Chorus songs in Les Mis vs Sweeny Todd

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  • Created by: nfawre
  • Created on: 18-04-15 16:28

Chorus songs in Les Mis vs Sweeny Todd

Similarities

  • regular clear phrasing- phrased in sentences.
  • Majority of melody in unison or octaves wih only occasional harmony.
  • Both have similar purposes- aim to give background and narration.
  • Melody and accompaniment texture.
  • Syllabic rhythm.

Differences

  • The Ballad Of Sweeney Todd has more contrasting textures, more varying degress of orchestration and dynamics, more complex harmony and has more extreme use of the voice. These are used to create tension, and therefore the purpose of the song is not just to create context, it is also to create emotion.
  • At The End Of The Day is simpler im many of these areas with a fairly consistent texture and full orchestration throughout as well as a conjunct melody and simple harmony. However it could be argued that this makes it easier to understand.

Overall comparison

When reviewing Chorus songs in Musicals The Ballad Of Sweeney Todd and At The End Of The Day hold similar purposes within the musical, to give context to the main story. However Sondheim goes further with TBOST and gives it an ulterior motive to have an emotional impact on the audience. In many respects the musical features throughout contribute to the purpose of the song and where ATEOTD focuses on clear story telling, TBOST looks more at creating tension.

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