Step on a beat when the music is still, subdivide the beat, change direction mid-measure or mid-phrase, and occasionally do something a bit contrary to the mood of the music.
Sondheim's songs make a fetish of surprise, especially in their melodies, which squirm and double back on themselves, and even end seemingly in mid-phrase--anything to avoid predictability.
Even if you had never watched tap before, his solo would have taught you much: the constant contrast between soft and hard steps; the exciting risks of balance and off-balance in mid-phrase; the wit of bringing his feet together as if squeezing the air between them; sudden explosive outbursts as if not even all his control could keep these back.
Explosions in the Sky followed with an hour-long instrumental set of blazing guitars and melodies that get lost mid-phrase only to wander back later for a magnified effect much like in jazz.
It moves between the formal grace of ballet classicism and more deliberately imperfect genres, sometimes in mid-phrase.
It simply stopped, cutting to black in mid-phrase.
His sound would turn leathery; his voice would catch in the throat mid-phrase.
Mitchell had to make a new kind of song, in which conversation could flower, in mid-phrase, into music.
By Dan Chiasson Mitchell wanted to make a new kind of song, one in which conversation could flower, in mid-phrase, into music.
Different sections played at different tempos, with passages accelerating like a locomotive coming up to speed, or slowing down like a turntable unplugged in mid-phrase.
But with the tempestuous initial outburst of the finale came a steady drizzle; eventually Mr. Gilbert cut off the music mid-phrase.
