Musical Theater, Tin Pan Alley

9.3: Rachel Short, “Interactions Between Music and Dance in Two Musical Theater Tap Breaks” – explores scenarios where metrical patterns in music and dance conflict (metric dissonance); suitable for students at all levels, ranging from introducing musical meter and its elements to advanced study of metric dissonance
7.4: Michael Buchler, “I Don’t Care if I Never Get Back: Optimism and Ascent in ‘Take Me Out to The Ball Game’” – analyzes the melodic structure and phrase structure of the verse of “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” to contextualize the melodic ascent of the better-known chorus; suitable for students at all levels learning about cadences, phrase structure, and melodic norms, as well as for advanced students of linear analysis
6.2: Brian Edward Jarvis and John Peterson, “Detour or Bridge? Contrasting Sections and Storytelling in Musical Theater” – explores how formal interruptions (“detours”) in musical theater do and don’t behave like bridges; suitable for students at all levels discussing classical phrase types as well as larger formal types and narrative storytelling