Favorite Sondheim

[Elphie]

Posted: 1/5/04 at 4:55pm

I just was curious on what everybodys' ultimate favorite Sondheim was. I dont really know much about the gentlemen, other than that he is brilliant (if you earn a solute in La Vie Boheme from RENT, you got to mean something ) and I've seen and heard of a few shows he composed. But nothing much. I want to order one of his cast recordings, but I dont know which one. Any help would be super!

Updated On: 1/5/04 at 04:55 PM

[marincrazy11]

Posted: 1/5/04 at 5:18pm

I like Assassins, Into the Woods, Merrily We Roll Along is brilliant!, and Passion, but pretty much everything is fabulous, oh yeah, Sweeney Todd is really good too. Hope that helps!


~*~Katie~*~

[wickedfan]

Posted: 1/5/04 at 5:22pm

My personal favorite is Into the Woods. But the score doesn't mean as much if you don't hear the book along with it. But I do like Assassins, and Company is another favorite of mine, Elaine Stritch and "Ladies who Lunch". God no one can go wrong with that.

[bernadette88]

Posted: 1/5/04 at 5:33pm

Into the Woods...without a doubt! I also like SITPWG, ASSASINS, COMPANY...SWEENEY TODD is probably my second favorite!!

[Elphie]

Posted: 1/5/04 at 5:33pm

Does anyone have the Sondheim concert CD because that is what I plan to order? Its a doulbe disc and contains all the big names singing his "best" numbers. How is it?

[on1ystarinthesky]

Posted: 1/5/04 at 5:35pm

I've heard all this great stuff about 'Into The Woods' from the people on this board, but I've heard nothing from any Broadway site or on TV or anything...I may not be looking hard enough, but to make my life easier, would somebody mind explaining the show to me? I'm interested.

[wickedfan]

Posted: 1/5/04 at 5:35pm

I've listened to some of it. What I heard was good. The thing about Sondheim (at least in my opinion) is that he has some shows that are brilliant start to finish and others that have brilliant moments and others you could live without. That was the case with me and SWEENY TODD. But the concert should be good. It is literally his "best works".

[wickedfan]

Posted: 1/5/04 at 5:36pm

Do you want to know what it's about? or like its history and stuff?

[on1ystarinthesky]

Posted: 1/5/04 at 5:38pm

What it's about, what you think of it...just so I know if it's something I'd really like.

I'M FINALLY AN UNDERSTUDY!

Updated On: 1/5/04 at 05:38 PM

[BillyLawlor]

Posted: 1/5/04 at 5:45pm

And I'm finally a Broadway Legend! hehe

I really don't know THAT many of Sondheim's shows- but I DO know Into The Woods quite well- It's one of my favorites. I'd say either of the cast recordings is worth getting. I also am vaguely familiar with Sweeney Todd- I hear it's amazing. But what I've heard is okay.

[wickedfan]

Posted: 1/5/04 at 5:48pm

It's about the grimm fairy tale characters. Cinderella, Little Re Riding Hood, Jack (Beanstalk fame), Rapunzel, both Cinderella and Rapunzel's Princes, and three new characters. A baker, his wife, and the witch that lives next door. The baker and his wife want a child and the witch tells them that she put a curse on their family so they wouldn't have a child. But if they wanted one so bad then they would go "into the woods" and after three days, must return to her a cow as white as milk (Jack), cape as red as blood (little red riding hood), hair as yellow as corn (Rapunzel), Slipper as pure as gold (Cinderella). And it also follows Cinderella wanting to go to the ball and Jack wanting his cow to give milk.

Then by the end of Act 1, everyone had gotten their wish and the second act is "what happened AFTER, happily ever after?"

[bob8rich]

Posted: 1/5/04 at 5:49pm

FOLLIES is the best score Sondheim has written, in my opinion. In fact, I think it's the best score anyone has written. Following close behind are COMPANY, SWEENEY TOOD, PACIFIC OVERTURES, INTO THE WOODS, SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE and PASSION. But anything by the great man is outstanding.

