Discuss the six headings for Ghost Dancers.

Sophie Tosone 10G 5th October 2001 GCSE Dance Essay Question Ghost Dances Choreographer: Christopher Bruce Music: South American folk In my essay I am going to discuss the six headings for Ghost Dancers. These include: dancers, video effects, set design, dance quality, costume and lighting effects. Ghost Dances is choreographed by Christopher Bruce. It was created in 1981 and it is about the innocent people who suffered in Chile. It gives the message across that it doesn't matter how much you knock someone down if they have the ability to get up again, they still remain with dignity. Dancers: Altogether there are eleven dancers. There are three ghosts who are male dancers, one female soloist, four "innocent" women and four "innocent" men. The innocent men are people of society their costumes show that they are in classes (first, second, third and fourth). The dancers have equality in their roles the male always lifts the female when the people of society are dancing together. In the first section when the ghosts are dancing, they dance in succession, unison and cannon. There is a lot of contact, repetition and partner work whilst the other ghost is dancing in a solo. When the people of society begin to dance the four males are dancing in unison the women are in the background also dancing in

  • Word count: 1161
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: Music
Access this essay

The club - The streetlights had just started to glow down on the bustling crowds of cars flashing by. The night was humid as I walked alongside the open fronted cafes.

Ryan Stripe 10C The club The streetlights had just started to glow down on the bustling crowds of cars flashing by. The night was humid as I walked alongside the open fronted cafes. I could taste the sweet smelling perfume on the tip of my tongue, as I walked briskly passed the warm and vibrant restaurants. I was drawing closer to my friends shore side villa. All I had to do was try to cross the raging road. There was an opening so I hastily crossed. I knocked on the door, for Steve. There was no reply. This was unusual for him because he was usually an active guy around the house. I could hear music thumping from his second floor, so I shouted out for him from below. "Hi Alan" he said, as he managed to pop his head out of the window. "What are you doing up there you got me worried. Come down and open the door! Then I don't have to shout," I said. He closed the door and rushed downstairs like lightning. "You told me to come around tonight so what are we going to?" I asked. " Well, I'm going to take you to one of my old night clubs that I used to own. Now don't whinge it will be a laugh," Steve said. "Oh great," I said enthusiastically. I was not really that type of nightlife type so I didn't know how he'd try to persuade me to go to one of his old refurbished clubs. "You'll like it Zygo's club was one of the best money makers I'd ever had it's real

  • Word count: 1245
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: Music
Access this essay

Assess Wagner's rôle as innovator in terms of influence he had over the modern school in Austria before the Great War

Assess Wagner's rôle as innovator in terms of influence he had over the modern school in Austria before the Great War I would argue that no composer is but influenced by a great composition (not necessarily musical) he comes in contact with. The influence may not be conscious, it may not be positive, and to the outsider it may not even seem relevant. Most influences will cause a composer to think along altered lines, and the stronger the alteration, the easier to detect influence. When two composers, roughly contemporary, produce comparable work, it is difficult to establish whether one influenced the other, or whether both were influenced by something else. In this case, many works have "Wagnerian" aspects, but whether they come from Wagnerian innovations is another matter. Wagner made a large contribution to music. Not only theoretically, harmonically, rhythmically, and instrumentation-wise, but to the form of dramatic symphonic works, and on a more practical level, in conducting and producing music. There are composers who tried to follow his works with similar ones - such as Felix Weingartner - but in their attempts to imitate they entirely lost sight of his goals, and have sunk into obscurity. Others, who composed in their own idiom with integrity and aspects of Wagner, are far more his heirs. Tristan is traditionally Wagner's seminal work1. Its harmony was years

  • Word count: 2242
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: Music
Access this essay

By comparing and contrasting instrumental tones, orchestral textures, harmony and structural devices in Haydn's symphony No.26 and Wagner's Prelude to Tristian, show how far approaches to composition have changed between Classical and Romantic eras.

