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| Julie Reyburn |
For the middle set, Ritt Henn and his bass guitar took a spot on stage to accompany Julie Reyburn and Mark Janas on "What a Movie" from Trouble in Tahiti, along with backup singers Adam Shapiro, Matthew Martin Ward, and (me) Sierra Rein. Julie then sang the lyrical "There is a Garden" from Trouble in Tahiti, which is the aria the wife sings to her psychiatrist about the disturbing dream she had in the midst of her troubled marriage, in which she is trapped in a dead garden and hears a hopeful voice telling her of "a quiet place" of another, more loving garden. We then got another Bernstein Celebration tradition: "A Boy Like That/I Have a Love" from West Side Story as a duet between Julie and Tanya Moberly, which was quite emotionally effective.
To close the evening out, Julie adjusted a few opening lyrics and sang the part of Claire in "Some Other Time" from On The Town. On hand to add harmony was (me) Sierra Rein as Hildy, Matthew Martin Ward as Ollie, and Adam Shapiro as Chip. At the end of the Thank You's, Mark hit the piano again to lead us in to a rousing "Happy Birthday" to Lennie, complete with atonal tritoned West Side Story orchestrations sprinkled into the accompaniment.
Happy Birthday, Leonard Bernstein!
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| Lennie Bernstein b. August 25, 1918 |
After I (Sierra) sang Bernstein's "My Twelve-Tone Melody," Mark segued into the concept of what "12 Tone" is. In the 12 tone mode of composition, the melody organizes the 12 tones of the scale but in a different order than the do-re-mi we are used to. After the composer goes through all 12 tones, they can then be repeated, sent into "retrograde" and inverted, written backwards and upside-down, and utilized to form chords. It's a somewhat mind-boggling method of composition, but when used effectively, it can keep the audiences' ears on their toes (so to speak). Leonard Bernstein pushed tonality, and used the atonality of 12 tones within many of his works, including West Side Story. However, to maintain the audience's good graces, Bernstein made sure that his music was also intensely tonic; instead, he wrote with snippets of 12-tone within his work. People often forget that West Side Story is classical musical, but it is undeniably atonal from the first chords, with tritone chords (aka an augmented fourth) all over the place, and funny intervals like the jump from the tonic to the tritone within the melody. These tritones add spice to the mambo and cha-cha within the "Dance at the Gym" scene, to the accented and reaching theme of "Maria," and the jump from the E to the Bb in "America."
At times throughout Classical Corner, Mark played a few Bernstein melodies from West Side Story with the tonal instead of the tritones, and it sounded completely off, since we have all memorized the atonal melodies of these classic pieces. Bernstein hid these atonal moments in the orchestration to even the most tonal of his works, as in the harmonic orchestration behind "Somewhere." Mark then played through "Officer Kruptke" and pointed out all the sneaky tritones, and the progression from the starting key to the next arrives at the tritone with only two progressions before eventually returning to the original tonic key, something no one had attempted in modern musicals at the time. Mark then went on to discuss Trouble in Tahiti, which was written while Bernstein was on his honeymoon. It was supposedly about his parents ("Sam," the husband in the piece, was modeled and named after his father). In Trouble in Tahiti, Leonard dealt with the concept of interpersonal things getting lost in materialism, and how the family unit at the time was breaking up even amidst great Wall Street successes. Mark left us with these thoughts as we took a break into the second act, and got to hear two songs from this lesser-known show in Julie's mid-show set.
At times throughout Classical Corner, Mark played a few Bernstein melodies from West Side Story with the tonal instead of the tritones, and it sounded completely off, since we have all memorized the atonal melodies of these classic pieces. Bernstein hid these atonal moments in the orchestration to even the most tonal of his works, as in the harmonic orchestration behind "Somewhere." Mark then played through "Officer Kruptke" and pointed out all the sneaky tritones, and the progression from the starting key to the next arrives at the tritone with only two progressions before eventually returning to the original tonic key, something no one had attempted in modern musicals at the time. Mark then went on to discuss Trouble in Tahiti, which was written while Bernstein was on his honeymoon. It was supposedly about his parents ("Sam," the husband in the piece, was modeled and named after his father). In Trouble in Tahiti, Leonard dealt with the concept of interpersonal things getting lost in materialism, and how the family unit at the time was breaking up even amidst great Wall Street successes. Mark left us with these thoughts as we took a break into the second act, and got to hear two songs from this lesser-known show in Julie's mid-show set.
