A "Piazza" Observation...

Absolutely. I found myself humming the predominant melody of the overture after the first time I heard the CD - then felt "at home" when I saw the show performed - so many of the songs stay with me all day - especially certain passages - like the part in The Beauty Is, when Clara sings of "...wanting something, this is praying for it, this is holding breath and keeping fingers crossed"...that section stays with me throughout most of my days lately - among many other fine moments from the show (my new favorite).

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If they think Piazza has no melodies, they must be utterly BAFFLED by most Sondheim scores!

"like the part in The Beauty Is, when Clara sings of "...wanting something, this is praying for it, this is holding breath and keeping fingers crossed"..."

Absolutely!!! I've not seen the show (YET!), but have listened to the first 1/2 of the CD. I'd planned not to listen to it at all until I saw it, but I got sucked in by my curiosity after the Tonys. That melody from The Beauty Is often runs through my head. That and "the place that I know...la passeggiata".

The melody line of Guettels' music is often distributed into instrumental lines and "harmonic" lines. That's why listening repeatedly is such a pleasure, but to the ear that isn't accustomed to listening for it in such places the melody appears to come and go. I guess I don't have a problem engaging with a piece to find that reward, but some do. That's their right, I suppose, but they sure are missing out.

Updated On: 6/23/05 at 01:25 PM

Updated On: 7/22/05 at 01:32 PM

I'm sure he's talking about chords and how the chords are harmonized...

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I believe he creates a harmonic structure for the song, and draws his melody out of that. So rather than writing a melody and then accompanying it, like most of us novices do, he creates a full structure in which the melody is sometimes the tonic, other times a harmonic, etc. Then again, my music theory background is relatively slight.

Here here BSO. I think Piazza is extremely memorable. When I first heard the score, I coulnd't help but walk around humming the tune from Passegiatia and others.

I fell in love after hearing the first 10 seconds of Dividing Day and thought - "ohhh, what's this?" I listen to it every day now, and it starts my mornings with at least one listen through.

Some of my favorite moments:

Stories and Statues - "It's a new old world to me, it's a new old world and we are here."

Fable - everything - the more I listen the more I love it. But I especially love the transition from Margaret's opening lyrics into the main melody of Fable - "for a fable of love that WILL CARRY YOU to a moon, on a hill..."; "to a valley beyond the setting sun..."

Dividing Day - "suddenly you're out of love, does it go, creeping slowly, when was your..."

The title song is stunning, and Let's Walk has been growing on me...

I'm in love and these melodies will forever be associated with this time of my life. I feel very lucky indeed.

"If they think Piazza has no melodies, they must be utterly BAFFLED by most Sondheim scores!"

I completely agree with Mother's Younger Brother.