Essay Example on London Symphony Orchestra & Guildhall Musicians Wow at Dvorak Slavonic Dance Concert

I watched the Dvorak Slavonic Dances symphony concert, which was performed by the London Symphony Orchestra and musicians from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama at Trafalgar Square, London on 30 June 2019 as part of the BMW Classic concert initiative. The group performed five of the 16 orchestral Slavonic Dances originally performed by Antonin Dvorak in 1878 and 1886. The open-air venue, Trafalgar Square, which is one of London's most iconic features, was conducive for the performance since it was large to accommodate all performers.

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The performance was a formal concert. In this case, the conductor, Sir Simon Rattle came on stage bowed, led the play, bowed and left the stage. The conductor also created a rapport with the audience by engaging them in a conversation about the type of music the group plays on such occasions. He also introduced the music the orchestra would play at length by describing and praising the original composer, Dvorak ("London Symphony Orchestra"). The performers looked happy and dressed in decent and formal black and white attire. They also utilized microphones and speakers to amplify the sound from their instruments.

My favorite piece of music in the entire performance was the "Odzemek" written by Antonio Dvorak in 1886. The Slavic folk music is one of the 16 Slavonic Dances composed by the author when he was relatively unrecognized in the nineteenth century. The composers utilized B major while performing the song. Instruments used included violins, flutes, trumpets, trombones, horns, bass drum, and violas. The piece was appealing due to the pride and boldness feeling created by the B major key throughout the performance ("London Symphony Orchestra"). The performance of the song was exciting since the combination of drums and violin created a happy mood associated with the song, which is a traditional Slovakian dance sung by men. Jazz elements such as syncopation made the piece interesting by creating strong beats that kept me excited.

The second exciting piece was the "Starodvany" or "Ancient" originally performed by Antonin Dvorak. The song is an orchestral piece that elicited a somber feeling. The song was appealing due to its slow and calm sounds ("London Symphony Orchestra"). The use of an E minor key allowed the performers to create a sombre feeling. While listening to it, I felt nostalgic about memories, which was caused by the yearning feeling developed by the music.

The concert created a good impression since it was interesting and lively. The performers were well prepared for the task since I did not notice any musical train wrecks or memory slips. Surprisingly, unlike other symphony orchestra concerts that are generally calm, this performance was lively, and the audience moved freely. The open-air venue was conducive for the public, movement, and allowed passersby to enjoy the concert. I would recommend the concert video for my friends.

Disney's Aladdin - A Musical Spectacular

Disney's Aladdin: A Musical Spectacular is a Broadway musical based on Disney's show Aladdin. The musical was directed by Casey Nicholaw and composed by Alan Menken. The show was performed in the Hyperion Theatre at Disney California Adventure. The venue of the musical was conducive since it had good lighting that illuminated the stage with custom lighting. Additionally, the venue had ample space that allowed performers to move freely among the audience as they moved to stage.

The play was a formal concert where a performer introduced the tale the musical was based and welcomed the audiences. At the end of the show, the performers appeared on stage, engaged and thanked the audience, bowed and left the platform ("Disney's Aladdin"). The performers dressed in appealing attires that represented the Arabian dress code since the musical was based on a tale from the culture. The clothes also had dazzling linings that illuminated brightly creating an exciting view of the people on stage. A Masque sound system was used to reinforce speakers and create a cinematic sound in the theater.

My favorite piece of music was the "A who new world," which was recorded by Alan Menken for Disney show Aladdin. The pop song utilizes a B major key, violin, and piano instrumentals, which create an appealing sound. The excited me due to its performance and ability to elicit love emotions. The song was sung while two performers, Aladdin, and the princess, were flying with a carpet, which revealed their love story ("Disney's Aladdin" 30:05). The two performers also sang interchangeably amidst a violin background tone that made the piece more exciting. Additionally, during the song I had happy emotions, which made me think of special people in my life, making it one of my favorite songs.

The second interesting piece was the "Prince Ali" track originally performed by Robin Williams in the Aladdin film. The pop track is averse chorus sung by the Genie as Aladdin is welcomed at Agarabah ("Disney's Aladdin" 21:05). The music lyrics and the performance stances were the most appealing in the musical. The song used instruments such as piano and voice and performed with the F major key. The dance from Aladdin and other performers was intriguing making the musical interesting.

I think the musical was performed exemplary. The ability of the performers to synchronize with the music's beats and dances was amazing. The entire show was fascinating because the performance also used phrases from trending topics to capture the audiences' attention. Additionally, I did not notice any instances of memory slips or failures throughout the performance. Prince Aladdin musical is an interesting piece that I would recommend to all fantasy fans.

Works Cited

"Disney's Aladdin - A Musical Spectacular." YouTube uploaded by Wesley Alfvin, 10 Jan 2016, www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-gLbgpzCc8&t=1213s.

"Dvorak Slavonic Dances // Sir Simon Rattle & London Symphony Orchestra: BMW Classics 2019." YouTube, uploaded by London Symphony Orchestra, 4 July 2019. www.youtube.com/watch?v=yYyOaiU9Xe0