"Even in take a break, Eliza and Philip can't agree how to end the melodic phrase..." Maybe that why Lin wrote the lyrics in Stay Alive Reprise "You changed the melody every time..."
Cat Love actually Lin says himself that he did the same thing when he was younger, he didn’t want to learn, he wanted to play. He feels that Phillip would be the same, he imprinted himself onto Phillip
Yes but I have to ask why would he do that ? And why did the hold out the 7 in the count ing theme 1234567_89 They hold out the 7 if you could do a video about this would be helpful
I like the election of 1800 cuz it's a song that doesn't make me cry in between some very sad songs the I'm not a fan of because they make me cry they're like okay will cheer you up with the election of 1800 and a Teensy bit I'll be your obedient servant and then I just start crying on best of wives and best of women
He likely had at least some idea of what he wanted to do at first, but through iterations, successive drafts, and feedback, he probably expanded upon it to make it everything we see in this video
there is literally no way in hell anything brought 4ward in this vid isnt 100% intended like theres wiggleroom on sum of that shit but nah this shits way 2 internally consistent
The heartbreaking thing about the unfinished count is that by duelling, Philip snuffs out both his chance to "rise up", AND his mother's desire that he should keep himself safe. The divergence, widening gulf and final dissonance between their full melodies hint at the disastrous, unforeseen third possibility.
Also can we talk about how in the very end song, Who Lives Who Dies Who Tells Your Story, the progression of harmonies reverses and they go from four-part, to three-part, to two-part, and back to a single melody again?
The "stuttering gunshot" is also historically accurate as a flintlock would set off the flash pan prior to the ignition if the powder in the chamber, resulting in two distinct pops.
I also saw the fact that Philip counting to 9 was a bit of him “having trouble” with counting to 9. The 9th rule is “look him in the eyes Aim no higher”. Which, both Philip and Hamilton shot at the sky, ie. they both didn’t follow rule 9. So Philip counting up to 9, and changing the tune at 7 and trying to be extra for the last two, of course those last two rules got left out in his duel. And then Hamilton takes the same path after his son does.
I am a Hamilton fan but know very little about musical theory, but the way you explained everything was so clear, seriously impressed! Thanks for making a great video!!!
I do that after school before school weekends summer break winter break spring break any brake behalf or any days off school I'm learning BECAUSE IM LISTENING TO HAMILTON 24/7 SADLY I CAN'T LISTEN TO IT IN SCHOOL
maybe in "Washington on Your Side" you only get 1/2 of the melody because only 1/2 of the "duel" participants are present. It isn't a duel. The Democratic Republicans are gonna shoot Hamilton in the back without giving him a pistol.
This video is your best so far! I wanted to add that it's worth noticing that the counting theme's not just staying the same from "10 Duel Commenandments" to "The World was Wide Enough" - it's actually recorded on the same track, so the two songs match one another perfectly. Listening to both on the same time reveals even more of Lin's briliant writing. The counting stays the same, but Burr's and Hamilton's solo parts sits on different parts of the beat, and "The World was Wide enough" is on a lower and grim register, so when you listen to it, you can always hear both songs pretty clear. My favorite part about it is the way the lines "Why, if not to take deadly aim" and "How many men died because Lee was inexperienced and ruined us" clash, and Burr reach his Forte just before Hamilton does. I really like your videos. It's always a commbination between "Ha! I noticed that thing as well!" and surprises. I can't wait to see what comes next. ;) (P.s, forgive me if my language is a bit off, English is a second langauge to me, and I'm always afraid to be misunderstood)
Inbar Naaman actually the 8 in the world was wide enough is a different, lower tone than in the ten duel commandments. It has more of an eerie pitch to it
I'll add as well that The World Was Wide Enough adds the My Shot anthem (lacking from 10 Duel Commandments, but interestingly not from the Workshop version) and the music for "9" differs a bit.
I heard the how the stutter gunshot sounded different than the other ones but I couldn't really put my finger on it. Makes total sense now. Thanks for another great vid :)
Oh god I'm No stop I realized that you did a thing with the music for the count up You used the soundtrack count up all the way to number nine, like all the other times because they actually said ten in the middle of the count up (or 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 NUMBER 10) And you did the same Number ten was the world was wide enough It's when Hamilton finds no beat or melody to follow in his moment of uncertainty before he shoots, there is nothing to tell him what to do You left number ten at an empty standstill as you said it, no song, no voices proclaiming number ten as the rest Just silence, and your voice talking Aka I'm crying Edit: whoa, likes what the-
7:40 Oh my gosh! I always wanted to figure out what the line “I’m so sorry for forgetting what you taught me” was really talking about, because i knew it was too dramatic to just be referencing a small mistake he made as a child while learning piano... I thought maybe it meant he was sorry he got into a duel, which makes sense, but even then it doesn’t match up with how they continue to talk about piano. This makes so much sense when you apply it and theorize that he’s talking about how he didnt take her underlying lesson of ‘don’t go the dangerous wayjust to get glory.’ She was telling him, don’t risk everything to be in the spotlight. This combines the two ideas that he’s talking about their piano lessons and that he’s referencing his duel
When you showed how the cabinet battle theme was in canon I was practically screaming! I knew it was the 10 duel commandments theme there but I never noticed the canon, that's so cool! Also, yes, screw gradus ad parnassum.
