I honestly think the best Sondheim score ever is

No, I'd say Follies is his best score.

Technical-wise, I'd say Sweeney Todd is his most perfect score. To me, it's flawless.

The most beautiful one that is thoroughly evocative is Sunday in the Park with George.

My personal favorite is Follies. It transcends the limits of what any score has ever done to me and I've yet to find something that compares with it. I'm kind of glad nothing has.

I'm editing this because although I had expressed my thoughts poorly, I'd like to add that despite there being a definite favorite, something extraordinary can be said about each of his shows. I think Company is his most electric piece, Night Music has my favorite lyrics which I think rival that of any other show, Pacific Overtures has such a calmly majestic attitude with music that audibly has an ebb and flow effect. You can pretty much go down the list, but each of them is better than the others at something!

Updated On: 7/14/08 at 11:04 PM

For me it's a tie between Follies and Company

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FOLLIES
Sweeney
Sunday

My favorite is Follies by far. I think Sweeney represents his best score in terms of integration with the book, but I agree with LadyRosecoe's last sentiment.

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I agree. But I think Sweeney is perfect.

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I don't not have a favorite Sweeney score or Sondheim lyrics. They're all beautiful and perfect in their own way.

Sweeney Todd is so technically perfect. What he wrote shouldn't sound as great as it does, but it's amazing.

My favorite Sondheim score is Assassins. It was my first Sweeney show at age 13 or so. Most of music sounds so generic, but if you listen, there are bits and parts that make it truly Sondheim.

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It depends on what you mean by best.

"Company" is full of wonderful songs, all of which work perfectly for the show. "Follies" is perhaps the most musical score. "Sweeney Todd" is perhaps the most intricate and technically proficient. What are you looking at when you say "best"?

"Pacific Overtures" is his worst score, IMO.

I ADORE Pacific Overtures. it's not my favorite score, but I'd definitely rank "Someone in a Tree" as one of my all time favorite songs.

I...can't decide what I think his best score is. Probably Follies, but I also think Sweeney, Sunday, ALNM and Passion are all kinds of amazing.

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I love me some Merrily We Roll Along.

But I don't think I could pick a favorite. I think each in its own way is very good.

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Updated On: 7/14/08 at 11:48 PM

"I'm going to buck the trend here and say my favorite Sondheim score is A Little Night Music."

That's one of my favorites, too, and "Send In the Clowns" is, of course, a great song. Unfortunately, from a perspective of teh intervening years, some of what's best in that score would come to be "typical" Sondheim.

Pacific Overtures is amazing and one of my absolute favorites.

But A Little Night Music is flawless, even the cut songs are flawless.

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