A lesson in the infinite generative power of language and the need for compositional constraints

 


Excerpt from “Do-Re-Mi” from The Sound of Music
Music by Richard Rodgers and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein

Maria:
Now children do re mi fa so and so on
Are only the tools we use to build a song
Once you have these notes in your head
You can sing a million different tones by mixing them up
Like this: so do la fa mi do re
Can you do that?


Children:
So do la fa mi do re


Maria:
So do la ti do re do


Children:

So do la ti do re do


Maria:

Now put it all together


All:

So do la fa mi do re, so do la ti do re do


Maria:

Good


Child (Brigitta):

But it doesn't mean anything