Instruments associated with one specific musical

[darquegk]

Posted: 7/2/15 at 10:26pm

What are some instruments overwhelmingly associated with a single musical- or perhaps used EXCLUSIVELY in that one musical? I'm playing around with writing and orchestrating some music, so the idea is kind of stuck in my head.

 

Les Miserables- the Yamaha DX-7 (especially the "crummy piano" sound)

Applause- electric trumpet

Company (original)- the RocksiChord electric piano (rock opera fans and prog-rockers know this one as the "Genesis" electric piano from "The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway")

Wicked- guitar through Ebow and Seek-Wah effects.

[HorseTears]

Posted: 7/2/15 at 10:29pm

What's that psychadelic "DEWWWEEEOOOWOOOUOFUOWOOWWWOOOOOOO" sound near the beginning of some versions of the Jesus Christ Superstar overture?  Theramin?  

 

Factory whistle - Sweeney? 

 

 

[darquegk]

Posted: 7/2/15 at 10:35pm

I just did a production that used a sitar there, but the psychedelic sound you hear at the beginning of some versions of JCS is, typically, a chord played on the bass guitar, with heavy reverb and some tremolo.

I thought of some more, but they're all keyboard-based.

Cirque du Soleil shows from their early classic era- the Fairlight CMI

Smile- the E-Mu Emulator II (aka the really fat, warm, cheesy synthesizer you hear on the "cast recording")

[trpguyy]

Posted: 7/2/15 at 10:51pm

Not nearly as iconic as Mis' DX-7, but Once may be the only musical that uses a cajon. 

[mattporter17]

Posted: 7/2/15 at 11:14pm

With the eBow on Wicked, what songs can you hear it being clearly used cause I've never noticed it before. Nevertheless, Wicked has some of the best orchestrations ever in my opinion. It didn't even win Orchestrations either... (Sondheim score lol)

Updated On: 7/2/15 at 11:14 PM

[HorseTears]

Posted: 7/2/15 at 11:34pm

darquegk - i don't think we're talking about the same psychedelic sound.  I'm talking about the sound that starts here at about 1:06.  

[NoName3]

Posted: 7/3/15 at 12:32am

Ukuleles in No, No, Nanette. Prominent in the the 1970's revival orchestrated by Ralph Burns during I Want To Be Happy. I'd enjoy hearing about any other show in which they've been used.

[NoName3]

Posted: 7/3/15 at 12:55am

I can't think of many shows that use the banjo. Offhand, Show Boat, Hello, Dolly! and I Love My Wife. Maybe Weill?

Dolly also uses a cow bell. I don't know any other works other than Mahler's Sixth and his Seventh that use that.
Updated On: 7/3/15 at 12:55 AM

[NoName3]

Posted: 7/3/15 at 1:05am

I think I read here or elsewhere there is a zither in The Visit.  (I have yet to see or hear The Visit.  My bad, as I love Kander and Ebb.)  Any other shows? Again, maybe Weill somewhere?

 

 

[seahag2]

Posted: 7/3/15 at 1:49am

Whatever that synth sound is in The Rink

[morosco]

Posted: 7/3/15 at 8:11am

Kazoos in HOW TO SUCCEED...

[darquegk]

Posted: 7/3/15 at 10:48am

Horsetears: that Superstar sound is just a very old, 1960s era synthesizer. It was somewhat out of date even by the time of the film.

 

MattPorter: the seek wah sound is kind of all throughout Wicked- the rhythm guitar part kind of "bubbles" is the best way to describe it. Listen to the bridge in "The Wizard and I." During the "unlimited" section, the rhythm guitar begins to bubble and at one point just devolves into this pitched but undulating mass of sound. As for the Ebow, listen to "Defying Gravity." That eerie, theremin-type sound under "hurt your cause forever, I hope you think it's clever" is the Ebow on the rhythm guitar. When the song proper begins, at "something has changed within me," the Ebow gets a lead. It's a long, fluid sound that is recognizably a guitar but sounds nothing like a guitar being played by conventional means. You'll recognize it immediately if you're a Wicked fan- it's a major part of the musical texture of the piece.

[trpguyy]

Posted: 7/3/15 at 11:05am

The banjo is actually used quite frequently in musical theatre - more often than not, when there is a guitar book, the player also doubles on banjo at some point. A quick perusal of MTI's catalog from the beginning on the alphabet finds banjo used in: Annie, Assassins, Avenue Q, Bonnie and Clyde, The Boy Friend, Bridges/County, Catch Me If You Can, Company, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels... (I think y'all get the point)... and of course it's a staple of the sound and feel of Ragtime.

Cowbell is frequently used as well, though perhaps not prominently featured very often.

 

[bwaychae5192]

Posted: 7/3/15 at 12:56pm

"Ukuleles in No, No, Nanette. Prominent in the the 1970's revival orchestrated by Ralph Burns during I Want To Be Happy. I'd enjoy hearing about any other show in which they've been used."

 

IIRC, in the GODSPELL revival, they use the uke for the beginning of "Learn Your Lessons Well."

[Thparkaly]

Posted: 7/3/15 at 1:05pm

"Kazoos in HOW TO SUCCEED..."

 Or in You're A Good Man Charlie Brown.

[darquegk]

Posted: 7/3/15 at 1:15pm

Banjo is extremely common in MT, especially jazz-based MT. The overtures to Mame and Chicago have famous banjo runs in them.

When I music-directed High School Musical 2, a score which has only a vague resemblance to the movie's music, the guitarist had to play electric guitar, acoustic guitar, banjo and ukulele during the same number, switching madly. It was entertaining to watch in the pit.

[TheOldRedHillsOfHome]

Posted: 7/3/15 at 1:18pm

In The Gay Life Don Walker orchestrated beautifully around the Cimbalom (a wonderful Hungarian instrument).

[the brass kazoo]

Posted: 7/3/15 at 1:39pm

It's not the only musical to use it, but for me SHE LOVES ME is associated with the sound of the accordion.

And naturally there are balalaikas in TOVARICH and ANYA.  And bouzoukis and mandolins in ZORBA and ILLYA DARLING.

The quintessential banjo score is ROBBER BRIDEGROOM.

I'm not sure of the exact name but there is a baroque-sounding high trumpet in THE ROTHSCHILDS.

Updated On: 7/3/15 at 01:39 PM

[icecreambenjamin]

Posted: 7/3/15 at 1:40pm

The Clarinet in Caroline, or Change.  I understand that a lot of shows use the clarinet, but I've never heard it used so prominently.

[darquegk]

Posted: 7/3/15 at 2:41pm

Man of La Mancha uses flamenco guitar as its central instrument, and Shockheaded Peter does the same with accordion. 

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 7/3/15 at 3:14pm

I always think of A Weekend in the Country when someone mentions the french horn.

As for the banjo, the ultimate number must be Money to Burn from Half a Sixpence. As I understand Tommy Steele was an expert banjo player so they wrote him a specialty number to show off his skills. The number is pure delight on the OBCR.

 

[Odie2]

Posted: 7/3/15 at 5:53pm

Organ in the phantom of the opera 

[Milo3]

Posted: 7/3/15 at 6:08pm

Pacific Overtures probably had a lot of instruments not seen typically on Broadway, at least the Shamisen

 

[Wilmingtom]

Posted: 7/3/15 at 6:54pm

Slide whistle in the Gypsy overture.

[bradwalt]

Posted: 3/11/19 at 3:11pm

The Band's Visit has an oud played onstage.   I only knew it as a crossword puzzle word.