David Cullen- unappreciated genius?

[simon_wilkie]

Posted: 6/1/07 at 4:27pm

Hi,

I just want to hear everyone's thoughts on David Cullen, the orchestrator for practically all of ALW's work after the 1970s? I was listening to Whistle and Aspects recently, and realised that it is the orchestrations to many of ALW's shows that make the music so good. This is particularly important in his more dramatic shows- Phantom, Sunset, Aspects (IMO). However, it is very rare for anyone to mention David's brilliance as a composer and orchestrator, and I just wanted to stick up for him!!!

Simon

[TechEverlasting]

Posted: 6/1/07 at 5:23pm

I'll second that notion. David Cullen is brilliant. Without his work Phantom would sound like two and a half hours of elevator music. The best example of this is "Music of the Night". It's just that same simple melody, over and over again, but each time Cullen finds new colors and textures to keep the listener's interest up.

In my opinion just about everything Lloyd Webber has written sounds like wedding band music when you take away Cullen's orchestrations. Of course David is merely the co-orchestrator with Lloyd Webber on most of these shows. (And I'm actually Ethel Merman posting from one of Broadway heaven's many internet cafes)

Posted: 6/1/07 at 5:26pm

HAHAH i was wondering when the co-orchestrator thing would be mentioned. Actually, I'm not one to give ALW more credit than he deserves but he obviously does know a lot about orchestra colouring, etc--so I wouldn't be surprised if he does have a lot of say in them, but I still suspect Cullen does much of the work. (did ALW do the original JCS album? I know Hershey Kay, to some controversy, did the Broadway Evita)

Has Cullen worked with anyone else I suppose is a part of the question? Even so I love many of his details and I think Aspects and Whistle are two good underappreciated examples of this

[morosco]

Posted: 6/1/07 at 6:20pm

I absolutely love the orchestrations for ASPECTS OF LOVE. Incredibly full sound from a relatively small number of musicians.

[jv92]

Posted: 6/1/07 at 8:25pm

Unappreiciated genius? Um...no. I never found his work particularly wonderful.

Posted: 6/3/07 at 12:05am

jv you hate ALW's work--so why would you? no surprise

E