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Gioacchino Rossini, 2004.
A biographical account of one of Italy?s best-loved opera composers, Gioacchino Rossini.
2,530 words (approx. 10.1 pages), 5 sources, MLA, $ 76.95
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Abstract
This paper describes the life, career, and accomplishments of Gioacchino Rossini. The paper explores his lifestyle, tastes, unique talents, and technical abilities, as well as the influence he had on French opera composition as opposed to Italian opera.
From the Paper
"Gioacchino Antonio Rossini was born in Pesaro, Italy on February 29, 1792. He received some training at the harpsichord and in singing before entering the Bologna Conservatory at fifteen, but financial difficulties in his family compelled him to leave the Conservatory before completing the course of study. In 1810, his first work for the stage, an opera buffa known as La Cambiale di matrimonio, was produced in Venice and several more of his operas were given before he achieved resounding success as a composer and musician. This came in Venice in 1813 with a serious opera called Tancredi and another opera buffa L?Italiana in Algeri."
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The History of the Electric Guitar, 2004.
An introduction to the electric guitar and a look at its history.
1,656 words (approx. 6.6 pages), 5 sources, APA, $ 53.95
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Abstract
This paper introduces, discusses, and analyzes the topic of the electric guitar. Specifically, it discusses the history of the invention of the electric guitar and its primary inventor/developer, Les Paul. The paper also looks at what his contributions as a designer and as a musician were and how the technical developments in electric guitars and amplification have affected the evolution of rock music.
From the Paper
"Guitars have existed in history for thousands of years. Related to lutes, (which had only two strings), most guitars had six strings, and were designed to be strummed or plucked. It was not until the 20th century that the acoustic, hollow-bodied guitar metamorphosized into the solid-body, electric model so known and loved today. Many people often credit Les Paul with designing the first viable electric guitar, but actually, many men contributed to the electric guitar's history and ultimate success."
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Cajun Music, 2004.
A look at the history of and influences on Cajun music.
2,481 words (approx. 9.9 pages), 15 sources, MLA, $ 75.95
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Abstract
This paper traces the origins of the Cajun people and culture and, in particular, their musical heritage. The paper describes the musical repertoire shared by both Cajuns and Creoles and looks at the Creole contribution of Zydeco towards Cajun music. The paper also describes the unique characteristics of Cajun music, typical instruments used for Cajun music, and its evolution and impact on Louisiana culture.
From the Paper
"A Cajun is a ?Louisianian who descends from French-speaking Acadians,? however many common Cajun surnames such as Souileau and Romero are not Acadian in origin, but are Spanish, German or French Creole and some are even of Anglo or Scotch-Irish origin, as in the case of famed Cajun musicians Lawrence Walker and Dennis McGee (Cajun 1 Pp). For this reason, ?contemporary scholars of Cajun history and culture tend to offer a more complex, comprehensive view, attributing the traits of modern-day Cajuns to a dynamic, unending process of ethnic interaction? (Cajun 1 Pp). Modern Cajuns are largely homogenous, however, their ancestry consists of a mixture of numerous ethnic groups (Cajun 1 Pp). The majority of early Acadians originated in the Centre-Ouest region of France, while other came from families of Spanish, Irish, Scottish, English, Basque and American Indian (Cajun 1 Pp). When Acadians were forced out of Nova Scotia in 1755, many sought refuge in South Louisiana and again intermixed with other ethnic groups, especially with the French, Spanish, German, American Indian, and Anglo-American settlers (Cajun 1 Pp)."
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George Gershwin, 2004.
A look at the music of one of America's most famous composers, George Gershwin.
1,570 words (approx. 6.3 pages), 11 sources, MLA, $ 51.95
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Abstract
This paper begins with a brief biographical sketch of Gershwin's life and discussion of the music that influenced him as he was growing up. The paper then analyzes some of his compositions and looks at how his works challenged many of the conventional definitions in the musical community.
From the Paper
"Perhaps one of the most fascinating aspects about Gershwin?s talent is that it was natural to him. He never attended a school of music and the extent of his musical heritage consisted of his father sometime playing records on the Victrola. Despite this scant musical influence, Gershwin is credited for being the ?link between the jazz camp and the intellectuals? (Hyland 67). Edward Oxford claims, ?the sophisticated personification of America?s Jazz Age was born on Sept. 26, 1898? (Oxford). Indeed, from humble beginnings, Gershwin was able to discover not only a love for music but also a talent that would bring him fame."
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Japanese Female Jazz Performers, 2004.
This paper compares Japanese jazz and pop female performers to American female performers.
800 words (approx. 3.2 pages), 3 sources, MLA, $ 28.95
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Abstract
This paper explains that pop music in Japan, referred to as kayokuoku, is an area in which it was very difficult for women singers to be successful until recently. The author points out that many Japanese pop vocalists, groomed by production companies, often did not develop their own material, whereas, most modern Western female vocalists now develop their own lyrics, which often tell tales of love, lust, and individuality. The paper relates that Japanese female performers work to build intimacy with their audience, participating in ?handshaking ceremonies? designed to encourage intimacy between fans and performers.
