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The Sound of Music
Persona Digital Studio Music

Dance

Music emerged along with dance – rhythmic body movements that expressed emotion, displayed sexuality and enhanced group cohesion. Birds and animals dance, often in courtship rituals, sometimes in ritualized aggressive-defensive displays. Sitting in a chair to listen to music and to watch dance performance is a recent aberration that denies the group-music-dance connections.

Musical styles and dance styles evolve together. There are many forms from ballet to hip-hop. Folk dance and music were available for all to perform and enjoy. Increasingly formal traditions developed with wealthy patrons that required advanced training of talented performers and audiences who sat rather than participated.

Dances are an integral part of European classical music. In the Baroque period, composers created music for  different dances such as the courante, sarabande, minuet and gigue. The minuet later  appeared in sonatas, string quartets, and symphonies. The waltz flourished in Romantic music along with ethnic dances  such as the barcarolle, mazurka, and polonaise.

Ballroom dancing originally referred to entertainment for wealth aristocrats who could afford large dance rooms, orchestras, and attract the best dressed, most polite guests who were skilled in group dancing. Ballet accompanied by classical music elevated dance to a high art form, again for the entertainment of educated and wealthy audiences. In the 20th century a profusion of dance forms and music became popular and egalitarian. Jazz was dance music. Small ensemble jazz became big band jazz played in big ballrooms. Ballroom dancing has survived many changes in musical styles and became a popular entertainment for all people of all classes, shapes and sizes.

In the 20th century couple dancing emerged in many styles. Broadways shows and Hollywood movies featured dance music and some dancer couples became famous such as Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. Popular tunes in the 1950's (Motown) became the new dance music intended for young audiences. Rock and Roll emerged as frantic dance music. Disco emerged with radio and recorded music. DJ's appeared in dance halls, spinning their disc collections into collages of danceable tunes. Discos became commercial dance, nightclubs, singles meeting places. Discos and bars merged into the new nightclubs where noise, alcohol and cigarette smoke dominated and often prevented the  meeting place opportunities that patrons sought. By the 1980's electronic dance music proliferated in several styles – techno,  trance, house, jungle, and electro dance are examples. Raves featured trance dancing with the addition of ecstasy and other drugs. The notion of romantic, skillful couples dancing was lost in the noise, confusion and intoxication of late 20th century dance venues.

Performance Dance and Gesture

Music performance is a visual spectacle that sometimes features gesturing and dance movements. In the age of erotic music videos, dancing singers are almost a prerequisite of success. Singers, like public speakers, use performance gestures as part of the drama of song presentation. A relatively controlled singer may limit gestures to arm and head movements. A frantic rock and roller will jump up and down, run around the stage, and gesture wildly. Frantic movements  go with devouring the microphone and distract the audience from the performer's  lack of vocal accomplishment.  There is a gigantic credibility gap between a Rolling Stones megawatt concert and a performance of the Nutcracker suite by exceptional dancers and musicians.

Even well dressed and polite symphonic players will impress the audience with their display of strenuous movements. The string players are usually busy throughout the performance  moving their bows with great vigor. You can appreciate the skill of a vigorous performer more when you witness their involvement with the music and can admire the conspicuous effort involved in performing complicated music.

I  admit that singers who indulge in exaggerated and strenuous gesturing and frantic dance steps  offend me. In contrast, I am enchanted to hear and watch Andrea Bocelli, the blind and eloquent Italian tenor. Because he is blind, he stands motionless on the stage with his eyes closed. Bocelli sings with a perfect composure that is consistent with the mastery of his art. He is a Buddha.

Persona Digital Dance Albums

P2500 Dance Party One -- Music composed and arranged by Stephen Gislason 2011

Jonging A new Dance Sensation - Music composed and arranged by Stephen Gislason 2010.2011

We Seek Audiophile Perfection  Noise is the enemy of high quality music.  Remember that quiet and discrete sounds are ubiquitous in nature. Loud sounds are unusual and signal danger. Natural sounds are well defined and specific so that the identity of the source is quickly recognized. This appreciation of the qualities of natural sound is the basis of audiophile recording.  We have 25 years of experience with computer based sound recording and enjoy technology shop talk. We also have a well developed interest in how our brains process sounds. Our in house music production creates audiophile quality recordings presented as CD's, DVDs, singles and albums for Download.

Free Music Downloads are offered as music history, music appreciation, education and demonstrations of Persona Studio's arranging, recording and mastering techniques. All the recordings are completed in house by Stephen Gislason. The music selections and their history are explained in the book, Sound of Music.

Album Link	Download	Size MB
Shorter & Zawinul (Free)		58.3
Miles Lineage  (Free)		51.4
Counterpoint for Genius 1A		34.5
Counterpoint for Genius 1B		38.2
Art of the Fugue 1A		33.3
Art of the Fugue 1 B		39.4
Digital Bach Favorites A		39.7
Digital Bach Favorites B		41.6
Jamaica A (Free)		23.8
Jamaica B (Free)		35.8
Latin Love (Free)		39.2
P2500 Dance Party One		39.2
P2500 Dance Party Two		39.2
Captain Suite		39.2
Robins Love		39.2

Topics presented at Persona Digital Studio are from the book, The Sound of Music by Stephen Gislason.
Click the Download button to order the eBook from Persona Digital Online.   

Persona Digital Studio is located on the Sunshine Coast, Sechelt, British Columbia, Canada.
 www.personadigitalstudio.com  email  music@personadigitalstudio.com.
Our Music Catalogue includes recorded performances by the P2500 Band, Em4U, and the Persona Classical Consort.  Music downloads are available from our companion website: Persona Digital Online.