Best contrapuntal moments in a show (or movie, or ANYTHING)

[Josh Freilich]

Posted: 1/3/08 at 12:29am

2-part:
Any Irving Berlin duet (An Old-Fashioned Wedding, You Wonderful You, You're Just In Love, Empty Pockets)
Six Months Out of Every Year from DAMN YANKEES
Don't Do Sadness/Blue Wind from SPRING AWAKENING
Leave Me Alone from SIDE SHOW
Belle from BEAUTY AND THE BEAST
Doll on a Music Box/Truly Scrumptious from CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG
and (I hate to say it, but who are we kidding?) It's a Small World (put the verse and chorus together -- genius!)

3-part:
A Heart Full of Love from LES MISERABLES
The Trio from AND THE WORLD GOES ROUND
Andrew Lloyd Webber Love Trio
Trio from Disney's ANIMAZEMENT
"I Am So Proud If I Allowed" from THE MIKADO
The I Love You Song from 25APCSB
Now/Later/Soon from A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC
Edgar Allan Poe from SNOOPY
Those You've Known from SPRING AWAKENING
Book Report from YAGMCB (original version)
I'm Movin' On from TEACHER'S PET
Real Big News from PARADE
A Shtetl iz Amerike from RAGTIME (short, but excellent example)

4 or more parts:
Monster Montage from A CHORUS LINE
Book Report from YAGMCB (1999 version)
Act One Finale from URINETOWN
On Any Sunday Morning from FOOTLOOSE
Act One Finale from THE PRODUCERS
One Day More from LES MISERABLES
Your Work And Nothing More from JEKYLL AND HYDE
Poor Child from WILD PARTY
Anything that Maury Yeston writes for ensemble
Anything Sondheim writes for ensemble (Pirelli's Miracle Elixir and Putting it Together often go up to 9!)
And the best example ever...
The Tonight Quintet from WSS

Updated On: 4/5/08 at 12:29 AM

[BrianIdol]

Posted: 1/3/08 at 12:33am

-Notes from POTO

[ljay889]

Posted: 1/3/08 at 12:40am

KISS ME (The Quartet) from Sweeney Todd.

One of the best quartets written for the stage.

[BrianIdol]

Posted: 1/3/08 at 12:48am

speaking of the Kiss Me quartet, I was sad to see that song cut from the movie. I felt Johanna's character felt very flat without it............and as a result Johanna's part was cut from the Johanna reprise in the movie as well. (the movie was still fantastic though!!!!!)

[sing_dance_love]

Posted: 1/3/08 at 12:51am

"Leave Me Alone - Side Show"

Yeah, pretty much ALL of Side Show, Lol. So much of the reason why I loved doing that show so much, I love counterpoint.

[clarkstallings]

Posted: 1/3/08 at 1:05am

I'm not sure BELLE includes true counterpoint. I really like the counterpoint that was added to JOLLY HOLIDAY.

[Josh Freilich]

Posted: 1/3/08 at 1:21am

Well, think about:
"Bonjour (Pardon)
Good day (Mais oui)
You call this bacon (What lovely grapes)"

Sounds like counterpoint to me.

[clarkstallings]

Posted: 1/3/08 at 1:40am

Josh,

I was thinking of that part, but I'm not certain it counts. While it's written as two vocal lines with different characters singing different phrases. While one line is being sung, the other is at rest. They never actually sound in opposition except for measure 244, and there it is only for a short moment. Do you think the "Good Morning, Oh Good Morning" qualifies at measures 253-260? I think it's another case of almost being counterpoint, but it's really too rhythmically simple and unable to standalone as a melody.

PS I'm referencing measures from the MTI PC Score. Updated On: 1/3/08 at 01:40 AM

[Blue-Eyed Wonder]

Posted: 1/3/08 at 2:51am

The Tea Party- Dear World
In the Same Boat- Curtains
Love Will See Us Through/You're Gonna Love Tomorrow- Follies

[Josh Freilich]

Posted: 1/3/08 at 10:15am

I'd say measures 253-260 in "Belle" definitely do count, clarkstallings.

