Pirates of Penzance

Collaborating on fourteen operas in their career, Gilbert and Sullivan are an impressive pair as they created some of the best-known musicals in history. Each musical is even more absurd than the last, and they almost seem to take pleasure in ridiculing the different characters they have created. Both were born in London in the early 1800s, and when they started writing for the theater, its popularity was at an all-time low. Their first work, Thespis, was done in 1871 and was wildly popular in London. However, their first international hit was the H.M.S Pinafore, which ran for over 500 performances in London, the second longest run in recorded history.

The comic opera The Pirates of Penzance was first performed in New York City in December of 1879. It was written by Gilbert and Sullivan, a famous musical duo from London that brought their work to the United States to undercut the American copyright laws. Since foreigners were not protected in the US, they decided to bring the premier here to avoid replications in the United States. One of the most famous songs in this musical is “Modern Major General” as it is not just entertaining, but one of the hardest songs to sing in a musical. Very fast paced with difficult words and a unique rhyming scheme, the song is a very elaborate tongue twister that supposedly dictates the knowledge of a modern major general. While Gilbert and Sullivan were not American citizens, their change within the realm of theater changed how plays were written in the US and the roles of music within the plays.

Even though this musical was written almost 140 years ago, it is still wildly popular today due to its timeless humor and its ridiculous storyline. Updated in 1980 for a more contemporary audience, the light opera is still a parody as it pokes fun of class establishments and Victorian morals. The modern version is even more lighthearted than the original as the pirates now sail across the stage on a mini-ship with cardboard waves. However, the overall meaning remains the same- it still has humor, some dialogue to keep the story going, and a ridiculously happy ending where the boy gets the girl. It is often used to represent this light opera period due to its ability to connect with the audience.

Another reason that this musical has endured is that it pokes fun at normally serious or professional roles, such as police officers and generals in the army. The police are a cowardly group of men who hide at the smallest hint of danger while the general himself lies to the pirates about being an orphan. Making fun of those in charge has always been a productive pastime. The ceaseless energy of the opera from start to finish also draws people in as their energy adds to the story’s appeal.

This play has always been one of my favorites, and the song “Modern Major General” has always fascinated me with its crazy rhymes and fast-pace style. I choose to do a parody of this song because I wanted to try to match the rhyming scheme that Gilbert and Sullivan had created. However, such a thing is not possible- while my piece is funny and light, it cannot even compare with the original version. Their lyrics are a work of genius. Further, the original general in the premier of the opera must have possessed the lungs of an elephant to go through the song as quickly as they wanted. Overall, their work cannot be matched unless another genius comes along and creates something extraordinary. The work put into the song though, was fun as I created a sort of storyline to go along with the piece instead of weaving nonsensical rhymes together.

The Greatness of Gatsby

Written about the American Dream, “The Great Gatsby” is perhaps one of the greatest satires in American history. It speaks of this “self-made man” that grows from poverty to extreme wealth, but the journey is one of falsehood and deceit. Gatsby is not the man he claims to be- he is covered in lies and his whole life is a sham- the point of his life was to get the woman of his dreams, but once he fulfilled his dream, he had nothing to live for.

I remember the scene where Gatsby would stand on the cliff, looking over the water to a tiny green light on the other side. That green light was his fixation- the entirety of his life was to prove of his worth to Daisy, but what happens when that does happen? When she’s looking through all of his silken shirts, bought from Europe and shipped to the United States, she weeps openly and says she has never seen anything more beautiful. This is how wrapped up in themselves this society had become. Like the great parties Gatsby threw for the sake of society- the people did not know him. They started rumors, looked down upon their host all while drinking his champagne and eating his oranges.

This is one of the main hypocrisies created by the 1920s and 1930s. The word "great" is meant to signify something grand and powerful- Fitzgerald uses it in his work to show the chicken wires under the supposed "great" society of high society. Gatsby is "great," but only to the extent of what money can buy. Greatness is not something that can be bought- it must be earned. Throwing money towards the swine will not make them respect whoever is throwing it. Image is hard to build, but easy to break, and how does Gatsby keep it from breaking? By never being close to people, but when he begins to get closer to Daisy, his already hurting image falters into an abyss of decay and distrust.

However, Gatsby does draw some sympathy from readers, particularly after he dies and not even the "love of his life" comes to see her beloved buried. Once again, image rules as she quietly goes back to Tom, a man she married to get over her grief and for the image his money would allow them to have. In the end, Gatsby is cast as the victim, but he is only the victim of his own lies. Love is meant to prevail over all else, but sometimes the mind overrules the heart, and once the heart gains control, life goes spiraling out of control. Striving for the prize was more rewarding than the actual prize, and this is the tragedy of the "oh-so-great Gatsby"- that he was not allowed to fully love what money could not buy him.

