Strange and solemn music fills 'Tempest'
By KEITH POWELL
Emerald Staff Writer
‘‘Strange and solemn music”
cowers and mystifies the visitors
to Prospero’s island; undulating
waves assault a storm-slashed
ship; twinkle-toed sprites scam
per deftly across the stage ...
These are some of the occa
sions in which original music will
be employed in “The Tempest,"
the Shakespearean comedy that
opens at the University Theatre
May 22.
The play is under the direction
of Preston Tuttle.
Besides the striking constructi
vist set and costumes by sculptor
Jan Zach, and the original chore
ography by Phyllis Barstow. an
other one of the special attrac
tions of this festival-like produc
tions will be the original music
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by Laura Spray, senior in music.
Right songs in show
There are eight songs in the
show, all taking their text from
Shakespeare's play. Miss Spray
has also written the music for
two dance sequences, and for
background music called for in
the script. In addition of writing
all the music for the show', Miss
Spray has coached the actors in
their parts, no mean task consid
ering that most of the actors iiv
the show have untrained not to
say bad—voices.
The background music will be
taped by music students who
have helped Miss Spray out “for
the sake of art.” she smiled. The
instruments used will include the
harpsichord, recoi-ders, percussion
and ’cello. Miss Spray explains
that although the instruments
used are mainly ones that Shake
speare was familiar with, the mu
sic "is not necessarily In the
Elizabethan style.”
In some of the music sequences,
Mins Spray has tried to incor
potate a contemporary feeling
where she feel3 It was called for.
“I don’t want people to think that
I've simply copied old Elizabethan
manuscripts. I've tried to give the
music*some of my own feeling.
I've tried to use some of the
things learned about music since
*he hundreds of years since Shake
speare's time.” Miss Spray ex
plained.
Music varied
The music in masque dance se
quence is “quite Elizabethan,"
while the music played during the
writhings of the menacing Shapes
is "very contemporary.” This
seeming incongruity of styles ts
justified by Miss Spray because
n strong contemporary style was
• the only way to express what
the hha) <•< were doing.”
this diversity was one of the
problems that Miss Spray as t.'.o
composer had to grapple with.
"I was obliged to keep a unity
to the music as well as give a
unity of style to th« piny through
the music. I have been obliged
to make certain stylistic device*
to form our own period, as well
as from Shakespeare's time,"
Mis* Spray said.
S'ie is trvin*r to blend the two
styles into a harmonious, well
balanced whole. -This is one of
th>* main goals I’m working for,”
she explained.
One way of doing this is through
recurring I hematic material. The
sumo music with slightly differ
ent orchritmtion will portray
• ambiviiant emotions."
Thematic material will U- heard
when Ariel leaven hia master
liuspero. Ariel expresses grief
hut h<*. too, nlthough he in gain
ing Ilia freedom, is Inning tin- af
fection of a man who wai, ],u«.
a father to him.
••Opera" avoided
The mtinlc It.aeli Is "sparsely
I orchestrated, outto thin" Miss
'■t-rav pointed out that "we've
tried to avoid the operatic, over
ture type of moeic for the back
ground miieie as wed rts song*;."
Mien spray in avoiding op.
er tuple songs because of the un
i trained voice*' of the actors Hnw.
{Continued on pattf 7)
Pri
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MAY YOUR WEEKEND BE
AN ENJOYABLE AND
MEMORABLE ONE
Photo by Fehly
840 Willamette
DI 5-4344