Aladdin Central Messageboard

[Meesh]

I agree. A lot of the development I cited were probably more for the audience and lacked the poignancy and subtly than a more thought-out drama. But hey, it's for the kids right?

Y'know... like us
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[Fez_Head]

Analyzing old things I used to love as a child and attempting to comprehend it from a more "adult" perspective is probably one of my favourite things to do. For instance, I love trying to find Shakespearean references in modern mediums (I'm looking at you, Aladdin balcony scene!). Don't judge me! I'm an English major, I can't help it!

I agree that the TV series was obviously written for a primarily child-based audience, but being able to comprehend certain nuances, such as characterization, at an older age, demonstrates that these writers were not solely writing for children.

And yay for nerds!
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"You're only given a little spark of madness. You mustn't lose it." - Robin Williams

[Meesh]

Yes, well put! I love doing that as well.

Not an English major (although I do enjoy the subject). I'm studying film music, and I'm actually working on my thesis (which of course I managed to make about Aladdin).
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[Fez_Head]

I remember you telling me that when I asked you some questions when I was writing my article on young adults and Disney. You'll be the next Alan Menken and compose awe-inspiring music for Disney. Just remember us little people when you get famous, m'kay?

Wow, an Aladdin-inspired thesis! That sounds so cool. What exactly are you doing your thesis on? The composition of the music, lyrical aspects? I'm so intrigued. I wish I could write my undergrad thesis on a Disney movie, but alas, no prof specializes in Disney at my university.
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"You're only given a little spark of madness. You mustn't lose it." - Robin Williams

[Meesh]

I'm writing my thesis about the facets of a Western composer composing Eastern-inspired music. So the paper part will cover that. The artifact will be a music + drawings storytelling of Baldroubadour's story. I write the music, and my friend Kat is making drawings.

I'll share it when it's done
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[Fez_Head]

Wow, that sounds like such a fascinating topic to research. A lot more professional and interesting than my undergrad one will turn out to be, I'm afraid. Also, I hope I don't sound dumb to you, but what exactly is the artifact portion of the thesis? I've never heard of that part of it before.

Please do share it here when it's all written. I would love to read it.
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"You're only given a little spark of madness. You mustn't lose it." - Robin Williams

[Meesh]

You don't sound dumb. The artifact is a physical project that demonstrates your research. So I'm studying Western composers composing Middle-Eastern-inspired music, so I (a Western composer) am going to compose Middle-Eastern-inspired music. And since the course is about composing for visual media, I'm throwing in an illustrated story
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[Fez_Head]

Thanks for the explanation Meesh. I'm kinda glad that I don't have to do something like that for my thesis. I'm writing mine on the male homosocial relations in William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, specifically its indirect and direct correlation with Verona's constructions of masculinity and heterosexual desire.

What other Western composers, other than Alan Menken of course, are you thinking of writing about?
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"You're only given a little spark of madness. You mustn't lose it." - Robin Williams

[Meesh]

Your topic actually sounds interesting. Shakespeare meets sociology?

My list so far. It's a big'un. No way I'll get to all of them:

FILM

The Last Samurai, Hans Zimmer
The Mummy, Jerry Goldsmith
Mulan, Jerry Goldsmith
Memoirs of a Geisha, John Williams
Argo, Alexandre Desplat
Seven Years in Tibet, John Williams
The Kite Runner, Alberto Iglesias
Kingdom of Heaven, Harry Greyson-Williams
Prince of Persia, Harry Greyson-Williams
Raiders of the Lost Ark, John Williams
7th Voyage of Sinbad, Bernard Hermann
Life of Pi, Michael Danna
Aladdin, Alan Menken
Hidalgo, James Newton Howard
Passion, Peter Gabriel
Kundun, Philip Glass
Aladdin and the King of Thieves, Carl Johnson
Syriana, Alexandre Desplat

