What is "light music"?
"Light music" is a variety in the category of music. To put it figuratively, it is a light weapon in music, roughly the same as essays, jokes, lyric poems, etc. in literature. It is lightweight, popular, compact, easy to understand and easy to accept. It is in sharp contrast to large-scale art forms such as symphony, concerto, cantata, and orchestral music. Among the people, light music is very popular and has extensive social significance and spiritual effects. However, among the works in the form of light music, there are also many works that are low-level and pornographic. Therefore, in terms of the political content of light music, some are good and some are bad, some are progressive and some are backward.
There are many types of light music, including general life songs, lyrical songs, witty songs, and satirical songs, as well as some operettas, waltzes, small orchestral overtures, serenades, and some orchestral sketches and movies. Songs, dance music, etc.
The style and characteristics of light music are more lively and interesting than other forms of music, especially its tunes are particularly beautiful. Some symphonies, orchestral music, cantata and other works often need the help of technical means such as harmony, orchestration, polyphony and so on. In addition to this, light music also relies more importantly on the beauty of the melody. Therefore, light music has stricter requirements for beautiful and light tunes than other music forms. A lyrical song should be graceful and euphemistic; a waltz must have a distinct rhythm and melodious tone; a humorous song should give people a joyful and joyful infection; and a satirical song should be spicy and sharp. The unique performance characteristics of these light music also form its own style.
Enter the warm and romantic poetic country - Talking about light music (1)
The "third force" in music
The so-called light music (LIGHT MUSIC ) is relative to classical music, that is, it is adapted and interpreted using popular popular techniques and performed by a small band, with the purpose of creating a warm, romantic, relaxed and beautiful atmosphere, and is a popular music with a casual nature. As we all know, classical music has a thick texture, huge structure and scale, dignified musical thoughts, and profound ideological connotations. The most important feature is solemnity and dignity. Light music, on the contrary, has a light texture, small and simple structure, bright and stretching rhythm, and beautiful melody. It has no profound ideological connotation, nor does it want to have such connotation. It just wants to bring people relaxed and beautiful enjoyment. Its main feature is lightness and liveliness. Therefore, it is very appropriate to name this music as light music.
But light music is not the same as pop music with pop songs as its core. It is not as gentle as pop music, which has distinctive characteristics of the times and critical awareness of society. It is also not as kitsch and sensational as pop music, but has high aesthetic taste and relatively little commercial flavor. While popular pop songs go out of fashion quickly, beautiful light music numbers remain timeless. In general, light music is between classical music and pop music. It is a compromise between the two stark oppositions. It can be said to be the "third force" in music. It has both classical and modern flavors, is gorgeous but not gaudy, romantic but not frivolous, lyrical but not lingering, easy to understand and approachable, elegant in style and extraordinary in style. Classical music fans don't find it vulgar, and pop music lovers can also accept it. It can be said to be both elegant and vulgar.
This characteristic of light music made it widely popular as soon as it appeared. The Mantovani Band established in the late 1930s is a symbol of the birth of light music. With its extremely soft, melodious and intoxicating performance, the band quickly established its own unique image and temperament in light music, establishing its own position in the popular music world. The 1960s and 1970s were the heyday of light music. A large number of distinctive light music bands were established one after another, such as the James Last Band, the Paul Moriah Band, the Henry Mancini Band, and the Percy Faith Band. Band, Stanley Black Band, Bert Kempfert Band, Werner Müller Band, Alfred Hauser Band, Frank Purcell Band, etc. These bands continue to hold light music concerts all over Europe and the United States, and record a large number of exquisite records, which are sold all over the world. This kind of small and exquisite music makes classical music fans feel refreshed and unique, just like changing into casual and natural casual clothes after wearing serious suits for a long time.
For pop music lovers, after experiencing the impact of hoarse shouts, light music is like a cool and refreshing drink.
