SMT-V is the peer-reviewed video journal of the Society for Music Theory. In the newly released issue 7.4, Michael Buchler reveals the aspirational side to Tin Pan Alley in "I Don’t Care if I Never Get Back: Optimism and Ascent in 'Take Me Out to the Ball Game'.” Link to SMT-V.
Here is the abstract:
The chorus of “Take Me Out To The Ball Game” (Von Tilzer and Norworth, 1908) is familiar to anyone who has attended baseball games in North America. However, relatively few people are aware that there is an introductory verse that poetically and contrapuntally motivates and anticipates the well-known chorus. This video article demonstrates some relationships between the verse and chorus and also challenges an earlier analysis that views this song through the lens of common-practice melodic norms.
In the film, Michael mentions statements I have made about rising and upper-register cadences as being common in 19th century operetta and its descendants in 20th century musicals. Here are some essays where I discuss that topic:
Offenbach, Rising Melodic Gestures in La belle Hélène (1864). See the Introduction, section "Historical note on ascending cadence gestures" (p. 5). Link.
Offenbach, Rising Melodic Gestures in Orphée aux Enfers (1858; rev. 1874). Link.
Offenbach, Two One-act Operettas: Les deux aveugles (1855) and Pomme d’Api (1873). Link.
Johann Strauss, jr., Die Fledermaus: Ascending Cadence Gestures on Stage. Link.
On Ascending Cadence Gestures in Adolphe Adam's Le Châlet (1834). Link.
A Gallery of Simple Examples of Extended Rising Melodic Shapes, Volume 2. Section on Victor Herbert. Link.
Addendum to the Historical Survey, with an Index. Section on Tin Pan Alley and Broadway. Link.