A very cheesy "The Great Gatsby" trailer, but it does a great (ha) job of capturing the essence of the novel.

NPR 100 Songs

Good Vibrations

One of the greatest songs performed by the Beach Boys, “Good Vibrations” unmistakably captures the essence of the 1960s. Listening to the excerpts of the songs in the different stages of development is remarkable as the song grew and developed over a period of months. Brian Wilson worked on the project endlessly, and his dedication towards finding the right sound shows his love and insanity for perfection. He did not just work on the project though, but obsessed over it, and the obsession certainly shows in the product.

An interesting observation about this hit tune is that it is not the Beach Boys creation; it is wholly Wilsons. He knew every note, every little bit of music, and he revolutionized how songs could be made as he recorded and used three different studios for the song. Most artists are content to stay within their realm of comfort and familiar instruments- Wilson added an organ, a cello, a harmonica, and even created an instrument called an electro-theremin that mimicked the human voice. The harmony of sound that he created from instruments created a new-age version of pop, and from this sound, he created his last hit single. Every part of this song was revolutionary, and the only contribution the Beach Boys made to the song was their name and their voices. Before the NPR broadcast, I did not know the extent of the effort put into the music in one of my favorite songs.

The lyrics from the song added to the immensity of the project as Wilson refused to write about the material things of the world. Instead, he decided to personalize the song and make it about the “good vibrations” between two people. This song was his passion, and when he finalized the project, the result was astounding. He created a masterpiece over, and by listening to the story of its creation, the genius of the project makes it unforgettable.

“Rock Around the Clock”

Billy Haley’s success was not centered on instant stardom or luck- his fortune was based off patience and persistence. One of the earliest rock ‘n roll bands, Haley brought more into the music industry than history dictates and more than I had ever realized. The famous guitar solo, overused and drawn out by so many bands today, was first done in his music, and the cacophonous rhythm and the uproarious sound of rock ‘n roll started in his band and continued onward. However, what is amazing about Bill Haley is not the creation of his music, but the way he brought his music into existence.

In the face of opposition, most people are content with folding their losses and moving onward, but what is most admirable about Haley is that when he faced obstacles, he found ways around them. When Jim Meyers refused to let Haley record in the studio, Haley did not consider that the end of the song- he continued by finding other studios. When he recorded it and the song completely and utterly failed, he kept on playing it for the public, tweaking it every performance until people loved it. This song was a work in progress, and it took hard work to make it known. Until NPR told this story, it was completely unknown to me how much he persisted to work on this single. Not only did he persist with the public, but with different companies to record it.

While some fortune comes with persistence, a small part of it is luck as well, which is expected. When the show “Blackboard Jungle” decided to use his music for their theme song, it really was the turning point in his career. If he had not gotten that publicity, the song would have still been successful, but not to the same propensity seen today. Even the technology behind putting the song together was a work of genius-due to working under time constraints, the studio pieced together the song and allowed it to air only after one recording. Bill Haley’s music song was not a first-time success, but dedication allowed his song to reach the top of the charts and let his band be known as the originator of rock ‘n roll.

“White Christmas”

Originally written by Irving Berlin, “White Christmas” is a classic that brings back memories of home, loved ones, and better days. Although the song is about Christmas, I was shocked when I realized it is also completely secular, which now seems logical, as Berlin was a Jewish immigrant. The song makes no mention of Christ, but for me, this does not detract from the value or love that emanates from the song. However, what makes this song great is that it is about the Christmas spirit- the feelings of home, of being surrounded by loved ones, and of feeling secure and loved. While the time and place of the song’s composition is unknown, this little fact only adds to the timelessness of Berlin’s piece.

The melancholy tone of the song is far more understandable as the broadcast talked about the death of Berlin’s son on Christmas Day. Now the phrase “I’m dreaming of a white Christmas/Just like the ones I use to know” has new meaning and another level of understanding because he wrote this song for his son. As I listen to the song repeatedly, I can almost see how it could be written as a reminder of a life that was taken too early for a father. I had always believed that it was a song written for soldiers wishing to see their families again, but now I can see its original purpose is to remember things that have past and to hope for things to get better.

Unbeknownst to me, the original version of this song has outsold all other versions, and it eventually became the song of soldiers oversees. Considering how many people have made different versions to this song, I was surprised that the original had outsold them all. It was also interesting to note how the soldiers in Vietnam used the song as a signal for evacuation and as a reminder for what they missed about home. While the National Public Radio did not mention the movie based off “White Christmas,” the facts given by the broadcast cast the movie in a more accurate historical light as it showed the evolving nature of the song. The song slowly shifted from a small, personal audience to a wide range of people who wanted their lives back and who wanted to be free of war. Overall, this song evolved to touch the hearts of many who dream of having a “White Christmas” at home once again.