Enter the warm and romantic poetic country - Talking about light music (2)
Old wine in new bottles
Most of the repertoire of light music is adapted. Among them, European and American pop songs account for a large proportion, and many of them are popular songs on the British and American charts, such as "Yesterday", "The Rhythm of the Rain", "I Love Paris", "Love is Blue", " Lily Marlene" etc. After these songs were adapted into light music, the popular factors in the original songs were downplayed, and the beautiful melodies were highlighted, making the music mood change and more beautiful and sweet. To this day, many of the hit songs have been forgotten, but the light music arrangements remain in people's minds.
Theme music or interludes of European and American movies, especially Hollywood movies, musicals, and stage plays, are another important source of adaptation of light music. Like "Moon River", "Time Passes", "Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head", "Three Coins in the Spring", "Say You, Say Me", "Love Story", "The Godfather", "Sunday" "Doctor Vargo", "Argentina, Don't Cry for Me", "Memories" and other music have become classics of light music.
Using popular music language to interpret classical music is something that many light music bands are very keen on. A good arrangement and performance not only retains the classical spirit of the original music, but also incorporates a distinctive modern flavor. Classical music fans will not find it superficial and feel it has a unique charm; those who stay away from classical music will find that the distance between them and classical music has shortened. , and increased interest in appreciation. Bach's "Ave Maria" adapted into light music, Schubert's "Serenade", Mozart's "Piano Concerto No. 21", Beethoven's "Moonlight", Adagio from the "Pathétique" Sonata, Liszt's "Dream of Love" , Smetana's "Vltava", Massenet's "Meditation", Chopin's "Fantasia Impromptu", etc., all sound unique and full of brilliance.
Ethnic folk music from all over the world is also the object of light music adaptation. Such as the British "Last Rose of Summer", the Italian "Return to Sorrento" and "Santa Lucia", the Romanian "Hoora", the Canadian "Red River Valley", the American "On the Pasture" "Home", Cuba's "Pigeon", Gypsy's "Song of the Wanderer" and Latin music, etc. In addition, some widely circulated romantic ditties such as "Girl's Prayer", "Romance of Love", "Green Sleeves", etc. are also often played by light music bands.
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Unique charm and beauty
The charm and beauty of light music are different It is different from classical music and pop music. The moving melody, beautiful harmony, novel orchestration, rich timbre, and strong romantic sentiment all give people a new feeling and create the unique beauty of light music. The piece "Charm" performed by the Mandovani Band epitomizes this beauty. The extremely pleasant sound flows into people's hearts like intoxicating fragrance, and people can't help but shout in their hearts: "It's so beautiful!" The band played "Time Passes", "Autumn Leaves" and "Yesterday" The beauty that the music brings to people is also difficult to express in words.
Listening to the performance of the Paul Moria Band, one feels that every note is permeated with the unique romantic sentiment of the French nation, reminding you of the fragrance of wine, roses, and tulips; the sunshine of the Mediterranean, A lover's laughter and tears. He showed various romantic feelings and poetry in life, which aroused strong excitement in people. His famous work "Love is Blue" became a hit in Europe and the United States in the 1960s and has remained popular for a long time, becoming a piece that light music bands compete to play.
The beauty of "Evenings on the outskirts of Moscow" played by the James Last Band is irreplaceable: with the guitar gently strumming a few decomposed chords, and the percussion instruments Against the background of the bright rhythm played, the grand piano played the main melody of the song softly and euphemistically. Then the beautiful mixed chorus sounded softly along with the extension of the strings, sometimes strong and sometimes weak, sometimes far and sometimes near, bringing people into the distant Russian night full of warm and romantic atmosphere. The whole music is dreamlike and beautiful. If listening to symphony is like watching a drama, then listening to light music is like reading beautiful poems and watching elegant landscape paintings, which is pleasing to the ear and refreshing.
