Favorite orchestral harmonies in shows — Page 3

And to continue, how about the orchestrations for THE WEDDING SINGER?
Irwin Fisch really knew what he wanted when he orchestrated it (especially since he programmed all the synth and drum sounds). The synth-bells in "Someday" and "Not That Kind of Thing," as well as the clapping, R&B horns, and Simmons drums in "Single," as well as all the hard synthleads and Brian May-style triple-layered guitars in "Saturday Night in the City." Really authentic stuff.

The horn arrangements on TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA and HAIR are genius as well.

How about every moment of OKLAHOMA or SOUND OF MUSIC? I love those charts.

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I absolutely LOVE when the orchestra explodes in the Epilogue of Caroline, or Change. "Child! Chiiiiiiiild!"


I love the orchestra all through that show. Like after Caroline's final "FLAAAAAT!" where she slides back up.

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In my vocal score of "The Secret Garden", of which I think has the best orchestrations, the woodwind orchestrations are as follows:

Woodwind 1 (Flute/Piccolo/Recorder/Pan Pipes/Penny Whistle)
Woodwind 2 (Oboe/Oboe d'Amore/English Horn/Heckelphone)
Woodwind 3 (Clarinet/Soprano Sax/Flute/Recorder/Piccolo)
Woodwind 4 (Bassoon/Bass Clarinet/Bb Clarinet)

I think that is the most demanding, to have one person be able to play 4+ instruments. Does anyone else have crazy woodwind/reed orchestration doubling? Also, Josh Freilich, you seem to have played keys for many shows...My instrumentation list for "Secret Garden" doesn't list ANY keys, but throught the score it shows that there are at least two keys parts. Do you know the number of and types of keyboards? Rhodes/Synth/Pno etc...?

I never played in "Secret Garden," but I do know this: in the version that people do now, there are 2 key books. The first one is probably piano, sitar, and harpsichord (because that's the only keyboard part in the show depicted in your score), and the second is most likely harp and guitar.

You're right, Gypsy9. Ramin and Ginzler should NOT be forgotten, and neither should Robert Russell Bennett and Philip J. Lang. In fact, because Bennett was so into the stringy stuff, and Lang was all brassy, I guess it explains why they worked together for "My Fair Lady" and "Camelot."

Surprising no one mentioned Irwin Kostal. He did brilliant work for stuff like "Mary Poppins," "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang," and "Forum." He also ghosted for "The Music Man."

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the orchestrations of "Buenos Aires" in the London EVITA revival, especially the dance break.

i also love the orchestrations in "Saturday Night in the City" from THE WEDDING SINGER as you said earlier, Josh. i especially loved the introductory music in the song- totally amazing, haha

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I know people complain about how dated they're sounding (apparantly the type of early synth used for the keyboard is impossible to replicate nowadays even) but I think Tunick's orchestrations for the original Company are THRILLING. Using the "Vocal minority"--three women in the pit, the busy almost pop like sound to much of it and yes that keyboard--I love it. It sounds like I picture New York sounding in 1970--the Tunick new paired down orchestrations (as best heard on the Roudnabout recording) sound lifeless in comparison and I think the Doyle orchestrations are clever but sound less like a bustling city of strangers than a clinical dentist's surgical appointment.

(Of course Tunick used a lot of similar techniques from the score that got him the job--Promises Promises which likewise has thrilling, pop minded orchestrations)

E

Updated On: 6/3/07 at 06:49 PM

I agree Eric. I LOVE Tunick's orginal orchestrations for Company. Thery're fantastic.

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One person underated I believe is Danny Troob--his major work has been with Alan Menken but it's gorgeous--those Disney scores are all scored within an inch of perfection. And even the work he did on the incidental music--gorgeous stuff.

Less underated but often forgotten is Fosse's fave orchestrator--Ralph Burns. His style of course was perfect for Fosse who loved little percussion flourishes but just listen to Sweet Charity/Pippin/Chicago back to back to back and you notice how truly brilliant he was. Cy Coleman of course helped with the charts for Charity and it was hide idea to add a slightly rock element with that electric bass (the first time it was used in a pit) which makes it just wonderful I think.

I'd love to know a complete list of who orchestrated what for Chorus Line. Tunick says in ta Bennett book about how Bennett wanted him to do the full show but they simply couldn't afford to hire anyone for it all so Tunick agreed, in his off time to do what he could (he ultimately did Ballet and Nothing among others). Bennett really wanted Ralph Burns for One, which was meant to sound like a Burns style number but in the end Burns only ahd time to do the final verse and chorus I believe.

Of course I think ALL of these orchestrations were redone by Tunick for the revival (not sure...) though, I kinda prefer the original hodgepodge of style

E

I love a lot of the orchestrations in the German Hunchback. Particularily in "On Top of the World", "Einmal", and of course the opening is even better in the stage show. All the layers piling on top of each other, particularily the strings and upper woodwinds, so beautiful. The opening has those brilliant "hidden voices" lurking beneath that add so much drive to the piece.

That movie has some divine orchestrations in "Topsy Turvy Day". They just didn't seem to translate into the stage show. I was disappointed when I heard that recording the first time.

I second, third, fourth, fifth, and/or sixth everyone who said the Tunick orchestrations for COMPANY were brilliant. They're probably the best they are.

And I also second EricMontreal22 for talking about Danny Troob's orchestrations for all the Disney films he's done, as well as anthonycbaron for talkin about Michael Starobin's orchestrations for HUNCHBACK. All this talk about them makes me more excitedf to hear the new LITTLE MERMAID orchestrations as Troob sees it. All I got were various fragments on the official site. I'm excited!

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Yes, LITTLE MERMAID was originally orchestrated by Thomas Pasatieri before Danny Troob started orchestrating for Alan Menken.

I bet the horns in "Under The Sea" (2 trps./1 tn. sx./1 tbn.) were arranged by Robby Merkin.

Also listen for Doug Besterman's and Michael Starobin's orchestrations for A CHRISTMAS CAROL. They sound absolutely beautiful!

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Some of my favorites from THE PRODUCERS:

-Overture- The first "Prisoners of Love" section. If you listen, there's just SO MUCH going on; no section is playing the same notes. It's wonderful. There's also a great part in the "Along Came Bialy" part where there's a deep horn blast and timpani hits. It sounds very funny and kind of cartoony.
-When You Got It Flaunt It- The big, brassy notes for Ulla's kicks.
-That Face- Part in the dance break that's very in your face, it seems to say, "Let's show 'em what we got."
-Springtime for Hitler- (Among many other things) There's a huge orchestra blast right after "Everything is SHOW-BIZ!"