About Ricky

Ricky Martin was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico on December 23rd of 1971. Before his musical career, Ricky actually did commercials, starting at the young age of 6. He was then part of a boy band called Menudo until he was 18. After graduating from high school he appeared on television while also trying to pursue a music career. Below I have included a video of Ricky Martin’s most popular hit Livin’ La Vida Loca. The song was originally released on March 23, 1999 but the video of Donkey and Puss n Boots performing the song is from the movie Shrek II. (I Just thought it would be a little fun to share an animated performance.) The song was composed by Desmond Child and Draco Rosa. La vida loca is Spanish for “the crazy life.”

Livin’ La Vida Loca

Tempo

Livin’ La Vida Loca has been a popular dance tune for almost two decades now, and this is probably mostly due to its rapid tempo. The fast paced beat makes it way too hard not to sing along and start dancing! It’s no wonder why it’s still used for commercials.

Nobody Wants to be Lonely

Above is a link to Nobody Wants to be Lonely. I feel it is one of Ricky Martin’s most under rated songs. It is a duet with Christina Aguilera that was written by Desmond Child, Victoria Shaw, and Gary Burr and released on January 9, 2001.

Dynamics

The dynamics of Nobody Wants to be Lonely are much slower than that of a lot of his other songs. While most of his music would be considered dance music, this song has a slow, romantic feel to it.

My Thoughts

Although I wouldn’t consider Ricky Martin as one of my favorite artists of all time, he is definitely admirable. He is one of the most popular Latin artists in the world. Not only has he been successful in the music world, he is also doing a lot to help those in Puerto Rico affected by Hurricane Maria last year. While some may find his hit Livin’ La Vida Loca “played out” or annoying, I still like to jump around to it with my toddler daughter every so often.

Ricky Martin and his family are pictured above.

Biography. (2018). Ricky Martin. [online] Available at: https://www.biography.com/people/ricky-martin-9542230 [Accessed 1 Dec. 2018].  bio source

Ricky Martin. (2018). Music. [online] Available at: http://www.rickymartinmusic.com/music/ [Accessed 1 Dec. 2018]. www.rickymartinmusic.com/music/

Wikipedia contributors. “Nobody Wants to Be Lonely.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 15 Nov. 2018. Web. 1 Dec. 2018. source

The song, Think of Me was originally written for The Phantom of the Opera, a musical, in 1986. It was written by Charles Hart, Andrew Lloyd Webber and Richard Stilgoe. Phantom began in London’s West End at Her Majesty’s Theatre in September of 1986. It made its way to Broadway in January of 1988. I didn’t know that the play itself was based off of a French book series by Gaston Laroux. The Phantom of the Opera is the longest running show in Broadway history and won the Tony Award for Best Musical in 1988.

Above I have included the 2004 movie version of the song Think of Me sung by Emmy Rossum, because before its release, I had never known about The Phantom of the Opera. 

Think of Me is about two childhood sweethearts. Christine is wanting to be remembered although it has been a long time since they have been together. The dynamics in this song is what makes me love this song so much. She starts off at a slow, low tempo and as the song goes on there is a noticeable crescendo. I also love how Raoul’s part blends in with Christine’s even though they aren’t singing with one another directly.

Deeper Message

I’m not sure this song has a deeper message, other than some loves are too strong to be forgotten. No matter how young you may be when they take place.

Personal Aesthetic 

This movie became a favorite for my mother and I. I hope to someday have a mother daughter date to see it live. I think this story is so loved because of its incredible soundtrack. I think it will go on to be one of the most popular plays ever. The instrumentals (especially the organ) add such a magical element to the scenes. Accompanied with the strong vocals, there’s no way you won’t be entranced by this musical.

