Musicology Task
The Ballad of Sweeney Todd and The Phantom of the Opera
Stephan Sondheim’s, The Ballad of Sweeney Todd and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s, The Phantom of the Opera are two theatrical horror songs written in the 20th and 21st century. These pieces have been written to make the audience feel tense and emotionally distressed. Both Stephan Sondheim and Andrew Lloyd Webber manipulate the musical elements to affect the audience emotionally but Sondheim achieved the sense of horror and foreboding. Webber didn’t achieve the same intensity but created a song that was more commercially successful but didn’t achieve as great a sense of foreboding and horror as Sondheim. Webber’s work reflects the conventions of 80’s Pop Rock rather than those of Theatrical Horror.
The Ballad of Sweeney Todd
The Ballad of Sweeney Todd creates an intense sense of horror that can emotionally discomfort people. In the introduction, there is a pipe organ that sets the tone for the song by playing funeral music. It plays dissonant chords with jagged melodies to make the listener extremely uncomfortable; this displays the characteristics of a horror movie score. The sense of key is blurred by the use of chromaticism and the use of rubato rhythms in this section create tension and confusing rhythms of the jagged melodies and dissonant chords being played that make the listener feel extremely uncomfortable. Extremes in pitch are also used during this pipe organ section which almost attacks the listener, emotionally distressing them. In Webber’s Phantom of the Opera the introduction does not set the tone as sinisterly as the Ballad of Sweeney Todd as the choice of instruments and timbres resemble the instruments and timbres of an 80’s Pop Rock song. This further shows that Sondheim’s song successfully horrified the audience, even from the start.
Following pipe organ section there is an industrial whistle which is heard that shocks the listener. The extremely high pitch of the whistle screeches through your ears, this is very unnerving for listener. Sondheim used the industrial whistle to give the listener a better connection with the era of the story which was the Industrial Revolution. As the whistle blows a clashing cluster on notes is heard as the organist slams his hands on the keys, trying to signify that he was murdered.
After the whistle and clashing cluster of notes echo out, the first character enters singing a jig that resembles English Folk music. In the background horns play a syncopated counter melody over the top of strings creating sinister and discomforting harmonies that put the listener on edge. Sondheim’s use of orchestral instruments created a more dramatic effect than Webber’s use of pop instruments and timbres. As each new character is introduced, the melody is passed on but sung in a different tone. This use of characterisation connects the audience with the story of Sweeney and has a bigger impact on the audience. Sondheim’s use of characterisation is much more effective compared to Webber’s piece; the characterisation is a key component to inflict terror in the listener.
As the jig continues on, there is a section where an ensemble of women is heard. When the ensemble of women starts singing, they sing a melody that is pleasing to the ear. There is an underlying horn line that plays notes that are octaves/ major\minor interval. The rhythm of the melody sung by the women resembles that of an English Folk jig. The brass constantly plays triplets to trick the listener as the combination of the fast paced rhythms and pleasing melodies and harmonies make it sound joyful which creates a false sense of security.
The Phantom of the Opera
The Phantom of the Opera has an unusual instrument choice for an Opera song. The instruments that are used resemble that of a rock band. Inspirations for this idea came from Jim Steinman, who described Phantom of the Opera to Webber as a rock song invading an opera house. This is what inspired
