MUS 142 Lecture Notes - Lecture 25: Leonard Bernstein, New York Philharmonic, Latin Dance
MUS 114: Guided Notes
Week 14: Wednesday, April 20
Topic: Chapter 63: Staged Sentiment: Bernstein and American Musical Theater
LG 57 Bernstein: West Side Story – Excerpts
>Act I: The Dance at the Gym, Mambo
>Act I: Tonight Quintet
Chapter 63: Staged Sentiment: Bernstein and American Musical Theater
Slide 1: Staged Sentiment: Bernstein and American Musical Theater
A. Jazz and American musical theater rooted in the United States
B. Influential and popular all over the world
C. Themes tend to be current, relevant, and vital
Slide 2: Musical Theater in North America - Background
A. Mid-1800’s Manhattan Street called Broadway
>Theater lined street
B. Minstrel shows giving way to vaudeville
C. Vaudeville expanded into the variety show
>musical and theatrical sketches
>linked by some loose topical theme
D. American musical theater developed from the variety show and European operetta
>More serious dramatic elements after 1940’s
>literary sources
Slide 3: The American Musical
A. Theater
>Fuses script, acting, and spoken dialogue with music, singing, and dancing- as well as scenery, costumes, and
spectacle
>Most are comedies
B. General Characteristics
>Two acts- second is shorter and “recaps” musical themes
>Simple harmonies, melodies, and structures
>Spoken dialogue
>Collaborative effort
Slide 4: Leonard Bernstein (1918-1990)
A. Bernstein dedicated his life to promoting concert music to the general public
B. Bridging serious and popular music
C. Composer, conductor, pianist, author, lecturer
>Assistant conductor of New York Philharmonic
>Later it’s musical director
D. Musical Style
>Tonal
>Irregular meters and syncopation
>Jazz and dance rhythms
>Heightened timbre effects/color combinations
Slide 5: West Side Story
A. Modern Romeo and Juliet
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Lg 57 bernstein: west side story excerpts. >act i: the dance at the gym, mambo. Topic: chapter 63: staged sentiment: bernstein and american musical theater. Chapter 63: staged sentiment: bernstein and american musical theater. Slide 1: staged sentiment: bernstein and american musical theater: jazz and american musical theater rooted in the united states, influential and popular all over the world, themes tend to be current, relevant, and vital. Slide 2: musical theater in north america - background: mid-1800"s manhattan street called broadway, minstrel shows giving way to vaudeville, vaudeville expanded into the variety show, american musical theater developed from the variety show and european operetta. >fuses script, acting, and spoken dialogue with music, singing, and dancing- as well as scenery, costumes, and spectacle. >two acts- second is shorter and recaps musical themes. Slide 4: leonard bernstein (1918-1990: bernstein dedicated his life to promoting concert music to the general public, bridging serious and popular music, composer, conductor, pianist, author, lecturer.