Cited Sources

Phantomproject.pbworks.com. (2018). The Phantom Project: Reviews & Research / The Phantom of the Opera by Andrew Lloyd Webber (1986). [online] Available at: http://phantomproject.pbworks.com/w/page/16258286/The%20Phantom%20of%20the%20Opera%20by%20Andrew%20Lloyd%20Webber%20%281986%29 [Accessed 20 Nov. 2018]. Source

The Phantom of the Opera Broadway @ Majestic Theatre – Tickets and Discounts | Playbill. [online] Available at: http://www.playbill.com/production/the-phantom-of-the-opera-majestic-theatre-vault-0000007818 [Accessed 20 Nov. 2018]. source

About Julie

Although most famous for her movie roles in Mary Poppins and The Sound of Music, Julie Andrews’ career began on stage in England before moving to the U.S. in the late 1940s and becoming very successful on Broadway.  She first starred in The Boyfriend during the mid 50s, and followed that musical with lead roles in My Fair Lady and Camelot, both of which earned her Tony Award nominations. Andrews went on to star in many of her second husband’s, Blake Edwards, projects and became a multi-Oscar Award winner. She later returned to Broadway in 1996 to star in the stage production of Victor/Victoria. Sadly, in 1997 her vocal chords were damaged during a surgery, which left her lovely singing voice changed forever. Since losing her singing voice, Julie has written many books with her eldest daughter, Emma Walton Hamilton and you may have heard her in the Shrek movies as Queen Lillian and Gru’s mother in Despicable Me.

Julie Andrews was a household name for me throughout my childhood because my mother, aunt and grandmother fell in love with her in The Sound of Music, and it became tradition for us to watch the movie every year, together, around holiday season. It’s a tradition I hope to continue with my girls when they’re older. Below is a video of my favorite song from the movie, My Favorite Things.

My Favorite Things was published in 1959 for the movie The Sound of Music, composed by Richard Rodgers and lyrics written by ‎Oscar Hammerstein II.

Another song famously known for Julie Andrews’ performance of it in The Sound of Music is Do, Re, Mi. I sing this song all the time with my eldest daughter and think it is a great song to use to teach anyone scales. I just had to include it for you all to hear!

Do, Re, Mi Music Video

Do, Re, Mi was also composed by Richard Rodgers and the lyrics were written by‎ Oscar Hammerstein II.

My Opinion

Decades after her debut as a singer and actress, Julie Andrews is still known to many and will undoubtedly stay so for decades to come. Even if you are just hearing of her for the first time through this blog, I’m sure her soprano voice, uplifted your spirits as it has for me time and time again. The reason I believe Andrews has had such a successful career is because her sweet demeanor translates so easily through the screen or radio. Her angelic voice is one of my favorites, and though it saddens me that she no longer is able to sing the way she once used to, her voice will be forever treasured in the classics she has starred in.

Cited Sources

“Julie Andrews.” Biography.com, A&E Networks Television, 28 Mar. 2018, http://www.biography.com/people/julie-andrews-9184978. Julie Andrew’s Bio Source

Wikipedia contributors. “My Favorite Things (song).” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 25 Oct. 2018. Web. 10 Nov. 2018. My Favorite Things Source

I was introduced to Bachata as a young child since my father is from the Dominican Republic. Some of my fondest memories with him are of blasting this music on his days off, and him teaching me the steps to dance to it. Bachata was formed over the span of about 4 decades in the bars and brothels of Santo Domingo. It, interestingly enough, gained popularity here in the United States way before acceptance in its native land. Below is the music video for Mi Corazoncito by Aventura. It was written by Anthony “Romeo” Santos and released in April of 2007.

Originally named amargue which means “bitterness” or “blues music”, bachata actually shares a parallel with Western Blues music. Both Bachateros and Bluesmen sing mostly about pain, heartbreak and troubles. This song is about unrequited love, a man imagining he is with a woman who isn’t interested in him. Mi Corazoncito translated to English

Dynamics

Bachata songs, such as Mi Corazoncito, tend to have a very soft dynamic. The singer usually has a whispery tone to their voice which is why many describe bachata music as sensual.

Rhythm

It is very hard to assign a specific rhythm or chord pattern to Bachata music because it is an unstructured type of music. Although these things vary from song to song, some may still consider Bachata to be a 4/4 rhythm.

