Tubby the Tuba
The playlist begins with the classic opening ‘Once upon a time…’ It tells the story of a forlorn orchestral tuba called Tubby who never gets to play the tune – only the oom-pah accompaniment. But in the end, he triumphs by unexpectedly bringing a beautiful bass melody to the rest of the previously sceptical orchestra.
Peter and the Wolf
Other stories also use the different sounds of orchestral instruments to depict specific characters. For example, in Peter and the Wolf, the cat is represented by a smooth melody on the clarinet, and grandfather by a bumpy low bassoon tune. The wolf has a menacing theme played by brass instruments, in contrast to Peter’s lilting, self-confident motif on the strings. David Bowie reads the narration.
Stories have long been told through music and narration.
Fakoli
The legend of Fakoli Doumbia, a warrior and hero who assisted the revered Sundiata Keita on his conquests to form the powerful Mali Empire in the 13th century, is relayed in the song by the same name. Remembered as both a general and a priest, Fakoli is one of the most important characters of the Epic of Sundiata – a mingling of historical and legendary oral traditions. This story in music and poetry has been transmitted for centuries by griots in West Africa.
A 17th-century example by the famous French composer and viola da gamba player, Marin Marais, tells the dramatic story of a kidney stone operation which he, himself, had to undergo in the days before anaesthetics and antiseptics. The mortality rate from such procedures was very high, but Marais was one of the fortunate ones who pulled through. The music paints pictures of individual words such as ‘incision’, and ‘the blood flows’. Likewise, in ‘The Boxer’ by Simon and Garfunkel, the words ‘cut him’ are accompanied by short musical stabs.
Story of the Soldier
Music can also provide a commentary on the spoken words. In Stravinsky’s ‘Story of the Soldier’, the music tells us that the Soldier, despite his words, feels torn about giving his violin to the devil. The music plays the role of the Soldier’s conscience, telling us by its loud dissonance that he has made the wrong choice in trading a treasured possession for a book that promises to ‘make him rich’.
Album for Children
Music doesn’t need spoken words to tell a story. In Tchaikovsky’s three short solo piano pieces from his Album for Children, the illness and funeral of a favourite doll can be traced through the sombre musical mood and rhythms. A new doll brings a complete turnaround which can be heard in the upbeat tune and quicker tempo.
Dunoo
It is fitting to close this playlist with the singer, Sonah Jobarteh. In ‘Dunoo’, which means responsibility, she acknowledges the power of words, music and their potent combination, to send a fitting message about musical storytelling. She urges artists and musicians around the world –
to recognize that they are powerful humans in society, who inspire and consequently lead many, especially the youth, to follow in their footsteps. I therefore ask artists to treat their position in society with responsibility and humility, and instead of spreading messages degrading women, worshipping wealth, celebrating greed, and revering violence, be active role models for the next generation in inspiring positive change, productive goals, respect for one another and promote development.
Hey Jukebox
Listen to a playlist of the songs discussed in this blog on Spotify, or in the Museum on Tuesday afternoons from 2.30pm.
Photo by Patrick Tomasso on Unsplash