Transcript Neil Diamond
Neil Diamond
Legend of Adult Contemporary Music
Table of Contents
: Biography …………………………………………………………………………………………
Hits …………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Jonathan Livingston Seagull Album …………………………………………………..
Listening Guide: The Odyssey …………………………………………………………..
Listening Guide: Anthem …………………………………………………………………
Sources: ………………………………………………………………………………………...... 12
Source: http://www.factbook.org/wikipedia
Biography
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• Born in Brooklyn, New York on 24 January 141 • Parents Rose and Akeeve “Kieve” Diamond were Jewish • Started writing songs when he was 16.
• Went to New York University as a premed major, on a fencing scholarship.
• Starting hawking songs at Tin Pan Alley.
• First hits were “Solitary Man,” “Cherry Cherry,” and “I Got the Feeling (Oh No No.)” • 37 Top 40 hits, Ten of which hit Number One on the charts.
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Number One hits in the U.S.
• • • • • • • • • • “America” “Heartlight” “I’ve Been This Way Before” “If You Know What I Mean” “Song Sung Blue” “Longfellow Serenade” “Yesterday’s Songs” “You Don’t Bring Me Flowers,” (w/ Barbara Streisand) “Cracklin’ Rosie” “Desiree” 5
Source: http://images eu.amazon.com/ .
Jonathan Livingston Seagull (Soundtrack)
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Tracks:
“Prologue” “Be” “Flight of the Gull” “Dear Father” “Skybird” “Lonely Looking Sky” “The Odyssey” “Anthem” “Be” “Skybird” “Dear Father” “Be” And here begins our story – the sky, the sea, the flock.
Introduction of Jonathan – his flight and fall.
Jonathan is carried to the heights of ambition, and to near catastrophe.
Battered, and near death, Jonathan asks for reasons.
Returning home to show what he has learned, his acrobatics only serve to anger the flock elders. He is put on trial, and forever…outcast.
Alone and adrift.
And so begins a journey, an odyssey, a test of the spirit.
“Transcend, purify, glorious.” Jonathan returns to teach the flock.
The lesson Rebuked again by the elders, Jonathan attempts to rally the flock.
Recapitulation and farewell to Fletcher.
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The Odyssey: Be, Lonely Looking Sky, and Dear Father
Liner notes: And so begins a journey, an odyssey, a test of the spirit.
0:00 Introduction
The music begins with strings playing in harmony.
0:10
Trombone enters on a single note representing, “Be….,” in Common time/ Compound division - retrograde.
0:25 0:35 0:50 1:13
Flutes enter Strings jump back in Brass and woodwinds take the melody “Lonely Looking Sky” segment begins in common time/simple division with guitar playing background and French horn - playing
2:26 3:45 3:50
melody.
Strings enter with “Be” melody, while “Lonely Looking Sky” continues.
Bridge of silence Dear Father segment begins with violins and cellos , alternating.
(Continued on next slide.) 8
(Continued from previous slide.)
4:47 4:54 4:56 5:24 5:30 5:44 6:00 6:13 6:31 6:42 6:55 7:26 7:37 8:20 8:35 9:03 9:24 9:29
Horns pick up melody, while violins continue downward runs.
Crescendo, all instruments on melody until..
Cymbals and resumption of melody and retrograde Diminuendo, then cymbal indicates transition “Be” rhythm begins again Cymbal, brass and woodwinds signal buildup Violins signal another transition – music begins to fall Piano – consonance dissonance Piano signals relaxation again in intro to “Dear Father” Strings begin melody of “Dear Father” Minor, Inversion-retro Bridge Intro to “Lonely Looking Sky” “Lonely Looking Sky” muted, strings “Dear Father,” piano melody, violins Transition Dissonance and fadeout, no resolution 9
Anthem
Liner notes: “Transcend, purify, glorious.”
0:00 0:06 0:36 1:26 1:30 1:33 1:40 1:46 1:49
Introduction Melody begins with violins/violas, repetition imitative counterpoint Transition, buildup Single violin Harpsichord phyrgian “Transcend” spoken “Purify” spoken “Glorious” spoken Fast bridge – duple compound (Continued on next slide.) Source: http://www.fil
minamerica.c
om 10
(Continued from previous slide.)
1:53 1:57 2:01 2:04 2:11 2:16 2:22 2:26 2:36 2:41 2:46 2:53 2:58 3:00
Boys’ choir begins with “Sanctus” (syllabic) “Kyrie” Sanctus, kyrie, sanctus kyrie “Kyrie, Gloria, Gloria, holy, holy” “Holy” “Gloria” Repeat “sanctus, kyrie…” Add on, round Voices join together on Gloria again (homophony) Instrumental bridge Transcend Purify Glorious Violins fadeout 11
Fong-Torres, Ben. http://www.rollingstone.com/music/ news/the-importance-of-being-neil diamond-19760923 23 Sep 1976. Retrieved 23 Feb 2013.
http://www.rhapsody.com/artist/neil -diamond/albums Retrieved 23 Feb 2013.
http://www.billboard.com/#/artist/n eil-diamond/chart-history/4456 Retrieved 23 Feb 2013.
http://www.neildiamond.com/pages /disc/54 Retrieved 23 Feb 2013.
http://www.inthe80s.com/covers2.sh
tml Retrieved 23 Feb 2013.
http://webcom3.grtxle.com/musicap prec/index.cfm?pageid=15233 Retrieved 23 Feb 2013.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt00702 48/ Retrieved 24 Feb 2013.
http://music.yahoo.com/news/neil diamond-married-154058232.html
Retrieved 25 Feb 2013.
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