Beautiful Instrumental Pieces?

[sing_dance_love]

Posted: 5/28/12 at 3:51am

Can you guys think of some beautiful instrumental pieces from shows?

I want to create a collection and I was hoping to find some great suggestions. I'm not thinking traditional overtures (though many are obviously gorgeous) but prologues, waltzes, ballets, extended dance pieces or anything else you find special. In the vein of something like "The Carousel Waltz".

Thanks!

Also, this can be a discussion too, of pieces that you've loved or have moved you in the theatre. I'd love to hear about some of your experiences.

Updated On: 5/28/12 at 03:51 AM

[philly03]

Posted: 5/28/12 at 3:58am

"The Wedding" from A Tale of Two Cities is heart breaking to me.

Also, "The Sewers" in Les Mis, or the Epilogue/orchestral finales of Anna Karenina and Zelda. Another favorite is, I suppose another "Wedding"/honeymoon sequence from the upcoming REBECCA (as heard on the live recording of the musical in Vienna).

[After Eight]

Posted: 5/28/12 at 7:27am

There was an album put out by Ben Bagley some time ago called Ballet on Broadway that had extensive musical sequences from a number of Broadway shows. If you can find a copy, I'd say it's well worth checking out. I find the ballet from The Girl in Pink Tights particularly interesting.

For beautiful waltzes, I would recommend the Waltz for a Ball from Cinderella and the Embassy Waltz from My Fair Lady.

I also like the wedding march in Flower Drum Song.

Two of my favorite instrumental moments from lesser-known musicals are alas on the brief side: a sprightly dance from First Impressions with the cheeriest fife in the world, and a magical evocation from Greenwillow called simply, Greenwillow Walk.

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 5/28/12 at 7:49am

The second act of "Song and Dance" (Variations, based on Paganini themes).

Everybody has their favorite overtures: Gypsy, Funny Girl, The Roar of the Greasepaint..., Hallelujah, Baby, South Pacific, Candide, etc.

Updated On: 5/28/12 at 07:49 AM

[defyinggravity2]

Posted: 5/28/12 at 8:11am

"For Good" from WICKED always makes me tear up when I listen to it. It has a very emotional feel to it, a very touching piece. It is the last time Elphaba and Glinda meet, right before Elphaba melts. It shows the deep bond that has grown between the two characters as a result of their friendship.

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 5/28/12 at 8:41am

There is also a striking instrumental passage of "Everything's All Right" in JCS that I'm very fond of.

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 5/28/12 at 10:19am

There's always the West Side Story Symphonic Dances.

[MTVMANN]

Posted: 5/28/12 at 10:47am

A Little Night Music has many!!! And if you know your instruments...you love the fact that the Bassoon and English Horn have key roles in the score!!!

[Gypsy9]

Posted: 5/28/12 at 10:50am

After Eight mentioned the Ben Bagley CD which contains ballet music from various shows. I particularly like the "Sadie Hawkins Day" ballet from
LI'L ABNER, although the sound of the piece is better on the OBCR of that show. I believe that the conductor of the Ben Bagley orchestra is the legendary Lehman Engel who does conduct LI'L ABNER. He alway gets the most from his musicians and it was always fun to watch his enthusiastic conducting.

[kdogg36]

Posted: 5/28/12 at 11:01am

Aspects of Love, of all shows, has some really beautiful musical transitions, especially the one in the middle of the second act that tracks the passing of a few years of time. And there's "Tick Tock" from (some versions of) Company, the work of David Shire, and really thrilling on the OBCR.

[Outoftowner2]

Posted: 5/28/12 at 11:19am

"John Nineteen: Forty-One" from Jesus Christ Superstar. Instrumental version of the main melody line from "Gethsemane" Beautiful.

[castlestreet]

Posted: 5/28/12 at 11:58am

If you are a fan of Webber I would highly suggest you check out Julian Lloyd Webber's CD- all instrumental with the London Philharmonic I believe- some really great stuff.

[DooWahDiddy]

Posted: 5/28/12 at 1:31pm

The title song from the London recording of "Chess" always does it for me.

[ajh]

Posted: 5/28/12 at 2:06pm

I know the piece isn't remembered with alot of affection in NYC, but there is a really lovely extended orchestral section about a third of the way through Act 2 of ASPECTS OF LOVE. In the original production it was the sequence where we saw Alex and Young Jenny running all over the Pau Estate getting up to all sorts of rural summer activities (all clean of course). It also featured the moment where the two actresses swapped -from younger to older Jenny. Hearing ALW's melodies unencumberd by some of those dodgy lyrics was a treat both on the original cast recording and onstage. The music evokes Summer in the South of France quite stunningly, and has a gorgeously wistful feel to it.... *gazes into middle distance*

Updated On: 5/28/12 at 02:06 PM

[BwayLeadman]

Posted: 5/28/12 at 2:16pm

Pas de deux from Carousel is one of my favorites

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 5/28/12 at 2:43pm

The full Overture from The Light in the Piazza is one of the most beautiful pieces of music I've ever heard.

[Bluelark]

Posted: 5/28/12 at 7:39pm

The Prologue from the original West End version of Martin Guerre is stunning. The Entr'acte is also very evocative, overwhelming almost.

And I couldn't not mention the original Overture from Show Boat, which consists largely of Mis'ry's Comin' Round and feels more like a complete piece in itself than a medley of songs. The version on the McGlinn studio recording is definitive.

[Gaveston2]

Posted: 5/28/12 at 8:24pm

I know we've talked FOLLIES to death this year, but the instrumental version of "All Things Bright and Beautiful" that was recorded in full on the current revival CD is as moving as any theater instrumental I know.

[HorseTears]

Posted: 5/28/12 at 8:24pm

These are all (or mostly) very good answers, but I think one work towers above them all -- the instrumental/symphonice/dance music from Bernstein's 'On the Town'.

Lonely Town - Pas de deux

Dance - Times Square

Ballet: The Imaginary Coney Island: a) Subway Rider; b) Dance of the Great Lover; c) Pas de Deux (sometimes listed as 'Subway to Coney Island')

Dance: The Real Coney Island

You can also find "Three Dance Episodes from On the Town"

The only recordings to bother with are with Bernstein conducting or Michael Tilson Thomas conducting.
Betty Comden and Adolph Green introduce "Subway to Coney Island" - MTT concudcts London Symph

[Wynbish]

Posted: 5/28/12 at 9:45pm

Brigadoon has some gorgeous dance breaks.

[ajh]

Posted: 5/29/12 at 2:05pm

Yes....had forgotten about the opening of the original Martin Guerre. Absolutely breathtaking.

[ClapYo'Hands]

Posted: 5/29/12 at 3:00pm

THIS.

[GlindatheGood22]

Posted: 5/29/12 at 3:50pm

The Cabaret entr'acte. Wonderful.

[PattiLover]

Posted: 5/29/12 at 4:03pm

I second the gorgeous instrumentals and Ballets from On The Town.

The Entr'acte from Zorba is a beautiful piece of music in its own right.

ajh - I actually was thinking that very same instrumental. It's a gorgeous little theme - one of ALW's most genuine moments in his entire career. Loved it at Walnut Street Theatre this year. I'm so happy you posted that.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 5/29/12 at 4:20pm

Coney Island Waltz - Love Never Dies
Once-a-Year-Day ballet - The Pajama Game
Charleston - Billion Dollar Baby
Overture - Goldilocks
Overture - On the Twentieth Century
Overture and Paris Waltz - Candide
Prologue - Pirate Queen
Siege of the City of Kings and Epilogue - Lord of the Rings
Zorro to the Rescue and Serenade - Zorro