Most bachata groups consist of seven instruments. The Requinto which is lead guitar, the Segunda which is the rhythm guitar, electric guitar, guitar, bass guitar, bongos and the güira. (For those that aren’t familiar with the güira, it is pictured below.)

Above is the live performance of Frio, Frio. It was released in 1990 and is performed by Juan Luis Guerra. This version features Romeo Santos. Juan Luis Guerra is actually credited for making Bachata popular on a global level. He is also recognized as one of the most successful Latin musicians. Frio, Frio translated to English

My Opinion

Bachata is one of the most beautiful genres of music for me. The quiet tone of it is soothing, whether the lyrics are heartbreaking or about love. Each bachata song I’ve heard tells a story in a very imaginative way. The guitar is captivating and showcased in Bachata in a way I’ve never heard in any other genre. I wanted to share this type of music with you all because I am sure it would be enjoyed, no matter if you know the language or not. I think Bachata will continue to grow over the years, especially since it is still so young, not even 50 years old yet. I hope at least one person that reads this post will continue to listen to this genre of music.

Work Cited

Wayne, David. “History of Bachata, The Guitar Music of the Dominican Republic.” History of Bachata, The Guitar Music of the Dominican Republic | IASO Records, http://www.iasorecords.com/music/history-of-bachata-the-guitar-music-of-the-dominican-republic. History of Bachata

Wikipedia contributors. “Juan Luis Guerra.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 30 Sep. 2018. Web. 27 Oct. 2018. Juan Luis Guerra Wiki

The violin is one of the most enchanting sounding instruments, in my opinion. It is the one instrument I wish I could have learned how to play, especially since they say that it is hard to learn past childhood.

The Violin’s Beginning 

Until this assignment I didn’t know the origin of the violin was still somewhat a mystery. Some say that it could have evolved from the any of the other popular stringed instruments of the 15th and 16th centuries, such as the rebec or lira da braccio. The first record of the violin (or rather an instrument that resembles one) is actually a painting by Gaudenzio Ferrari. “Madonna of the Orange Trees”, from 1529-30. Bottom, left of centre, is an infant playing a three-stringed violin.

Transformation

From the 16th-19th centuries many tiny changes were made to the violin. I never knew that it wasn’t until the early 19th century that the chin rest was invented by Louis Spohr. Other changes that were made to the violin, like, the elongating of its neck and tilting the fingerboard a bit more made its sound higher pitched.

Below I have provided a performance of one of the first known pieces written exclusively  for the violin, which at its start was only an accompanying instrument.

The early 17th century violin sonata of Giovanni Paolo Cima, from his collection Concerti Ecclesiastici (Milano, 1610).

I had never heard this sonata before but really enjoyed the whimsical tone of it. Its skippy, light-hearted rhythm made me imagine a wedding.

The Violin Today

I’m not sure if you guys have seen the trend that has grown greatly within the last few years throughout social media, but violin covers have been very popular lately. I even follow a few violin artists on facebook now, after coming across one of their covers of a pop song.

Above is an example of  a violin cover from as recent as this year! It is from the movie musical, The Greatest Showman. I’ll include the lyrics for those who have yet to see The Greatest Showman or are like me and love singing along to it.

Lyrics

The violin is an instrument that can be so versatile. It is used to express joyfulness but can also be used in sadder scenes of movies. In my opinion, it will go on to be an instrument that is used for many more centuries.

Work Cited

Wikipedia contributors. “History of the violin.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 22 Sep. 2018. Web. 16 Oct. 2018.

The song “You’ll Be In My Heart” was originally written by Phil Collins for the Disney movie Tarzan. It is a beautiful song that I have been listening to since childhood in the 90s, even more so recently due to my three year olds obsession with the movie. No matter how many times I hear it (which has been countless) I never seem to get tired of it. I’ve included a music video from the animated movie below.

Tempo

The tempo of this song starts off very slowly as Kala tries to comfort baby Tarzan and gradually grows into a more moderate pace once Collins takes over. At no point would I describe this song fast. It is almost like a lullaby. It is actually a song I have recently started singing to my daughter at night since she loves it so much. I’m not sure whether it is the tempo or lyrics of this song that make it so catchy but it is definitely one I find stuck in my head a lot of the time.

