Hey All!
I have promised for some time now to begin my writing about one of the wonderful Musicals that Palma has written....my first blog will be about the incredibly fun "WHAT THE HELL, NELL!"
In conversations with Palma, it becomes clear that this was a favorite of hers in terms of composition, and one listen will tell you why. The music and lyrics for this melodrama are so cleverly, expertly penned; it's a real masterpiece, truly.
Here's the intro to it, which will give you the initial flavor of the story, overall (as written and performed by Palma, herself):
WHAT THE HELL, NELL! is an original musical based on a truly All-American theatrical art form; the Melodrama. From the classical melodrama with its highly stylized manner of acting came the American Operetta, and then the Broadway musical.
The musical score of What The Hell, Nell! draws its flavor from the wonderful rhythmic syncopation of cakewalk and ragtime and spins a glorious web of memorable melodies, heart stirring ballads and operatic motifs. The piano underscore highlights the action on stage, signaling the arrival of good, doubt, mystery and evil, as was the custom in silent films. The audience cheers the hero and boos the villain.
The story takes place in a simpler time in the Pennsylvania countryside in the late 1800’s, at the turn of the 20th Century, when right was right and wrong was wrong. It was a time in America when there were strong family values, a strict moral code and an adherence to tradition. A line of demarcation was firmly drawn between honest country folk and morally corrupt city dwellers.
There is a hero, a heroine, and a villain; a mysterious detective and an orphan child. There is a gunfight, a snowstorm and a sad Christmas. All the characters speak and act in broad tones of black and white.
Bone-weary, God-fearing, widowed farmer Stanley doesn’t know there is oil under his land. And the unscrupulous city-slicker, Handsome Harry Howard, (also known as Richard Murgatroid), will stop at nothing to inherit the old man’s farm; marriage, foreclosure, or murder.
Innocent Nell is tempted away from her honest fiancé, John, by the handsome, evil villain. She is banished from her home by her outraged father, leaving behind her devastated younger sister, Abigail and judgemental housekeeper, Lizzie. Nell winds-up cold, homeless and hungry in the dance hall Saloon of Big Mike Slattery on The Bowery in wicked New York City. A nightly Showtime at Big Mike’s includes rousing performances by “Kate, the Barroom Queen”, and the tawdry “Bowery Bruisers and Beauties”. A den of iniquity holds many secrets and all worlds collide as our villain threatens to ruin our hero and heroine for good.
But, before her final downfall, Nell is rescued, just in the nick-of-time, through the constant love and the noble efforts of her steadfast hero, John….through the help of a mysterious stranger and through the love of a child. The villain is arrested, the lovers are reunited, the homestead saved! Goodness and justice triumph!!! But then…..you knew how it would end….didn’t you???
The songs, then, follow this story and get more and more exciting and fun as the drama heightens! It's a fun listen, and I'm really anxious to see it played-out on the stage. How awesome would that be.
Keep in mind, what I have is a CD of all of the compositions written by Palma for the musical, which is based upon the 1930 J. Frank Davis melodrama, "Gold in The Hills" or "Dead Sister's Secret." This CD is performed solely by Palma Pascale - that is, Palma composed all of the music, lyrics, and she performs all of the parts. She sings all parts, and plays all of the musical instruments one hears on the recording.
This must have been amazing fun, but an enormous amount of work, as well. This type of wonderful composition/performance doesn't just "fall into place." It takes an individual who knows their way around a recording studio, and who also has an excellent recording engineer to help with all of the extra sounds and necessary embellishments. In this case, that excellent recording engineer would be Fred Guarino. You can read about Fred in the "credits" thread, below. I'm certain Fred played a huge part in the success of this CD.
But, it was Palma who wrote and performed the selections, and they are outstanding. In my next blog, we will discuss the first few tunes. Stay tuned. This gets really good.....
Until later then,
~Martini
I have promised for some time now to begin my writing about one of the wonderful Musicals that Palma has written....my first blog will be about the incredibly fun "WHAT THE HELL, NELL!"
In conversations with Palma, it becomes clear that this was a favorite of hers in terms of composition, and one listen will tell you why. The music and lyrics for this melodrama are so cleverly, expertly penned; it's a real masterpiece, truly.
Here's the intro to it, which will give you the initial flavor of the story, overall (as written and performed by Palma, herself):
WHAT THE HELL, NELL! is an original musical based on a truly All-American theatrical art form; the Melodrama. From the classical melodrama with its highly stylized manner of acting came the American Operetta, and then the Broadway musical.
The musical score of What The Hell, Nell! draws its flavor from the wonderful rhythmic syncopation of cakewalk and ragtime and spins a glorious web of memorable melodies, heart stirring ballads and operatic motifs. The piano underscore highlights the action on stage, signaling the arrival of good, doubt, mystery and evil, as was the custom in silent films. The audience cheers the hero and boos the villain.
The story takes place in a simpler time in the Pennsylvania countryside in the late 1800’s, at the turn of the 20th Century, when right was right and wrong was wrong. It was a time in America when there were strong family values, a strict moral code and an adherence to tradition. A line of demarcation was firmly drawn between honest country folk and morally corrupt city dwellers.
There is a hero, a heroine, and a villain; a mysterious detective and an orphan child. There is a gunfight, a snowstorm and a sad Christmas. All the characters speak and act in broad tones of black and white.
Bone-weary, God-fearing, widowed farmer Stanley doesn’t know there is oil under his land. And the unscrupulous city-slicker, Handsome Harry Howard, (also known as Richard Murgatroid), will stop at nothing to inherit the old man’s farm; marriage, foreclosure, or murder.
Innocent Nell is tempted away from her honest fiancé, John, by the handsome, evil villain. She is banished from her home by her outraged father, leaving behind her devastated younger sister, Abigail and judgemental housekeeper, Lizzie. Nell winds-up cold, homeless and hungry in the dance hall Saloon of Big Mike Slattery on The Bowery in wicked New York City. A nightly Showtime at Big Mike’s includes rousing performances by “Kate, the Barroom Queen”, and the tawdry “Bowery Bruisers and Beauties”. A den of iniquity holds many secrets and all worlds collide as our villain threatens to ruin our hero and heroine for good.
But, before her final downfall, Nell is rescued, just in the nick-of-time, through the constant love and the noble efforts of her steadfast hero, John….through the help of a mysterious stranger and through the love of a child. The villain is arrested, the lovers are reunited, the homestead saved! Goodness and justice triumph!!! But then…..you knew how it would end….didn’t you???
The songs, then, follow this story and get more and more exciting and fun as the drama heightens! It's a fun listen, and I'm really anxious to see it played-out on the stage. How awesome would that be.
Keep in mind, what I have is a CD of all of the compositions written by Palma for the musical, which is based upon the 1930 J. Frank Davis melodrama, "Gold in The Hills" or "Dead Sister's Secret." This CD is performed solely by Palma Pascale - that is, Palma composed all of the music, lyrics, and she performs all of the parts. She sings all parts, and plays all of the musical instruments one hears on the recording.
This must have been amazing fun, but an enormous amount of work, as well. This type of wonderful composition/performance doesn't just "fall into place." It takes an individual who knows their way around a recording studio, and who also has an excellent recording engineer to help with all of the extra sounds and necessary embellishments. In this case, that excellent recording engineer would be Fred Guarino. You can read about Fred in the "credits" thread, below. I'm certain Fred played a huge part in the success of this CD.
But, it was Palma who wrote and performed the selections, and they are outstanding. In my next blog, we will discuss the first few tunes. Stay tuned. This gets really good.....
Until later then,
~Martini
posted by Martini | 2:37 PM
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