5 Best Sondheim Musicals

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In the history of musical theatre, there are names that have become legend. Rodgers and Hammerstein usually ring bells for even the casual audience member. Stephen Sondheim was a student of Hammerstein and learning at the hands of a master helped turn Sondheim into one of the most complex musical theatre composers ever. His shows test the usual constraints of what many are used to seeing and hearing in musicals. Let’s take a look at five of his best musicals.


5. “Sunday in the Park with George” (1984) Inspired by a painting, this complex musical follows an artist as he works on his masterpiece. Sondheim served as both lyricist and composer.

4. “Assassins” (1990) Always toying with edgy characters, Sondheim turned many famous assassins throughout history into a musical. Sondheim both composed the music and wrote the lyrics.

3. “Company” (1970) A concept musical, “Company,” really showed Sondheim’s willingness to take chances. It bounces around in time and follows a guy named Bobby as he balances wives and girlfriends and friends. Sondheim wrote the lyrics and composed the music.

2. “Sweeney Todd” (1979) A complex, operatic musical, “Sweeney Todd” soars in a terrifying way. It follows a demon barber who seeks revenge. Sondheim wrote both the music and lyrics.

1. “Into the Woods” (1987) Sondheim wrote the music and lyrics to this beloved musicals that turns well known fairy tales on their head and shows what happens after happily ever after ends.

Stephen Sondheim has many incredible shows not on this list, but I think this is his top five best shows that he created both musically and lyrically. Definitely, check out these amazing shows!.

Massage Chairs For Relaxing While Watching TV

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Modern life brought us a lot of stress and lack of time looks like the main problem for many. Massage chairs for relaxing are designed especially for these busy people that simply don’t have time to go to a massage saloon. If you only have one hour before going to bed, the best way is to watch TV while enjoying a healthy massage, having benefits both on the mind and the body.

The best part of this massage is that it helps you relax and eliminate stress, which will be felt by the whole organism. You are entitled to such a spoil especially after a long day of work, watching your favorite series and enjoying a good wine. The main goal of such chair is to help your body relax, but there also other benefits you never thought about.

The squeezing massage, with or without vibrations, with or without heating, with intense pressure are some of the many other features allowing the user to create his or her own advanced massage program. Here are some of the benefits offered by massage chairs while watching TV, benefits proven by numerous researches by psychotherapy institutes and universities around the world.

  1. Improved blood circulation

Maybe you would not expect such benefits from these chairs, but they will improve your circulation, allowing the blood to flow easier through the body. Blood carries all the nutrients and useful substances to all the organs, so it is important for the circulation to be good. The massage chairs will improve the reproduction rate of red cells in the blood, reducing hypertension and the chances of a heart attack. Moreover, the lymphatic circulation is also improved, helping the faster elimination of the toxins from the organism.

 

  • Reduces stress and anxiety

The disease of the century is considered by many to be stress and anxiety. It is time to eliminate these problems form your life, and today it is possible even while watching TV. It is probably the most important reason for while people by these chairs. While you let your professional chair to do its magic work as a massage specialist, the endorphin levels in the body will raise, literally acting like a relaxing sedative.

  • Corrects the posture of the body

The majority of employees working at a desk for more than eight hours a day has back problems and cannot adopt the right posture while working. No matter how careful we would be about how we sit at the desk, we will get tired after a couple of hours and forget about it. A good massage armchair will correct the pressure out on certain muscles that were overworked during the day. Through the revolutionary massage techniques these chars are capable of, your back will feel as new after a few minutes of using the chair.

The improvements implemented during the last years by this industry are based on studies and advices from medics, allowing benefiting of a therapist at home, whenever you need it, even while watching TV.

The Musicians of Myspace.com

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Do you love music? Of course you do, and if you don’t, well, it’s time you started listening to to the cool sounds of D Brown.

Another talented musician on Myspace.com, this lyrical and musical genius will keep bringing you back for more. His style is a compilation of different genres from R&B;, Progressive Rock, and Soul…you name it, he does it all.


His voice, rich and polished, carries you away…sensual lyrics…up-beat…soulful…and heartfelt all come to mind when I hear his songs. The beats will keep you moving and the music will help you remember those moments…the celebrations in life we seem to forget.

When listening to his songs, I can’t help fall in love with all of them. I have to admit, though, I do have my favorites. “Musical” is often kept on repeat for those times I need to “let go” of it all because it helps me do just that. Those up-tempo beats get me moving when even the strongest coffee can’t. The catchy lyrics, “point-point-counterpoint,” stick in my head as well as plaster a huge smile on my face. I believe his vibe is contagious…

“On My Own” helps me sit back and groove…imagining what it would be like in a strange city staring out a window in an empty apartment…with my music keeping me company…but missing something…someone…

His infectious smile, as rich and inviting as his music, also appeals to you and says “I’m genuine…I’m unique…Listen to me.” With such sincerity in his music and personality, it’s obvious why there are 2170 people listed as his friends and more being added each day.

