The Melodology Podcast
"Celebrating the Unsung Excellence of Melody Makers." Each episode, host composer Arthur Breur and a guest explore and examine beloved melodies from a variety of sources: popular songs, musicals, operas, classical music, hymns and liturgy, film and television scores and more.
Episodes
Composer and bassist Caeden Brusett joins podcast host Arthur Breur to discuss the bass solo from Act IV of Giuseppe Verdi’s opera Otello. This is the first OPERA entry in the podcast, but it is opera “underscoring” rather than a famous aria or overture theme.
Melody:
The bass solo from Act IV of Otello by Giuseppe Verdi
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Composer, lyricist and bandleader Brian Woodbury joins podcast host Arthur Breur to discuss “A Whole New World” music by Alan Menken. They also discuss three of Brian’s own songs and his ambitious project to produce music videos for 47 of his songs in under one year.
Melody:
“A Whole New World”
SPOILERS
Meet Kay Hanley and Tom Polce, the songwriters for the Star Trek: Strange New Worlds musical episode, "Subspace Rhapsody!"
Audio Podcast Versions available: https://www.MelodologyPodcast.com
Award-winning composer, musician, and sound editor Scott Halgren joins podcast host Arthur Breur to discuss "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat" by Charles Mingus. This is the first real Jazz melody discussed so far in the podcast, and the discussions include some of the characteristics that make Jazz stand out from other genres and forms of music.
Melody...
Grammy-winning producer, composer, music director, and multi-instrumentalist Dominic Fallacaro joins podcast host Arthur Breur to discuss one of the best selling singles of all time: "Baby One More Time" by Swedish record producer and songwriter Max Martin. They discuss the composition and songwriting craft applied to the song, then Dominic shares the version of the song from the musical "& Juliet" currently o...
Haakon Davidsen, award-nominated composer for video games, film & TV, joins podcast host Arthur Breur to explore and celebrate the amazing "Batman Theme" from the film "Batman", 1989, composed by the legendary Danny Elfman.
Melody:
“Batman Theme” from the film “Batman”, 1989.
- Read more
Award-winning British composer Tamsin Jones joins the podcast to discuss the Renaissance choral work “Innsbruck, ich muss dich lassen” by Heinrich Isaac, and shares two choral works of her own--one of which is inspired by and includes the melody from “Innsbruck, ich muss dich lassen”.
Melody:
“Innsbruck, ich muss dich lassen”
New music powerhouse Lisa Neher joins Melodology Podcast host Arthur Breur to examine the underappreciated “Luke and Leia” by John Williams, and she shares two of her own works — including one of her own performances.
Melody: “Luke and Leia” from “Star Wars, Episode VI: Return of the Jedi”
Composer Aaron Lee joins podcast host Arthur Breur to explore the Jewish Folk Song “Seit Gesunderhait” (“Farewell My Dear Parents”) and two of his own compositions, one of which uses “Seit Gesunderhait” as a component in the composition.
Melody:
“Farewell My Dear Parents” (“Seit Gesunterhait Meine Liebe Eltern”)
Composer Richard Peat joins podcast host Arthur Breur to explore "Down In Yon Forest" and brings three beautiful choral works of his own to share.
Melody
"Down In Yon Forest" (YouTube video of referenced performance, "Enchanted Carols", here: https://youtu.be/Bi1N_a_PrEE)
Composer / Songwriter:
Traditional
Read more
Composer, pianist, and host of the Euterpean Podcast, Zachary Davies joins Melodology Podcast host Arthur Breur to examine one of the two melodies that inspired the Melodology Podcast in the first place: “Over the Rainbow” from the movie “Wizard of Oz”, music by Harold Arlen and lyrics by Yip Harburg.
Melody
“Over the Rainbow” (wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Over_the_Rainbow)
Composer / Songwriter:
Music by Harold...
Composer Kevin Day joins podcast host Arthur Breur to examine the melody from the “Obi Wan” theme by John Williams, composed for the series “Obi-Wan Kenobi”. Kevin also shares some of his own exciting music and news.
Melody
“Obi-Wan” by John Williams.
Duration: 1:14:26
- Intro and guest questions – 0:00
- Pre-discussion about “Obi-Wan” – 9:51
- Review of the melody – 14:32
- Kevin shares – 47:36
Guest Composer: Kevin Day
Guest composer Troisnyx joins podcast host Arthur Breur to explore the melody from “Estavius” by Phyrnna, composed for the Epic Battle Fantasy games. Troisnyx also shares her own song, “The Drummer’s Prayer”, and shares about her own background and plans.
Melody:
“Estavius” by Phyrnna.
Duration: 1:06:33
- Intro and guest questions – 0:00
- Pre-discussion about Phyrnna and “Estavius” – 18:08
- Review of the melody – 26:35
- Troisnyx sh...
Composer Tony Manfredonia joins podcast host Arthur Breur to examine the melody of the brilliant Star Wars "Force Theme", by John Williams. Tony also shares his main theme to the game "Call of Saregnar", and he and Arthur discuss and examine that theme as well.
Note:
The music shared for "The Force Theme" in this episode uses a French horn part, and is displayed and discussed a 5th up from the concert pitches in the audio.
Read more
Composer Anne McKennon joins podcast host Arthur Breur to examine the melody of the wonderful song “Rainbow Connection”, sung by Kermit the Frog in “The Muppet Movie”. Anne also shares a lullaby she composed and an orchestral arrangement she did of a well known traditional Celtic melody.
Melody
“Rainbow Connection” by Paul Williams and Kenneth Ascher.
Composer Kimberly Osberg joins podcast host Arthur Breur to examine the melody of “Londonderry Air”, more commonly known as “Danny Boy”. Along the way, they discuss scores to quirky films, composing music to stage combat, putting recipes to music. and MUCH more.
Melody
“Londonderry Air” (“Danny Boy”) – traditional
Duration: 1:23:58
- Intro and...
Summary:
Choral composer and author Dale Trumbore joins podcast host Arthur Breur to do a deep dive into the song "Losing My Mind" by Stephen Sondheim. They discuss how the song is meaningful to Dale, how perfectly the melody represents and reflects the song's lyrics, and how excellent Stephen Sondheim was at his craft.
Melody
"Losing My Mind" from Follies by Stephen Sondheim
Read more
Release Date: February 28, 2022
Summary:
New Zealand composer Matthew Beardsworth joins podcast host Arthur Breur to discuss just the main theme from the “Raiders March”, and to talk about how Matthew reconsidered and reconstructed a theme in one of his own works, an alternate musical score to the short film Sintel.
Melody
“Raiders March”, main theme, from Raiders of the Lost Ark. Music by John Williams
Composer, podcaster, speaker, and coach, Garrett Hope joins podcast host Arthur Breur to discuss a hymn tune that, at one point or another, seems to break a number of the “established” rules of melody writing. Melody
“Be Thou My Vision” – “a traditional Christian hymn of Irish Origin.”
Duration: 40:12
- Intro and Guest Questions – 0:00
- Pre-discussion about “Be...
Summary:
Special guest, composer Christina Rusnak joins podcast host Arthur Breur to discuss a recent addition to Disney’s long string of popular melodies.
Melody:
“Let It Go” from Disney’s “Frozen”, music and lyrics by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez.
- Kristen Anderson-Lopez on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Lyrikris10
- “Let It Go” on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=moSFlvxnbgk
- "Let it Go" on Wikipedia: https://e...
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