Enter the warm and romantic poetic country - Talking about light music (4)
Novel and unique adaptation techniques
Most conductors of light music bands are proficient in classical music , can play a variety of instruments. They are both the conductor of the band and the arranger of the music. The unique charm of light music is largely due to their creative arrangement of the original music. Among them, the most frequently used method is to reprocess the rhythm, speed, intensity, beat and other musical elements of the original music. The more common method is to give classical music the rhythm of Latin dance music, jazz, rock and disco music, and strengthen the original music through percussion instruments. The rhythmic characteristics and beat emphasis of the music create a strong contrast between the form and content of the music. For example, use disco rhythm to play Mozart's Serenade, use tango rhythm to play Brahms' Hungarian Dance, use samba, cha-cha, and rumba rhythms to play Dvo?ák's Slavonic Dances and Offenbach's Barcarolle. Wait, it sounds enthusiastic and unrestrained, very contagious. Some popular songs with originally intense rhythms are "softened" with a slow tempo, thus creating a new listening experience.
Colorful and unique orchestration is another main method of light music adaptation. First, they like to use some unrefined folk instruments, such as mandolin, Spanish guitar, harmonica, accordion, etc., and often let them play the main melody, so as to create a special musical mood and atmosphere, and combine it with traditional orchestral music. The musical instruments form a contrast in timbre, making the sound varied and colorful. Second, he likes to use various percussion instruments, such as xylophone, snare drum, jazz drum, tambourine, triangle, percussion bells, maracas, etc. He also uses some distinctive ethnic and folk percussion instruments to make the sound lively and sensory. impact on. The third is to enrich the band's timbre and add a modern flavor to the sound by adding electroacoustic instruments. Electronic instruments, percussion instruments, and traditional string instruments are perfectly integrated to create a bright, light, vivid and lively sound effect. The fourth is to add wordless vocal humming to enhance the beautiful musical atmosphere. James Rust is the pioneer in this regard. His band has a dedicated mixed chorus. During the performance, accompanied by a modern rhythm, the moving wordless mixed singing alternates with the beautiful melody played by the band. It appears, rises and falls, and is extremely beautiful. For example, the band played Beethoven's "Für Elise" and Offenbach's "Barcarolle" with mixed male and female voices singing without words, which sounded unique and beautiful.
Enter the warm and romantic poetic country - Talking about light music (5)
Recording products of light music
Since the 1980s, the performance of light music has gradually become more personal. With the development in the direction of culturalization, the core of the band is no longer the conductor, but the star performer of a certain instrument; the band has also changed from the original main body of the performance to the supporting role of the performance. Some light music bands are eclectic, integrating symphony, pop music, jazz, rock music, and new age music, which are very different from traditional light music bands. There are many records of this kind that can be called "new light music", but in addition to Richard Clayderman (piano), Kenicki (saxophone), Bierke (clarinet), Modia and Odin (ocarina and Except for the records recorded by people such as cello), Zamfir (panpipe), Yanni and other bands, most of the records have a strong "salon flavor" and cannot give people high-level aesthetic enjoyment.
To listen to authentic light music, the first choice is still the three major light music bands. In fact, the records of these three bands have occupied a mainstream position in China. Among them, most of the Mantovani Band's records are produced by DECCA, mainly recordings from the 1950s and 1960s. Last year, DECCA released a two-piece set of Mantovani's golden songs, which brought together 29 of the most exciting golden songs played by the Mantovani band. It is a treasure for collection. Some small European and American record companies and Japanese record companies have also produced many records of the band. The James Last Band is an exclusive band under Universal Company (formerly PolyGram). It has recorded a large number of exquisite records over the decades. There are more than 30 of them available in China alone, making it the one with the most recording products. Light music band. The albums of the Paul Moria Band are recorded by PHILIPS, and there are a large number of them. There are also many newly recorded albums in recent years. The recording standards are also high and the sound effects are excellent.
Many records of other famous light music bands, such as Henry Mancini Band, Alfred Hauser Band, Stanley Black Band, Kurt Edelhagen Band, and Hesse Band, have also entered China. But it is no longer easy to see.
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