The Ultimate Experience Live Concert Review Report

 The Ultimate Experience Live Concert Review Report

For this assignment, the recorded concert I selected was “The Ultimate Experience,” which was performed by Elvis Presley in the first live-stream event in 1973 in Honolulu, Hawaii. During this concert, Elvis Presley performed together with his full Orchestra that is comprised of a team of instrumentalists and vocalists, including Mr. J.D. Summer and the Stamps Quartet, the ‘Sweet Inspirations’ vocalists, lead guitarists James Burton, rhythm guitarist John Wilkinson, drummer Ronnie Tutt, pianist Glen Hardin, and many others.

What kind of listener were you at the concert? Why?

In this particular concert, I was both a ‘critical listener’ and an ‘active listener.’ This live performance in Honolulu was the first of its kind to be performed and televised or aired live by NBC to millions of viewers across the planet (Fessier, 2013). It marked the dawn of satellite technology, with the Presley concert attracting nearly 1-1.5 billion viewers. As a critical listener, my main motivation was to identify the flaws with the performance. I was mainly concerned with even the smallest detail of the performance, such as the accuracy of the notes. On the other hand, I can say I was a ‘perceptive listener’ because I was keen on identifying and interpreting the words as they are being said, as well as considering the things the individuals were not mentioning.

What pieces were performed?

In this particular concert, Presley and his Orchestra performed a total of 23 songs from different genres, including his own compositions and those composed by other artists. The songs were a reflection of the 20^th-century musical transformation but with a rock ‘n roll twist. The songs ranged from jazz to rock music to pop music, which all defined the rock n’ roll movement of the 1970s. The first song Presley and the Orchestra performed was “See the Rider” by Gertrude Rainey, while the last song was Elvis’ own composition, “Can’t Help Falling in Love.” The band’s most memorable piece was “Suspicious Mind,” a rock/R&B/country song first written and released by James Mark in 1968. The song was, however, later released and popularized by Presley. It became the number-one hit song of 1969, topping in all charts and commercial earnings (MikeyNL 1038, 2019).

What was the style of each of the pieces performed?

The style that cut across all the pieces performed was rock n roll – a genre of music that originated in the U.S. in the early 40s. Rock-and-roll became popular in the 70s and had a mix of rock, jazz, and music, rhythm and blues, jazz, boogie-woogie, jump blues, and gospel. The unique features of this type of musical style include the use of instrumentation (drums, backing vocals, piano, and so on) and the presence of strong backbeats, especially on beats four and two. The songs are also characterized by a fast tempo (usually about 140bpm and above), energetic deliver of vocals (shouting and screaming), and is usually based on a twelve-bar chord musical structure. There is also a predominant use of primary keys, with blues dominating the vocals.

What was the instrumentation of the Orchestra?

Typical of a rock n’ roll orchestra, the team used different instrumentations, including a piano, drums, a double bass guitar, electric guitar, backing vocals, male vocals, and brass. As introduced by Presley towards the end of the concert, Mr. J.D. Summer and the Stamps Quartet provided the vocal backup, the ‘Sweet Inspirations’ served as the vocalists, James Burton was the lead guitarists, John Wilkinson was the rhythm guitarist, Ronnie Tutt was the drummer, Glen Hardin was the pianist, and Joe Guercio was the leader of the Orchestra. I believe, without a doubt, that the use of instrumentation was perfect and reflected the rock n’ roll musical style. For example, besides the energetic delivery of vocals by Presley when he was performing the blues song “See See the Rider,” there is also the use of shuffle rhythm of the guitary, which is produced by playing 4 bars of G position out of traditional flat-picking, four bars of the D, and four bars of the C.

Draw out and upload the seating arrangement of the instruments in the Orchestra. Include (upload) the concert program and ticket stub.

Orchestra Seating Arrangement

Analysis of Three Pieces Performed

The three remarkable pieces performed by the Orchestra include Hank William’s country music song “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” (1949), Elvis Presley’s “Suspicious Mind” (1969), and Gertrude Rainey’s blues song “See See the Rider” (1924).

