seen as great pieces for the HSC... because you can't really 'show off' as such, unless you add to them.

 

[Emma-Jayde]

Just because the music comes from a disney cartoon (or any other cartoon) doesn't mean that it isn't hard to sing. Some of them are fairly difficult.
But you're better off doing and easier song you can do really well that a much harder one that's just ok.

 

[Phanatical]

If I am marking a performance, I would much rather see a high quality simple performance than a technically difficult but mediocre one. It's important to recognise that the performer has mastered vocal technique, so if they can hold notes without warbling, and using vocal acrobatics to cover up mistakes (yes, that's what they're for), they'll score well.

 

[JoeysBoy]

A guy that sings fairly well (in my music class) for 12/20 for his prac. True he was fooling around cuz it was a non-hsc assessble piece, but I was really surprised. The teacher read out his comments (to the class) and told us that he didn't have an open voicing, i.e. he sounded nasal (Which I totally disagree on...)

Singers and drummers seem to get the finger a lot... good thing I'm not doing either

 

[Emma-Jayde]

Does he just sing well, or does he use proper technique and support? It might sound good to a listener, but may not to someone who knows what they're listening for
People think anyone can just get up and sing, but it's not that easy. It's just like saying "Hey, anyone can just get up and bash some notes out on a piano"