On 30 Jun 2005, at 12:57 AM, A-NO-NE Music wrote:
Darcy James Argue / 2005/06/29 / 07:21 PM wrote:
The reason the switch between 4/4 and 3/2 in the published version of
"All About Rosie" is confusing because while the 4/4 sections are
notated to reflect what the drums are doing, the 3/2 sections are
notated to reflect what the bass is doing. But there is not a
corresponding shift in the relative importance of those instruments.
When the 3/2 measures hit, it's supposed to be a subtle prolongation
of
the measure, not a big dramatic in-your-face metrical shift.
But it sorta is.
I was going to ignore this thread but I have to speak for George. That
3/2 bar was meant to shift. It's a 10 bars phrase. That 3/2 bar is a
landmark of the odd length phrase, and drummer is not supposed to ride
through it. I have been George's assistant conductor last 17 years.
Hiro,
The shift is subtle and deceptive -- I'm sure intentionally so. You
are so familiar with the chart after all these years, it may be hard
for you to put yourself in the position of hearing it for the first
time. Keep in mind when the first 6/4 (3/2, whatever) bar happens, the
bass line for the first four beats of the 6/4 bar is* exactly the same
figure* we've heard twice in 4/4 already. It's only by beat 5 of the
6/4 bar (or more likely, several bars later) that any first-time
listener could possibly realize what was going on.
Also, on both the original recording (will Bill Evans, etc) and the
Gerry Mulligan Concert Jazz Band version (with the great Mel Lewis on
drums), the drums do indeed play swing through the interruptive 6/4
bars. There is no dramatic, obvious feel change on the downbeat of the
6/4 bars -- like, for instance, stop time, or a sudden half-time feel.
Also, at [D], when the meter changes to 6/4 (3/2) for a more extended
spell, it begins with drums only, playing a swing pattern with the
hihat on 2, 4, and 6. Unless the drummer really hits the downbeat of
the second bar of [D] (which, again, doesn't happen on either of the
recorded versions I have) -- a first-time listener would initially have
no way of knowing that we were in 6 instead of 4. IMO, these
ambiguous, deceptive meter changes are a big part of the genius of the
chart.
Also, when we did this at NEC, the drummer played regular 6/4 swing
time (2+2+2) through both the interruptive 6/4 bars and in the extended
6/4 section and neither you nor George raised any objections.
- Darcy
-----
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Brooklyn, NY
_______________________________________________
Finale mailing list
[email protected]
http://lists.shsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/finale
