Are you ready to dive into the intricate musical genius of Hamilton? Prepare for a journey into the fascinating world of musical diagrams that reveal the brilliance behind Lin-Manuel Miranda’s masterpiece.
Miranda himself, a confessed admirer of Les Miserables, has cited it as a major influence on his compositional style. He noted its masterful use of recurring themes to evoke deep emotional responses. In Hamilton, this technique is elevated to a new level. Songs are not just individual pieces; they are interwoven threads in a rich tapestry, constantly referencing each other through recurring musical phrases and lyrical echoes. A single song can connect to multiple others – two, four, five, and in one remarkable instance, a staggering eleven! Think about King George’s iconic songs – each instantly recognizable with virtually the same tune, subtly modified with a bridge or verse. Then there are songs that borrow entire melodies, like the poignant echo of “It’s Quiet Uptown” in “Best of Wives and Best of Women,” and countless smaller, yet significant, musical nods throughout the score. Interestingly, “Farmer Refuted” stands out as somewhat of an anomaly, seemingly the only song without any significant shared musical passage – at least, none that have been widely identified.
To better understand these complex relationships, a visual representation becomes invaluable. A diagram illustrating these cross-references offers a unique perspective on the interconnectedness of Hamilton’s music.
This diagram, while not perfectly polished due to its creation in MSWord, reveals the fascinating web of connections within the Hamilton soundtrack. It intentionally avoids labeling each reference to encourage exploration and discovery. However, it does capture the recurring musical signatures associated with key characters and the “timestamp” choral interjections (“1776. New York City,” etc.). Furthermore, it highlights the seven variations of Burr’s iconic intro, “How does . . . ” (“a bastard,” “a ragtag volunteer army,” “Hamilton, the short-tempered”), all skillfully linked back to its origin in “Alexander Hamilton.”
Enjoy exploring this intricate musical puzzle. And if you happen to uncover a connection not yet charted, feel free to share your insights in the comments!