CLASSICAL

Scheherazade, Rimsky-Korsakov
Antar, Rimsky-Korsakov
Saber Dance, Aram Khachaturian
Nutcracker Arabian and Chinese Dances
Polovetzian Dances, Alexander Borodin
In the Steppes of Central Asia, Alexander Borodin
Procession of the Sardar, Ippolitov-Ivanov
Khovanshchina, Dances of the Persian Slave Girls, Mussorgsky
Chinese March from Song of the Nightingale, Stravinsky
Rondo alla Turca, W.A. Mozart
Overture to “The Abduction from the Seraglio,” W.A. Mozart
Danse Bacchanale, Camille Saint-Saens
Danse Generale, Maurice Ravel
Ruins of Athens - Chorus of Dervishes and Turkish March, L.V. Beethoven
March from the 9th Symphony, L.V. Beethoven
Pagodas from Estampes, Claude Debussy
Java Suite, Leopold Godowsky
Act II - Prince of the Pagodas, Benjamin Britten
String Quartet in F - mvt. II, Maurice Ravel
Poulenc Double Piano Concerto - mvt. III
Turandot, Puccini
Sheherezade Overture, Ravel
Les Indes Galantes, Jean-Philippe Rameau
Aida, Giuseppe Verdi, esp. Possente, Possente Otha
Padmavati, Albert Roussel
Evocations for Orchestra, Albert Roussel
Lakme, especially bell song, Leo Delibes
The Pearl Fishers, Georges Bizet
Tabu-Tabuhan, Colin McPhee
Satyagraha, Philip Glass
Akhenaten, Philip Glass
Le Rossignol, Igor Stravinsky
Das Lied von der Erde - esp. Von Der Jugend, Gustav Mahler
Gnoissiennes, Eric Satie
Islamey, Balakirev
The Miraculous Mandarin, Bartok
The Crown of India - esp. March of the Mogul Emperors, Elgar
Fux, Turkarna
Die Pilger von Mekka, Gluck
Arabian Dance from Peer Gynt Suite No. 2, Grieg
Symphony no.100 “Military” - 2nd mvt., Haydn
Variations on a Korean Folk Song, John Barnes Chance
In a Persian Market, Ketelbey
Das Land des Lächelns, particularly Von Apfelbüten einen Kranz, Lehr
Marche pour le la Cérémonie Turque, Lully
Divertissement from Thais, Massenet
Violin Concerto No.5 “Turkish” - esp. mvt. III, Mozart
Ich mochte wohl der Kaiser sein, Mozart
Aladdin Suit, Nielsen
A La Chinoiese, Ornstein
Orientalia from Cinderella, Prokofiev
Laideronnette, impératrice des pagodes from Ma Mere l’oie, Ravel
Belkis, Queen of Sheba, Respighi
L’italiana in Algeri Overture, Rossini
Piano Concerto No.5 “Egyptian”, Saint-Saens
Prestidigitateur Chinois from Parade, Satie
Belshazzar’s Feast, Sibelius
Egyptian March, Johann Strauss II
Märchen aus Dem Orient, Johann Strauss II
Persian March, Johann Strauss II
Salome (esp. Dance of the Seven Veils), Richard Strauss
Krol Roger (esp. Dance of the Shepherd’s Followers)
Abu Hassan Overture, Weber
Pleasure Dome of Kubla Khan, Griffes


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[Fez_Head]

Thanks, Meesh. I guess my topic is a little bit of Shakespeare and sociology. In my Shakespeare university course this past year, I read Romeo and Juliet in this manner and it really opened my eyes on just how important male relationships are not just in Shakespearean plays, but in Elizabethan England at large. I'm really excited to get started on it and delve more into some of the secondary sources I have already found.

Wow, that's a lot of music How on Earth are you going to narrow it down to just a few to write about? I will say that you should definitely talk about Mulan. Other than my major bias as it is my other favourite movie, but the score is so beautiful. I especially love the piece, Short Hair, when she makes the decision to leave her family. Seriously, I want a haircut to that epic synthesizer music.
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"You're only given a little spark of madness. You mustn't lose it." - Robin Williams

[Meesh]

I love that kind of thing, would love to hear more

I'm starting with my favorites and the ones that I have full scores and/or study guides for. Basically the ones that I think would be most helpful to producing the artifact. I've started with Nielsen's Aladdin because it's right up my alley and Debussy's Estampes because it's one of many on that list that was inspired by the Gamelan (which is huge in classical Orientalism).
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