The Tap Dance Kid overture has always been a favourite of mine
Swing Joined: 5/2/11
Have to totally agree with:
gypsy
sweet charity
funny girl
chicago
42nd street
also love:
bye bye birdie
annie get your gun (60's Lincoln center)
on your toes (original spialek)
How did I forget Chicago and Show Boat?! Shame on me...
On A Clear Day You Can See Forever
High Spirits
Funny Girl
Thoroughly Modern Millie
What's so great about the Merrily overture? It doesn't really reflect the tone of the show, IMO. It almost sounds as if it belongs to another show.
It's just thrilling.
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/11/04
I know it's severely truncated in performance, but I love the Light in the Piazza overture on the recording.
Porgy & Bess
42nd Street
Pardon My English
High Spirits
Gypsy
South Pacific
Funny Girl
Peter Pan
Merrily We Roll Along (perhaps it doesn't reflect the tone of the show, but on its own it's fabulous)
Hallelujah, Baby
"The Carousel Waltz is such an unbelievable piece of music. I've always wondered why it didn't transcend into the ranks of classical music, or play as a piece on classical music stations."
The last "classical" radio station in New York, WQXR (there used to be several), occasionally plays The Carousel Waltz, usually from the album of R&H overtures by John Mauceri and Hollywood Bowl Orchestra.
WQXR very occasionally plays other Broadway music, usually by R&H or Sondheim. Appropriate.
The Chicago Overture is the music from the cut song Loopin' the Loop, originally performed by Gwen and Chita in the final scene (I think, open to correction, but the overture is definitely Loopin' the Loop.)
Updated On: 12/7/16 at 09:23 PM
Stand-by Joined: 2/13/15
Yes, the CHICAGO overture uses the music for the dropped song Loopin' the Loop. Also, the entr'acte for the current revival was actually the exit music for the original production. There was no entr'acte in the original. The original opened the second act with Chita saying "Welcome Back, Suckers."
The overture on the OBC recording of ON A CLEAR DAY combines the original overture (which ends with choral singing of the title tune) with the entr'acte (Melinda etc.). The first act ends with the song Melinda.
My favorite overture is the one for SUBWAYS ARE FOR SLEEPING.
Updated On: 12/8/16 at 02:29 AM
Gypsy
Finian's Rainbow
Promises, promises
I know there are more, but my mind is drawing a blank.
Chorus Member Joined: 7/6/16
Finian's Rainbow is especially interesting because it starts with the first phrases of the VERSE to How Are Things in Glocca Morra, whereas you almost never hear the verse of a song in the overture to anything.
Finian's Rainbow's overture also ends oddly, in a kind of fade-out as the curtain goes up, without a big finish. At least, it did so in 1947, in the theatre. The recording used a concert ending, and even Lehman Engel's LP of overtures played a different conclusion.
City of Angels' prologue is also thrilling if we can count it as an overture!
Nine
Candide
WSS
42nd Street
Mame
La Cage
Mack & Mabel
and Gypsy
Oh my gosh, I forgot NINE as well! I listen to that overture constantly. Having the women vocalize it was such a brilliant idea on Tommy Tune's part (I believe it was his suggestion that they do it this way).
La...la la la...la, la la la...
True about ON A CLEAR DAY. odd that they didn't just keep them separate.
The Funny Girl overture is so great and perfect, except for that apparent goof on the xylophone, that is.
I love the Light in the Piazza overture as well!
I also thought the Entr'acte for the Pirate Queen was the highlight of the show!
I gotta say, I love me some Gypsy. Those horns through...love it. They must have a blast playing that...
Understudy Joined: 12/27/15
My Fair Lady
Oklahoma
South Pacific
Gypsy
Man of La Mancha
"What other overture plays cut music?"
The FOLLIES prologue is nothing but cut songs: "All Things Bright and Beautiful" and "That Old Piano Roll".
Understudy Joined: 12/27/15
While we're discussing Broadway overtures, I would like to pay tribute to Robert Russell Bennett who arranged many of the overtures that have been mentioned! At the 2008 LCT production of South Pacific, when the orchestra rose to the level of stage while playing Bennett's original arrangement of the overture, it was thrilling.
Stand-by Joined: 11/3/16
I love the Follies prologue- the subsequent overture , not so much. The overture of The Rothschilds imparts a real eighteenth century feel for the show,as well as being quite stirring. Listen to it!
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