I saw your comment and i literally said "sofia! Oh my god! I feel proud!" And I literally dont know you but i see your comments from the Hamilton lyric videos and i just felt proud.
This video series is amazing. Not only does it point out the genius behind Hamilton but it shows how much you can express with music. I have neither the background or education to notice and qualify why Hamilton's music invokes the feelings it does it me, so I need someone like you to take me on this journey of appreciation. Thank you!
I'm amazed by the poetic symbolism so intricately and intentionally sewn into the fabric of every song in Hamilton. It's done so well that you're almost powerless against letting the music sweep you off your feet and carry you into the next phase of emotions you're meant to experience. Hamilton is truly a profound work of art.
I hope you've heard the Instrumentals that have just been released Because I heard a good lot of motifs in songs I didn't realize were there. Like in The Election of 1800, you hear Non-Stop during the portion where Hamilton and Burr converse with one another. Or a combination of motifs from Eliza's songs in Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story. The soundtrack is so intricate I can't even.
One thing I will always love about musicals is how each song borrows from the next. And the moment of recognition where I'm like "Is that from this song? I think it is." And it makes me go back to watch it all over again. You've opened my eyes (also Hamilton was like the 3rd musical I've seen so not too much experience) to a whole new world.
Your videos never fail to impress, and your dedication and love for Hamilton and Lin's musical genius always shines through! Great job, and I can't wait to see more! :)
I knew Lin must be some form of genius, writing this, and I knew there must be a reason why I have been listening to the soundtrack on repeat the last week.. But this video just helps explains why these songs are more addictive than crack to my brain. I can't even begin to understand how talented Lin is.
One question I do have regarding this melody: why doesn't it show up in Cabinet Battle #2? Based on your reasoning as to why it shows up in Cabinet Battle #1, it would really make sense for it to show up in the second one too. The only reason I can think of is that Cabinet Battle #2 is a bit more serious and less flashy than the first, as Jefferson and Hamilton are arguing over whether to help one of Hamilton's friends, which hits a lot closer to home. I would really appreciate your input, either way!
A couple of observations: 1. Both songs following the Cabinet Battles also riff on the chord progression (Take a Break, Washington on Your Side). So it's not like the motif is completely lost in the context of even the second battle even if it's not there itself. (Side note: Cabinet Battle #1/Take a Break is one of the few cases where the same motif features prominently in consecutives songs, along with Reynolds Pamphlet/Burn that I recall offhand.) 2. Every time the 10 Duel Commandments motif shows up, it foreshadows some kind of fall for Hamilton (dismissal by Washington, initially losing to Jefferson in Cabinet Battle #1, Maria Reynolds and Philip in Take a Break, the SMFDRs' blackmail schemes in Washington on Your Side, Philip's death in Blow Us All Away, and the culmination of the decision to support Jefferson over Burr in Election of 1800 and The World Was Wide Enough). Cabinet Battle #2 was a bit of a brief full victory, with the eventual downfall hidden from sight, maybe that's why it differs.(Also, another commenter suggested that there might be a relationship between Stay Alive and the 10 Duel Commandments chord progression. Do you hear that? Or my potentially related hypothesis that the Say No to This version of the Stay Alive progression shows up in Washington on Your Side and Election of 1800?)
Yo. So Cabinet Battle #2 uses part of the My Shot chord progression. You don't hear the chords actually being played, but it still exists for it is outlined by the bass line of the song. The bass follows the minor to major pattern that is mentioned in Howard's My Shot vid (going up from the submediant note, to leading note, then to the tonic.) So if the 10 Duel Commandments motif leads to a loss for Hamilton, then the My Shot motif leads to his gains (Gaining camaraderie with the Sons of Liberty, becoming Washington's right hand man, winning the Battle of Yorktown, becoming Treasury/Secretary establishing his financial system, and now having Washington root for him by letting him drop the Statement of Neutrality winning the Cabinet Battle #2).
a small detail about the melody is that they say Number before every number except for 5 7 and 10. 5 because it's halfway to ten (when you're supposed to shoot), 7 and ten because that's when shots where fired
Just heard the reason about the “Cabinet Battle #1” rearrangement, and I need to point out that in a visual parallel between duelling and the cabinet debates here portrayed as rap battles, at the beginning of both “battles” the opponents are dramatically presented their microphones in the same wooden box the duelling pistols are stored in.