By comparing and contrasting instrumental tones, orchestral textures, harmony and structural devices in Haydn's symphony No.26 and Wagner's Prelude to Tristian, show how far approaches to composition have changed between Classical and Romantic eras. Give detailed examples to support your observations. The first obvious difference between the instrumentation of these two pieces in that the Haydn is arranged for a small orchestra. This contrasts with the Wagner which has 10/12 violins and large sections including a bass clarinet and 3 bassoons. The sections are far more independent in the Wagner, show by the brass not being dependant on the strings. It also exploits individual colour with far more exposed parts e.g the solo cello at the beginning of the piece. The melodic work in the Wagner is often given to the Wind whereas in the Haydn the melody remains in the violins (bars 24-31) with the wind mostly either doubling the strings or having sustaining parts, though occasionally the wind does break free e.g at bar 96-99. Consequently the Haydn is of prominently homophonic texture and consists of largely two part writing at the beginning. In contrast the Wagner is largely four part work and has much contrapuntal complexity. It contains a host of compositional devices such as the imitation in the violins, bars 63-64. There is a great deal more doubling in the Wagner than the

  • Word count: 579
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: Music
Access this essay

The people of Preston have a mixed feelings on whether 24 hour drinking will help ease the city's alcohol problem.

Amelia Bailey 31/10/05 Drinking/1 The people of Preston have a mixed feelings on whether 24 hour drinking will help ease the city's alcohol problem. Most people interviewed disagree with plans to relax licensing laws to enable 24 hour drinking. Only two people gave a firm yes with one person unsure. Figures for England show that out of 1.4million crimes in the second quarter of 2005, 318,000 were alcohol related. These figures also show that of the violent crimes more than half are believed to have been drink-fuelled. This increase in drunken violence has prompted calls for the Government to halt the introduction of relaxed licensing laws which as many in Preston would argue will make matters worse. David Hemming, 21, a 3rd year psychology student said: "People will just get more drunk than before, causing more problems to society and costing the police more to contend them." He added: "Its likely to result in an increased number of people with alcohol related problems, whether psychological or physical." Amy Piggot, 27, a waitress at a Preston restaurant agreed. Originally from Holywell, North Wales, she said: "It's a bad idea. Extended drinking hours will result in less and less people making it to work on a morning so unemployment will rise. It won't be good for family structure either, parents will be given the opportunity

  • Word count: 632
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: Music
Access this essay

A Comparative Analytical Commentary of Debussys Syrinx and Prlude l'Aprs-midi d'un Faune

A Comparative Analytical Commentary of Debussy's "Syrinx" and "Prélude à l'Après-midi d'un Faune" Composed at the turn of the 19th century, the works "Syrinx" and "Prélude à l'Après-midi d'un Faune" by Claude Debussy are examples of French Romantic music where the flute is featured prominently. The works were revolutionary at the time they were written, both displaying the Romanticism of their era and also the innovatively modern harmony which would become widespread in the 20th century. This Commentary will attempt to analyse the key features of "Syrinx", the shorter of the two pieces, and comment on how it creates an effective impact on the audience. The Commentary will then compare it with the longer, orchestral, "Prélude à l'Après-midi d'un Faune" and identify the similarities and contrasts present. The way which Debussy used a common subject and program to create two very distinct and different works of music will also be examined. "Syrinx", intended originally to be titled "La Flûte de Pan", was written in 1913 as a piece of incidental music during a play for solo flute. The aim of the piece was to accompany a scene comprising the Greek God Pan, often depicted in the image of a faun or satyr in mythology. The piece begins by stating the main theme: Although the piece is in B-flat minor, it is evident that chromatic notes and semitone intervals are liberally

  • Word count: 2301
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: Music
Access this essay

Music - Monash Enhancement Semester II analysis. (Structural) - 'Danzon for Piano trio' by Paquito D'Rivera

Monash Enhancement Semester II analysis. George Harisis. (Structural) 'Danzon for Piano trio' by Paquito D'Rivera Danzon or dance is a piece for piano trio by the renowned Cuban performer and composer Paquito D'Rivera. The piece is written for piano and two separate parts which have the option of being performed by a cello, trombone or bassoon in the bass part, and a violin, clarinet or trumpet in the treble part. The piece, like D'Rivera's musical style, blends traditional Cuban dance rhythms with contemporary jazz harmonies which create a fusion of Latin/jazz styles. Danzon is a structurally simple work with its thematic material clearly identifiable within the differing sections. For the sake of this analysis, it will be assumed that the bass part is played on trombone and the treble on violin. Introduction (Section I (A)) The piece begins with a calm, repeating motif in the bass of the piano. It is in F major and for the first eight bars, it maintains a harmonic rhythm of one chord per bar, F major root and Bflat minor 2nd inversion. * At figure A, this piano part serves as an accompaniment for a lyrical trombone solo, which is then imitated by the violin. * This first section is relatively short, (12 bars), and acts as a prelude into the faster dance section. * Two bars before section B, is marked Piu Mosso and