If you want to check out the unforgettable sounds of D Brown, and I highly recommend you do, visit his my space by following this link: D Brown .

Word of Caution: His music is highly addictive.

Latin Music for Cinco De Mayo

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Top Ten Songs to Have on Your Cinco de Mayo Playlist

Exposing yourself to music and musicians from other countries can be a rewarding experience. There are a lot of Spanish speaking singers both Latin American and Spanish, that sing in both Spanish and English that can introduce you to new cultures and ideas. Two of my favorite singers that have recorded in both languages are Shakira, and Selena. While Selena was murdered several years ago, her music still stands the test of time, and I would recommend it to anyone who loves music, and Shakira is just amazing!


There are also singers who shouldn’t be overlooked because they record in Spanish. Don’t neglect listening to them! These songs are still a great benefit to the non-Spanish speaker. The rhythms and melodies of these songs shatter the language barrier. Juanes is a singer that does just that. While these songs may be new to the non-Spanish speaking world, they are old favorites of mine.

Here are a few of my absolute favorite songs, that just happen to be by Hispanic performers.

Underneath Your Clothes, Shakira: from the album, Laundry Service

Hips Don’t Lie, Shakira: from the album, Laundry Service

Eyes Like Yours, Shakira: from the album, Laundry Service

Beautiful Liar, Beyonce, and Shakira: from the album, B’Day Deluxe Edition

La Camisa Negra, Juanes: from the album, Mi Sangre


Volverte A Ver, Juanes: from the album, Mi Sangre

Para Tu Amor, Juanes: from the album, Mi Sangre

Damelo, Juanes: from the album, Mi Sangre

I Could Fall in Love, Selena: from the Album 20 Years of Music

Missing My Baby, Selena: from the Album 20 Years of Music

Bidi Bidi Bom Bom, Selena: from the Album 20 Years of Music

References:

Juanes:http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_dmusic?url=search-alias%3Ddigital-music&field-keywords;=juanes&x;=19&y;=16

Selena:http://www.amazon.com/Dreaming-of-You/dp/B000TGRBB6/ref=sr_f3_3?ie=UTF8&s;=dmusic&qid;=1237319120&sr;=103-3

Shakira:http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_dmusic?url=search-alias%3Ddigital-music&field-keywords;=shakira

How to Get Free Music from YouTube

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First to do this you will need to download a program called Mactubes. You can do this by searching it in Google and then going to the page and downloading it.

After you have this software:

1. Open Mactubes

2. Type the exact name of the video you want in the search bar.

3. Double click on the video you want and it should come into a new window.

4. In the bottom right there should be a gear icon.

5. Click it and select download, and download the video as a MP4 file. Once its done the file should show up on your desktop.

7. Now open iMovie and click on the file tab at the top.

8. Click import and import the movie you downloaded. (if you can’t find it click the side bar icon with the desk top and it should be under that menu).

9. When it’s in iMovie drag it from the media section into the section that is for your project.

10. Go to the advanced and click on separate audio.

11. Delete the video and you will have the audio you want.

12. To get into iTunes drag the audio into your iTunes library or hit the share tab and choose iTunes.

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If when you delete the video the audio disappears, press command Z, select the video, and move it to the right slightly and delete again.

Rare Musical Instruments: Make Your Own Diddley Bow

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Few instruments are as important to modern American music yet as obscure as the diddley bow. Sitting on the very foundations of American music, this cheap, homemade instrument was the gateway to guitars for many influential blues artists, yet today, almost nobody can recognize one. Everyone should try, just once, to make and play a diddley bow, both as a tribute to the traditional African-American roots of today’s music, and as an experiment in simple acoustics.


The Diddley Bow

The diddley bow is an extremely simple instrument. Made with just string, a bottle, and a few nails attached to a piece of scrap lumber, this instrument allowed Southern African-American artists to demonstrate musical aptitude without the need for expensive instruments. Similar in design to many African instruments, it is technically a single stringed chordophone.

In essence, it is a piece of wire strung between two nails. A glass bottle is used as both the bridge and sound box, like a poor-but-simple resonator, and a slide of glass or pipe would be fitted over your finger to allow you to modulate the pitch. The wire string would be plucked, sending vibrations back to the bottle which would resonate. Sliding your slide up the string toward the bridge would raise the pitch, as would pressing down harder on the string, and you could reduce the pitch by doing the opposite.

