MUS 

100 Introduction to Music

MUS 100
Introduction to Music
Whitehall Classroom Building Room 331
Yingchao Han (韩应潮)

What is Musical?
• Musical theater (musical) is a form of
theatrical performance that combines
different elements: vocal and instrumental
music, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance.

What is Musical?
• The difference between a musical and an
opera is hard to define. Dialogue is usually
more important in musical, and the music of
a musical is usually more popular-oriented.
• Musicals may be presented in different
venues: large or small theaters, or even other
spaces (especially schools).

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MUS 100 Introduction to Music

The Origin of Musical

• The musical developed from a number of
sources.
• Operetta is a genre that shares many
similarities with musical.
• The various 19th-century shows, including
minstrelsy, vaudeville, and French revue
were also sources of musical.
• In the early 20th century, these types of
lighthearted shows produced in New York
started to become more story-driven.

“Ol’ Man River” from

Showboat
• Showboat is considered the first modern
musical. It was written in 1927 by Jerome
Kern (music) and Oscar Hammerstein
(libretto).
• In comparison to the earlier musical shows,
Showboat is more serious. The plot is more
dramatic, and features social problems like
racial prejudice.
• The music is influenced by opera. Leitmotif
is used.

“Ol’ Man River” from

Showboat
• This song is sung by an African-American
dockworker in the show.
• It is written for a bass voice, which reflects
the emotional value of the song. The
accompaniment is orchestral.
• The form is AABA.

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“People Will Say We’re in

Love” from Oklahoma
• This 1943 musical is an example of book
musical, in which the songs and dance were
incorporated into the story like an opera.
• This song is a love duet. It has a flirtatious
quality, and is accompanied by an orchestra.
• The form is verse and chorus. It is related to
strophic form, but with more different
melodic sections. The verse and chorus
sections are both repeated, and usually the
chorus is more songlike than the verse.

“Tonight” from West Side Story

• The groundbreaking musical West Side Story
was composed by the great American
conductor and composer Leonard Bernstein
in 1957.
• West Side Story has a serious plot that is a
modern-New-York-gang version of Romeo and
Juliet. The music is more varied than the
contemporary musicals.
• In the song “Tonight”, the composer creates
a gang scene as a climax. Many characters
appear. The orchestra is more active here.

“Don’t Cry for Me Argentina”

from Evita
• This musical was composed by Andrew Lloyd
Webber, who is a highly influential musical
composer and has written works in various
styles.
• Evita is special among musicals as it has no
spoken dialogue, and the style is very opera-
like.

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MUS 100 Introduction to Music

“Don’t Cry for Me Argentina”

from Evita
• The style of “Don’t Cry for Me Argentina” is
close to an opera aria. The accompaniment
includes a chorus.
• The Argentina tango is featured in the
chorus section, reflecting the setting of the
musical.

“You Can’t Stop the Beat”

from Hairspray

• This is a typical musical of the 21st century

which features a style closely related to
popular music.
• The musical is set in Baltimore in the 1960s,
and the topic is a TV dance show.

“You Can’t Stop the Beat”

from Hairspray
• There are many singers in this song. They
are accompanied by a rock band and a small
orchestra.
• Although the song deals with serious themes,
it is still very upbeat.