The Avery Fisher Hall concert recording is a good one to start with, perhaps, if you don't have anything by Sondheim - a collection of great songs from various shows by a great cast. What that does not give you, of course, is the overall dramatic context of songs that you will get from the complete score of a single musical. And Sondheim's work is appreciated at its best when you listen to it in its dramatic context. That is what he is the master at - writing songs that merge drama and or/comedy with song to advance the plot of a musical scene. Still, the concert CD has 3 absolute gems amongst its many great performances - Bernadette Peters' "Not A Day Goes By", Jerry Hadley & Carolann Page's beautiful rendering of "With So Little To Be Sure Of" and the awesome combination of "Our Time" and "Children Will Listen" by Betty Buckley and the Harlem Boys Choir.

(Shame it does not have "The Ladies Who Lunch" (from COMPANY) or "Somone In A Tree" (from PACIFIC OVERTURES), though - they are totally contrasting knockout numbers that really demonstrate Sondheim's genius.)

[on1ystarinthesky]

Posted: 1/5/04 at 5:53pm

Ah, thank you for the info. 'Into the Woods' sounds cool, I'll have to look into it. And I think I'll look for that recording, bob8rich, next time I'm out.

[bob8rich]

Posted: 1/5/04 at 5:56pm

If you ever go for an INTO THE WOODS recording, the OBC is by far the best. Apart from Laura Benanti's Cinderalla, the vocal performances of the revival cast do not even come close to matching the originals. (The only plus for the revival cast CD is that it has the extra song that Sondheim wrote for the original London production, "Our Little World". But you can get that also on the Original London Cast album, which I also prefer to the Broadway Revival Cast.)

[mcphan19]

Posted: 1/5/04 at 6:20pm

Interesting that no one's mentioned A Little Night Music, the score entirely set to a waltz time (or multiples thereof).

CD-wise, there's the "A Collector's Sondheim" which has a lot of songs that were cut from some revivals, and some concert versions (plus it's got a disco version of "The Ballad of Sweeney Todd", which is interesting to hear) Then there's the 1992 Carnegie Hall concert, which has Glenn Close singing "Send in the Clowns" brilliantly.

Here's an interesting trivia fact: Sondheim shares the same birthday as Andrew Lloyd Webber (March 22nd).

Jen

[iflitifloat]

Posted: 1/5/04 at 6:27pm

I feel compelled to share the comment I overheard yesterday at Cat on a Hot Tin Roof: "Side by Side by Sondheim. Was that a musical?"

[on1ystarinthesky]

Posted: 1/5/04 at 6:27pm

Birthdays seem to be a popular topic around here.

I will be searching for the OBC of INTO THE WOODS. Thank you, bob8rich.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 1/5/04 at 6:32pm

Follies followed by Company

[Elphie]

Posted: 1/5/04 at 7:16pm

I've been listening to some of Follies. I like it a lot. I think that shall be my pick. The 1998 New Jersey cast okay?

[eponine88]

Posted: 1/5/04 at 7:25pm

Hey mcphan19, has "A Collector's Sondheim" actually got a disco version of the Ballad of Sweeney Todd? Or are you merely trying to get me all excited for no good reason? Boy oh boy, I've gotta hear this. I get shivers down my spine whenever I even think of Sweeney Todd!!!
Other than that, my favorite Sondheim work is Into the Woods. My sister is completely obsessed with Into the Woods. She romps around the house singing Agony like her life depends on it.
I've heard a lot of good things about Follies too, though I haven't listened to it myself yet.

[tappedout]

Posted: 1/5/04 at 7:32pm

A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC!!!!!!!!!! i'm mentioning it...it is my favorite sondheim.

[TheQuibbler]

Posted: 1/5/04 at 8:26pm

"Into the Woods" is my favorite show. Period.

[BillFinn]

Posted: 1/5/04 at 8:31pm

Passion, Company, Sunday in the Park w/ George, then Into the Woods.

[BroadwayGirl107]

Posted: 1/5/04 at 8:31pm

I really enjoy Company, the revival recording.

[MyNameInLights]

Posted: 1/5/04 at 8:38pm

Into the Woods and Sweeney Todd, simple as that.