I honestly think the best Sondheim score ever is- Page 3

[Scripps2]

Posted: 7/15/08 at 2:15pm

Best: Sweeney Todd

Favourite: Follies

Most intoxicating: A Little Night Music

Most erotic: Pacific Overtures

[InfiniteTheaterFrenzy]

Posted: 7/15/08 at 2:21pm

"The best" is so hard to separate from "favorite" in this case! So I will give three answers: Merrily, Follies, and Company.

Ohhh but Sunday! And Assassins! Sigh.

And Sweeney.

Difficult.

[Rose_Lee]

Posted: 7/15/08 at 2:27pm

It's such a difficult choice to make, but I personally would say it's a tie between Sweeny Todd and Follies. The scores are breathtaking and flawless.

[LiveUnscripted]

Posted: 7/15/08 at 3:06pm

I didn't like anything of Sondheim until I heard Company. And I absolutely love Company, but I can't listen to anything else of his.

[commasplice]

Posted: 7/15/08 at 3:54pm

I think his best is Night Music, followed very closely by Sweeney.

My personal favorite, on the other hand, tends to change by the day.

[laura is broadway]

Posted: 7/15/08 at 3:57pm

Sunday has the best lyrics I've ever heard.
But really I can never get sick of any of his shows.

Except A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum... I've never listened to it, nor have I ever heard much about it. Should I? No one has really mentioned it on this thread, for good or for bad.

[zooxanthellae]

Posted: 7/15/08 at 4:24pm

Sweeney Todd is his masterpiece. End of story. It has the most complicated (though stunning) music, lyrics, and characters.

Follies would be my second favourite. It's arguably his most enjoyable to listen to: Catchy tunes, fantastic lyrics, and again complex characters.

Next would have to be Company. I just love it!

[heathurrr]

Posted: 7/15/08 at 4:31pm

Sunday...
No, Sweeney... wait no...
Follies?
Passion?
ALNM?

I CAN'T CHOOSE.

[JohnBoy2]

Posted: 7/15/08 at 5:04pm

The ONLY score I like is Follies, so I honestly think the best Sondheim score ever is Follies.

[Landon Parks]

Posted: 7/15/08 at 6:10pm

Updated On: 7/22/10 at 06:10 PM

[TheatreFreak05]

Posted: 7/15/08 at 7:00pm

Right now I would say Sunday. His score for SITPWG is simply BEAUTIFUL.

I also love Company and Sweeney Todd

[sondheimfan2]

Posted: 7/15/08 at 7:28pm

I listened to "Sunday" (OBCR) today. I didn't see the revival because I wanted my memory of the original show to stay etched in my mind.

Bernadette and Mandy were perfect. The score is so beautiful and unified.

[artscallion]

Posted: 7/20/08 at 11:49am

Most of these have taken a turn at being my favorite. They're all so incredible (except Bounce and Forum) But quality-wise...

1st tier
Sweeney
Sunday
Passion

2nd tier
Company
Pacific Overtures
Merrily
Night Music
Into the Woods

3rd tier
Follies
Assassins

4th tier
The Frogs
Evening Primrose
Anyone Can Whistle
Saturday Night

5th tier
Forum

6th tier
Bounce

note: this changes regularly with the exception of Forum and Bounce which always remain at the bottom.

Did I mention that I can't stand Bounce and Forum?

[sondheimfan2]

Posted: 7/20/08 at 1:09pm

I'm not sure why Forum gets bashed so often. No, it's not an innovative show, but it wasn't meant to be. Sondheim is writing to fit the traditional musical comedy format. The songs are fun and fit well into the style of the show.

Seeing a first rate production (as I did with the Nathan Lane revival) might change some minds.

[broadway guy]

Posted: 9/6/12 at 2:25am

After reading all the comments on this thread that was started in 2008,Im really surprised no one said into the woods. Wierd..

His Best: Company IMHO
My Favorite: Into The woods
Technical wise:Sweeney todd.I don't really care that much for the show but the score is very pretty.

[tazber]

Posted: 9/6/12 at 6:54am

I have thought about this question many many times.

There is only answer:

Whichever Sondheim score I'm listening to at the moment is the one I love the most.
They are all brilliant, moving, masterful, and transcendent.

The only exception for me is The Frogs which I rarely listen to.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 9/6/12 at 7:54am

Agreed. Except I've always had a fondness for "Invocation to the Audience."

[tazber]

Posted: 9/6/12 at 8:02am

Ha! That thought occurred to me right after I posted. But I hear that song a lot on all the various concert recordings which gives me even less of a desire to play The Frogs.

Currently I'm bouncing between the remastered OBCR of Follies, the Encores Merrily, and Road Show.

I guess I'm in the minority on this, but I think Bounce/Road Show are as good as anything he's ever written.

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 9/6/12 at 8:08am

This is like asking which of your parents you love more. I pass.

[themysteriousgrowl]

Posted: 9/6/12 at 8:26am

I adore THE FROGS and listen to the studio recording often.

"Evoe!" "It's Only a Play," and "Evoe for the Dead" are among my favorite songs in the canon.

They're so musically unique and have terrific lyrics.

"It's very comforting
Perpetual serenity and such
It's very comforting
And yet you can put up
With just so much"

[Jon]

Posted: 9/6/12 at 8:33am

Of course, if you are rating Sondheim against Sondheim, "Forum" is goingf to come out at the lower end.

However, I think Forum is as good as anything written in the 1960's by:

Richard Rodgers
Frank Loesser
Jerry Herman
Charles Strouse
Cy Coleman
Jule Styne
Bob Merrill
Meredith Willson

For some on the above list, their best work was behind them. Others never achieved Sondheim's brilliance (no matter how many hits and Tony Awards.)

Updated On: 9/6/12 at 08:33 AM

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 9/6/12 at 9:23am

^Styne in the 60s. Jon, do you really think Forum is a better score than Funny Girl?
Not to mention that Gypsy opened one year shy of the decade.

^Coleman in the 60s. Do you really think Forum is a better score than Little Me (The Other Side of The Tracks, I've Got Your Number, Real Live Girl) or Sweet Charity (If They Could See Me Now, Rhythm of Life, There's Got To Be Something Better Than This, Big Spender, I'm A Brass Band)?

(It's fine if you do. I humbly disagree.)

I do agree that those listed's best work was behind them or they never achieved Sondheim's brilliance. But I disagree that Forum's score is nearly as good, let alone superior, to either Funny Girl, Little Me or Sweet Charity.

[Nettik]

Posted: 9/6/12 at 10:02am

Sunday in the Park with George is the most beautiful.
Sweeney Todd is the most "epic."
Assassins is the most thrilling. I think it's a horribly underrated score, though I'll admit the subject matter is challenging.

[AddisonMizner]

Posted: 9/6/12 at 10:13am

I also believe that ROAD SHOW is as good as anything Sondheim has ever written. Why people believe it is "minor" Sondheim is beyond me. I mean, there are so many real gems in that score from "It's Your Hands Now", "The Game", "Isn't He Something!", "Talent" and "The Best Thing That Ever Has Happened" to name but a few. It is actually one of my most often played Sondheim recordings.

I agree though that I love them all in different ways. Each one is something extremely special, but SWEENEY TODD is my favourite musical of all time. To me, it is the most perfect musical. Every note has a purpose, every song has its place and it is so intricately put together. SWEENEY would definetly get my vote!

[broadwaybabywannabe2]

Posted: 9/6/12 at 10:20am

in no particular oder:...wait here is the order i think they should be listed:

Merrily We Roll Along
Anyone Can Whistle
Sweeney Todd
A Little Night Music
Into The Woods
Road Show