I did not expect this to be nearly as well presented as it is. Sound theory, making some of the concepts (which can be difficult for non-theory people to grasp) accessible...and an incredibly insightful analysis. Bravo!
Dude I just found your videos and I just wanna thank you for opening my eyes to the beauty of music theory and its use in Hamilton. You're the first and ONLY youtuber I've turned on notifications for. THANKS FOR THE VIDEOS!!!
I’m not sure if anyone else has mentioned it, but in Blow Us All Away at 0:52, isn’t that the version of the counting theme that’s played in Cabinet Battle #1, used to represent fighting with words? So... How George George Eacker fought with words by saying stuff about Alexander? I’m not sure if I’m right but- just thought I’d put it out there.
it's amazing how people write music like this and put so much thought and meaning into it that a lot of people don't notice. Especially for musicals that have so many songs
For someone who knows nothing about music, this is very interesting. I'm thankful that I stumbled across this. Often the arts seems illogical, especially with modern art and 'everything is up to interpretation', but this all makes sense and has logic behind it. Thanks for such an excellent video. God bless.
Fun fact: The "muffled" version of The Counting Theme" in "Washington on Your Side" actually first appears in "What'd I Miss"! It's just the last 4 notes. And this shortened version reappears at the end of "We Know" which is an "extended version" of the part of "Say No to This" where Hamilton reads James Reynolds' letter. "What'd I Miss" isn't about danger, but "We Know" is, as Jefferson, Madison, and Burr are accusing Hamilton of embezzlement. "Say No To This" is more or less about the dangers of infidelity. What else is dangerous? Duels. And where does this theme/motif originate? "The Ten Duel Commandments", which is all about duels.
Interestingly, in the workshop recording of "Blow Us All Away", the count gets to "8" before Eacker fires his gun. They must have changed it at some point on the road to Broadway, presumably because it's more surprising and jarring if it comes on the upbeat right after "7", leaning into that sense of a life snuffed short that you describe here. Incidentally, Lin is playing fast and loose with history in that number ... both Philip and Eacker fired, but only Philip was wounded. Poor Eacker is going down in history as an a-hole thanks to Lin :( And finally ... it makes me smile to think how thrilled Lin must've been to discover that George *Eacker* was engaged as a public *speaker* - that's one rhyme in the bag :D
I had no idea the cabinet battle was actually the counting theme. Genius!!! I think the Washington On You Side thing is a bit of stretch though. Great vid though
i'm so mindblown by this, like, the idea of these ppl (or ppl in general) writing music and using all these things and rules and repititions that make perfect sense with the story... it's been a while since i last had to deal with music theory on this level (2.5 to be exact), but i remember being mindblown by composers back then and i still am now. it's one thing to understand all these rules (which is acc the easy part) but to create music from them is a whole different story
H ² : Your “How Hamilton Works” video essays are generous gifts of the highest order. You’ve opened my eyes and provided me with a much deeper appreciation of a body of work that already moved me so greatly at a visceral, even primal level. If you are not a teacher you definitely need to be one! You are incredible… The ability you have to present something as singular as Hamilton and to present it’s deeper workings and it’s genius in the easy, refreshing way that you do is truly awe-inspiring. You have such a rich store of eclectic knowledge which rests upon a rock solid foundation... the result is absolutely unparalleled excellence. Thank you more times than I can say! 😊
Incredible analysis.. You've still revealed a remarkable amount of depth and poetic alignment in the structure of these songs themselves, regardless if they were the original author's intent. I didn't think it was possible to appreciate the music in Hamilton more than I already do, yet you've helped me realize just how special it all is on a technical level too, and how beautifully the melodies intertwine with the stories they are telling. Subscribed.
I am really enjoying this video you made. I'm glad I clicked on this suggested video. Not even done with the video and I subscribed. Well done! I thoroughly enjoy geeking out with other geeks. Thank you!
I don’t know anything about music but your videos make me feel so smart. I can follow your points even though the pictures don’t mean anything to me because I can’t read music. I just love these videos. You are a great teacher. I always thought the stutter in gun fire and how the count down theme stoped at 7 was to imply that Philip was fired upon early, before they had counted to ten.
I discovered hamilton about a week 2 weeks ago. Since hen I've been obsessed an your video just proves that lin is literally a genius. Amazing video thank you
no wonder this took Lin 6 years to write
It took 7!!!!
@@cinnabard955 8, 9.
@quingsai look it up. Lin says it himself. “It took me seven years to write this show.”
@@cinnabard955 bro ik it was a joke dgjsdkjfsfjnd
Llama Girl r/woooosh
"Even in take a break, Eliza and Philip can't agree how to end the melodic phrase..." Maybe that why Lin wrote the lyrics in Stay Alive Reprise "You changed the melody every time..."
