Define Broadway Music

[wbonczek27]

Posted: 10/31/07 at 4:11pm

ok, I have a presentation for my high school composition class. I have to define broadway music and showtunes. This has to be quite in depth, and I was wondering if any of you had any input. Each group was given a different genre to "define". Some groups had rap, country, southern gospel, rock, etc... I, of course, jumped on the showtunes group! haha. Anyway, any thoughts would be appreciated.

*Weston A. Bonczek

[jake6970]

Posted: 10/31/07 at 4:44pm

Broadway has so many different types of music. Pop, golden age, soulful, rock, etc. You gotta be more specific than that!

[wbonczek27]

Posted: 11/1/07 at 7:53pm

That's the tricky part, we have to break it down into subclassifications and explain those too! haha.

[somuchtodo]

Posted: 11/2/07 at 11:40am

Music that moves a story forward.

[Pippin]

Posted: 11/2/07 at 1:06pm

exactly. anything that is written from a character's point of view, relates to his or her experiences within the context of the show, and moves the story along.

now that definition gets tricky, especially in modern times with all the jukebox musicals. for example, I would classify anything from a show, i.e sound of music, or kiss me, kate a "showtune" but now, with shows like All shook up, or Jersey boys, songs that were not meant to be showtunes can now be classified as such, because they are included in the show. They weren't originally intended as a showtune, but I guess can now be classified as such for this purpose.