Andrew Lloyd Webber...- Page 2

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 7/12/04 at 9:52pm

don't forget EVITA. I'd have to say it's his most satisfying score...

[Broadway Matt]

Posted: 7/12/04 at 9:57pm

EVITA is really good, and I see why people enjoy JOSEPH as well. Those are just two shows I don't ever feel like listening to. Both are well done though.

[Plum]

Posted: 7/12/04 at 10:29pm

I can't stand Evita, but I do have a soft spot for parts of Sunset Boulevard and Cats.

And isn't there a really really high note that's pre-recorded in Phantom? I saw it a while ago, and it wasn't exactly the most scintillating experience for me, so I don't remember which part of the show it was in.

[TheQuibbler]

Posted: 7/12/04 at 10:33pm

Where's J. when you need him?

[Plum]

Posted: 7/12/04 at 10:36pm

*ducks*

[JohnPopa]

Posted: 7/12/04 at 10:37pm

I think Christine's high note at the end of the title song's recorded as well.

My problem with Schwartz is that I don't think his scores function as the engine of drama in his works. He just writes twenty songs that are basically part of the story but I don't get the feeling of progression in his work -- it's a similar problem I have to Frank Wildhorn (which is also why you can rearrange the song order in 'Jekyll and Hyde' and it isn't any different an experience.) At least a Lloyd Webber score, for all their faults, push the audience toward the resolution musically. The ending of 'Phantom' builds nicely toward the finish, I never get that feeling in a Schwartz score, that feeling of musical momentum and drama. It's just a bunch of songs, some of which are nice but they neither gain nor lose depth from context or in the flow of a show.

[Broadway Matt]

Posted: 7/12/04 at 10:39pm

Christine's high note at the end of the title song is indeed pre-recorded, as is much of that song due to technical requirements. The reason is that, for a lot of the song, it's not the actual actors onstage but body doubles. Not sure about Christine, but I understand there are up to 2 extra "Phantoms" used during the first half of it.

[judy_in_disguise]

Posted: 7/12/04 at 10:40pm

that note is recorded, JohnPopa.

[Plum]

Posted: 7/12/04 at 10:41pm

Seriously? I would say that at the point when you need multiple body (stunt?) doubles for actors, you're moving away from musicals and into the realm of the circus act. Both are theater, but there's only one I'll pay $100 to see on Broadway.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 7/12/04 at 10:47pm

I have this story from opera star Jerry Hadley who admits to "embroidering the truth", so I don't know how much of this is genuine:

When ALW was about to write his REQUIEM, he got together a group of college-aged composers and treated them to a two week stay at his summer home. This ws to be a "Workshop With ALW", and they all signed contracts that stated anything they composed there could be published under ALW's name--if it were published at all. Everyone signed the contract.

ALW assigned all these young composers various parts of a requiem to compose. One talented young man was told to "write a 'Pie Jesu' in the style of the one Faure wrote". All of these kids had their works used by ALW in his REQUIEM and if you listen to the "Pie Jesu" it DOES sound like Faure's.

These kids never got a penny for their efforts...so says Mr. Hadley.

[JohnPopa]

Posted: 7/12/04 at 10:53pm

Hey those kids could get together with all the people who told Michael Bennett their stories that he made into 'A Chorus Line' and they could make a show and actually get paid for their work!

[Broadway Matt]

Posted: 7/12/04 at 10:58pm

I've never heard that about the REQUIEM but it would explain a lot about it. I hope it's not true, that's just corrupt if it is. Next time ALW asks me to stay at his summer home, I'll be skeptical. Especially since I don't know anything about composing music. I do know that Faure's REQUIEM is absolutely beautiful, easily my favorite REQUIEM.

[rclocalz]

Posted: 7/12/04 at 11:07pm

After singing Faure's REQUIEM in my choir it is now my absolute favorite also. I also sang Braum's version which I didn't care for so much as Faure's version. I have never heard ALW's version. Is it even worth listening to after performing these other two works of art? Please, please, only honest opinions.

[Broadway Matt]

Posted: 7/12/04 at 11:14pm

We sang it in my choir too when I was a senior. ALW's is nowhere near the level of any of the great REQUIEMs but (if he even wrote it) it's rather impressive compared to a lot of his work. He copies musical style very well, and he does a convincing classical piece. It's not the kind of thing that ever needs to be performed, but I'd give it a listen. The kid who sings Pie Jesu on ALW's 50th Birthday video is pretty great. he looks terrified though.

[chinkie azn jai]

Posted: 7/12/04 at 11:20pm

ALW is just way overrated.

[Christopher_Acts]

Posted: 7/13/04 at 1:10am

Its just the sheer fact that an ALW score has never grasped me the way a Sondheim score has...