From the Paper
"Japanese jazz and pop female performers are currently undergoing a revolution of sorts. Most especially in the area of popular music, women are ?no longer bound by the whims of male songwriters? and many women vocalists are offering women new ways to view themselves and their relationships. Many women are pushing new cultural norms, especially that of a more independent woman, into the themes of the music they produce. A majority of female singers include lyrics in their songs that relate to their desires to express themselves and to be independent. This theme is also very common among American female jazz and pop vocalists."
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"Piano Man", 2004.
A review of Billy Joel's song, "Piano Man".
934 words (approx. 3.7 pages), 1 source, MLA, $ 33.95
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Abstract
This paper examines how Billy Joel's "Piano Man" gives us a glimpse into the life of a struggling performer who has earned fame on a small scale playing the piano and singing at a bar in a small town. The song is timeless because it is a story about many characters making their way through life. It looks at how the music and lyrics of this song operate together to create a comfortable atmosphere, which reflects the atmosphere of the small bar in which the story is taking place.
From the Paper
"This song is also popular because it reflects on a certain melancholy that people often encounter when they feel life may be slipping away from them before they have a chance to achieve their dream. This is clear because we know that John would rather be somewhere acting and the waitress is ?practicing politics? on the businessmen who are slowly getting drunk. In addition, ?Paul is a real estate novelist? and Davy may stay in the Navy forever. The images we discover in this song are of people who are trying to find their way in life and discovering along the way that life can sometimes be difficult."
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Latin American Music, 2004.
A look at problems facing the Latin American music industry and recommendations for addressing these problems.
5,644 words (approx. 22.6 pages), 14 sources, APA, $ 136.95
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Abstract
This paper considers three different aspects of the technology and political marketplace that have negatively affected Latin American music sales and, in particular, the effect that pirated music is having on the industry. The paper then looks at the future of Latin American popular music and the Latin American recording industry and presents solutions and recommendations to rebuild, improve, and expand the Latin American industry.
The Future of Latin American Popular Music
The Future of The Latin American Recording Industry
Reconstructing the Industry
Music Delivery
Anti Piracy Efforts
From the Paper
"However, in the music industry, the creation of the internet and the capabilities to deliver individual songs digitally and globally has changed that perspective as well. The creation of a global economy and improved communication systems has facilitated the worldwide dissemination of mass culture. Specifically, trends in Latin America are now becoming part of the Latino population in the central and North American regions. Hence, the market for Latin American music, and the path toward improving the profitability of the Latin American music industry should also consider the North American markets a part of their potential customer base."
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Marketing the Met, 2004.
A discussion about methods that could increase ticket sales and the popularity of the Metropolitan Opera.
1,897 words (approx. 7.6 pages), 5 sources, MLA, $ 60.95
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Abstract
This paper explains that the Metropolitan Opera is currently going through a phase of low turnout and unpopularity among the younger generation. The paper provides a few suggestions for a way to increase popularity and a few marketing techniques, which could assist in this endeavor.
From the Paper
"Other good news for opera?s potential is that audiences for opera have been increasing steadily for the past two decades. Opera America notes that, between 1982 and 1992, opera audiences grew by almost 25 percent, which is 12.5 percent greater than the growth experienced in any other art form. Better still, the median age of attendees dropped slightly, form 45 to 44 years of age. (Boiarsky, 2004) Still, that is not exactly a youth audience; to the children of the Baby Boom, that means the audience for opera is still a bunch of ?Gray Hairs.? And, on another negative note, growth in opera attendance among 8- to 24-year-olds was significantly lower than overall growth at 18 percent, meaning that some other group?and older group?increased its attendance by more than 25 percent- (a good deal more) to reach that magic number. Still, the increase for opera attendance in that age group surpasses the increases for other art forms; nearly a third of the U.S. opera audience, in fact, is under age thirty-five."
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?Fast Car? and ?Driving Lessons?, 2004.
An analysis of the social messages in Tracy Chapman?s song, ?Fast Car?, and Neal Bower?s poem, ?Driving Lessons?.
1,025 words (approx. 4.1 pages), 2 sources, MLA, $ 36.95
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Abstract
Tracy Chapman?s song, ?Fast Car?, tells the story of lovers who desperately want to escape poverty, but can?t find a way out. Neal Bower?s poem, ?Driving Lessons?, discusses a son who is in the middle of his parents? unhappy marriage. This paper explains that, while they tell very different stories on the surface, the two are similar in theme and the type of imagery used. Both use driving as a metaphor, questioning the traditional idea of driving as freedom, instead seeing driving as a symbol of being trapped. Both ?Fast Car and ?Driving Lessons? deal with the inevitability of family obligation, and loneliness is a theme throughout the song and the poem.
