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#1

Best orchestration ever

Posted: 2/11/05 at 11:19pm

We mentioned composer and score and me being the pit geek that I am had to add this one too.

My vote is without a doubt West Side Story. I played that score last year, and so many of the dance numbers just have amazing sounds and Bernstein was just amazing them. He didn't take difficulty at all into account, making time keys and alternating them, which was unheard of at the time. I think in this show the orchestra is so much apart of the show, which they always are, but it's very apparent here.

Though there's few I've seen scores to, just some of the things I've heard, I also love some of the sounds in Les Miz(the oboe solo is so sweet), Phantom of the Opera(I was pretty astonished by the sound of the orchestra last time I saw it), and Music Man(Not my favorite show but some of the dances, especially Shipoopi dances are really fun to play).
"If there was a Mount Rushmore for Broadway scores, "West Side Story" would be front and center. It snaps, it crackles it pops! It surges with a roar, its energy and sheer life undiminished by the years" - NYPost reviewer Elisabeth Vincentelli
#2

re: Best orchestration ever

Posted: 2/11/05 at 11:22pm

I'm going to have to say Sweeney Todd. I like the music more than I like the voices.
On Symphonic Sondheim, Don Sebasky orchestrates one of the best medley's from this show. If I could listen to just the music, I would probably like this show better.
"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.
#3

re: Best orchestration ever

Posted: 2/11/05 at 11:23pm

I mentioned this on one of the other threads, I love the orchestrations of Candide. The Overture is one of my favorite pieces of music of any style. Les Mis has great orchstrations too. I love the orchestrations of The Scarlet Pimpernel, but that has more to do with my love of awesome French Horn parts than anything else.
#4

re: Best orchestration ever

Posted: 2/11/05 at 11:31pm

PARADE

i think any bernstein show has amazing orchestration.
CAGES OR WINGS? WHICH DO YOU PREFER? ASK THE BIRDS. FEAR OR LOVE, BABY? DON'T SAY THE ANSWER, ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS.
#5

re: Best orchestration ever

Posted: 2/11/05 at 11:49pm

Wickedrentq saig: "... and me being the pit geek that I am had to add this one too."

lol...I prefere "pit goddess" myself! re: Best orchestration ever

The orchestrations for West Side Story are just so great. My only beef is that even though it's scored for quite a large orchestra,there's no viola book! Did I read somewhere that Bernstein had a thing against violists??? hurumph!

I loved playing Sweeney Todd. Some of it is very tricky and it really keeps you on your toes...not a lot of down time for the orchestra in that show. But wow...what mood setting music. To me, the music is just so right for that story.


"If there is to be any peace it will come through being, not having." Henry Miller
#6

re: Best orchestration ever

Posted: 2/12/05 at 1:02am

"Titanic" had incredible orchestrations. I enjoy Jonathan Tunick's work.

I also liked the "Scarlet Pimpernel" orchestrations, especially on the CDs. I think Kim Scharnberg's orchestrations are beautiful. He has done "Jekyll & Hyde," "Civil War" and now, "Little Women."

- Michael
#7

re: Best orchestration ever

Posted: 2/12/05 at 1:14am

Haha Cyndy. It's okay, I'm proud to call myself a geek, but feel free to use goddess. When we first got to college, all my friends and I admitted we were all geeks in someways: pit geek, broadway geek(me), political geeks, etc.

I wish I could see some more of Bernstein's work, it probably would be hard to argue that he was the greatest orchestrator of all-time on Broadway. That's surprising there was no viola in WSS, there must have been every other instrument because we didn't have any strings in our 30-person pit and hardly anyone can play more than one instrument so my poor teacher spent countless hours transposing most of the parts for us. I play clarinet, so just had the entire reed 2 book, the greatest score I've ever played definitely.

