Sondheim Poll

Would 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!

Greg Ross wrote:
>
> Would it be possible to add one extra option to the Sondheim
> Poll?
>
> • Nothing, they’re all dreadful



Hi Greg. I agree that there should be more options. I covered this in the post "Merrily We Poll Along"

>
crgwllms wrote:
> There's also no opportunity to register that you don't like ANY Sondheim / don't care either way... were that the case.


At present, the poll engine can't accept any more options than it already does. So I'm afraid this poll is strictly for Sondheim fans who are informed enough to vote, and the rest of us can perhaps busy ourselves thinking up new poll topics...?

Cheers
The Poll-tergeist

[%sig%]

Ahhhh Greg, methinks you may be a Lloyd Webber fan, no? ;-)

God no!! I loath Lloyd Webber. All his shows are based on one tune, although I think he's written approximately two songs with great melodies (two more then Sondheim). And if anybody mentions Gilbert and Sullivan, I'll slip into male menopause and scream.

No, just to prove my insanity, I dwell in the realms of Brel, Cohen, Sting and Dylan. Oh yes, I've always loved P.J. Proby's gutsy version of "Maria." He `used to commence his stage show by starting to sing the song off stage, then enter from stage left somersaulting across the stage, perfectly in tune, power and pitch. Now that was an act!

Greg Ross wrote:
"God no!! I loath Lloyd Webber. All his shows are based on one tune, although I think he's written approximately two songs with great melodies (two more then Sondheim). And if anybody mentions Gilbert and Sullivan, I'll slip into male menopause and scream.

Greg, I have this theory about Sondheim...
He writes his own words and music.
Some may think that means he's a composer who writes his own lyrics.
I think he's actually a Lyricist who writes his own Music.

This places him in the realm of that other great who never wrote a tuneful bit of music... WAGNER!!!

I love Sondheim because he doesn't write songs.
I love him because his bits of music meld so completely into his dialogue.

Salutations Paul

I take your point, indeed, as a Leonard Cohen freak, how could I not. However one small point still worries me, if you will forgive the pendant rising to the surface.

Cohen at least writes wonderful lyrics, but Sondheim?

Greg 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.

[%sig%]

I take my hat off to you Amanda, for you have given me valid points for consideration.

On reflection ... and here, I hate to give my age away, be speaking of Procul Harem, but how deviously insane were their lyrics ... "The mirror on reflection climbed back upon the wall ..."?. But I digress.

I had forgotten the West Side Story connection, although subliminally, something must have triggered the P.J.Proby mention. The lyrics have never struck me as being profound, but given the right singer, they can indeed assume a beauty.

I will pursue some early Sondheim, although I fear anti social strata by-laws in my apartment may prevent me from listening to too much. However, may I beg your indulgence, as I delve into the past and quote a few marvellous lyrics.

Although I can never go past Jacques Brel, of course Mort Shuman was the man who translated the Belgian master’s lyrics into English. That incredible cry from a broken heart … “I’d have been the shadow of your shadow, if you might have left me by your side …” And yes, Nina Simone’s interpretation was stunning, but Scott Walker was sublime.

And what of Leonard Cohen and his homage to Joan of Arc?
“And something in me yearns to win
Such a cold, such a lonesome heroine.”
“And who are you?” She sternly spoke
to the one beneath the smoke
“Why I am fire,” he replied
“And I love your solitude, I love your pride.”

Try Jennifer Warnes interpretation. And finally, surely one of the most beautiful love songs ever written –
“If you see her, say hello, she might be in Tangier
She left here last early spring, is living there I hear
Say for me that IÂ’m all right, though things get kind of slow
She might think that IÂ’ve forgotten her, donÂ’t tell her it isnÂ’t so
We had a falling out, like lovers often will
And to think of how she left that night, it still brings me a chill
And though our separation, it pierced me to the heart
She still lives inside of me, weÂ’ve never been apart
If you get close to her, kiss her once for me …”

A strange taciturn man on stage, with no real audience rapport, I suspect only Dylan could ever sing this and I vividly recall goose bumps on my arms early this year, when Dylan snarled his lyrics to “The Masters of War,” on the green at Claremont Showgrounds. Bush, Howard and Blair of course were swallowing mad pills.

As usual, I have rambled on far too long, but then the power and beauty of words and music, have possessed the hearts and minds of actors for thousands of years.
All Good Things
Greg