Maybe also I'm relying too much on ALW as a lyricist as well...

Anywho...case in point the audition is for Evita...I need to prove I can vocally handle Che...I usually perform pieces from the same composer/some type of connection (Sweet Charity audition did "I Don't Care Much" from Caberet to match the Fosse connection, Forum audition did "Invocation to the Audience" from the Frogs for wayyyy too many connections)

Its amazing how difficult it is for me to find something that I can fit into a minute time frame...

I'm trying to download some of your suggestions but none of them are working for me now...

Sometime's I just feel like quitting...lol

The more and more I think...the more and more i feel like something un-ALW would do me better...

Feedback?

[Sally]

Posted: 7/13/04 at 1:42am

<< I have this story from opera star Jerry Hadley who admits to "embroidering the truth", so I don't know how much of this is genuine:

When ALW was about to write his REQUIEM, he got together a group of college-aged composers and treated them to a two week stay at his summer home. This ws to be a "Workshop With ALW", and they all signed contracts that stated anything they composed there could be published under ALW's name--if it were published at all. Everyone signed the contract.

ALW assigned all these young composers various parts of a requiem to compose. One talented young man was told to "write a 'Pie Jesu' in the style of the one Faure wrote". All of these kids had their works used by ALW in his REQUIEM and if you listen to the "Pie Jesu" it DOES sound like Faure's.

These kids never got a penny for their efforts...so says Mr. Hadley.>>




That story sounds like something a lot of people would LIKE to believe about ALW, but I kinda doubt it. I just finished a book, Sondheim and Lloyd-Webber by Stephen Citron, and although he isn't especially kind to ALW, he doesn't even hint that the composer didn't write it himself.

Maybe a better source than Hadley?

[spiderdj82]

Posted: 7/13/04 at 1:45am

you know I have never heard that story. I agree Sally, it does sound like something made up. I mean, if that was true....it would have been all over the place and more than likely ruined his name.

[rockfenris2005]

Posted: 7/13/04 at 2:11am

Lacrymosa in his Requiem is a blatant rip-off of the seductive section of Tschaivosky's Nutcracker Suite (the section in Fantasia with the fancy fish)

Updated On: 7/13/04 at 02:11 AM

[J.]

Posted: 7/13/04 at 2:37am

I don't feel like reading this whole thread right now I just have to say that his name is LLOYD WEBBER. He's British. It's a double last name. If you want to call him by his last name you have to say Lloyd Webber, not Webber. Updated On: 7/13/04 at 02:37 AM

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 7/13/04 at 3:18am

Dude, it's not Marc. Webber's not reading these posts. We can say whatever we want. And even so wouldn't we still have to say Sir Lloyd Webber???? And then if we go through all that trouble we might as well just type Andrew as well, so then we'd be calling him by his full name and wasting three seconds of our lives!!!!! Stop the madness!!!!!! Updated On: 7/13/04 at 03:18 AM

[redhotinnyc2]

Posted: 7/13/04 at 9:11am

I know I speak of not wanting to be a negative person - but I can't find a thing to like about Lloyd Webber's music. At least the stuff he's been doing since his work with Tim Rice (Superstar is one great piece)...but otherwise - I never find myself wanting to hear or sing any of his tunes. I guess if you are required to sing one for an audition, as a man I'd be pretty stumped - but then again you can sing one of his pieces for women and just make it your own. Isn't Unexpected Song a LLoyd Webber piece? why not sing that? At least it has a sense of musicality about it.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 7/13/04 at 11:48am

John Popa - I also thought A Kiss is a Terrible Thing to Waste is easily the best song in Whistle Down the Wind and when I saw it, it was also the best scene in the show. I felt it probably worked better than any other scene in the show. Unsettled Scores has to be the worst power ballad he has written so far. It sounds as if he just pasted three unfinished songs together because he couldn't think of anything else to write. The Beautiful Game was pretty good though.

The Vaults of Heaven is a great warm-up song for men. It stays in the middle range for a while and then builds up to the high G (A?) at the end.

Aspects of Love is easily my favorite ALW show. It seems to be his most mature score and the story is fascinating.

Christopher_Acts - Lloyd Webber doesn't write the lyrics.

[robbiej]

Posted: 7/13/04 at 11:58am

Anyone who believes that Lloyd Webber started 'Broadway opera' needs to run to a rudimentary musical theatre history book and start reading! FOR SHAME, CHILDREN, FOR SHAME!!!

[JohnPopa]

Posted: 7/13/04 at 3:26pm

Actually, his last name is Webber. His father's middle name is Lloyd and he gave both his sons the same middle name. Lloyd Webber is NOT his proper last name.

And it has even less to do with being British.