Black Thought, Alex Lacamoire and ?uestlove
WHY TF DIDN’T ANYONE TELL ME that The Hamilton Instrumentals had been released?
My fellow DKHamfans let me down!
It’s been out a month and a half and I am just finding out about it???
In all seriousness, the last month and a half has been so crazy that I probably would have lost my mind trying to appreciate this and get all my work done and get ready for vacation and NN17.
But still, OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG
Now, if you think you know this musical, if you think you know all the words, if you think you can sing through all the songs, or even just your favorites, this is your official challenge.
Put this on and see how far you get before you collapse in a puddle of i thought I knew these lyrics by heart what an odd polyrhythmic moment right there where in the world do you take a breath in My Shot wow i never heard THAT before HOT DAMN he deserves that Tony Award for just those four bars alone is that a hammered dulcimer good God Alex Lacamoire is a FCUKING GENIUS what IS that weird sound effect I have lost my voice already I guess I’m not ready for eight shows a week after all...THOSE STRINGS THOUGH!
The Hamilton Instrumentals is available on CD, on iTunes, on YouTube and on Spotify.
For those who are not familiar with how (brilliant) Broadway orchestrations work, yes you do keep hearing the same musical bits (motifs) repeated for each major character and connecting certain plot points (sometimes in very surprising ways). That is intentional. And the more you look for them the more you will find them. And every time you find a new one you will smile and FREAK OUT because the show is JUST THAT GOOD.
If you know anything about music theory/music appreciation, you will also hear things like a theme repeated, but not exactly… in a different key, or in the relative minor, or in a different rhythm, or with different instruments, or with a different moment emphasized. If you have never listened to music in this attentive way before, get ready for your life to change.
Especially pay attention to the masterful use of silences. The space between the notes is just as important to creating tension and release and emotional resonance as the playing of the notes themselves.
And if you loved what you could hear of Alex Lacamoire’s piano playing on the OBC album, get ready to love him even more once you can hear intimate details he knew would not come through except subliminally in the final mix, things he put in only for himself, and for you now that you can hear them.
As wonderful as the keyboard playing is, those strings though! If you are a string player, you will fantasize about yourself playing this live in the orchestra pit. If you are a drummer, you will fantasize about yourself in the pit. Wouldn’t you love to see the chart for the handclaps in Wait for It? Instrumentalists will be able to have the same longings vocalists have been having for the last two years, listening over and over again trying to get the parts exactly right. Sound engineers will be wondering how did they DO that effect?
Speaking of playing this live in the pit, some innocent person on Twitter was saying how cool it is that we get to hear the tracks the same way the performers hear them. Young people are so used to concerts being sung to tracks! I had to break it to him/her that the performers in live theatre do not sing to tracks but actually hear the entire score played by live human beings every night. Technology has not yet gotten to the point where recordings can capture the ineffable magic of good musicians playing together and synchronizing their energy and creating a never-to-be-repeated live performance (although I will admit the Hamilton soundtrack does come close).
Fans already had so many reasons to take this brilliant show apart and now we have this instrumental version to marvel at and study.
I don't know about you, but after the various political traumas of the last week this is exactly the distraction I need.
Actually I do know it about you too, otherwise you would not have read this far.
Singalong parties are encouraged but they do want you to let the show know about them.
The producers have authorized a free sing-along program for groups of fans everywhere to come together publicly and celebrate the musical. The production will provide a free license to use the HAMILTUNES name and logo to promote sing-along parties and events. To arrange an authorized public sing-along party or event in your area just send an email to Hamiltunes@adventureland.com and include the name of your city in the subject line.
Cherry on top: How did I finally find out about this? The Hamilton app!
You don’t have the Hamilton app? What kind of Hamilfan ARE you??? Keep up!
Hamilton app on Google Play
Hamilton app on iTunes
Put your face on a ten dollar bill and be a ten dollar founding father! Dress up as Hamilton or Angelica or wear the crown of King George III. Print out fun stickers and order Hamiltheme tshirts and knit hats. Enter ticket lotteries! And more!
I only heard about it myself a couple of days ago but didn’t try to play around with it until today. That’s how I stumbled upon the information about the instrumental album release. Came here and did a search and realized no one else had written about it either. I mean, I get my news from DK so if it isn’t here how am I going to find out about it?
Enjoy. We all need a break.
If you already knew about this then explain yourself LOL! Why didn’t you write a diary about this!
But seriously, did you hear anything you never noticed was there before? What instrumental detail surprised you the most? Are you inspired to go take cello lessons? I met and talked briefly with the cellist for the Chicago production, a wonderful young sister who seemed tickled to have someone notice her contribution.
And just in case anyone has forgotten, the multi-cultural aspect of the still-hot Hamilton phenomenon is a loud backhanded smack upside the head to white supremacists, Nazis, the KKK, FakesNewsChannel, hateradio, and all who would try to divide us on the basis of race, ethnicity, and national origin.
Rise up
when you’re living on your knees
you rise up
tell your brother that he’s
gotta rise up
tell your sister that she’s
gotta rise up
RISE UP