Roster of performers for the evening (in order of appearance):
Click link to visit the performer’s website or other links, when available.
All piano accompaniment by Mark Janas unless otherwise noted.
Mark Janas and Matthew Martin Ward (both at piano)
CO-HOST: Julie Reyburn
Scott Grey
Sue Susman
Michael Colby
Jerome Weinstein
Ira Lee Collings (with Matthew Martin Ward at piano)
Janice Hall (with Matthew Martin Ward on piano)
Joey Infante and Michael Macdonald (with Michael Macdonald on piano)
Richie Eisenberg (self at piano)
Joey Infante and Michael Macdonald (with Michael Macdonald on piano)
Richie Eisenberg (self at piano)
CLASSICAL CORNER
BREAK
CO-HOST Julie Reyburn (with Adam Shapiro, Matthew Martin Ward, Sierra Rein on backups)
Julie Reyburn and Tanya Moberly
CO-HOST Julie Reyburn (with Adam Shapiro, Matthew Martin Ward, Sierra Rein on backups)
Julie Reyburn and Tanya Moberly
Tanya Moberly (with Ritt Henn on bass)
Ritt Henn (self on guitar)
Amy Beth Williams (Ritt Henn on bass)
Frank Frascati
Angela Leone
David Ballard
Jen Bradley
Amy Beth Williams (Ritt Henn on bass)
Frank Frascati
Angela Leone
David Ballard
Jen Bradley
CO-HOST: Julie Reyburn, Adam Shapiro, Matthew Martin Ward, and Sierra Rein
Special thanks to tonight’s musicians: Mark Janas, Matthew Martin Ward, Michael Macdonald, Ritt Henn, and Richie Eisenberg!
Special thanks to tonight’s musicians: Mark Janas, Matthew Martin Ward, Michael Macdonald, Ritt Henn, and Richie Eisenberg!
Thank you to this evening's videographer, James Eden, to Gill Alexandre on lights and sound, and to our amazing waitstaff, Matea and Phillip!
Ongoing Shows:
Monday nights (7pm): Opera Open Mic at Shanghai Mong with Mark Janas and Matthew Martin Ward, 30 West 32nd Street, NYC.
Tuesday (7:30pm) FINALE *THIS* TUES: Tanya Moberly is judging Mama's Next Big Act at Don't Tell Mama, 343 West 46th Street, NYC, and a few of our regular Salon members have been/are taking part!
Upcoming Shows:
Tuesday, August 29, 2017 (6pm): Matthew Martin Ward will play the keys at the MAC Open Mic at the Laurie Beechman Theatre, 407 W. 42nd Street, NYC.
Tuesday, August 29, 2017 (7pm): Sarah Rice performs "Music of the Night: Memories, Dreams & Reflections" at The Metropolitan Room, 34 West 22nd Street, NYC.
Tuesday, August 29, 2017 (7pm): Sarah Rice performs "Music of the Night: Memories, Dreams & Reflections" at The Metropolitan Room, 34 West 22nd Street, NYC.
Friday, September 15, 2017 (7pm): Tanya Moberly and Sean Harkness at Don't Tell Mama, 345 West 46th Street, NYC.
Monday, September 18, 2017 (7pm): Bobbie Horowitz hosts "It's Just A Number" (with Matthew Martin Ward at piano) to honor Meg Flathers, Frank Dain, and John Kropowski at The Triad, 158 W 72nd St, NYC.
Tuesday, September 19, 2017 (9:30pm): Tanya Moberly directs the return of "A Life Behind Bars," written and performed by Dan Ruth, at The Laurie Beechman Theatre, 407 W. 42nd Street, NYC.
