Rock Me Amadeus |
by Robert Franz |
|
|
This season the BPO celebrates the 250th anniversary of the birth of Mozart…any excuse for a party! Between drinks at our “Amadeus on the Rocks” concerts I wanted to share with you a bit about his music. Who am I? I’m the new Resident Conductor of the BPO, and I am thrilled to be in Buffalo.
The truth about Mozart is that his genius is still alive and well in popular culture today. His music is timeless and universal. He’s even made it to the cell phone top 10 classical hits list. Despite this, some people say that he lived and wrote music so long ago that he is no longer relevant. Nothing could be further from the truth. If you were to compare him to your favorite pop song or sitcom writer you might be surprised at how similar they are.
Consider this...you are driving down the road singing a duet with your favorite pop star (you know who you are) when between the familiar refrain there is new material. Words you can’t remember, a tune that doesn’t stick. You wait patiently while this section is happening, tapping your fingers on the steering wheel, biting your lower lip ever so gently and pulsating your head just a bit so as not to raise suspicion amongst the other drivers. All of a sudden, the refrain returns and you are again singing in full voice. We call that “ABA form” in the business. That means an “A” section with a tune you know, something contrasting in the “B” section and then a return to the “A” section. Song writers may get crazy and give you a few more “A’s” with a “C” or a “D” section thrown in to stretch out the music. Believe it or not, Mozart’s music works basically the same way. There are more notes (not too many) between the big tunes, but the form is still the same.
Perhaps you don’t listen to pop music. That’s ok, try this. Ever watch a sitcom on TV? Did you know that those writers employ the same basic ABA form that Mozart and your chosen pop star use? Here’s how it works, using that same television metaphor. First, you are introduced to the characters and their particular “issue” for the episode (exposition in music), then you follow the characters as they grapple with the issue (development in Mozart-lingo) and finally the story is wrapped up with a nice neat resolution (recapitulation). Every first movement of a symphony by Mozart uses this exact same “plot line.” It really is that easy. The difference is that Mozart uses pure sound to create his musical forms.
If you want to hear the ABA form at work, take some Mozart out for a test drive with the BPO this season. On Saturday and Sunday (October 15 and 16) our beloved music director, JoAnn Falletta, conducts the BPO in works inspired by Mozart. You can hear Mozart being played at Kleinhans Hall on October 19 during our fun and slightly off-kilter chamber orchestra series, “Amadeus on the Rocks” with yours truly on the podium. On October 22, our mighty BPO chorus performs Mozart’s Mass in C minor and the official birthday celebration takes place around Mozart’s birthday on January 28 and 29.
|
Issue Navigation> Issue Index > v4n41: Artvoice Goes to China (10/13/05) > Rock Me Amadeus This Week's Issue • Artvoice Daily • Artvoice TV • Events Calendar • Classifieds |
Subscribe 