Amazing Instrumental Pieces from Musicals?

[broadwaypunk06]

Posted: 10/22/10 at 2:00pm

Can anyone tell me any good instrumental dance numbers/overtures from some musicals. I'm trying to make a playlist to decide a piece for my lighting design class. Thanks

[TechEverlasting]

Posted: 10/22/10 at 2:06pm

Check out "The Carousel Waltz" which opens Carousel. There's a wonderful recording of it from the 1994 Lincoln Center production.

[Paul Bland4]

Posted: 10/22/10 at 2:23pm

Forgive my awful memory, but the long dark piece from the second act of CHESS?

[CockeyedOptimist2]

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

"The Carousel Waltz" is exactly what I was going to suggest.

I also adore the overtures from "South Pacific" and "Light in the Piazza," both from the Lincoln Center productions.

For something upbeat, I love "The Crapshooters' Dance" in Guys and Dolls.
Updated On: 10/22/10 at 02:24 PM

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 10/22/10 at 2:29pm

"The Carousel Waltz", handsdown. The overtures to South Pacific, Gypsy and Light in the Piazza.

Fun, but as a musical director and pianist, this was a real joy to play: "The Nuttycracker Suite" from Thoroughly Modern Millie.

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 10/22/10 at 2:35pm

And we can't forget two Donna McKechnie masterpieces:
Music and the Mirror - A Chorus Line
Tick-Tock - Company

[Aswatrowinkenbo]

Posted: 10/22/10 at 2:37pm

One of my favorites is the Candide Overture

[newintown]

Posted: 10/22/10 at 2:39pm

There are terrific Boleros in Grand Hotel and Follies, although the commercially available recording of the Follies piece (the Paper Mill recording) is too lethargic for my taste (compared to a soundboard recording from the original production).

The Overture to 110 in the Shade would make a good DeMille-style western dance piece.

I love the "Rich Kids Rag" from Little Me (only on the Martin short/Faith Prince recording), and the "Rich Man's Frug" from Sweet Charity as well.

[Calvin]

Posted: 10/22/10 at 2:50pm

There's also The March of the Siamese Children from The King & I.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 10/22/10 at 3:00pm

Overture - On the Twentieth Century
Paris Waltz - Candide
Dance at the Gym - West Side Story
Coney Island, Great Lover and Pas de Deux - On the Town
Slaughter on Tenth Avenue - On Your Toes
Where's North? - Two Gentlemen of Verona
The War - Hair
Double Talk Walk - City of Angels
Blooper Ballet - Damn Yankees
Wedding Dance - Fiddler on the Roof

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 10/22/10 at 3:42pm

I think any of the movements from the Symphonic Dances from West Side Story could work. Or the Times Square Dance from On the Town (I prefer the version on the 1959 Studio Recording, personally).

[Kad]

Posted: 10/22/10 at 3:49pm

The Embassy Waltz from My Fair Lady.

[theatreguy]

Posted: 10/22/10 at 4:00pm

Double Talk Walk (the exit music) from City of Angels

[frontrowcentre2]

Posted: 10/22/10 at 4:01pm

Several people have mentioned The Carousel Waltz (one of the greatest pieces of Concert music from the 20th Century) - my favourite version is the one recorded for the movie album, with Alfred Newman conducting teh 20th Century Fox Orchestra. (It wasn't used complete in the film)

Another by Rodgers: Slaughter on 10th Avenue

Some short bits....

Jump for Joy from GOODBYE GIRL

Quadrille from CAN-CAN

Double Talk Walk (exit music) from CITY OF ANGELS

Paris Waltz Scene from CANDIDE

Bolero from GRAND HOTEL

Town House Maxixe from GOLDILOCKS (non on OBCR, find it on Leroy Andreson disc... http://castalbums.org/recordings/Leroy_Anderson_Conducts_Leroy_Anderson_1958_Leroy_Anderson_and_his_Orchestra/11738

[CockeyedOptimist2]

Posted: 10/22/10 at 4:54pm

I only have the movie recording of "The Carousel Waltz" and it's gorgeous.

[ohjustjake]

Posted: 10/22/10 at 5:23pm

There's an orchestral medley from Ragtime that is spectacular. I'm not sure if that's what you're looking for, but it's amazing and worth checking out.

[ClapYo'Hands]

Posted: 10/22/10 at 5:24pm

The Aerie from Love Never Dies.

