Ahrens and Flaherty--Memorable Scores? — Page 2

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#26

re: Ahrens and Flaherty--Memorable Scores?

Posted: 2/22/05 at 7:45pm

I disagree about Once On This Island. They have a running theme, and it starts with "We Dance". That running theme is played throughout the show, and is included in the cut number "Come Down From That Tree"

P.S. After seeing Ragtime, I had the theme song running in my head for days, until I fianlly gave in and got the concept recording. I was very disappointed that it was only an excerpt of the song.

"Do you know what pledge time is, Andrew"? said the PBS Executive. "Yes", Lloyd Webber replied. "My 50th birthday special must be one program that gets done a lot." "No", mused the man from PBS heedlessy. "Not so much. Our Stephen Sondheim Carnegie Hall concert. That's a big one." Spoons, forks and knives seemed suddenly to suspend their motion in horror, all around the table.

Updated On: 2/22/05 at 07:45 PM

#27

re: Ahrens and Flaherty--Memorable Scores?

Posted: 2/22/05 at 7:55pm

I LOOOOOOVE The Streets of Dublin. It's so driven, and the song just pulses with the humanity of these people.
THATS it. Ahrens and Flaherty write humanity into their music.
I also really love "Princess". Give it another try. It's haunting and honest and gorgeous.

[title of show] on Broadway. it's time. believe.

#28

re: Ahrens and Flaherty--Memorable Scores?

Posted: 2/22/05 at 8:00pm

I have to say, I LOVE Ahrens and Flaherty. I think they are the best composers of our time. Yet, I don't like Lucky Stiff, and I can't get into "A Man of no Importance". I'm wondering if that is because I'm not Irish...

#29

re: Ahrens and Flaherty--Memorable Scores?

Posted: 2/22/05 at 10:24pm

Just because a score reflects its show's content doesn't preclude it from being memorable, as TimesSquareRegular aptly notes.

Being "masters of the opening number" only takes you so far if there's no follow-through. And for this audience member, each successive A&F score is less interesting than the last.

Updated On: 5/1/08 at 10:24 PM

#30

re: Ahrens and Flaherty--Memorable Scores?

Posted: 2/23/05 at 4:13am

I don't see how anyone could say that A&H don't write memorable music. From first listen I knew the melody to Mama Will Provide. Same with Ragtime and Wheels of a Dream. Their music is incredibly melodic, and the lyrics are usually simple enough to remember easily. They're really a great composing team. It's too bad they haven't had much commercial success. Once on this Island and Ragtime are two of the best shows of the 90's. I, personally, think that Once on this Island is THE best piece of musical theatre in the 90's.

Eeeeeeyyyyyyyyaaaaaaaannnnnddddd aaaaaaaiiiiiiiiyyyyyyaaaaaammmmmmmm teeeeeeeelllllliiiiiinnngg yyyyooooooouuuuuuuwwwaaaahh...

#31

re: Ahrens and Flaherty--Memorable Scores?

Posted: 2/23/05 at 8:57am

Flaherty and Ahrens are the perfect example of writing craft gone wrong. They're anything BUT original, unique or creative. Yes, they know how to write songs and they know how to write musicals, at least in the academic sense, but they completely lack whatever magic and imagination the true greats bring to the stage and give to the audience. They know how to get the words on the paper, they don't know how to bring the story to life onstage.

They over-write, over-think and overdo every step along the way, beating the moment so intently and earnestly that its ends up lifeless and stoic by the time it gets to the stage.

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