Crossover what?
Humans love to categorize things. It’s not a bad thing – it helps us predict what will happen when we come across something new. For example, if I come across a new life form, and it looks like a plant, smells like a plant, and acts like a plant, I might assume it’s a plant, and therefore, it probably won’t jump up and eat me. On the other hand, if I meet a new life form that looks like a tiger, smells like a tiger, and acts like a tiger, it’s probably too late to run, because that tigeresque creature has already thought that I look like food, smell like food, and act like food.
The problem with this is miscategorization. What if the plant is actually that man-eating thing from “Little Shop of Horrors“? (what a bizarre idea for a musical …) By miscategorizing it, I’m no better off than I was with the tigeresque creature. (this is starting to get a little surreal …)
So how does this affect music? You probably know Leonard Bernstein from his “West Side Story“. You might also know he was the longtime conductor of the New York Philharmonic, one of the top orchestras in the world. People today are still arguing whether his pieces are “Musical Theater” or “Opera”, “Classical” or “Pops”, “new musical territory” or “borrowed from other musical genres”. So then they start calling this music “Crossover“.
Oy vey.
His Broadway Show, no, Opera, no, piece “Candide” is based on the story by Voltaire. The overture, below, has clear, singable melodies (like musical theater) and complex rhythm, harmony, and masterful orchestration (like opera.) And, no matter what it looks, smells, or acts like, it won’t eat you.
Have loved Candice for a long time. Crossover? Don’t care, got a fun horn part!
Agreed re horns. Stirring!
GOOD MUSIC indeed! Cool transition from yesterday’s featured cut L’Orfeo. Vigorous opening section (like L’Orfeo) with lots of timpani to match L’Orfeo’s magnificently long-haired and bearded percussionist in the balcony – followed at 1:15 with a lush section similar to L’Orfeo at 1:35. And yes talk about “complex rhythm, harmony, and masterful orchestration,” especially the play of the high woodwinds dwindling to nothing as a segue to the lush section.
Always one of my favorites! I like the juxtaposition with Seymour. Never thought of that before!
Anna, exposing my ignorance to satisfy my curiosity I’ll confess I don’t get “juxtaposition with Seymour.”
Ok, now I realize Seymour is a character in “Horrors.” Only just now clicked on link to the movie clip.
Does anyone remember Jack Nicholson in this film ?
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