The theme for April is ballads. A ballad is a form of verse, often but not always set to music. This art form is usually a narrative, telling a story.
Ballads may have begun in France, from the chanson balladée or ballade. They were also very common in Britain and Ireland, and spread through Europe, the Americas, Australia, and North Africa. Ballads might be in any kind of verse, though we often think of them as songs, in quatrains, with forms like ABAB or ABCB.
A few top power ballads: “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing” by Aerosmith, “Purple Rain” by Prince, “Open Arms” by Journey, “I Do Anything for Love (But I won’t Do That)” by Meatloaf, “Alone” by Heart.
In other news, my son came home ecstatic last Friday. He had done a musical game at school called Staff Champion. He broke the school record of 19 or 20 correct answers in 30 seconds with 30! He’s been a student here at MTMS for a couple years, and he loves utheory.