Musical Meaning Blog - Maddie Anderson
This piece relates to the module, Music and Drama, because of the overall influence it has had in the music world and industry. As one of Mozart's most popular pieces, it has been featured in several films and heard by millions. This light, upbeat, and pleasant piece helps bring to life various movies and productions over the years and is widely known as one of the most popular classical pieces ever.
This piece holds a lot of meaning and significance in society as a whole, as well as in my own life. I consider this piece by Mozart to be the poster song of classical music. As someone who does not generally listen to classical music, I still have learned to appreciate this song, despite the genre. I find that this piece, along with others by Mozart, exhibit very relaxing qualities. I always enjoy listening to this piece while striving to focus on an assignment or to simply unwind after a long day. Mozart created A Little Night Music in 1987, while in Vienna working on an Opera. The title of this piece further connects to its purpose as a lighthearted and shorter piece of music, rather than a lengthy and large orchestra piece.
There are four parts, or movements, in this piece, which each have their own features. The four movements in this piece are Allegro, Romanza, Allegretto, and another Allegro in sonata-rondo form. The first movement is very joyous, lighthearted, and upbeat. Then, the piece moves into the second movement, where it exhibits a slower tempo and pace. Followed by the third movement, which once again very light hearted. Then finally the last movement follows a fast tempo and acts very much so as the finale. In my opinion, the way that each movement differs from the other is what helps make it such an iconic piece.
Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy, Tchaikovsky
This piece relates to the module, Music and Drama, because it is such an iconic piece in the world of theatre and ballet. Whether you love ballet or not, everyone has heard this classic piece from The Nutcracker. It is a staple piece of music in The Nutcracker and a classic song that complements choreography like no other.
The Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy represents several things in The Nutcracker. This piece, as well as the character of the Sugar Plum Fairy in the ballet, symbolize childhood dreams, adventures, and hope. The choreographer of the ballet dance pictured the song to have "water drop" noises, which resulted in Tchaikovsky picking out a celesta as his main instrument in The Dane of the Sugar Plum Fairy. A celesta is an instrument that creates a bell-like sound, and is what produces the main melody in this piece. Furthermore, this piece also holds a lot of memory and meaning in my own life, as someone who used to be a ballet dancer and loves The Nutcracker. When I was little, this was always my favorite part of the Ballet because everything fit so well together; the music, the choreography, and the overall mood and feeling in the theatre.
The meaning of this piece is linked to the sound because The Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy gives off a very dreamy and elegant feeling to it, which relates to what is occurring in the ballet as this piece plays. The sound that the celesta gives off throughout the entirety of The Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy, is very delicate and graceful, similar to how the ballet dancer moves to the song during the show. The Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy is considered both homophonic and polyphonic, and the main melody, produced by the celesta, repeats throughout the entire piece.
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