A Chorus Line- Does the music work better when you see it?
A Chorus Line- Does the music work better when you see it?
#0A Chorus Line- Does the music work better when you see it?
Posted: 10/26/06 at 9:41pmOkay, I'll be the first to admit that I haven't seen any footage of A Chorus Line, only listened to a few songs on the revival cast recording. That being said, I find the music bizarre, totally 70's and can't imagine the current audience finding this appealing. Does the visual appeal of the show outweight the music or am I missing something?
broadwayguy2
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/18/03
#1re: A Chorus Line- Does the music work better when you see it?
Posted: 10/26/06 at 9:48pmthe show IS the staging... when you look at a track listing/list of numbers, it looks so short, but it flows smoothly. Yes, the music is very 70s.. the orchestrations SCREAM 1975, but it is SOO important to SEE.. not LISTEN
#2re: A Chorus Line- Does the music work better when you see it?
Posted: 10/26/06 at 9:51pmThanks. Its on my must-must see list so I will have the privilge of seeing it eventually.
broadwayguy2
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/18/03
#3re: A Chorus Line- Does the music work better when you see it?
Posted: 10/26/06 at 9:52pmsaw it this week and highly recommend it. The show is about the staging.. not the score... there is so much dialogue interspersed and choreography and such.. it is hard to grasp that in audio only
Broadway Matt
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/17/03
#4re: A Chorus Line- Does the music work better when you see it?
Posted: 10/26/06 at 10:20pmThe show is absolutely about the staging and the integration of all elements into a fluid product. The show is so much about the staging that the score has really been overlooked for the most part, though it is worth appreciating for its own merits. There really aren't too many "numbers" but there is music throughout 95% of the show. It's more about the constant motion of the underscoring and the seamless transitions into each of the characters' stories/songs. Bennett directed in a brilliantly cinematic way, and Hamlisch's score is very movie-like in the sense that there is always some subtle theme going on in the background adding to the particular mood of the dialogue. The only time the music really stops is during Paul's quiet monologue, which is a shame because that's also the time when a lot of the audience realizes they need to use the restroom.
"The last train out of any station will not be full of nice guys." - Dr. Hunter S. Thompson
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snl89
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/4/05
#5re: A Chorus Line- Does the music work better when you see it?
Posted: 10/26/06 at 10:34pmwow.. I think I need to see this show, cause like.. I REALLY like it just from the revival recording alone :) I think the music is great! I mean, some of the songs arent my fav or anything, but I a lot of it I REALLY really like! And I've never seen a BIT of the staging for it :P
OrdinaryJukebox
Featured Actor Joined: 6/7/06
#6re: A Chorus Line- Does the music work better when you see it?
Posted: 10/27/06 at 12:26am
love it, love it, love it...feel free to stop by my myspace page and read my blog...
myspace.come/ordinaryjukebox1
it's just too long to post on this board, so feel free...hehe...loved it!!!
-vincent
#7re: A Chorus Line- Does the music work better when you see it?
Posted: 10/27/06 at 7:36pm
"The orchestrations scream 1975".
Well of course they do. What would you have them sound like, movie orchestrations with a ton of strings souping up the works or synthesizers replicating such a string sound? Throughout my 55 years of theatregoing I have always preferred the tight Broadway pit band sound to the overproduced sound of movie soundtracks of Broadway shows. There were just a handful of Broadway orchestrators during the Golden Years: Hans Spialek, Robert Russell Bennett, Philip J. Lang, Don Walker, Sid Ramin, and Robert Ginzler. They all had their distinctive style and could make even a flop sound good. The Encores series at the City Center prides itself on providing the original orchestrations of its shows. Not enough recognition is given to Broadway orchestrators with the possible exception of Jonathan Tunick for most of the Sondheim shows.
Enjoy the fact that the orchestrations for this production of A CHORUS LINE are true to its roots, like the rest of this revival. Compare them to the orchestrations of the film version and you may see what I mean.
Danielm
Broadway Star Joined: 3/17/05
#8re: A Chorus Line- Does the music work better when you see it?
Posted: 10/27/06 at 7:49pmI think most (if not all) show music works better when you see it--at least it should. That's why it's a show and not just a cd.
broadwayguy2
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/18/03
#9re: A Chorus Line- Does the music work better when you see it?
Posted: 10/27/06 at 7:54pmI wasn't slamming the orchestrations. I was pointing it out.. I am sure that some people unfamiliar with the show may find that offputting before seeing the show. In case it has been missed in several threads and posts, I recently saw the revival and loved it!
Ciaron McCarthy
Broadway Star Joined: 10/15/06
#10re: A Chorus Line- Does the music work better when you see it?
Posted: 10/27/06 at 10:39pmThe music comes third with me. Right behind the book and the choreography.
#11re: A Chorus Line- Does the music work better when you see it?
Posted: 10/28/06 at 10:07am
I just saw the show last Saturday. For whatever reason, the regional theatres around me haven't done it and I was quite young when the original closed. However, I have listened to the OBC religiously so I was familiar with the score (at least the parts that made it onto the disc). I came out of the show thinking, this is what everyone is so in love with? Apart from a few standout performances (acting wise- dancing wise everyone was great), I couldn't help to think I actually prefered just listening to the OBC (save for the ability to see the dancing). Most seemed as if they were working really hard to be a specific character, which for this show, at least, does not really work. Maybe its just me- I think I would have enjoyed it more if I saw the OBC (but I wasn't yet born) who truly had connections to their character.
Nonetheless, I agree the music works better in person, theoretically- especially given this is a dancing show.
#12re: A Chorus Line- Does the music work better when you see it?
Posted: 10/28/06 at 10:34amOf course, there are some gems in the score like "Nothing", "Tits and Ass", "At the Ballet" and "One." However, as tuneful as "Hello 12, Hello 13", "I Hope I Get It" and "Music and the Mirror" are, they are essentially really, really good dance music combined with some short, highly catchy tunes.
#13re: A Chorus Line- Does the music work better when you see it?
Posted: 10/28/06 at 11:05amThe OBC is superior to the revival.
broadwayguy2
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/18/03
#14re: A Chorus Line- Does the music work better when you see it?
Posted: 10/28/06 at 2:06pmhmm.. Producer, that seems to be a little quip that a LOT of people like to make about EVERY revival. As far as being Chorus Line specific, I should hope the OBC could hold their won.. since they were pretty much playing themselves.
Jon
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/20/04
#15re: A Chorus Line- Does the music work better when you see it?
Posted: 10/28/06 at 2:37pmYes, the music sounds totally 70's - just like the music from GREASE sounds totally 50's and the music from DROWSY CHAPERONE sounds totally 20's and the music from CRAZY FOR YOU sounds totaly 30's.
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