I'm curious about the Sweeney Todd one, I've heard from a couple people that it's a really great score, hopefully I'll get to see/play it one day.
"If there was a Mount Rushmore for Broadway scores, "West Side Story" would be front and center. It snaps, it crackles it pops! It surges with a roar, its energy and sheer life undiminished by the years" - NYPost reviewer Elisabeth Vincentelli
#8

re: Best orchestration ever

Posted: 2/12/05 at 1:16am

Candide
Titanic
Sweeney Todd
The Music Man
Carousel
Sunday in the Park with George
Into the Woods

And although I'm not a fan of the show, WICKED has amazing orchestrations - it's too bad the score isn't very good, because the orchestrations would be that much better. I would love an instrumental recording of WICKED...it's very very well orchestrated.
"If you are going to do something, do it well. And leave something witchy." -Charlie Manson
#9

re: Best orchestration ever

Posted: 2/12/05 at 1:18am

I love Doug Berstman's orchestrations (Dracula, Thoroughly Modern Millie, etc.), well-written pop orchestrations just tend to appeal greatly to me. I also think the Andrew Lloyd Webber's orchestrations are gorgeous. Others include Steve Margoshes, and Johnathan Tunick. I have to be honest, and don't kill me for this...Although Dracula was quite a stinker in terms of the show itself, I think the orchestrations were amazing(even though they weren't live, LOL...), just my opinion!

Later!

Phantom05
------- "We Drink Your Blood And Then We Eat Your Soul, Nothings Gonna Stop Us Let The Bad Times Roll" -------"Past The Point Of No Return, No Backward Glances, Abandon Thought And Let The Dream Begin"
#10

re: Best orchestration ever

Posted: 2/12/05 at 3:45am

Gershwin's own orchestrations of his score to Porgy and Bess are unparalleled in the history of American Musical Theatre. Both Sondheim and Bernstein themselves have said so.
"What a story........ everything but the bloodhounds snappin' at her rear end." -- Birdie [http://margochanning.broadwayworld.com/] "The Devil Be Hittin' Me" -- Whitney

Updated On: 2/12/05 at 03:45 AM

#11

re: Best orchestration ever

Posted: 2/12/05 at 3:52am

i agree about gershwin margo..
i would also like to add ragtime. the orchestrations in that are just incredible i think. especially the beginning with simply the "player piano"
#12

re: Best orchestration ever

Posted: 2/12/05 at 4:00am

Sunday in the Park, Titanic, Ragtime, Cabaret, A Little Night Music just to name a few.
"What a mystery this world. One day you love them and the next day you want to kill them a thousand times over." The Masked Bandit in THE FALL
#13

re: Best orchestration ever

Posted: 2/12/05 at 7:32am

West Side Story definately has the greatest orchetration ever seen on broadway, and probably anywhere else. Bernstein was so innovative, and, in every sense of the word, a musical genius.
The Porgy and Bess orchestration is also incredible, and i love the use of the strings in the Phantom of the Opera.
#14

re: Best orchestration ever

Posted: 2/12/05 at 8:27am

I'll split my vote between "Show Boat" and "Candide".
#15

re: Best orchestration ever

Posted: 2/12/05 at 8:27am

Agreeing with all of the above, I have to add a special bouquet to Jonathan Tunick's work on COMPANY. I remember sitting bolt upright the first time I heard that opening number on the cast album; it was as if a whole new sound had come to Broadway, even more individual than his work on PROMISES, PROMISES. Then FOLLIES and A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC were different again, as though different orchestrators had been found because of their suitability to the material. Tunick was, for me, the first "star" orchestrator of my generation and I would buy any album that had his name on it....I even grew to love GOODTIME CHARLEY!
#16

re: Best orchestration ever

Posted: 2/12/05 at 10:42am

Jonathan Tunick is orchestrating Frank Wildhorn's new musical, and BEST musical score to date, of CAMILLE CLAUDEL.

The music is so lush and different from anything Wildhorn has ever done before.

- Michael
#17

re: Best orchestration ever

Posted: 2/12/05 at 10:51am

For stage I would have to say RAGTIME. Glorious orchestrations, throughout. For film, it would be SOUTH PACIFIC, which has masterworks of orchestration, accompanying mediocre vocals.
scooter3843
#18

re: Best orchestration ever

Posted: 2/12/05 at 10:59am

Yes, Tunick's early work on Promises, Promises, Company, Follies and A Little Night Music was the best of his career.

