Ballet Music Through The Ages

Right from the beginning, ballet and music have been uniquely intertwined. Without music ballet is nothing more than the empty motions of a ritual. Without the movement and rhythm of dance, music looses all vitality. And so, ballet as a doorway to human expression hinges on both music and dance.

Jean Baptiste Lully (1632-1687), the Italian-born French composer who founded the national French opera was not just a court composer to Louis XIV, but also a choreographer who produced court ballets for Molière's plays. This probably explains why his productions never lacked an accompaniment. However, theatre productions of the eighteenth century turned composers away from ballet and toward the music of ballroom dancing.

This phase sustained its self straight through the nineteenth century with the exception of pieces by Russian classical composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893) which include the Nutcracker, Swan Lake, and Sleeping Beauty.

In the twentieth century however, ballet came back to the spotlight. Once again considered a respectable art form, choreographers looked to the works of classical composers such as Mozart, Bach, Vivaldi, Chopin, Brahms, and Handel to perform the art of ballet dancing too.

Many agree that ballet owes its very existence to the likes of those who are both composers and choreographers. Because being musicians in nature, they naturally pay close attention to ballet following the rhythmic structure of its accompaniment precisely. One who does not understand music can easily create ballet that looks good that in of itself, yet at the mercy of a great classical piece the novice falls short of expressing the true nature of the piece. Instead, they turn the production into a form of movement that is devoid of both art and beauty. The experts instead know when it is appropriate to go against the grain of the accompaniment to heighten those dramatic periods which capture their audience’s attention and leaves them breathless.

As we dawn a new era of music and dance, it’s undeniable that ballet will continue to change. However, just as music and dance have always been the best of friends, ballet will continue to find its new identity in the constantly changing music of today.

Info On Sheet Music

Sheet music is an important tool for established musicians and those who want to learn. If you do not know how to read sheet music, don’t worry. There are many online tutorials that will take you step by step on learning how to read sheet music. Sheet music can speed the time in learning new songs. Sheet music can also help you capture your own original compositions to paper which will help in publishing and copyright issues.

Finding sheet music is relatively easy given the popularity of sheet music download sites. You can find sheet music for every genre of music and to suit every instrument. Whether you are a beginner or an advanced musician, sheet music can be found for your experience level. Searching the Internet will bring up a variety of sites where you can choose the sheet music most desirable for you.

When downloading sheet music, please be aware of copyright laws. The musician or composer usually holds the copyright to their sheet music. Some copyright owners will allow the download of their sheet music only under certain conditions. Others do not allow the download of their sheet music for free or at all. Be aware of the applicable copyrights so you do not have a problem.

Many artists who compose original works will provide sheet music to get their songs out to the public. Composers will use sheet music to try to sell their song to a band that can perform it with the hopes of getting a record deal. Whatever the motivation behind allowing public access to original sheet music, it is readily available for download at a variety of sites. Downloading sheet music is a great way to learn songs and increase your play set.

Musicians who are just starting out may not have a vast repertoire of songs. Downloading sheet music to learn can increase this much faster. Having a wide variety of available songs to perform will increase the likelihood of getting paid for performances. Sheet music can also help you during a performance. Sometimes a play set is so vast that no matter how many times you practice, it’s difficult to remember all the words and chord changes. Using sheet music as a guide can help you build confidence during a performance.

Sheet music can be found for download at a number of sites. Sometimes sheet music is available for free, others a small fee is required. Please be aware of any copyright issues, especially if downloading free sheet music. Do not steal sheet music or otherwise violate copyright as it harms the artist. If you are a composer, allowing others to view or download your sheet music is a great way to expose your art to the public. Use sheet music to learn, write and perform original works and songs by your favorite artists.