Ding ding ding!
Lol, I kinda though that was...obvious...? (I'M SORRY I'M NOT TRYING TO BE RUDE PLEASE DON'T KILL ME) 😅
Cat Love actually Lin says himself that he did the same thing when he was younger, he didn’t want to learn, he wanted to play. He feels that Phillip would be the same, he imprinted himself onto Phillip
I would always change the lines... *crys* I would always change the lines *cry*
Yes but I have to ask why would he do that ?
And why did the hold out the 7 in the count ing theme
1234567_89
They hold out the 7 if you could do a video about this would be helpful
"A beat without a melody" OH MY GOD WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT TO ME??!?!?
NJAY8/16/08 I WAS GOING TO TYPE THIS
WHYYYYYYY
My thought s exactly
I IMAGINE DEATH SO MUCH THAT IT FEELS LIKE A MEMORy aaaaaaaaaaa
IS IT WHERE IT GETS ME?
Isn't lin a genius?
вrι ™ isn’t the entire cast and everyone that helped a genius
He truly is and so is everyone in the cast
Yes he is 😁
He's a new Mozart
вrι ™ my dad said “he’s annoying” and I yelled at him...
I know nothing about music theory why am I watching this
borkbork doggo
This is me
borkbork doggo because you are keeping me company in my knowing nothing about music theory. Thank you.
saaammee
borkbork doggo
Same
Don't worry lots of us dont
Title: Why Ten Duel Commandments is the best
Thimbnail: *Shows Thomas Jefferson*
Finally somebody else who noticed that
Mood
I was thinking about that-
yes
*you said thimb
1 reason why 10 duel commandments is the best song;
1. Because Lin made it
Blue cheese Aa but lin wrote all the song...
Natalia well then all the songs are the best even the ones not in Hamilton like Moana and stuff
*LIN IS BEST BOI*
@@lynxz-studios Nahhhhh
I like the election of 1800 cuz it's a song that doesn't make me cry in between some very sad songs the I'm not a fan of because they make me cry they're like okay will cheer you up with the election of 1800 and a Teensy bit I'll be your obedient servant and then I just start crying on best of wives and best of women
i wonder if lin actually meant for half of these theories to be true or if he just hears them and is like "..........yea lol"
He did, I’m writing a play right now, and you really have to know everything about what you’re writing
hamilton took lin *years* i'm sure the majority of the show was crafted as carefully as this
He likely had at least some idea of what he wanted to do at first, but through iterations, successive drafts, and feedback, he probably expanded upon it to make it everything we see in this video
there is literally no way in hell anything brought 4ward in this vid isnt 100% intended
like theres wiggleroom on sum of that shit but nah
this shits way 2 internally consistent
lmao that’s a funny thought
"Philip wants his 'seven, eight, nine' to rise to the D where he can shine"
OH
*INSERT LENNY FACE HERE*
O WG
( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
How do you do that?
O WG
copy and paste
Kawaii Potato
Thanks.
The heartbreaking thing about the unfinished count is that by duelling, Philip snuffs out both his chance to "rise up", AND his mother's desire that he should keep himself safe. The divergence, widening gulf and final dissonance between their full melodies hint at the disastrous, unforeseen third possibility.
Also can we talk about how in the very end song, Who Lives Who Dies Who Tells Your Story, the progression of harmonies reverses and they go from four-part, to three-part, to two-part, and back to a single melody again?
Very nice...
I teared up at how genius the music in Hamilton is....I knew it was smart, but not this smart. Props to you for analysing this
I didn't imagine that Blow Us All Away can ever get more painful but number 9 just proved that it can. My heart. :'(
The "stuttering gunshot" is also historically accurate as a flintlock would set off the flash pan prior to the ignition if the powder in the chamber, resulting in two distinct pops.
I also saw the fact that Philip counting to 9 was a bit of him “having trouble” with counting to 9. The 9th rule is “look him in the eyes Aim no higher”. Which, both Philip and Hamilton shot at the sky, ie. they both didn’t follow rule 9.
So Philip counting up to 9, and changing the tune at 7 and trying to be extra for the last two, of course those last two rules got left out in his duel. And then Hamilton takes the same path after his son does.
I am a Hamilton fan but know very little about musical theory, but the way you explained everything was so clear, seriously impressed! Thanks for making a great video!!!
LEE, DO YOU YIELD?
HE WAS SHOT IN THE SIDE YES HE YIELDS.
oX- Keira -Xo IM SATISFIED
YO WE GOTTA CLEAR THE FEILD
GO WE WON
HERE COMES THE GENERAL
Bethie Tekeste this should be be fun...
