Reflection #4 Instrumental Song, “Blue Umbrella”

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I heard “Blue Umbrella” for the first time a few weeks ago in my friends car, and was instantly captivated by it. I don’t know what it is about the song that intrigues me so much, but once I heard it I couldn’t think about anything else until the song was over. The music is the score for a short film called “The Blue Umbrella,” which was released with the opening of pixar’s film “Monster’s University.” The main instruments of this song are a guitar, and music box, (or some sort of pitched percussion instrument that I don’t know the name of), and strings. (There are also some synth sounds thrown in here and there).

The song starts out with the light and playful sound of the tuned percussion. Something about these sounds makes me want to smile every time I hear it. In a way it makes me feel like a kid, and I love it. Next, the acoustic guitar and vocalization come in. (The aren’t any words, just vocalizing, so I like to think of it as just another instrument.) For a while this really pretty and light theme continues, until suddenly music takes a turn in the opposite direction, and it becomes very dark and evil sounding. A lot of dissonance and lower muddy tones being played all at once, until as quick as the darkness came, it stops, and the bouncy theme is back, but I bit quieter than it was before, as if it’s still a bit frightened from what happened before. But as time goes on, it becomes more and more confident, until the magical theme is back full force, maybe even more powerful than before. Finally, the song ends a bit more similar to the intro, where it just had the music box and a little guitar, and fades out.

The “Blue Umbrella” is about two Umbrellas that comes to life on a rainy day, and in a sea of similar black umbrellas, the Blue Umbrella spots a pretty looking Red Umbrella. The exchanges glances, and are immediately captivated by each other. But unfortunately their owners continue on their separate paths, and all the while the umbrella are desperately trying to get back to each other. In desperation, the Blue Umbrella flies free of it’s owner and floats in the wind into the street, where it is saved by other magical objects. The story ends with the blue umbrella being found by it’s owner, and then reuniting with the red umbrella as the two owners sit down for coffee. Now, if I hadn’t known what the short was about and I were just able to listen to the music, then my interpretation would be slightly different. Listening to the song, I have the feeling like something is started, like a feeling of magic – a spark. And this “feeling” keeps growing as more and more instruments are added on, and then it hits the point where the mood turns foul; something very bad has happened. Eventually the pretty theme comes back, letting the listener know that there’s still hope, and it continues growing, finally ending with the same happy feeling the song started with, so the listener knows the story has a happy ending.

I would recommend this song to anyone would enjoys simple instrument music, something that has a clear theme repeated throughout. There isn’t anything that complicated about the notes or the instrumentation, but it still makes me feel something nonetheless, which is amazing. Definitely listen to this.

37 thoughts on “Reflection #4 Instrumental Song, “Blue Umbrella””

  1. Kimberly.Tena@stonybrook.edu

    I appreciate your description of the instrumentation of this song. The “light and playful” beginnings, transitioning to “a lot of dissonance and lower muddy tones” and finally back to the “magical theme … maybe even more powerful than before” is extremely accurate of both this song’s story, and really any other story about love.

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  2. Crysta Carey

    This song is rather unique! It reminds me of the music in Animal Crossing games, being light and cheery with no words yet having vocals of some sort. Without knowing the story of the umbrellas, it does convey a happy tone that goes sour at times as inferred hardship comes along yet doesn’t stay for too long. I will admit the second time the music goes sour, it seems a tad too dark to me. But it is what it is. Just like life, it isn’t all smiles and happiness. A little before you get halfway through the song there’s a section of a cello which brings fond memories back–the cello is a rather wonderful instrument. Overall this piece gave me much nostalgia and the need to play some video games!

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  3. Victor.Yu@stonybrook.edu

    Very cute song I’d have to say. I picture a rainbow and bubbly figures while listening to it. Seems perfect fit for those cute nintendo games they have on the wii or 3DS

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  4. Danny.Zhao@stonybrook.edu

    I remember seeing this short in theaters! I loved every minute of it because it’s just got so much life to it. It reminds me of Pikmin for some reason, and it also conveys a sort of innocent “love at first sight” tone with a little bit of conflict thrown in the mixture.

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