Broadway Composers You Dislike

[PUPPETMAN]

Posted: 2/18/08 at 4:49pm

Most of you will come down on me for this, but I do not like Sondheim when he writes both music and lyrics. His lyrics for other composers are brilliant and can not be surpassed, but rarely does he write melodies that come close to the magnificent lyrics.

[ljay889]

Posted: 2/18/08 at 4:56pm

Andrew Lloyd Weber
Stephen Schwartz

Both write bland pop music and continuously & blatantly recycle their own melodies. Plus Schwartz is an atrocious lyricist.
Updated On: 2/18/08 at 04:56 PM

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 2/18/08 at 4:57pm

Jason Robert Brown *shrugs*

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 2/18/08 at 4:57pm

William Finn. My ears hurt just thinking about him.

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 2/18/08 at 5:00pm

Jerry Herman tried to sucker punch me once

[ashley0139]

Posted: 2/18/08 at 5:02pm

Frank Wildhorn.

Not wild about ALW either.

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 2/18/08 at 5:03pm

William Finn. My ears hurt just thinking about him.

Save for a couple of songs from FALSETTOS here and there, I am SO with you on that one.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 2/18/08 at 5:06pm

Andrew Lloyd Weber
Andrew Lloyd Weber

I think he is redundant...a lot.

[bjh2114]

Posted: 2/18/08 at 5:41pm

Schwartz
Sondheim
Webber

Now, I also don't like Jason Robert Brown in general (Last 5 Years, Songs for a New World, etc.), but the only score that makes him a "Broadway composer" is Parade, which I am in love with.

[folkyboy]

Posted: 2/18/08 at 6:07pm

while i think most composers are not being given the proper staging to make their work "good", i have to say i'm not super wild on Lerner & Loewe. this doesn't mean i haven't heard fabulous versions of various things, i just can't fully commit to their style. it reminds me a lot of someone ripping off of "Rogers & Hammerstein" unsuccessfully.

i'm also not a fan of Boublil & Schoenberg's work.

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 2/18/08 at 6:12pm

Andrew Lippa (fine Melody, horrible lyrics)
Tom Kitt (He Hurts My Ears)
Schwartz (Though I do enjoy Baker's Wife, never seen on Broadway)
Updated On: 2/18/08 at 06:12 PM

[musicalfan07]

Posted: 2/18/08 at 6:13pm

Lloyd Webber
Schwartz

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 2/18/08 at 6:14pm

Ditto on Wildhorn. Craphorn is more like it.

Choose better lyricists!

[suicidalmickeymouse]

Posted: 2/18/08 at 6:14pm

Sondhiem
Webber

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 2/18/08 at 6:15pm

1 more!, though he has yet to have a work produced on Broadway.

Scott Alan, bleck!

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 2/18/08 at 6:15pm

Isn't hating Sondheim for no reason getting a little old?

[songanddanceman2]

Posted: 2/18/08 at 6:16pm

Webber and Wildhorn

[Greekmusicalfan]

Posted: 2/18/08 at 6:17pm

I know that, for the big majority of musical theater lovers, I should be ashamed of myself, but...I never understood the infatuation with Sondheim ! Almost all his shows, bore me to death ! There...I said it !

[ljay889]

Posted: 2/18/08 at 6:21pm

^ This is not meant to be rude at all. But judging by your "favorite shows", that comes as no surprise.

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 2/18/08 at 6:22pm

Schwartz - "Wicked" and "Working" are the only two I like...and in Working his songs are my least favorite.

Scott Alan - Boring

[Greekmusicalfan]

Posted: 2/18/08 at 6:27pm

No offense taken ljay ! It's all a matter of taste !

[GlindatheGood22]

Posted: 2/18/08 at 6:38pm

Andrew Lloyd Webber

And don't crucify me for this, but I can't stand Cole Porter.

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 2/18/08 at 6:40pm

Cole Porter! I need to stop reading this thread! You guys are killing me.

I'm sorry, but next to Sondheim, Porter is tops in the Lyric dept.

[Kevinoes]

Posted: 2/18/08 at 6:44pm

William Finn. Don't get it.

And especially the composers to LEGALLY BLONDE and WEDDING SINGER. "Oh my God! Let's try to be uber energetic, tongue in cheek, but sensitive."

[wickedfan]

Posted: 2/18/08 at 6:46pm

Andrew Lippa
ALW (with the exception of "Evita". Although it does seem that the score is composed of the five highest notes on the piano and nothing else.)
I like some of William Finn, but never understood the infatuation.