Drama vs Musicianship

I found this YouTube video really interesting because immediately it gives you musical ideas of long notes, and expression of the piece.  The quick change of long words to short abrupt words when she talks about how hamlet has changed from this great figure to how she sees him now. The way in which she uses her voice was a great influence for my music as the long way in which she speaks dictates the way in which you would sing. This is shown in my composition from using semi tones when the words are longer and important to changing when she becomes angry by using crotchets.

The Use of Shakespeare in Music

As part of my research for my own composition, looking into how others perceived Shakespeare in a musical context was a great insight for me. It has given me some direction and inspiration for my own piece. It allows me to question my work, and ask myself if there's a reason behind using certain musical elements, either it be influential from other composers or aspects from the modern day

Winton Dean writes, in context of already established Shakespearean operas, 'Some are very poor indeed, but the majority throw light on the tastes of their period; in this respect the librettos are often more instructive than the music.' (Dean:1966)

Therefore, this is why I decided to take Ophelia's Monologue and view it primarily as a piece of drama, when you understand the character, the plot and the character's intentions, for me the music writes itself. The use of motifs, will be essential in my composition as it creates direction for the character as well as foreshadowing the plot. Dissonance will also be used, again giving the character a sense of uneasiness and an insight of the characters immanent fate.

Hamlet

After looking into many monologues, both Shakespeare and contemporary I think I have made a choice to use a piece which I find the most interesting and exciting to write a piece of music to. Since it's from my favourite Shakespeare play, Hamlet, I believe this will give me the most inspiration to create a piece that will suit not only my voice but also my dramatic style.

The piece in which I am going to compose into an aria is Ophelia's Monologue (Act 3, scene 1, lines 159-70) ;

"O, what a noble mind is here o'erthrown!
 The courtier's, soldier's, scholar's, eye, tongue, sword,
 Th'expectancy and rose of the fair state,
 The glass of fashion, and the mould of form,
 Th'observ'd of all observers - quite, quite down!
 And I, of ladies most deject and wretched,
 That suck'd the honey of his music vows,
 Now see that noble and most sovereign reason
 Like sweet bells jangled, out of tune and harsh;
 That unmatch'd form and feature of blown youth
 Blasted with ecstasy. O, woe is me,
 T'have seen what I have seen, see what I see."

 (Shakespeare, 1996, pg 133)

Bibliography

Bettina Sheppard (N.A). netplaces [online]. Available from: <http://www.netplaces.com/singing/choral-singing/vocal-requirements.htm>. [Accessed 16/01/15].

Bernardo Kim (2010). Signore, ascolta - Leona Mitchell (Liu, Turandot). [online]. Available from: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDMEmYuDmFE>. [Accessed 16/01/15].

Darcel Wilson (2015). darcelwilson [online]. Available from: <http://darcelwilson.com/tag/singing-in-duet/>. [Accessed 16/01/15].

Heinemann Advanced Shakespeare (1996). Hamlet. Second edition 2000. ed. London: Heinemann
Shakespeare Plays.

National Theatre Discover (2012). Voice - Text Work: Vowels in Ophelia's speech in 'Hamlet'. [online]. Available from: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4yChsodYfKs>. [Accessed 16/01/15].

Olga Banis (2012-13). Dramatic Soprano: Voice Type Characteristics (6/25). 02/08/2013. Choirly [online]. [Accessed 16/01/15]. Available from: http://choirly.com/dramatic-soprano/.

Peter T Harrison (2006). The Human Nature of the Singing Voice. N.A. ed. Edinburugh: Dunedin Academic Press Ltd.

Winton Dean (1966). Shakespeare an opera, Aesthetic. In: Phyllis Hartnoll, (ed). Shakespeare in Music A Collection of Essays, London: Macmillan and Company Limited, pp89.

Alain Mayrand (2008). Getting the Score [online]. Available from:< http://gettingthescore.com/?p=78>. [Accessed 16/01/15].



Terrence Tao (Oscar Wilde, A critic in Pall Mall, p. 195) (N.A). Write in your own voice. N.A. wordpress [online]. [Accessed 16/01/15]. Available from:< https://terrytao.wordpress.com/advice-on-writing-papers/write-in-your-own-voice/>.

Signore, ascolta Turendot

This stately sounding piece is something which I will take influence from. This style of singing suits my voice the most and I want to be able to compose an aria which will be similar in vocal style.

Getting in the Creative Mind-set

 

Today marked the start of a new project, and for me its a completely different turn of what I'm 'comfortable' doing in the music industry, composition. Saying that, after identifying your style and voice realising what your good at then allows you to create a piece which is beneficial to you in every aspect and will allow to produce and perform to the best of your ability. That is why I have decided to compose an aria/operetta to which i will take influence from classical and operatic composers, which I then will perform.
After brain storming today I may use monologues from plays, particularly concentrating on Shakespeare for the lyrics to the aria, or even use a piece from a more contemporary play or piece of theatre.