Week 4

Artist: Eric Clapton
Song Title: I shot The Sheriff
Track Time: 8:50
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10qLYy6hiFQ

Artist: Queen
Song Title: Bohemian Rhapsody
Track Time: 6:06
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJ9rUzIMcZQ

Artist: Nas
Song Title: The World Is Yours
Track Time:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_srvHOu75vM

I chose to write about "The World Is Yours" primarily because of the use of the piano and the lyrics.  I think this song shares a homophonic texture because of the chords being played on the piano which accompany Nas' vocals.  I enjoy uplifting music that contains substance and I feel like the poetry and the instrumentals in this track compliment each other very nicely.  I think a lot of other musicians could agree with that considering the album in which this track was conceived on was the legendary album, Illmatic.  Often hailed as the bible of rap or the greatest hip hop album of all time by various sources that are very reputable.  While the piano provides the main melody it's Nas' raspy, yet smooth, delivery that really makes me enjoy this track.  I think its pretty obvious that obvious Nasir is not a tenor, but I find it difficult to differentiate between a bass voice and a baritone.  I would most likely label his voice as a bass in this song. However, the message/story he incites in his work is what really sets him apart from the rest. Nasir uses imagery to help the listener see his perspective of urban life on the inside.  It's because of his vast vocabulary and ability to invoke visual aids just from words that makes this song stand out to me.  Olu Dara, musician, has been quoted as saying, "A Nas rhyme is a Picasso for your mind."  It took me multiple listens to fully comprehend most of what he means, but every time I've listened to this track it feels like they produced it to make it open to one's own interpretation

Unfamiliar
Artist: Tchaikovsky
Song Title: 1812 Overture
Track Time: 15:08

This number contains the string, woodwinds, percussion, and brass family.  While the brass family is ignored a majority of the piece until the later half of this piece it fairs well without them.  The beginning of this is fairly soft and has a sort of melancholy feel to it with the string family at full attention. However, it later shifts into more instruments being introduced as it progresses.  I noticed that this number changes its melody and overall theme of music quiet a number of times throughout this piece.  The beginning is whimsical, but shifts into a sort of diabolical and darker song around the 3:00 minute mark with the brass family making a fashionably late entrance. This seems to take place a number of times throughout the entirety of this piece.  The brass family is short-lived as about 45 seconds after that the number takes another shift.  I found it difficult to identify all the different instruments being applied to this song with the only distinct ones that stuck out being the violins, violas, snare drum, bass drum, and Tuba.  I'm aware there are woodwinds being used, but I cannot specify which ones are being used.  Around the 7:00 mark you can also notice the implementation of the triangle. Moments in this piece sound oddly familiar, but I have no memories that correlate to this piece nor had I had any prior knowledge of it.