The first song was “See See Rider,” which surprisingly was the first piece performed by the Orchestra. As the first jazz and blues song recorded then, “See See Rider” demonstrates mixed variations, incorporating traditional blues lyrics into the creative and modern swing and syncopation style. The structure of the song is based on the customary reiteration of the first line of the stanza (AAB). The ABB structure – which involves repetition/reiteration of the second line of the stanza – is also used. Gertrude Rainey’s intention in writing the song was to portray and condemn unfaithfulness among women. He narrates the story of one unfaithful girl she calls an ‘easy rider.’ The tempo of the song is allegro because it is bright, quick, and fast (ranging between 120 and 156 bpm). The volume of the song is moderato because it is never too high or too low. However, even though the pulse is very strong, the melody is a mixture of legato and staccato. Legato is played without silences in-between the notes, while staccato is played with silence breaks. Finally, consonant harmonies are evident throughout the song, with the form of the song composed of a 12-bar blues traditional folk.

Another song performed was “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” (1949) by Hank Williams. The purpose Hank wrote this song was to express intense, individual emotions. So much unity is expressed throughout the song, with just little variation bits. The song also has an ABB structural format. The pace of the song is Adagio because it is performed slowly but with strong expression. The volume is moderato because the notes never increase or drop. Just like all other rock n’ roll pieces, the rhythm is strong. Consonant harmonies are also evident throughout the song with little dissonance. On the other hand, the melody is staccato because there are plenty of breaks between notes throughout the song. The form of the song is cyclical because the repetitive progression of chords typifies it.

The final piece performed by the Orchestra was Presley’s award-winning song “Suspicious Mind” (1969). The purpose of the song is to express a dysfunctional and mistrusting relationship, emphasizing the importance of the characters overcoming the issues bedeviling their relationship. The song depicts unity with very minimal bits of variation. The piece is structured using a 3-line stanza of the AAB form. The pace/tempo of the notes transitions from Adagio to Moderato. The rhythm is strong and obvious. Whereas the volume is al niente, the volume is crescendo because it shifts from moderate to high. The primary melody is staccato because there are instances of silence between notes. There are also several instances of dissonance throughout the song that create tension and anxiety.

References

Fessier, B. (2013, May 10). Director remembers landmark Elvis Presley’s performance. USA Today. https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/tv/2013/05/10/elvis-presley-aloha-from-hawaii/2151617/

MikeyNL 1038. (2019, Feb 4). Elvis Presley – Aloha from Hawaii, live in Honolulu, 1973 (full concert) The Ultimate Experience [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zLmsZC45-m8&t=3105s 

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LIVE CONCERT REVIEW REPORT

ALERT! Please, send the link for the video you chose to do the report. It can be from Youtube.

The Ultimate Experience Live Concert Review Report

For this assignment, you will need to plan ahead. During this semester, you must attend a live symphony orchestra concert, opera, musical with live music accommpanying, jazz big band, jazz combo, or chamber ensemble with at least three performers in order to complete it. As long as it is one of these ensembles, any event is OK. If you go to a musical, try to find a “professional” rather than a “community” production. In any case, you must find a way to see the Orchestra or ensemble at some point in the performance (they are usually in the “pit”—and yes, that’s what it’s called). Here is a list of places you may find a concert.(In view of the present situation with the Corona virus, you may not find a venue to attend a live concert. Therefore, write your concert review report by watching a video performance. You do not need to worry about the Ticket Stub and Concert Program).

You will need to bring paper and pen to take notes. Some students find it helpful to make a chart beforehand of the musical elements and write comments in each category about each piece on the program throughout the concert. Have fun!

Write the equivalent of a 2-3 page report giving a review of the concert you attended. Your review must include the following:

• What kind of listener were you at the concert? Why?
• What pieces were performed?
• What was the style of each of the pieces performed?
• What was the instrumentation of the Orchestra?
• Draw out and upload the seating arrangement of the instruments in the Orchestra. Include (upload) the concert program and ticket stub.

Analyze 3-4 pieces played during the concert using the following criteria from the course:

• Unity and Variety
• Structure of the Music
• Purpose of the Music
• Tempo
• Volume
• Rhythm
• Melody
• Harmony
• Form
• Historical Period

View the sample of a well-written concert report.

Use Microsoft Word to type your report. Save as .docx, .rtf, or .pdf format.

Run a spell check/grammar check (under the “Review” menu in Word). Correct grammar and spelling will be part of your grade.

Copy and paste your proof-read assignment into the Assignment Drop Box (not the “Comments” Box.)

All written assignments will run through SafeAssign, Blackboard’s plagiarism checking tool. Be sure to paraphrase appropriately.

See the Rubric for how your grade will be determined.