  • Word count: 991
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: Music
Access this essay

'A Simple Man' Critical Analysis

'A Simple Man' Critical Analysis Style * A simple man contains a lot of dance drama and although this can clearly be seen by the interaction of the characters it does not provide a clear narrative * The classically trained ballet dancers coped surprisingly well with the style of the dance even though they are not used to it. They used exaggerated and swift movements to help them cope. * To motivate the dancers Christopher Gable told them to move like glove puppets that where too big for the hand operating them and to walk as they were being blown down a street. * The dance uses quite a wide variety of movements, most of them are not very human-like for example the strange walk the dancers do. Most of the movements are generally quite quick and sharp. Form * The idea for the dance originally came when the BBC asked Gillian Lynne to create a performance about Lowry's life and paintings for his centenary * Gillian Lynne tried to make the rest of the team (working on the dance) keep to her idea of what the dance and music should be like so the music and lighting was exactly what she wanted * The pictures are used in the dance by looking at the movement that seems to be going on and adapting it to show the story of Lowry's life Construction * Gillian Lynne choreographed ' A simple man' * It was premiered in 1987 * The lighting and music play a large part in setting

  • Word count: 640
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: Music
Access this essay

Too Much Punch For Judy Development Phase

Too Much Punch For Judy Development Phase The accident scene we performed was spilt into two lessons. In the first we acted out the events leading up to the crash and in the second we acted out the crash scene. My partner played the part of Jo and I played Judy. We knew from the play that both girls were over the limit but we portrayed them as two different kinds of drunks. You could tell Jo was drunk by the way she walked, talked and spoke about things in a drunken stupor. Judy on the other hand was less obvious. She was the sister in control and acted quite normally even though she was very drunk. In the first part of the scene Judy and Jo were finishing off a night drinking in the wine bar. Judy was too busy flirting with the bartender to notice what Jo was saying to her. Jealous, Jo says its time to go and drags her sister out of the bar and into the car park. Too drunk to remember where they parked the car they think up the bright idea of pressing the car alarm and following the sound. When they finally find the car they argue about who should drive. Judy then convinces Jo that she shouldn't drive by bringing up the fact that she already has 2 points on her driving licence and a driving conviction. Jo then stops arguing and throws Judy the keys, they land on the floor and Judy picks them up and they get in the car. In his scene we used a lot of space. The right side

  • Word count: 842
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: Music
Access this essay

Requiem (KV626) by W. A. Mozart (1756-91).

Requiem (KV626) by W. A. Mozart (1756-91) Robert Levin Completion When Mozart died in the early morning hours of December 5, 1791, he left his final masterpiece, the Requiem, unfinished. Less than three months later, a completed score of the Requiem was delivered to its anonymous commissioner. How was the Requiem completed and how would Mozart have completed it had he lived? These mysteries have tantalized musicians for over two centuries. Mozart received the commission to compose the Requiem from a mysterious 'Gray Messenger' in the summer of 1791. The Messenger paid half the commission in advance, but insisted on guarding his patron's anonymity. Already committed to compose an opera for the Bohemian Court, Mozart left for Prague and didn't begin work on the Requiem until his return in September. Before long he became convinced that the Messenger had come to warn him of his own mortality and that he was indeed composing the work for his own death. Concerned with this morbid fascination, his wife Constanze hid the score and forbade him to work on the Requiem for several weeks. But, shortly after resuming work in mid-November, Mozart became ill and took to his bed. He gathered a choir of friends around his bedside the afternoon of December 4th to sing the movements he had completed. He died less than twelve hours later. In dire need of money to support herself and her

  • Word count: 894
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: Music
Access this essay