Saturday, September 23, 2017 (4pm): Becca Kidwell brings back her show "A Song & It's Girl" to Don't Tell Mama, 345 West 46th Street, NYC.
Tuesday, September 19, 2017 (9:30pm): Tanya Moberly directs the return of "A Life Behind Bars," written and performed by Dan Ruth, at The Laurie Beechman Theatre, 407 W. 42nd Street, NYC.
Saturday, September 23, 2017 (4pm): Becca Kidwell brings back her show "A Song & It's Girl" to Don't Tell Mama, 345 West 46th Street, NYC.
Saturday, September 23, 2017 (7pm): Adam Shapiro directs our own Steve Bustamante in his solo show at Don't Tell Mama, 345 West 46th Street, NYC.
Tuesday, September 26, 2017 (7:15pm): Ira Lee Collings in "The Gay Geezer: Life Is A Song – So Why Not Sing it?” at Don't Tell Mama, 345 West 46th Street, NYC.
Wednesday, September 27, 2017 (7pm): Frank Frascati in "By Myself" at The Metropolitan Room, 34 West 22nd Street, NYC.
Monday, October 2, 2017 (7:15pm): Ira Lee Collings in "The Gay Geezer: Life Is A Song – So Why Not Sing it?” at Don't Tell Mama, 345 West 46th Street, NYC.
Wednesday, October 4, 2017 (9:30pm): Tanya Moberly directs the return of "A Life Behind Bars," written and performed by Dan Ruth, at The Laurie Beechman Theatre, 407 W. 42nd Street, NYC.
Friday, October 6, 2017 (7pm): Tanya Moberly and Ritt Henn at Don't Tell Mama, 345 West 46th Street, NYC.
Wednesday, October 11, 2017 (7pm): Ritt Henn performs "Songs From The Great American Ritt Book," Directed by Barry Kleinbort, at Don't Tell Mama, 345 West 46th Street, NYC.
Monday, October 16, 2017 (6pm): Opening night of the Cabaret Convention features Tanya Moberly, Adam Shapiro, and others, at the Rose Theatre, Jazz at Lincoln Center, Broadway at 60th Street.
Tuesday, September 26, 2017 (7:15pm): Ira Lee Collings in "The Gay Geezer: Life Is A Song – So Why Not Sing it?” at Don't Tell Mama, 345 West 46th Street, NYC.
Wednesday, September 27, 2017 (7pm): Frank Frascati in "By Myself" at The Metropolitan Room, 34 West 22nd Street, NYC.
Monday, October 2, 2017 (7:15pm): Ira Lee Collings in "The Gay Geezer: Life Is A Song – So Why Not Sing it?” at Don't Tell Mama, 345 West 46th Street, NYC.
Wednesday, October 4, 2017 (9:30pm): Tanya Moberly directs the return of "A Life Behind Bars," written and performed by Dan Ruth, at The Laurie Beechman Theatre, 407 W. 42nd Street, NYC.
Friday, October 6, 2017 (7pm): Tanya Moberly and Ritt Henn at Don't Tell Mama, 345 West 46th Street, NYC.
Wednesday, October 11, 2017 (7pm): Ritt Henn performs "Songs From The Great American Ritt Book," Directed by Barry Kleinbort, at Don't Tell Mama, 345 West 46th Street, NYC.
Monday, October 16, 2017 (6pm): Opening night of the Cabaret Convention features Tanya Moberly, Adam Shapiro, and others, at the Rose Theatre, Jazz at Lincoln Center, Broadway at 60th Street.
Wednesday, October 25, 2017 (7pm): Marnie Klar performs "Bedtime Stories" (Directed by Tanya Moberly) at Don't Tell Mama, 345 West 46th Street, NYC.
Friday, October 27, 2017 (7pm): Tanya Moberly and Ian Herman at Don't Tell Mama, 345 West 46th Street, NYC.
Saturday, October 11, 2017 (7pm): Ritt Henn performs "Songs From The Great American Ritt Book," Directed by Barry Kleinbort, at Don't Tell Mama, 345 West 46th Street, NYC.