What is the meaning of this?
bethie mr burr get medic for the general
*watches video*
DANG IT I LEARNED SOMETHING BEFORE SCHOOL BEGAN
feelsbadman, now more than ever
Lol
I learned more then school
I do that after school before school weekends summer break winter break spring break any brake behalf or any days off school I'm learning
BECAUSE IM LISTENING TO HAMILTON 24/7 SADLY I CAN'T LISTEN TO IT IN SCHOOL
And before it ended
maybe in "Washington on Your Side" you only get 1/2 of the melody because only 1/2 of the "duel" participants are present. It isn't a duel. The Democratic Republicans are gonna shoot Hamilton in the back without giving him a pistol.
Ohhhhh...nice.
Howard Ho I didn't Hear it until you mentioned it, but there is no counterpoint. lyrically or melodically.
Here's 52 reasons why this song is great
1. Lin wrote it
HAMILTON WROTE THE OTHER 51!
LOL
Okay, I laughed out loud at this comment. XD
Nice! Underrated comment!
Great comment
HELL YEA HE DID
aka 14 minutes and 33 seconds of explaining how lin manuel-miranda is a fucking genius
DreamMist
34*
My name is Philip
I am a poet
Im turning nine
You can save lives
buT YOU CANT SAVE MINE
What?
AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH WHHHHYYYYYYYYYYY
N-noooooooo why would you do that to me? *strangled crying*
W h y
Owsht
You are so talented and smart I love your analyses so much
Xiao Andy I see you in so many Hamilton videos!
*coughmatpatcough*
Brilliant
u like undertale soundtrack and hamilon soundtrack i like u
This is like the game theory of the musical world
But that's just a theory... A MUSIC THEORY!
AAANNND
*C U T*
Can't like!! It's at 100
@@daisylastname8312 now you can lol xp
This video is your best so far!
I wanted to add that it's worth noticing that the counting theme's not just staying the same from "10 Duel Commenandments" to "The World was Wide Enough" - it's actually recorded on the same track, so the two songs match one another perfectly.
Listening to both on the same time reveals even more of Lin's briliant writing. The counting stays the same, but Burr's and Hamilton's solo parts sits on different parts of the beat, and "The World was Wide enough" is on a lower and grim register, so when you listen to it, you can always hear both songs pretty clear. My favorite part about it is the way the lines "Why, if not to take deadly aim" and "How many men died because Lee was inexperienced and ruined us" clash, and Burr reach his Forte just before Hamilton does.
I really like your videos. It's always a commbination between "Ha! I noticed that thing as well!" and surprises. I can't wait to see what comes next. ;)
(P.s, forgive me if my language is a bit off, English is a second langauge to me, and I'm always afraid to be misunderstood)
Great observations, and you expressed them very well. Thanks for watching!
Inbar Naaman actually the 8 in the world was wide enough is a different, lower tone than in the ten duel commandments. It has more of an eerie pitch to it
White Hand Man Yeah, I meant tone. Wrong term :)
I'll add as well that The World Was Wide Enough adds the My Shot anthem (lacking from 10 Duel Commandments, but interestingly not from the Workshop version) and the music for "9" differs a bit.
The "My Shot" anthem is so great! I love how Lin combined it in so many songs, and it always feel so in place
I heard the how the stutter gunshot sounded different than the other ones but I couldn't really put my finger on it. Makes total sense now. Thanks for another great vid :)
Oh god
I'm
No stop
I realized that you did a thing with the music for the count up
You used the soundtrack count up all the way to number nine, like all the other times because they actually said ten in the middle of the count up (or 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 NUMBER 10)
And you did the same
Number ten was the world was wide enough
It's when Hamilton finds no beat or melody to follow in his moment of uncertainty before he shoots, there is nothing to tell him what to do
You left number ten at an empty standstill as you said it, no song, no voices proclaiming number ten as the rest
Just silence, and your voice talking
Aka I'm crying
Edit: whoa, likes what the-
For some reason, I read this comment as a rap.
Mattias Westby *checks own comment again*
Now you've got me seeing it as a rap
What is this witchcraft-
Non-stop*
The Wicked Taco after the war I went back to New York
Personally, i understood almost none of this but man the part i did understand was brilliant.
I'm so glad there's another instalment of this
gosh, that silence in stay alive. so many feelings. love how much these musical choices influence the show. this was so great.
7:40
Oh my gosh! I always wanted to figure out what the line “I’m so sorry for forgetting what you taught me” was really talking about, because i knew it was too dramatic to just be referencing a small mistake he made as a child while learning piano... I thought maybe it meant he was sorry he got into a duel, which makes sense, but even then it doesn’t match up with how they continue to talk about piano. This makes so much sense when you apply it and theorize that he’s talking about how he didnt take her underlying lesson of ‘don’t go the dangerous wayjust to get glory.’ She was telling him, don’t risk everything to be in the spotlight. This combines the two ideas that he’s talking about their piano lessons and that he’s referencing his duel
When you showed how the cabinet battle theme was in canon I was practically screaming! I knew it was the 10 duel commandments theme there but I never noticed the canon, that's so cool! Also, yes, screw gradus ad parnassum.
