by woodleywonderworks

Wedding Ceremony Music: What, When and Where

Article by Caitlin Benetatos

Planning a wedding can be an overwhelming experience. Very overwhelming. For many couples, this is the first time they have ever planned an event; let alone one of this size and significance.

Venue selection, band hire, dress style, catering…it’s all up to the pair of you.

So when it comes to organizing the music for the day, will you know where to start?

Your choice of music will set the atmosphere for the day; it can be used to highlight certain key moments, to structure the day, to evoke emotion, to express how you feel. It is a crucial aspect of the occasion! Therefore, to get the most out of your day, it’s important that when it comes to planning the music you know exactly what you are doing.

So, we’ve put together a ‘cheat sheet’ you can use for getting an idea of when you will want music, as well as what you will want from it:

Part 1 – Ceremony

Pre-ceremony – As your guests arrive before the ceremony commences, it’s a great idea to have non-intrusive music playing in the background. An atmosphere of romance and sophistication is created, and guests can relax and enjoy the music as they wait for the formalities to begin. Eg. Mozart Divertimento’s, Bach, Frank Sinatra, Miles Davis

Processional – Your bridal entrance. You want this moment to be graceful, romantic and exuding elegance. Music will play an important role in achieving this affect – it’s the soundtrack everyone will hear as you approach your husband-to-be. Find something you love; think majestic and elegant, with soaring melodies and beautiful harmonies. However, remember to keep tempo in mind; you don’t want to be running up that aisle! Eg. Pachelbel’s Canon, Bach Double Violin Concerto-Second Mvt., ‘Better Together’ – Jack Johnson, ‘At Last’ – Etta James

Signing of the Register – As the pair of you are occupied signing the register together as a newly-weds, music can briefly become the focus. Expressive songs that are recognizable and easy to listen to, can be performed to emphasize the romantic setting, whilst allowing your family and friends the opportunity to enjoy your musical selections. Eg. ‘Air on G’ – Bach, ‘Ave Maria’ – Schubert, ‘What A Wonderful World’ – Louis Armstrong, ‘Flower Duet’ – Delibes, ‘God Only Know’ – The Beach Boys

Recessional – You and your partner are officially announced as husband and wife, and will walk out to meet your guests as a married couple. To enhance the moment, your music should be joyous, uplifting and celebratory – the formalities are over and now you can both relax and enjoy yourselves! Eg. ‘All You Need Is Love’ – The Beatles, ‘Wedding March’ – Mendelssohn, ‘Love Generation’ – Bob Sinclair

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by pcol

Why classical musicians are causing the extinction of classical music in the 21st century.

Classical music is going to be extinct by the end of the 21st century. There…I said it. I, as a classical musician, get to listen to all my colleagues whine and complain about the lack of jobs and the lack of interest in classical music anymore. I just sit back and watch them and wonder how they don’t see why this is happening.  We have totally lost sight of the fact that we play for an audience, and audiences like to not feel like they are stupid. They like enjoying the music not trying to figure it out. I hate how musicians nowadays make themselves to be this elite group of people that are way above everyone else. Just because we have training doesn’t mean we have to write music that only we can understand. Musicians need to get back in touch with their roots and realize that we need to reconnect with the audiences. A musical performance should be an interaction between the performer and the audience, and not some display of elitism that leaves audiences feeling inferior and stupid!

It all started in the mid 20th century with Arnold Shoenberg. That man decided he wanted to create a new system of music called 12-tone serialism. It reduced all music into a mathematical equation that can be figured out with numbers. It completely took the intuition and personality from the music! What is music when you reduce it to something that a computer could write. Half of what I love about classical music is how personal it can be. Each composer has their own style and has something to say. When you start making music into a mathematical equation what you have to say is no longer obvious to the listener. Only after 200 listening can you start to hear the clever patterns created by the numbers. How is this fun to listen to? How can an audience member who has no training appreciate this? To most people this just sounds like random noises! NOT MUSIC. And it is those people that make up the majority of audiences. Shouldn’t we be trying to please them?! How is music that is a palindrome going to please an audience member?

Then there are the people who think that music is the random sounds that occur at all times. Where the orchestra puts down their instruments and the audience gets to listen to everything around them. THIS IS NOT MUSIC. This is noise! I laugh at the stupidity of the musicians who hail this as the new frontier of music. Audience members feel AWKWARD at times like this. If you think that’s music then why should an audience member PAY to listen to things they hear on the street. It’s STUPID. I know a composer who thinks that he composed a masterpiece for hamster and guitar string. Where you place the hamster across a guitar and make it run around and pluck the strings. This is the music. The grand finale is letting it loose and the screams of audience members getting attacked by the hamster is the music. how silly is this? If I were an audience member I would throw tomatoes on stage and never come back.

Classical musicians this day and age need to do some serious thinking. Why can’t we just all sit down and play some music. Why do we have to get dressed up to go to the symphony? I’d enjoy it much more if I could go in jeans and a t-shirt. Stop with all this elitist stuff and get back to just making some music. If we don’t then classical music will be extinct by the turn of the century.

enjoy! ♪♫♪♪♫♫♪♪♪♫♪♫♫♫♪♫ 0:00 – 3:21 Sarabande 3:21 – 5:46 Bourree II 5:46 – 7:16 Rondeau 7:16 – 8:45 Badinerie ♪♫♪♪♫♫♪♪♪♫♪♫♫♫♪♫
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