Saturday, October 28, 2017 (2pm): Tanya Moberly directs the return of "A Life Behind Bars," written and performed by Dan Ruth, at The Laurie Beechman Theatre, 407 W. 42nd Street, NYC.
Saturday, October 28, 2017 (7pm): Ritt Henn performs "Songs From The Great American Ritt Book," Directed by Barry Kleinbort, at Don't Tell Mama, 345 West 46th Street, NYC.
Sunday, October 29, 2017 (7:15pm): Ira Lee Collings in "The Gay Geezer: Life Is A Song – So Why Not Sing it?” at Don't Tell Mama, 345 West 46th Street, NYC.
Monday, November 6, 2017 (9:30pm): Tanya Moberly directs the return of "A Life Behind Bars," written and performed by Dan Ruth, at The Laurie Beechman Theatre, 407 W. 42nd Street, NYC.
Wednesday, November 8, 2017 (7pm): Marnie Klar performs "Bedtime Stories" (Directed by Tanya Moberly) at Don't Tell Mama, 345 West 46th Street, NYC.
Friday, November 10, 2017 (7pm): Marnie Klar performs "Bedtime Stories" (Directed by Tanya Moberly) at Don't Tell Mama, 345 West 46th Street, NYC.
Monday, November 13, 2017: Amy Beth Williams, with Ritt Henn on bass and Tanya Moberly Directing, performs "A Thousand Beautiful Things" at Don't Tell Mama, 345 West 46th Street, NYC.
Monday, November 13, 2017: Amy Beth Williams, with Ritt Henn on bass and Tanya Moberly Directing, performs "A Thousand Beautiful Things" at Don't Tell Mama, 345 West 46th Street, NYC.
Friday, November 17, 2017 (7pm): Tanya Moberly and Mark Janas at Don't Tell Mama, 345 West 46th Street, NYC.
Wednesday, November 29, 2017 (7pm): Sally Darling (with Matthew Martin Ward) presents "Totally Noël" at Don't Tell Mama, 343 West 46th Street, NYC.
Sunday, December 3, 2017 (4:30pm): Sally Darling (with Matthew Martin Ward) presents "Totally Noël" at Don't Tell Mama, 343 West 46th Street, NYC.
Friday, December 8, 2017 (7pm): Tanya Moberly and Steven Ray Watkins at Don't Tell Mama, 345 West 46th Street, NYC.
Saturday, December 10, 2017 (4pm): Marnie Klar performs "Bedtime Stories" (Directed by Tanya Moberly) at Don't Tell Mama, 345 West 46th Street, NYC.
Friday, December 18, 2017: Amy Beth Williams, with Ritt Henn on bass and Tanya Moberly Directing, performs "A Thousand Beautiful Things" at Don't Tell Mama, 345 West 46th Street, NYC.
Friday, December 29, 2017 (7pm): Tanya Moberly and Sean Harkness at Don't Tell Mama, 345 West 46th Street, NYC.
NEXT SALON!
Reminder there will be NO SALON on September 3rd - the next one will be on Sunday, September 10, 2017, and the theme will be "Better Than Nothing." But, you know what's better than anything?!?! Answer: our Co-Host for that evening, the amazing Bill Zeffiro! Hope to see you there, with whatever you bring!
--Sierra Rein
"Blogette" for The Salon
Questions or Oopsies? Email me: sirein@sierrarein.com
Friday, December 18, 2017: Amy Beth Williams, with Ritt Henn on bass and Tanya Moberly Directing, performs "A Thousand Beautiful Things" at Don't Tell Mama, 345 West 46th Street, NYC.
Friday, December 29, 2017 (7pm): Tanya Moberly and Sean Harkness at Don't Tell Mama, 345 West 46th Street, NYC.
NEXT SALON!
Reminder there will be NO SALON on September 3rd - the next one will be on Sunday, September 10, 2017, and the theme will be "Better Than Nothing." But, you know what's better than anything?!?! Answer: our Co-Host for that evening, the amazing Bill Zeffiro! Hope to see you there, with whatever you bring!
--Sierra Rein
"Blogette" for The Salon
Questions or Oopsies? Email me: sirein@sierrarein.com
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