If you search, there is a thread about this...

[darquegk]

Posted: 10/22/10 at 6:13pm

"The Fall" from The Protomen Act II: The Father Of Death
"Sparks" from Tommy
"Overture 1928" from Scenes From A Memory
"God Has Left The Building" from Dance of the Vampires English demo

[philly03]

Posted: 10/22/10 at 6:28pm

ENtr'acte from The Scarlet Pimpernel
Overtures from The Addams Family
The Woman in White Suite

[Jon]

Posted: 10/22/10 at 6:56pm

The instrumental/dance music in STEEL PIER is better than any of the actual "songs".

[twinbelters]

Posted: 10/22/10 at 7:16pm

The Overture from House of Flowers is spectacular. There are also lovely instrumental pieces embedded in the 6 minute "Mardi Gras Waltz."

Another thrilling instrumental is the ballet piece "Johnny" from the beautiful score for Marc Blitzstein's Juno. It was a solo spot for Tommy Rall who danced out the frustrations of his tormented character Johnny.

[chewy5000]

Posted: 10/22/10 at 9:10pm

GRAPES OF ROTH form Promises Promises

CHESS from Chess

Any of the races in Starlight Express

The car chase sequence in Sunset Boulevard

And who could forget THE JELLICLE BALL?

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 10/23/10 at 12:03am

Some of the pieces mentioned are great, though a bit long for a lighting project.

Some pieces I would recommend for your purposes. Most of these are pieces that I have done myself, or seen others do, for lighting projects. I will also clarify that I may not necessarily think these are all better in terms of actual quality than some of the other pieces mentioned, but these all provide great opportunities for a lighting project. In general I have found that unless you have a HUGE plot and/or a whole lot of moving fixtures to play with, you start to run out of steam in terms of the number of looks and cues you can really create somewhere around the three minute mark so most of these pieces are going to run no longer than three or four minutes.

the Carmen Prelude (great if you want to create a series of bump cues)

Entr'Acte from the revival recording of Chicago (you get several distinct and varying themes to play with)

Tick-Tock from Company (runs the risk of being a bit long, but again, a good number of moods and themes to play with)

The Battle from Beauty and the Beast (though you do have a good bit of dialogue interspersed into it)

"Groovy" from Evil Dead (rock-inspired tracks are always going to provide you with a lot of fun for lighting projects, though this one could be just a touch too short)

The Instrumental Opening on the revival recording of Forum

The Overture from Goblin Market (a very simply orchestrated piece, but able to provide a good contrast; the first half is really moody/dark with the second half taking it a little bit lighter, but still with a darker undertone)

The Overture from the revival recording of How to Succeed (just a joyous piece with the older, classic feel, but not running five minutes or more like many of the full overtures from the golden age shows). Also from that recording you could look at "Saturday Morning Ballet" for the same reasons.

The Overture from Jesus Christ Superstar (again, the rock pieces are a lot of fun, and if this one is too long, it wouldn't be too hard to edit down without too much trouble in Garageband or some other editing program)

The Coney Island Waltz from Love Never Dies (another piece with a lot of atmosphere and some great spots for major shifts in the tone of your lighting)

Either the Overture or Entr'Acte from Mamma Mia (the disco/pop can be just as fun and over the top as the rock pieces)

The Overture from Yeston's Phantom

Overture from Seussical (though I would recommend getting the track from the Off-Broadway recording, as the Broadway recording runs a bit short)

The Overture from the 93 Show Boat recording (may be difficult to find if you don't own it, or know somebody who does, as I believe it is currently out of print)

The Opening Music from Carlisle Floyd's Susannah (a big, sweeping dramatic piece)

Any of the Symphonic pieces from West Side Story (or combination of several, depending on which ones you pick and how much time you have)

Sparks from Tommy (another great rock-style piece with a wonderful natural progression built into it)

The Tornado from The Wiz (once again, that 70's groove/pop feel provides a lot of fun and a chance to go a bit over the top for a lighting project)

[mallardo]

Posted: 10/23/10 at 3:46am

There's a great Leonard Bernstein concert piece called Prelude, Fugue and Riffs, most of is culled from Wonderful Town - the music that covers the first job hunting day in New York. It's beautifully played in the most recent (Donna Murphy) cast recording.

[Square Peg2]

Posted: 10/23/10 at 9:40am

Jackie's Last Dance from Lippa's The Wild Party.