And thanks for bringing up Dear World and Curtains, Blue-Eyed Wonder. I forgot all about Cocktail Counterpoint from La Cage and Motherhood March from Hello, Dolly (even though Herman never wrote that song).

[knicknut]

Posted: 1/3/08 at 10:20am

Would the round in "Will I" (Rent) count?

Also Finale of Rent (Without You/Another Day combo)

Tradition from Fiddler?

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 1/3/08 at 10:44am

"You're Gonna Love Tomorrow/Love Will See Us Through" from Follies.

[LostLeander]

Posted: 1/3/08 at 10:57am

I think Now/Later/Soon should win the award for the best contrapuntal song written for the Musical Theatre Stage. It's perfect.

I think RENT's "And It's Beginning to Snow" is pretty messy and awful. I remember sitting in the audience and thinking I had no idea what was going on or what anyone was saying.

[Jon]

Posted: 1/3/08 at 12:24pm

The original poster left out Irving Berlin's first counterpoint hit, "A Simple Melody".

I always loved "Lida Rose/Will I Ever Tell You?" from The Music Man.

[Cape Twirl of Doom]

Posted: 1/3/08 at 12:34pm

"The Confrontation" from LES MIS is a favorite of mine.

"Notes/Prima Donna" from PHANTOM OF THE OPERA is a good one too. I think that's got 7 parts!

Updated On: 1/3/08 at 12:34 PM

[Mealz1042]

Posted: 1/3/08 at 1:21pm

yeah there are a few in rent,
will i, christmas bells, what you own, another day

[Josh Freilich]

Posted: 1/3/08 at 1:58pm

Thanks! I forgot those! Thanks for everyone who has mentioned what I forgot!
Tradition, Will I, and Rent's Finale all definitely count.

I forgot about Confrontation as well as A Simple Melody, and Lida Rose/Will I Ever Tell You.

BUT HOW COULD WE HAVE FORGOTTEN THIS ONE:

"Pick-A-Little, Talk-A-Little/Goodnight, Ladies"

[Blue-Eyed Wonder]

Posted: 1/3/08 at 2:22pm

Also Rain On The Roof/Ah, Paris/Broadway Baby from Follies

[GoSmileLaughCryClap]

Posted: 1/3/08 at 2:43pm

"You're Gonna Love Tomorrow/Love Will See Us Through" from Follies."

Yes.

Including a colloquial period authenticity while finding perfectly elastic lyrics to make sure it all hangs together.

And the cut Who Could Be Blue?/Little White House is perfection as a duet.

[Pippin]

Posted: 1/3/08 at 3:11pm

fav's: ( in no order)

Shelly, Merideth, and the sheriff - Christian Charity - BATBOY
Batboy and Merideth - a home for you- BATBOY
Dr. Parker and Merideth - I imagine your upset- BATBOY
the cast- I Sing! I SING!
Rising up- the cast - SEE WHAT I WANNA SEE
The end of J.C SUPERSTAR when he plays the theme of "good Caiphas" against the prologue theme
the cast- Merrily we roll along - MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG
Moon trio - CAROLINE, OR CHANGE

[thez914]

Posted: 1/3/08 at 5:21pm

Tower of Babble from GODSPELL
A Step Too Far from AIDA
I also think the opening to Mama Will Provide from ONCE ON THIS ISLAND is a good example.

Pippin...good call on Moon Trio from COC. I get chills just thinking about it. The Moon, Emmie And Stuart Trio also deserves a mention.

Updated On: 1/3/08 at 05:21 PM

[misschung]

Posted: 1/3/08 at 7:36pm

Moon Trio from Caroline or Change

I think RENT's "And It's Beginning to Snow" is pretty messy and awful. I remember sitting in the audience and thinking I had no idea what was going on or what anyone was saying.



If this is done properly, it's one of my favorites. If not, it's a total trainwreck, you're right.

[sally1112]

Posted: 1/3/08 at 7:55pm

"Do You Know What It's Like?" from Zanna Don't...one of my favorites in this category.

[B3TA07]

Posted: 1/3/08 at 8:00pm

96,000 from "In The Heights."

[Josh Freilich]

Posted: 1/7/08 at 9:14pm

You mean the whole rapping against the singing? I like that.