In a message dated 12/13/2000 7:12:27 PM Eastern Standard Time, peggyh@i... writes: peggyh@i... writes:
<< When I was in college - and this was before the Beatles broke up, mind you, my theory teacher (who performed a lot of 20th century music and had us doing atonal sight-singing every day) brought into our advanced theory class for harmonic dictation some songs from Abbey Road, and for rhythmic dictation, the piano intro to "Martha My Dear" from the White Album. >>
This subject has been on my mind recently. We got a recordable CD drive for each other for Christmas this year. The first CD I burned was all my favorite Beatles' songs. I've been listening to it in the car this week, on my one-hour drive to and from rehearsals and a performance I had on Tuesday. This is the first time that I've ever listened intensively to a selection of songs from across their entire career. I've listened intensively to individual albums, but never to such a cross-section of their work. I'm again amazed at the originality of their songs. Their lyrics are inventive and interesting and cover a broad range of subjects (think "Eleanor Rigby" to "Blackbird" to "Fool on the Hill" to "Penny Lane" to "Rocky Raccoon") and their harmony singing is really lovely. The melodies are catchy and often beautiful. I think this is a body of work that will stand up through the ages and will in years to come be recognized as musically important in the way that George Gershwin's songs are now being recognized.
Lee Morgan Mezzo-soprano
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