[Dixielandjazz] Re: Tunes with identical chord progressions.

[John McClernan]

Dan,
We have done that, but the school children understand the point even  
better if you sing the tunes separately, then layered on top of each  
other (the singing, not the children), while the band is tacet.

Ooo, Sandler and Young, there's a blast from the past. Standard joke  
when I was in college:
"What's the definition of a minor second? Sandler and Young singing  
unison."
Cheerio,
John


On Feb 23, 2006, at 9:03 PM, Dan Augustine wrote:

>     It strikes me (oof!) that playing multiple tunes with the same  
> chord-progression might be a good way to introduce students (and  
> even older audiences) into how to listen to dixieland, and indeed  
> to any kind of counterpoint.
>     A number of years ago i mentioned the singing-team of Sandler  
> and Young, who sometimes used to sing two different tunes at the  
> same time, and sometimes in different languages. Yeah, it could be  
> a corny bit, but being aware of two or more melodic ideas occurring  
> simultaneously is the essence of polyphony.
>     At a school concert you could start off with the trombone  
> playing a song by himself that the students know, then have the  
> trumpet play a different song (but with the same chord- 
> progression), and then have them play both songs at the same time.
>     We all have to learn how to listen, and learn how to listen to  
> music (and different kinds of music).  Once you add the  
> intellectual appreciation of trying to figure out how two different  
> songs can be played at the same time without dissonance (some key  
> words there), one's enjoyment is increased.
>     Once the audience "gets it" that this is not a trick, but is  
> the way a lot of music is written and performed, then do the same  
> thing with a standard dixieland song, but have the audience listen  
> just to what the trombone or clarinet is playing, apart from the  
> melody the trumpet is playing.
>     And for a real treat, of course, you could have the tuba take  
> the melody and the other instruments play a different one.
>
>     Dan