Skip to main content

Frank Sinatra - All Of Me

Just as we might feel inclined to see music resisting the implicit morality of high and low (high being the good and low being the bad or base, basso, by that telling ambiguity of language), music is much more than melody. Melody may be the pre-eminent quality of western metrical music; but in most performed genres since the middle ages, music was arranged in different voices. Initially, this may have involved little more than a drum or drone that accompanied one voice, more or less providing padding or a beat for the single voice that rose above it. But the bulk of early music already reveals a bass part. With the development of the keyboard, the bass notes could even be played in the left hand by a single performer while the right hand typically provided the melody on the higher side of the scale.

The continuity of the drone is perhaps recalled in the delightful Italian baroque term basso continuo, a bass line that keeps going, or as English musicians would say in the same period, a ‘thorough bass’, meaning a bass that runs through the piece (‘through’ and ‘thorough’ possessing the same etymology). Romantic music makes us think that high and low instruments are put together to make a duet; but that conception does not belong to earlier music, right through the baroque. Even in the romantic period, a piece for violin and piano is not referred to as a duet but a violin sonata (with accompaniment). In the baroque a solo which is unaccompanied is rare and will often be published with the stipulation of being unaccompanied, so that there is no confusion and musicians do not go hunting for the missing part or invent one for good measure.
Source: Basso: A Low Point in the Study of Musical Meaning and Metaphor by Robert Nelson


Frank Sinatra - All Of Me
  • First recorded on October 19, 1947
  • Released on "All of Me" single April 5, 1948
  • Written by Gerald Marks, Seymour Simons


"Count Basie and his orchestra performed this song in an instrumental on Sinatra's 1966 live album, Sinatra at the Sands. Many unconfirmed sources claim this work was introduced over the radio by Belle Baker in 1931. Broadcasting day and station remain unknown."

See previous Song of the Day

Labels:
Location: United States

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Jackson Browne - Kisses Sweeter than Wine

Europe has a rich history of embracing blues and jazz music. In the early 20th century, American jazz musicians began touring Europe, introducing the continent to a new sound that was unlike anything they had ever heard before. Jazz became an instant hit among European audiences, and many European musicians began incorporating jazz elements into their music. Today, jazz festivals are held all over Europe, attracting thousands of fans from all over the world. In addition, many European cities have thriving blues scenes, with local bands and musicians performing regularly. Blues and jazz have also made their way to Asia, where they have found a devoted fan base. Japan, in particular, has a thriving jazz scene, with many Japanese musicians achieving international recognition. In addition, China has also seen a rise in the popularity of jazz music in recent years. Jazz festivals are now held in major Asian cities such as Tokyo, Shanghai, and Hong Kong, attracting jazz lovers from all over ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Roy Haynes - Satan's Mysterious Feeling

Sun Studio, located at 706 Union Avenue, was started by one of the fathers of rock ‘n roll, Sam Phillips, in 1950. It was the commingling of the Memphis Recording Service and Sun Records that formed Sun Studio, and until 1969... The studio’s claim to fame is that it is where the first rock ‘n roll record was produced, Rocket 88, in April 1951. Stax Records was born in 1957. The original Stax was named Satellite Records until it changed its name to Stax in 1961. The company brought to the forefront American and Memphis soul, as well as gospel, funk and the Delta blues. Its most famous act was Otis Redding, and after his death in 1967, the studio struggled to stay in competition with Detroit’s Motown. The music of Memphis has evolved from its long, rich history. The legends of the past have created a legacy that newer artists can only hope to imitate but never really duplicate. A walk along Beale Street should invoke the memory of the great musicians who have come to and played in Memphi...
Post a Comment
Read more

David Sylvian - The First Day

When the story of Blues is told to the world, the small town Holly Springs, Mississippi and the North Mississippi region as a whole, is often left out. But, those who know, know that this region is the Hill Country, and it is the home of a style of blues unlike others and continuing to shape popular music culture. Mississippi Hill Country Blues, like all forms of the blues, is deeply rooted in the cultural memories and experiences of those who first performed it. It builds upon the African and diasporic emphasis upon rhythm as not just beats and timing, but giving syncopation and polyrhythm both rhythmic elements, an elevated role in music much like that of the melody. The driving rhythm and aggressive groove, established primarily by sitting on one chord for long phrases, set Hill Country Blues apart from other forms like Delta Blues. Hill Country Blues is the soundscape of the region that includes several counties and towns around Holly Spring, Senatobia, and Como, Mississippi. The r...
Post a Comment
Read more