While I agree with some of the examples listed here, I have to cite quite a few of my personal favorites

- Everything by Eddie Sauter (principally Superman, Foxy, The Apple Tree, Henry Sweet Henry, the original 1776 and Georgy)

- Ralph Burns' orchestrations and Luther Henderson's dance arrangements for No, No, Nanette.

- Harold Wheeler's original orchestrations for Dreamgirls

- Mort Lindsey's orchestrations for Bajour

- Sid Ramin's orchestrations for Wildcat, Forum, Gypsy (with Robert Ginzler), and Kwamina.

- Robert Ginzler's work for How to Succeed, Bye Bye Birdie, A Family Affair, Bravo Giovanni, All American and Donnybrook!

Finally, I do love everything Phil Lang orchestrated. He's easily my favorite orchestrator, and having played a few Lang-orchestrated shows, they are usually extraordinarily challenging.

Some of his major credits, all of them terrific: Annie Get Your Gun, High Button Shoes, Two on the Aisle, Two's Company, Can-Can, Plain and Fancy, My Fair Lady, Fanny, Li'l Abner, New Girl in Town, Jamaica, Oh, Captain!, Take Me Along, Redhead, Destry Rides Again, Goldilocks, Whoop-Up, Camelot, Carnival, Subways are for Sleeping, Jennie, Hello, Dolly!, I Had a Ball, The Roar of the Greasepaint, I Had a Ball, I Do! I Do!, Mame, How Now, Dow Jones, Applause, Sugar, Mack & Mabel, Annie, 42nd Street.
"Gif me the cobra jool!"

Updated On: 2/12/05 at 10:59 AM

#19

re: Best orchestration ever

Posted: 2/12/05 at 11:11am

I know this isn't in the same vein as the others mentioned, but since Magruder just mentioned Mort Lindsey, I'd like to pay tribute to his orchestrations for Judy Garland's historic concert at Carnegie Hall - which were thrilling to hear again in Lorna Luft's tribute show to her mother's music.
#20

re: Best orchestration ever

Posted: 2/12/05 at 11:28am

I'm surprised no one mentioned "A Chorus Line". Truly one of the best orchestrated shows this musician has played. Bernstein did his own orchestrations and was quite good, but tended to rely on classically orchestral techniques to convey commercial concepts. For instance, the "Dance at the Gym" from WSS is written in 12/8 when he was looking for a swing 4 feel.

Billy Beyers
Jonathan Tunic
Ralph Burns
"Virtue does not come from money, but rather from virtue comes money, and all other things good to man."

Updated On: 2/12/05 at 11:28 AM

#22

re: Best orchestration ever

Posted: 2/12/05 at 11:41am

Irwin Kostal and Sid Ramin were the co-orchestrators for West Side Story with Bernstein... I've always thought a lot of the work in the "Dance at the Gym" sounds like Ramin, but I've never known if there is a breakdown of who did what on that show.
"Gif me the cobra jool!"
#23

re: Best orchestration ever

Posted: 2/12/05 at 12:17pm

Thanks, forgot about Ramin, he belongs on my list as well. Ramin and Kostal also helped Bernstein prepare the Symphonic Dances from West Side Story as well as the opera A Quiet Place.

"Virtue does not come from money, but rather from virtue comes money, and all other things good to man."
#24

re: Best orchestration ever

Posted: 2/12/05 at 1:15pm

How do you pick one show? I cant even decide what my favorite parts in shows are much less which orchestrations are the best.
"He who falls in love with himself will have no rivals" -Benjamin Franklin
#25

re: Best orchestration ever

Posted: 2/12/05 at 1:51pm

God, the Dance at the Gym is probably the most famous, and best orchestrated piece ever. Gives me chills every time. I think Man of La Mancha has great ones, as does Chicago (not as heavy, but still very good)...

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