Lyrics

“You’ll Be In My Heart” is mainly about the unconditional love between a parent and child. This could be interpreted from a father or mother’s point of view, either biological or adopted. For me, I see it in a mother’s point of view and it is a relatable song for me because the bond between my daughter and I could never be broken. The words are both nurturing and loving and depict the protectiveness of a mother so well, which makes the song so touching. I’ve never met anyone who didn’t love it. My favorite verse is,

“For one so small,
You seem so strong
My arms will hold you,
Keep you safe and warm
This bond between us
Can’t be broken
I will be here
Don’t you cry”

Chords

The chords for “You’ll Be In My Heart” are listed as beginner level. They are in the key of G. I would love to try and learn how to play this, most likely on the keyboard but I have also heard great renditions of it on the guitar.

Tone Color

The tone of this song is extremely calming. It runs smoothly from beginning to end, never getting too fast pace. I would describe it as a loving or nurturing tone. Something someone could listen to if they wanted to relax or fall asleep.

Harmonic Texture

“You’ll Be In My Heart” is homophonic since it is sung by one with the accompaniment of instruments.

Sources:

https://www.e-chords.com/chords/phil-collins/youll-be-in-my-heart

https://www.songfacts.com/facts/phil-collins/youll-be-in-my-heart

http://disney.wikia.com/wiki/You%27ll_Be_in_My_Heart

This classic was originally sung by Elton John in the 70s, and has been covered and remixed countless times since. Lady Gaga even covered Your Song as recently as earlier this year. I predict this song will prove to be timeless for decades to come, and I’m sure many of you have heard it before, maybe without even realizing it. One of my favorite versions is from the film, Moulin Rouge. I’ve provided this version below.

Lyrics

This song is so relatable, which is probably why it has stayed popular for this many years. The premise is a working class man listing ways in which he could express his love, yet ultimately choosing to write a song instead. This honest kind of love is easy for many to relate to and what most wish for in real life. Now that I am married, they resonate even more with me.

Chorus

Most songs that are easily remembered have a catchy hook. Your Song happens to have one of my favorites of all time. “And you can tell everybody this is your song
It may be quite simple, but now that it’s done I hope you don’t mind, I hope you don’t mind that I put down in words how wonderful life is while you’re in the world.” I catch myself singing it randomly, once in a blue moon. I can’t wait to find out what the chorus to some of your song choices are!

Melody

Your Song starts off very quietly, almost more like talking than singing. It smoothly transitions from this into a haunting, heartfelt anthem. There aren’t really any fasts bits in this song but the melody does grow and soften.

Sources:

Wikipedia contributors. “Your Song.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 17 Sep. 2018. Web. 25 Sep. 2018. 

Hello! I am Natasha. I am originally from Florida, and married to my high school sweetheart, Devon. He joined the Army right after graduation and spent his first year in South Korea, while I started college and got a job. I was able to visit him in South Korea for a month though, which was an unforgettable adventure. We had our first daughter, Olivia, in California, nearly 3 years ago, and I am currently 8 months pregnant with our second, Liliana. We have been in Alaska for almost two years now and it looks like we may be headed to Colorado at the end of 2019. I hope to have my associates degree completed by the time we leave here so that I can start on a bachelors in elementary education. My hobbies include painting, reading, teaching my daughter and singing.

Music has been a huge part of my life since I was a child. My mother has my earliest home videos still stashed away and in them I am usually singing and dancing. In middle school I learned how to play the keyboard and in high school I finally joined chorus. Chorus was probably my favorite thing about high school, I loved learning how to read music, control my voice and sing harmoniously with a group. Some of my closest friendships were made there. I am a big fan of R&B and Freestyle music, but also love Opera, Classical and Contemporary. Below I am going to add my favorite song from Phantom of the Opera.

Thanks for joining me!

Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter. — Izaak Walton