Anna M. You should listen to Doctor Gradus Ad Parnassum by Debussy, makes fun of the book
Lin is a genius and we all know that, but can we give credit to this guy who actually spotted the musical genius?
at 3:52. when he did F to A I was like
*THE ELECTION OF 1800s*
Can we get back to politics
*please*
So did I, but I paused the video and spent a solid 30 seconds trying to remember which song it was
M Groshok There a few.. Washington on your Side and Election of 1800 are just the two I remember rn
M Groshok lol
yo every action has its equal opposite reactions
Dang it, I just commented that, but I did Washington on your side instead 😂
5:34 OH LOOK IT'S ME
Sophia Walsh Long Yay!
I saw your comment and i literally said "sofia! Oh my god! I feel proud!" And I literally dont know you but i see your comments from the Hamilton lyric videos and i just felt proud.
*sophia (sorry im so used to spelling it the other way)
Oh! I know her! (reference intended)
Ivushka its that little girl comment all those hours ago, what was it, 85?
conclusion. Lin manuel Miranda is a musical and literary genius.
This video series is amazing. Not only does it point out the genius behind Hamilton but it shows how much you can express with music. I have neither the background or education to notice and qualify why Hamilton's music invokes the feelings it does it me, so I need someone like you to take me on this journey of appreciation. Thank you!
Until you mentioned it, I didn't know the counting theme was in Cabinet Battle 1. I'll never unhear it.
I'm amazed by the poetic symbolism so intricately and intentionally sewn into the fabric of every song in Hamilton. It's done so well that you're almost powerless against letting the music sweep you off your feet and carry you into the next phase of emotions you're meant to experience. Hamilton is truly a profound work of art.
3:51 *moment of realization*
WAIT A MINUTE
*replays*
It must be nice, it must be nice to have washington on your side
that was the only thing my mind was saying
I hope you've heard the Instrumentals that have just been released
Because I heard a good lot of motifs in songs I didn't realize were there. Like in The Election of 1800, you hear Non-Stop during the portion where Hamilton and Burr converse with one another. Or a combination of motifs from Eliza's songs in Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story. The soundtrack is so intricate I can't even.
I have so much work to do.
@@HowardHoMusic If we only ever knew...
I’ve never felt my heart break more than when you said “but only to 7”
Blow us all away 💔
One thing I will always love about musicals is how each song borrows from the next. And the moment of recognition where I'm like "Is that from this song? I think it is." And it makes me go back to watch it all over again. You've opened my eyes (also Hamilton was like the 3rd musical I've seen so not too much experience) to a whole new world.
one two three four five six seven-
*t e a r s*
When he said that... I wanted to say, "No way!!!!"
But he's so dang right.
phillIP NO-
Your videos never fail to impress, and your dedication and love for Hamilton and Lin's musical genius always shines through! Great job, and I can't wait to see more! :)
I knew Lin must be some form of genius, writing this, and I knew there must be a reason why I have been listening to the soundtrack on repeat the last week.. But this video just helps explains why these songs are more addictive than crack to my brain. I can't even begin to understand how talented Lin is.
It's worth mentioning that the 'Washington On Your Side' cue shows up again at the end of 'We Know'.
3:53-3:59 "it must be nice, it must be niiice..." Anyone else sing that??
I thought Lin was genius before, but now... wait, what's beyond genius?
LIN WATCHED THIS!!!
YES, HE DID!
HOWDOYAKNOW
wHERE
It's kind of unbelievable how every little detail has it's important part, everything means something, that takes a lot of skill
Yep I'm dead now. This musical is killing me. This was beautiful I never noticed these things.
One question I do have regarding this melody: why doesn't it show up in Cabinet Battle #2? Based on your reasoning as to why it shows up in Cabinet Battle #1, it would really make sense for it to show up in the second one too. The only reason I can think of is that Cabinet Battle #2 is a bit more serious and less flashy than the first, as Jefferson and Hamilton are arguing over whether to help one of Hamilton's friends, which hits a lot closer to home. I would really appreciate your input, either way!
Hmmm...I may have to comment about that in the next video. There's an interesting theory I have.
Howard Ho Awesome! Can't wait to hear it.
A couple of observations:
1. Both songs following the Cabinet Battles also riff on the chord progression (Take a Break, Washington on Your Side). So it's not like the motif is completely lost in the context of even the second battle even if it's not there itself. (Side note: Cabinet Battle #1/Take a Break is one of the few cases where the same motif features prominently in consecutives songs, along with Reynolds Pamphlet/Burn that I recall offhand.)