From the Paper
"Unlike the traditional idea of the car as a means to freedom, both ?Fast Car? and ?Driving Lessons prove that one cannot drive away from problems. In ?Fast Car,? Chapman?s protagonist initially sees the car as a means of escape from her dreary, everyday life, but she soon realizes that her problems go deeper than immediate location. At first her lover?s fast car seem like the way to freedom, but she eventually realizes that this freedom is an illusion: ?You got a fast car/And we go cruising to entertain ourselves/You still ain't got a job/And I work in a market as a checkout girl? (Chapman). Despite the fast car and the physical ability to escape, she and lover remain mired in their poverty and cannot escape. In the end, the song?s protagonist gives up on the idea of driving to freedom: ?I'd always hoped for better/Thought maybe together you and me would find it/I got no plans/I ain't going nowhere/So take your fast car and keep on driving? (Chapman)."
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Norah Jones, 2004.
This paper discusses the achievements and skills of Norah Jones, one of the most talented jazz singers to reach stardom in the last two years.
1,000 words (approx. 4.0 pages), 4 sources, APA, $ 35.95
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Abstract
This paper explains that Norah Jones, combining both her characteristically lovely, yet strong, singing voice and her exquisite Indian-American features, is the epitome of the hybridization of cultures. The author points out that Norah is the daughter of famous sitar player, Ravi Shankar; however, this fact became public only when she was suddenly propelled into the limelight as a recording star. The paper relates that Norah?s music is a hybrid form of the old and new music generation, combining jazz with the funky rhythm of popular music, bringing the joys of piano playing to the popular music arena.
From the Paper
"Growing up with her mother, Sue, in Texas, Norah was already exposed to jazz music, citing the great African-American blues singer Billie Holliday as her favorite and greatest influence. At the early age of five, Norah already possesses the ability to sing and play the piano and saxophone. It is evident that truly, music runs in the blood of this young singer, who, in order to further her skills and knowledge in music, attended school at the Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts."
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Latin Music Industry, 2004.
A look at the urgent need facing the Latin American music industry to protect it from the threat posed by recent technological advances.
2,925 words (approx. 11.7 pages), 10 sources, MLA, $ 86.95
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Abstract
This paper highlights three types of technological advances that threaten to destroy the music industry. Of special focus is the Latin American music industry, which has been hardest hit by these advances. The paper points out that the need to address these problems, cited as music piracy, the availability of home digital recording equipment, and peer-to-peer file sharing on the Internet is critical, since it threatens the overall existence of that industry. The paper continues by giving specifics of the recording industry decline and by explaining why the Latin American music industry is particularly affected. Finally, the paper devotes some discussion on possible ways to approach the problem.
Specifics of the Recording Industry Decline
Fighting Music Piracy
Global Connections and the Motive Behind the Money
Offsetting the Power of Consumers to Burn Personal CD?s
Shutting Down Peer-to-Peer Networks or Turning Them into Revenue
Channels
From the Paper
"According to Buckley (2000) while U.S. recording industry officials wring their hands over Napster, the worldwide black market for illicitly copied music is growing even faster. Sales of pirated music topped half a billion units last year and cost the music industry $5 billion in lost revenues. As of the turn of the 21st century, one in three CDs sold around the world last year were copies, churned out in pirate?s hidden factories that can press up to 100,000 discs a day, according to the International Federation of Phonographic Industries. In Brazil, Latin America's music piracy leader, ?40 percent of CDs and 99 percent of cassettes sold were illegal copies, a total value of $180 million,? said IFPI. ?In Mexico, the 1999 pirate music market was worth $70 million, or 40 percent of all music sold, the agency reported.? (Buckley, 2000)"
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The Latin American Recording Industry, 2004.
A research paper examining the effect of the Latin American music industry on national culture.
3,100 words (approx. 12.4 pages), 10 sources, MLA, $ 90.95
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Abstract
The Latin American recording industry has always been a unique industry that blends economics, entertainment, and culture. The majority of its entertainers depict the variety of ethnicity that is part of Latin American culture. This paper investigates the Latin American recording industry, the genres of music and hybrid styles, and the role label companies play in producing and managing the artists. It also looks at how music interacts culturally, politically, and economically, affecting social identity Research in this paper shows that there is a complex relationship between the industry itself and the development of pan-Latin identities, as well as a more intricate relationship between economics and culture. In addition, the research demonstrates that the Latin American recording industry is a powerful medium for creating images among consumers, which impacts the desire to be like their idol. Finally, this paper summarizes the potential changes created by a new business model for the Latin American recording industry.
From the Paper
"Aside from the confusion between Latin American and Latino music, the U.S. Latino market is undergoing a crucial transformation, perhaps more in taking stock of reality than in reality itself. It is no secret that U.S.Latino music has largely meant the kind of pop associated with Jennifer Lopez, Marc Anthony, Ricky Martin and the like, or with so-called tropical music (salsa and kindred genres). New York and Miami are the capitals of this kind of pop and tropical, but when the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) ?the music industry's trade organization ? began dividing Latin music sales by genre in 2000, they discovered the overwhelming sales dominance of the Mexican regional market, which is based in California and the Southwest, particularly Texas, and generates 60 percent of the US$640 million market for Latin music sales."
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