[Smt-talk] music theory on slate

[Nicholas Reyland]

Dave Headlam writes (re. Katy Perry¹s ŒPrism¹): "there is a certain kind of
ingenuity at work here, I'd say.²

Too right! Severals kinds, undoubtedly. Re. the ingenuity of the single
¹Teenage Dream¹, for instance, I actually have a lecture on one module
devoted to that track, called (forgive me) ¹Teenage Meme¹. Like many songs
authored and produced by Dr. Luke and co., it simmers key elements of
popular songwriting down to a slickly articulated essence, and it's great
for teaching pop analysts, songwriters and budding Adornians alike.

Best wishes

Nick Reyland
____________________________________________
 
Dr Nicholas Reyland
Senior Lecturer
Music & Film Studies
Keele University
 
n.w.reyland at keele.ac.uk
www.keele.ac.uk/music/people/nicholasreyland
T: +44 (0)1782 733297
Music, The Clock House, Keele University, ST5 5BG, UK


From:  Dave Headlam <dheadlam at esm.rochester.edu>
Date:  Wednesday, 26 March 2014 11:54
To:  <johnrcovach at gmail.com>, "smt-talk at lists.societymusictheory.org"
<smt-talk at lists.societymusictheory.org>
Subject:  Re: [Smt-talk] music theory on slate

    
 
Hi -- Most of the "news" stories at sites like "slate.com" and "salon.com"
elicit the same response from those in the field under discussion -- but
these sites, usefully I think, bring topics normally considered only by
specialists to a wider audience; my post was simply to note that MT was,
somewhat unusually, put in this position.  Of course, much is "lost in
translation" in this process.  ( That is not intended to be facetious, BTW,
and in this regard, note the following from a wikipedia article on Perry's
album "Prism" - "The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry
reported that Prism was the sixth best-selling album in the world in 2013,
the best-selling album in the world in 2013 released by a woman, and labeled
Perry 'A global phenomenon.'" -- there is a certain kind of ingenuity at
work here, I'd say.)
 
 Dave Headlam
 Eastman
 
 On 3/25/14 11:33 PM, johnrcovach at gmail.com wrote:
 
 
>   
> I have to admit that when I first read Ted's essay online I had to wonder what
> was new about these observations.  I mean, a magazine like Rolling Stone has
> always been a lifestyle magazine.   What we do and what they do are very
> different things.
>  
> 
>  
>  
> John Covach
>  
> University of Rochester
>  
>  Sent from my iPad
>  
> 
>  On Mar 25, 2014, at 3:42 PM, Andrew Schartmann <andrew.schartmann at yale.edu>
> wrote:
>  
>  
>  
>>  
>>  
>>  
>> For anyone interested, here is the article that inspired Pallet to write a
>> theory-based analysis of a Katy Perry song:
>> http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/03/18/music-criticism-has-degenera
>> ted-into-lifestyle-reporting.html[thedailybeast.com]
>> <https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v1/url?u=http://www.thedailybeast.com/arti
>> cles/2014/03/18/music-criticism-has-degenerated-into-lifestyle-reporting.html
>> &k=p4Ly7qpEBiYPBVenR9G2iQ%3D%3D%0A&r=MGIjVXD0MpvArfh7TaFtour4KYQZxxmjH58etj58
>> 8dE%3D%0A&m=wn7SFYJtt8vMzcOPJnWbGgoz%2FW%2BvZ7tEIg5ZtzoxpCU%3D%0A&s=fa3ad6137
>> 8639e2fd2c392a651b4931789d05907711674339f9f2d0257bddb6e> . Needless to say,
>> Gioia's article generated quite a controversy online.
>>  
>>  
>>  
>> Also, I'm pretty sure Pallet's title ("Explaining the genius of Katy Perry's
>> 'Teenage Dream'‹using music theory") is meant to be facetious.
>>  
>>  
>>  
>> Andrew Schartmann
>>  
>>  
>> Graduate Student
>>  Yale University
>>  
>>  
>>  
>>  
>  
>>  
>> _______________________________________________
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>> WbGgoz%2FW%2BvZ7tEIg5ZtzoxpCU%3D%0A&s=45cba9c8427a65a3960cc14220927ce1a019aeb
>> de4d13d4bebcc0afd5ca35554>
>>  
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>  
>   
>  
> _______________________________________________
> Smt-talk mailing list
> Smt-talk at lists.societymusictheory.orghttps://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v1/url?
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> .org&k=p4Ly7qpEBiYPBVenR9G2iQ%3D%3D%0A&r=MGIjVXD0MpvArfh7TaFtour4KYQZxxmjH58et
> j588dE%3D%0A&m=wn7SFYJtt8vMzcOPJnWbGgoz%2FW%2BvZ7tEIg5ZtzoxpCU%3D%0A&s=45cba9c
> 8427a65a3960cc14220927ce1a019aebde4d13d4bebcc0afd5ca35554
>  
 
 
 
-- 
Dave Headlam
Professor of Music Theory
Eastman School of Music
26 Gibbs St.
Rochester, NY 14604
david.headlam at rochester.eduhttp://theory.esm.rochester.edu/dave_headlam
 
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