Jazz and Blue music Flashcards
(5 cards)
“Blue Piano”
Punctuate (occurs at intervals) the play
New Orleans
The setting of the play, is also known as “The cradle of Jazz”
What does Jazz music represent in general ?
It represented the music of rebellion and sensuality to the people of the South. It’s further associated with the nightlife, interracial socializing, and the sultry South.
The Blues
A slower, more melancholy kind of Jazz music, may have originated in the music played at African American funerals.
Characterized by the ‘blue note’ - an intentional note sung a quarter or a half note flat.
A recurring piece of non-diegetic music (music heard by the audience, not the characters) in the play/
Representation and meaning of blue piano in the play
Desire and Loss:
The “blue piano” is closely associated with Blanche’s past — particularly her failed relationships, her longing for love, and the downfall of her aristocratic life. The name itself (“blue”) evokes melancholy and sadness, while “piano” (often associated with jazz or blues) connects to the sensual and emotional tone of her memories.
Loneliness and Fragility:
Williams describes the music as expressing the “spirit of the life which goes on here,” referring to the raw, passionate atmosphere of New Orleans. For Blanche, however, it underlines her emotional instability and isolation in a world that is harsh and indifferent to her sensitivity.
Climactic Emotional Moments:
The “blue piano” typically swells or plays louder during Blanche’s moments of vulnerability, desperation, or delusion, such as when she talks about her dead husband, her faded youth, or her illusions of romance. It sets the tone and amplifies the emotional undercurrent.
