Sondheim Poll
Mon, 17 Nov 2003, 10:49 amGreg Ross8 posts in thread
Sondheim Poll
Mon, 17 Nov 2003, 10:49 amWould it be possible to add one extra option to the Sondheim Poll?
• Nothing, they’re all dreadful
For you see, dear adjudicator, there are luddites such as myself, who think that Sondheim has never written anything melodic, or in tune in his life – rather a series of random notes played off key. I’ve always suspected the bastard escaped from the Hammer Horror studios.
Cheers Â… I mean Arrrrg!
• Nothing, they’re all dreadful
For you see, dear adjudicator, there are luddites such as myself, who think that Sondheim has never written anything melodic, or in tune in his life – rather a series of random notes played off key. I’ve always suspected the bastard escaped from the Hammer Horror studios.
Cheers Â… I mean Arrrrg!
Re: Sondheim Poll
Tue, 18 Nov 2003, 05:34 pmGreg Ross wrote:
> Cohen at least writes wonderful lyrics, but Sondheim?
Ooh, er. I must say, that despite being a music theatre nut, I tend to listen to Sondheim for the same reason people eat mung beans. It's good for me, but not exactly easy to swallow. I see where you're coming from with the 'tuneless' thing, Greg.
I DO, however, have to leap to the defense of his lyrics. They are genius - probably the best example, in my mind, being the Witch's 'In the past...' from 'Into the Woods'. I have to say it's the brilliant lyrics that I listen to Sondheim for. Remember also that Sondheim was responsible for the 'West Side Story' lyrics - he doesn't consider them to be his best work (he had to kow-tow to La Bernstein for a lot of them) but they're pretty smashing, regardless.
As for tunes, have you listened to much early Sondheim, Greg? That was how I tuned my ear to Sondheim - stuff such as 'What More Do I Need?' (originally from 'Saturday Night' but re-worked into 'Merrily We Roll Along') or the title song from 'Anyone Can Whistle'. The whole of 'Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum' is pretty straight down the line, melodically (and the lyrics? Funny? I bust a coronary every time I listen).
My 2p anyway.
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> Cohen at least writes wonderful lyrics, but Sondheim?
Ooh, er. I must say, that despite being a music theatre nut, I tend to listen to Sondheim for the same reason people eat mung beans. It's good for me, but not exactly easy to swallow. I see where you're coming from with the 'tuneless' thing, Greg.
I DO, however, have to leap to the defense of his lyrics. They are genius - probably the best example, in my mind, being the Witch's 'In the past...' from 'Into the Woods'. I have to say it's the brilliant lyrics that I listen to Sondheim for. Remember also that Sondheim was responsible for the 'West Side Story' lyrics - he doesn't consider them to be his best work (he had to kow-tow to La Bernstein for a lot of them) but they're pretty smashing, regardless.
As for tunes, have you listened to much early Sondheim, Greg? That was how I tuned my ear to Sondheim - stuff such as 'What More Do I Need?' (originally from 'Saturday Night' but re-worked into 'Merrily We Roll Along') or the title song from 'Anyone Can Whistle'. The whole of 'Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum' is pretty straight down the line, melodically (and the lyrics? Funny? I bust a coronary every time I listen).
My 2p anyway.
[%sig%]
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