The Concert at the Recital Hall at Indiana State University - Essay Example

No sooner had an announcement instructing the audience to switch off phones and pager been made, than the first tune graced our eager ears. The first song played was “Capriccio” by Philip Sparke which allowed the audience to experience the sweet sound from the instrumental version of the song. The people were in an excited mood as the performance of the first song came to an end (Murph n.pag). The conductor stood still holding the baton, as he beckoned the band to start on the next song. “Autumn” by John Stevens was an upbeat standard of the original tune.
A saxophone and piano alternately played the song’s melody like they were two lovers under the moonlight. The melody was overwhelming and everybody in the hall seemed to be nodding to the tunes rhythmically.

The second part of the concert featured songs written by Christian Gouinguene. The allegro format of the songs made them sound nothing like the original versions. This made the mood of the concert hall even more jubilant because everybody seemed to be enjoying the vibrant-sounding new versions of the songs (Murph n.pag). One can say the presto, or fast tempo was just the correct one for young people to enjoy this composer’s songs to the fullest. The rhythm, of the music, was continuously getting steadier and faster like a heartbeat of an exhilarated individual, as the songs reached their climax. The dynamics of the song were increasingly getting louder until all instruments reached a peak and then rhythmically changed to a moderate level till the series of songs ended.

After the intermission, the people were quiet again ready to be taken for another exhilarating journey of tunes and harmonious melodies. “Naked as a Jaybird” by J.J. Johnson started the session. The inspiring melodies set an amorous mood at the start of the concert session (Murph n.pag). As the passion of the song got more elaborate and heated up, the feeling changed as the lead violinist and other instruments in the ensemble got into the musical accompaniment. However, there was no big change in the melodic feel of the piece and the 1, 2, and 3 pattern was noticeable throughout the entire song. After just a short while, one could also hear the saxophone; electric guitar, and trumpet take turns in introducing “Eme’s Walk” by Randy Mitchell as they took turns in a series of solos. The dynamics of the songs were initially soft and melancholic but gradually increased to a moderate level before an abrupt decrescendo to a soft level again, giving one a calming yet solemn mood (Murph n.pag). I had not experienced such a harmonious series of songs and this made me feel overwhelming joy and also changed my attitude towards jazz.

The last two songs “Metrognome” by Glenn Ferris and “Softly as a sunrise” by Hammerstein and Romberg began with fairly dissonant tones within their harmony, owing to the introduction of the music by a drummer and pianist. The music then changed into a consonant and the melodies were bright and happy throughout the performance. Some of the parts in the song were cool and relaxing as the tempo changed, giving one an impression of dialogue without the use of words. The concert came to an end after about three hours, but I had enjoyed the evening fully and it was an exceptionally stimulating experience, both intellectually and emotionally.