Talk:Melisma

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Overused?

- 12/4/05 - Changed overused to used in the sentence: "Melisma is today commonly overused in Western popular music", because it conveys the opinion of the author. Melsisma's are used a lot, but whether it is overused or not is a matter of personal taste, and should not be part of any dictionary. - Rich

Thanks for that! Wikipedia strives to present information in a neutral, unbiased fashion. --Merovingian 05:45, 5 December 2005 (UTC)
Interesting use of melisma as a pejorative in a recent slate article: http://www.slate.com/id/2142156/
Jody Rosen writing in Slate.com again uses melisma http://www.slate.com/id/2145719/ --Bjsamelsonjones 18:04, 18 July 2006 (UTC)

Contents

[edit] Melisma Music Analyzer

Is Melisma Music Analyzer notable enough to include on this article? I'm inclined to remove because I don't particularly care about similarly named software programs when I'm reading an article about some other non-software topic. The most egregious example I've come across on WP is an instant message client named "pork". — Shadowhillway 02:42, 26 March 2006 (UTC)

[edit] More Examples

While the Barnes' example is appropriate it may not be known well-enough to be useful. During certain parts of the year Handel's Messiah is nearly inescapable. There are melismatic passages throughout the work, in the arias and in the choruses, many of which are not at all fun to sing.

I would add examples from there but I am not where my Messiah score is. I do not know if it would be to include links to free examples but only because I have not look for them. JimCubb 01:29, 17 October 2006 (UTC)

Presumably the Barnes example was provided by a user from the US - the tune "Gloria" is far more commonly sung with the words "Angels from the realms of glory" in Britain, see: http://www.hymnsandcarolsofchristmas.com/Hymns_and_Carols/angels_from_the_realms_of_glory.htm.

Re: the Messiah - it's clearly an example of the subject of the article, but does it stand out as such? Surely choral music of that sort is absolutely rammed with melisma? It's not at all the same as doing the same in the tune of a song, IMO. Frumious 16:26, 28 February 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Another reference

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6791133

Here's an interview with Anthony Heilbut (musician and author) on Melisma. I figured someone could use it if they plan on expanding the article. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 12.32.197.178 (talk) 20:44, 17 January 2007 (UTC).

[edit] List of artists

Is it really a good idea to list a bunch of pop/r&b artists who sing in melismatic fashion? One might include just about anyone here. In fact, it would be more instructive to consider contemporary artists who don't use it, as it is really more common than not. I think this list needs to be removed or else it runs the risk of spinning out of control. VectorPosse 05:24, 19 April 2007 (UTC)

I haven't heard any opinion on this. (I'm not sure anybody is watching this page.) I am inclined to wait a few more days and then delete this whole list unless there are objections. (Normally, I would just be WP:Bold but such a large deletion ought to have some kind of consensus.) VectorPosse 06:17, 25 April 2007 (UTC)

I opt for deletion of this section! This is completely out of proportion. If one wanted to list some famous examples of artists using melismatic style, a balanced list of composers over history would be appropriate, and not this. I'm watching the page, and if nobody else does, I'll delete that section on may 20, 2007. Rsling 00:36, 11 May 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Sources

I have now removed the arbitrary list of pop musicians. However, the article lacks sources. Whoever wrote this should at least cite some encyclopedia of music or whatever (s)he used. --Rsling 15:00, 20 May 2007 (UTC)

Thanks. I never got around to doing it myself. (And I came to this article quite recently, so I have no idea about its origins other than what the history page tells me.) VectorPosse 09:16, 21 May 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Alternative Name

Any sources for the term 'vocal runs'? It seems more of a derogative term than anything else, and displays more of the author's opinion. I'll delete that term just now until someone comes up with a suitable source. MP

Here is one: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6791133
68.107.83.19 (talk) 07:59, 19 February 2008 (UTC)