HOW A HIT SONG IS WRITTEN

Do you know how hit songs are made? Then read this text and find out the methods of work at music

I. Every song has to have words and music. Some people who like writing poetry find that it’s easy to write the words of songs. An unusual method is used by David Bowie. He writes lots of words and phrases on different pieces of paper, mixes them up, chooses three or four pieces, and that’s the first line of his new hit song! Paul McCartney thinks of an unusual phrase and repeats it to himself many times until it gives him the inspiration for the rest of the song. That’s how he first thought of the Beatles’ hit Eleanor Rigby.

It’s more difficult to write music. Often, people who are good at lyrics (words) can’t write music, so they find someone who can put their words to music. Elton John wrote the music for Bernie Goodbye Yeltow Brick Road and Croco-dile Rock.

Much of the anger and many of the frustrations felt by young people today are reflected in New Wave songs about unemployment, traffic and life in crowded tower blocks.

II. MAKING A RECORD (IN THE STUDIO)

The main piece of equip­ment in a studio is the Mixing Desk. There are as many as sixty-four channels which are all finally mixed into the sound which you hear when you buy a record. Normally the instrumental tracks (parts) are recorded first and the vocal parts are added last. Often this means that the singer is alone in the studio when he records his own track. All the tracks are then mixed together by the producer. He chooses the best of the vocal tracks; he decides when the drums have to be very loud; when the guitars or strings must be quiet; when there has to be an echo. He can make one voice sound like a choir. Be­cause studios today have such modern equipment, it’s sometimes difficult for a group to make the same kind of sound when they perform ‘live’ on stage in a show or concert.

Some groups like to pro­duce their own records. If it’s a song which they have written, sung and played, they don’t want another person to have responsibility for it and to change it. People who produce their own records are Gary Numan, Fleetwood Mac, Paul McCartney, Queen, Mike Oldfield and the Commo­dores.

From “Catch”

Exercise

True or false?

1. Some people who like writing poetry find that it’s easy to write the words of songs.

2. David Bowie writes lots of words and phrases on different pieces of paper, mixes them up, chooses three or four pieces, and that’s the first line of his new hit song!

3. Paul McCartney thinks of an unusual phrase and repeats it to himself many times.

4. It’s easy to write music.

5. The main piece of equip­ment in a studio is the microphone.

6. Normally the instrumental tracks (parts) are recorded first and the vocal parts are added later.

7. All the tracks are then mixed together by the singer.

A LONDON PANTOMIME

Read the text and find out what the main characters of a pantomime are.

A pantomime is a tradi­tional English entertainment. It is meant for children, but adults enjoy it just as much. It is a very old form of en­tertainment, and can be traced back to 16th-century Italian comedies. Harlequin is a character from these old comedies.

There have been a lot of changes over the years. Singing and dancing and all kinds of jokes have been added; but the stories which are told are still fairy tales, with a hero, a heroine, and a villain. Because they were fairy tales we do not have to ask who will win in the end. The hero always wins the beautiful princess, the fairy queen is triumphant and the demon king is de­feated.

The nursery rhymes were used to make the story for a pantomime.

In every pantomime, there are always three main characters. These are the "principal boy", the "prin­cipal girl", and the "dame", The principal boy is the hero and he is always played by а girl. The prin­cipal girl is the heroine, who always marries the principal boy in the end. The dame is a comic figure, usually the mother of the principal boy or girl, and is always played by a man.

Pantomimes are changing all the time, every year someone has a new idea to make them more exciting or up-to-date. There are pantomimes on ice, with all the actors skating, pan­tomimes with a well-known pop singer as the principal boy or girl; or pantomimes with a famous comedian from the English theatre as the dame. But the old stones remain, side by side with the new ideas.

Exercise

Complete the sentences (look back at the text):

1. A pantomime is meant for children, but …… ….. …

2. The hero always …. ….. …

3. In every pantomime, ….. …… ……

4. The dame is a comic figure, …. …. …

5. Every year someone has ... ... ....

1. 10. ABSTRACT ART

Read the text about the history of abstract art and find different types of such art.

Have you ever seen a painting that puzzled you? Perhaps you could not see anything "real" or "natural" in it. Perhaps it seemed a jumble of lines and colours.You were probably looking at an example of abstract art.

Before the 20th century, most artists showed things more or less as they might look to an observer. Their scenes were recognisable. Even when they painted imaginary scenes, the elements of the picture could usually be identified.

Of course, artists have always put their own personalities into their paintings. A painting by Van Gogh, for example, can easily be recognised — it has his personal stamp. It shows the way Van Gogh looked at real things. Because of his particular style, his paintings look strange to many people. But in his art, people are still recognisable as people. No tree ever looked quite like a Van Gogh tree (he painted trees as great swirling figures), but his trees are still clearly trees.

Individual painters have always experimented with unusual ways of showing real objects. But in the 21st century artists in large numbers began to break away from realistic ways of painting. Many artists seemed to be saying, "If you want an accurate picture of a scene, buy a photograph or a picture postcard." They began to paint life in different ways. They concentrated on form, colour and shape, and avoided any attempt to tell a story or show a scene naturally.

The kind of art just described is often called abstract art. Once upon a time it was a revolutionary movement. Now it has won acceptance. Most museums have examples of abstract art. Some modern museums contain only abstract art.

Great numbers of people still prefer a more realistic art. But even the tastes of these people have been shaped, in part, by the abstract artists. Modern design has been influenced by abstract art. Even the floor covering in your kitchen may have been copied from the design of an abstract artist.

Exercise

Correct the wrong statements:

1. Before the 19th century, most artists showed things more or less as they might look to an observer
2. Artists have never put their own personalities into their paintings.
3. A painting by Van Gogh can’t be recognised.

4. In the 19th century artists in large numbers began to break away from realistic ways of painting.

5. No museums have examples of abstract art.

6. Modern design hasn’t been influenced by abstract art.

PATRICIA KAAS

Read the text and find out why the singer is loved by many people

Patricia Kaas has been the most popular singer of French pop chanson since the 1980s. Half German and half French, she has an unusually deep timbered voice. Her fame in Russia has been almost incredible:

Kaas was adored in this country since her very first visit and until now many say that her French is no obstacle for interpreting the true meaning of her love songs which sneak deep into the corners of your heart. Moreover, her popularity in Europe is high too, in spite of the fact that in the 1980s and the beginning of the 1990s it was quite hard to hear singing in any other language but English.

She is today the most successful French artist known abroad, the proud descendant of Edith Piaf, Jacques Brel, Yves Montand and Charles Aznavour. She adopted a style of realist song that perfectly suited her warm voice. Continuous success, 15 million in album sales and over 800 concerts worldwide have guaranteed Kaas an established position on the international music scene. Her songs are all about emotions and heart strings, and surprisingly not too sweet, so that men love the songs too.

Exercise

Find the correct ending:

1. Patricia Kaas is the most popular singer of a) French pop chanson;

b) English pop chanson;

c) German pop chanson;

2. Her popularity in Europe is a) low;

b) medium;

c) high ;

3. Men a) love her songs too;

b) hate her songs;

c) don’t care.

Date: 2015-12-24; view: 1037