2. Every time the 10 Duel Commandments motif shows up, it foreshadows some kind of fall for Hamilton (dismissal by Washington, initially losing to Jefferson in Cabinet Battle #1, Maria Reynolds and Philip in Take a Break, the SMFDRs' blackmail schemes in Washington on Your Side, Philip's death in Blow Us All Away, and the culmination of the decision to support Jefferson over Burr in Election of 1800 and The World Was Wide Enough). Cabinet Battle #2 was a bit of a brief full victory, with the eventual downfall hidden from sight, maybe that's why it differs.(Also, another commenter suggested that there might be a relationship between Stay Alive and the 10 Duel Commandments chord progression. Do you hear that? Or my potentially related hypothesis that the Say No to This version of the Stay Alive progression shows up in Washington on Your Side and Election of 1800?)
Yo. So Cabinet Battle #2 uses part of the My Shot chord progression. You don't hear the chords actually being played, but it still exists for it is outlined by the bass line of the song. The bass follows the minor to major pattern that is mentioned in Howard's My Shot vid (going up from the submediant note, to leading note, then to the tonic.)
So if the 10 Duel Commandments motif leads to a loss for Hamilton, then the My Shot motif leads to his gains (Gaining camaraderie with the Sons of Liberty, becoming Washington's right hand man, winning the Battle of Yorktown, becoming Treasury/Secretary establishing his financial system, and now having Washington root for him by letting him drop the Statement of Neutrality winning the Cabinet Battle #2).
Xiao Andy o
I'm a music education major, and I'm completely nerding out with the technical construction of these songs!!!!!
a small detail about the melody is that they say Number before every number except for 5 7 and 10. 5 because it's halfway to ten (when you're supposed to shoot), 7 and ten because that's when shots where fired
Just heard the reason about the “Cabinet Battle #1” rearrangement, and I need to point out that in a visual parallel between duelling and the cabinet debates here portrayed as rap battles, at the beginning of both “battles” the opponents are dramatically presented their microphones in the same wooden box the duelling pistols are stored in.
Oh yes, great detail!
I did not expect this to be nearly as well presented as it is. Sound theory, making some of the concepts (which can be difficult for non-theory people to grasp) accessible...and an incredibly insightful analysis.
Bravo!
I was literally going "That's genius" every other second while watching this video. This musical keeps blowing me away
it's so amazing how the stories are told through the music itself and not just the words
Howard Ho Hamilton Videos:
When music & lyrics become
a spiritual experience.
The part about Eliza wanting him to be safe but Phillip wants to shine and then in blow us all away ahhhh that just broke my heart
10:17
I'M NOT READY, I CAN'T
I relate to that username on a spiritual level
The more I learn about this musical the more and more I appreciate the genius behind it
you are a MASTER of analysis omg
Dude I just found your videos and I just wanna thank you for opening my eyes to the beauty of music theory and its use in Hamilton. You're the first and ONLY youtuber I've turned on notifications for. THANKS FOR THE VIDEOS!!!
I'm honored. Seriously.
Howard Ho no worries dude! Keep up the awesome work!!
I’m not sure if anyone else has mentioned it, but in Blow Us All Away at 0:52, isn’t that the version of the counting theme that’s played in Cabinet Battle #1, used to represent fighting with words? So... How George George Eacker fought with words by saying stuff about Alexander? I’m not sure if I’m right but- just thought I’d put it out there.
Holy shit the details are everything!! All these themes and messages within the music are blowing my mind
this show is amazing I want more
Congrats on 1 Million Views!! Watching this a 3rd time, love it!
😯😃💞🙏
Mind blown
Wow! I k ow nothing about writing or muzic but this really opened my eyes. Lin is such a genius.
it's amazing how people write music like this and put so much thought and meaning into it that a lot of people don't notice. Especially for musicals that have so many songs
How is this guy a researcher a editor
a musiction and a narrator at the same time and teaches me more then my teacher
For someone who knows nothing about music, this is very interesting. I'm thankful that I stumbled across this. Often the arts seems illogical, especially with modern art and 'everything is up to interpretation', but this all makes sense and has logic behind it. Thanks for such an excellent video. God bless.
Fun fact: The "muffled" version of The Counting Theme" in "Washington on Your Side" actually first appears in "What'd I Miss"! It's just the last 4 notes. And this shortened version reappears at the end of "We Know" which is an "extended version" of the part of "Say No to This" where Hamilton reads James Reynolds' letter. "What'd I Miss" isn't about danger, but "We Know" is, as Jefferson, Madison, and Burr are accusing Hamilton of embezzlement. "Say No To This" is more or less about the dangers of infidelity. What else is dangerous? Duels. And where does this theme/motif originate? "The Ten Duel Commandments", which is all about duels.
My Favourite Line!
