Song integration is the process of interweaving songs into the fabric of a musical. It involves ensuring that the music serves a purpose within the narrative and is not merely present for its own sake. When done well, song integration can elevate the overall quality of a musical, making it more engaging and impactful for the audience.
However, it’s the way in which the musical numbers are woven into the story that make musicals so unforgettable. The music isn’t an interlude, a way to get a musical number in, but an integral way to further the action and to expose the personalities and motivations of the characters. The song arrives at a moment when a dramatic tension has to be expressed lyrically, sometimes as an internal monologue, sometimes as a dialogue between characters. The key to the timing of the musical moment is that the musical number comes out of the situation in a way that seems completely natural and thus enhances the drama.
For an example of this, look to musicals of the Golden Age, where an individual song may reveal a character’s secret want, or a choral number may reveal a group’s needs, and tie the various character arcs together. Make sure that the lyric addresses (and organically reveals) the dramatic beat, rather than the lyric existing solely for its own sake. Furthermore, integration often supports the creation of subtext, where music and lyric can support the dramatic beat, mirroring the discord or accord of the characters. The impact of such moments should be distributed throughout the acts, lest they become too heavy and cloying.
Looking at contemporary examples shows how new approaches can revitalize the combination, for example the merging of modern styles and classic settings to illustrate cultural differences or personal expression in the narrative. Using multiple musical styles can bring out differences in characters, or the shift in themes. This allows the song to represent the growing action, the climax, and the conclusion of the plot, albeit on a smaller scale. Treating songs like dialogue rather than a different medium for the story can help strengthen the writing, turning it into a harmony of disparate parts instead of something clashing.
However, some difficulties can arise with this integration of music into the narrative. Music shouldn’t overpower the fundamental nature of the story and weaken its impact. The script is drafted and the songs are fine-tuned. Music from the first draft may get updated in the second. Music is shared in readings or workshops and the audience helps the composer identify when a song clarifies the story, or when it might be confusing. Word and music ideally complement each other, heightening each other and bringing the piece to life in such a way that you will return to it often and always appreciate something new.
Ultimately, I believe the most captivating aspect of this medium is when music appears as if it simply must be sung, moments that become integral to the narrative’s unfolding. Not only does it entertain, but it helps us engage our own experiences and ideas with the music presented. The more this medium evolves, the more exciting possibilities of what can be done with music will emerge for the next generation of storytellers and audiences.