Making Your Own

Making a diddley bow is extremely simple. All you need is a bottle, some wire, and a couple of nails. Detailed assembly instructions can be found at MakeProjects.com. While you can add pickups to electrify your instrument, it isn’t necessary unless you plan to record with it. The diddley bow demonstrates all of the mathematics and skills of more complex instruments.

With students or summer camp kids, this can be a great project. Be sure to do the nailing yourself, but let them experiment with painting the stick, choosing the bottle, and of course, playing the instrument. Maybe, like the Mississippi blues forefathers of our music today, a few will discover a lasting musicality from this simple design.

The Music of a Summer Storm

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Season tickets to the most magnificent concerts in the world are a perk for a citizen of Florida like me. Every summer afternoon as the skies darken, I hurry eagerly to my front row seat as the rain drops begin a gentle prelude on the roof above. The breezes freshen, the heavy curtains of sky open, and my heart soars with excitement as I watch the majestic story unfold – a story of love and provision from the Creator.


The staccato tap-dance of rain on the roof picks up speed. Lightening splits the sky in a brilliant downward stroke, conducting the thunder to a rolling crescendo. Rain flows off the edge of the roof. Coming in from behind, the winds blow more rain, first from one direction, then from another. I soak up the energy of the storm the way the earth soaks in the life-giving drops. The power of the storm abates and the sounds soften to a gentle patter as the earth applauds, the heavens providing a fresh proof of the glories of the Lord.

Nashville – Music City

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Come and see the show that made country music famous, The Grand Ole’ Opry. The shows are every Friday and Saturday plus Tuesdays in March through December. Visitors to Music City will also find a city full of culture and history, natural beauty and pure Southern charm. It will leave a good impression on all who visit (www.opry.com).

The General Jackson is the largest paddlewheel riverboat in the country! Four massive decks and a beautiful two-story Victorian theater offer a wide variety of entertainment options. Fun-filled lunch and dinner cruises feature delicious Southern menus and the best in live country music. Discover Tennessee’s rich history as you cruise the winding Cumberland River aboard the General Jackson Showboat in Nashville (generaljackson.com).

You can also visit the ancestral home of the eleventh president James K. Polk. The home has the original furnishings. New this year in spring 2009 is the Polk Presidental Hall Museum (www.jamespolk.com).

The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum is the home to thousands of priceless artifacts that tell the story of America’s music. (www.countrymusichalloffame.com). Discover some of the Opry’s greatest stars at the Grand Ole’ Opry Museum. Call ahead as the museum closes occassionally for events.

Tour the area known as Music Row and see RCA’s Historic Studio B, where Elvis recorded more than 200 hits. It is Nashville’s oldest surviving recording studio known as the cradle of the Nashville sound (www.countrymusichalloffame.com).

At the Music Valley Wax Museum, they have more than fifty country music stars dressed in authentic costumes (www.musicvalleyattractions.com).

I’ve never seen a shopping mall as big as Opry Mills Mall! It is the ultimate shopping adventure and family entertainment. They offer two hundred of the best names in retail (www.oprymills.com).

At the Jack Daniel Distillery you can tour the oldest registered distillery in the U.S. to see first hand the special whisky-making process. Mr. Jack perfected it back in 1866 (www.jackdaniels.com).

If you are a big Titans fan like I am then the L.P. football field is the place to go to watch the Tennessee Titans play! (www.titansonline.com)

I am confident that everyone in the family can find something interesting to see or do in Nashville.

What to Do when Downloading Music Online

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In our generation downloading music is not a problem. There is a large selection of websites which offer just about any type of music, so even if you prefer a specific genre of music the chances are you will be able to find music sites which can cater to your needs. I will give you some information on what not to do and what to do when you downloading music online.

Firstly, streaming and downloading are to different things. The first difference is when music is playing, you can listen to it as long as you are on the site which is streaming it. Unlike downloading, where you take of the song from the website and save it on your computer. Once this song is on your computer you are able to listen to it when and where you choose, also when you download you can play the songs on other devices other than the computer such as a phone, iPod, MP3 player etc. Clearly, downloading has much more potential and benefits than streaming and is more widely used. But streaming is a good option when you are listening to a song for the first-time and is deciding whether you want it or not.

When looking for music online most people try to do is get it for free. However, people doing this don’t take time to read the views and do their research on his site which they are downloading from. Many of these sites give its users problems, facing viruses and other suspicious software inside music fans causing the user to experience computer problems. This can be very dangerous, unwanted users can access a PC through these kinds of viruses and steel import information. That is why it is always best to legally buy music at reputable sites such as iTunes and Amazon. These sites offer virus free and the best quality MP3s available and has music for almost every genre that one could want.

In conclusion, the Internet is a very influential role in the way you download music today and can be both helpful and dangerous if not used well. That is why I’m telling you don’t go for the free way of it is best to legally download the music by buying it from reputable sites. Thank you.