“Pick A Place To Die Where It’s High And Dry!”
No Reason. I Just Enjoy It!
The harmony 🤌
I already knew Lin-Manuel was a musical genius but this really shows how talented that man is!!!
"1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9 number 10 is paces FIRE!"
"1,2,3,4,5,6,7- *bang*"
"1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9 HE AIMS HIS PISTOL AT THE SKY, WAIT!"
all of them...
Interestingly, in the workshop recording of "Blow Us All Away", the count gets to "8" before Eacker fires his gun. They must have changed it at some point on the road to Broadway, presumably because it's more surprising and jarring if it comes on the upbeat right after "7", leaning into that sense of a life snuffed short that you describe here.
Incidentally, Lin is playing fast and loose with history in that number ... both Philip and Eacker fired, but only Philip was wounded. Poor Eacker is going down in history as an a-hole thanks to Lin :(
And finally ... it makes me smile to think how thrilled Lin must've been to discover that George *Eacker* was engaged as a public *speaker* - that's one rhyme in the bag :D
I had no idea the cabinet battle was actually the counting theme. Genius!!! I think the Washington On You Side thing is a bit of stretch though. Great vid though
MrSplendid I actually couldn’t help hear the similarity there
i'm so mindblown by this, like, the idea of these ppl (or ppl in general) writing music and using all these things and rules and repititions that make perfect sense with the story... it's been a while since i last had to deal with music theory on this level (2.5 to be exact), but i remember being mindblown by composers back then and i still am now. it's one thing to understand all these rules (which is acc the easy part) but to create music from them is a whole different story
If you listen carefully around 10:30 you can actually hear my heart breaking
"A beat without a melody" got me
Jesus why is Lin such a genius-
ohhhh I never knew I needed this. Now I'm gonna end up doing a video binge for this. This is awesome!
12:27 holy heck having it laid out like that, I can hear exactly what you mean and its almost crazy how I didnt hear it before
H ² : Your “How Hamilton Works” video essays are generous gifts of the highest order. You’ve opened my eyes and provided me with a much deeper appreciation of a body of work that already moved me so greatly at a visceral, even primal level. If you are not a teacher you definitely need to be one! You are incredible… The ability you have to present something as singular as Hamilton and to present it’s deeper workings and it’s genius in the easy, refreshing way that you do is truly awe-inspiring.
You have such a rich store of eclectic knowledge which rests upon a rock solid foundation... the result is absolutely unparalleled excellence. Thank you more times than I can say! 😊
Wow, thank you for saying all that! And hope you stay tuned...there's more on the way.
I’m so honored ... truly!!
Thank you for your thank you (😄!!)
I have no idea what you’re talking about but I’m fascinated listening to someone explain something so far above my understanding.
I learn more and more of just how genius these people are! SO much thought went into this musical. No wonder it turned out amazing!
Incredible analysis.. You've still revealed a remarkable amount of depth and poetic alignment in the structure of these songs themselves, regardless if they were the original author's intent. I didn't think it was possible to appreciate the music in Hamilton more than I already do, yet you've helped me realize just how special it all is on a technical level too, and how beautifully the melodies intertwine with the stories they are telling. Subscribed.
A NEW VIDEO FROM HOWARD HO LIFE IS GOOD
HEYHEYHEY you're the guy who went and commented on all the undertale ost videos!!!
You have GOT to make more of these!! Seriously they're incredible, I could listen to you talk about chord proggressions for hours!
The symbolism and interpretation is nothing short of amazing. Merging Science and Arts at another level. 👏👏 Thanks for putting this together.
I am really enjoying this video you made. I'm glad I clicked on this suggested video. Not even done with the video and I subscribed. Well done! I thoroughly enjoy geeking out with other geeks. Thank you!
Thanks for subscribing! More to come...
OH MY GOD THIS IS AWESOME
It's so cool how much thought is put into those tunes and you did a great job explaining it
The way this video explains music and harmonies I didn't know but somehow my EARS know kjgfasfh oh my god you're so awesome!
fUN faCT-
Before Phillip confronts George Eacker, you can hear the opening chords to 10 Duel Commandments
I don’t know anything about music but your videos make me feel so smart. I can follow your points even though the pictures don’t mean anything to me because I can’t read music. I just love these videos. You are a great teacher. I always thought the stutter in gun fire and how the count down theme stoped at 7 was to imply that Philip was fired upon early, before they had counted to ten.
4 voices in the melody, 4 people (2 duelers and their seconds) in the duel
as a musician and a hamilton fan i LOVE your videos, please make some more!
My name is Philip
I am in heaven
Because mr eaker stopped at seven
I didn't want to laugh at this, but I did. Why would you do this?
I discovered hamilton about a week 2 weeks ago. Since hen I've been obsessed an your video just proves that lin is literally a genius. Amazing video thank you