1. Score and Libretto Analysis and Structure
Musical Analysis

2. Compare and Contrast Magnitude
Aida: Ritorna vincitor – Return a conqueror, Verdi
Aida: The Past is Another Land, John
Magnitude

3. Listening for Clues
A heightened expression of a character’s experience
Songs in musicals depend on the story and characters that surround them for specific meaning.
As we listen to the music a character sings with and speaks over, we’re given a lot of information about that character… their mood, emotional changes they go through, etc.
Even though it is not the linguistic information you find in the libretto and lyrics, it is still specific to the character and provides you with character building information.

4. Learn to Listen
Develop skills to consciously notice and use musical information that the audience will take in unconsciously
Listen to the different aspects of the music
Identify how the aspects express the emotional experience of your character over the course of a song

5. The Music Never Lies
The accompaniment and underscoring for a song or musical scene are always telling the truth about a character’s feelings.
In musical theatre we have the added textual layer of music to tell us what is going on under the surface of the scene.
Subtext is often explicitly delivered through music.
When words are repeated exactly, the music can amplify, diminish or change their emotional impact and meaning.

6. Kinds of Musical Information
Melody
Accompaniment
Underscoring

7. Vocabulary Tempo Rhythm Key Time signature or meter Bar or measure
Etc…

8. Homework
Find and download a recording of a piano/instrumental version of both of your songs
Find and download a recording of the karaoke version of both of your songs
Find and download, or record, JUST the MELODY of both of your songs