Instruments associated with one specific musical- Page 2

[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.

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 3/11/19 at 3:17pm

I know this was an old thread that was bumped, but since it was just done, what about the ocarina in Call Me Madam?

Another show that was just done at Encores!, Big River, features fairly extensive use of the Jew’s harp.

[youwillbefound2]

Posted: 3/11/19 at 3:55pm

Speaking of the Band's Visit, I always associate the guiro with Papi Hears the Ocean

[TheGingerBreadMan]

Posted: 3/11/19 at 4:06pm

Ugly Stick in Come From Away.

The clarinet is also featured heavily in Urinetown.

[JudyDenmark]

Posted: 3/11/19 at 4:18pm

the brass kazoo said: "The quintessential banjo score is ROBBER BRIDEGROOM."

I was about to say that Bright Star would fight you on that, but then realized that this original comment was from 2015, lol. 

Speaking of theremin, Be More Chill is the first show I've seen to list it in the orchestration, though I've only started paying close attention to orchestrations in the last 4-5 years, so it's probably not the actual first. 

[rattleNwoolypenguin]

Posted: 3/12/19 at 12:58am

Into the Woods is very very bassoon heavy.

Obviously lots of musicals include bassoon but the bouncy staccato bassoon weaves through that whole score

[John Adams]

Posted: 3/12/19 at 2:21am

JudyDenmark said: "the brass kazoo said: "The quintessential banjo score is ROBBER BRIDEGROOM."

I was about to say that Bright Star would fight you on that, but then realized that this original comment was from 2015, lol."

I was writing the exact same thing when I saw your post!

[darquegk]

Posted: 3/12/19 at 8:56am

The Lion King and "Generations" in Children of Eden both feature an onstage "African band" playing polyrhythmic hand percussion.

Fun fact: I appeared as a Storyteller and "Generations" soloist in the Guiness World Record production of Children of Eden over the weekend, and was in charge of putting together the "African band" despite not playing a member of the Noah family, just because I was the one who had the instruments and we were strapped for time.

[jnb9872]

Posted: 1/27/21 at 5:20pm

Stumbled upon this old thread randomly, wanted to add the prominent harmonica solo in "The Dance of the Golden Crock" from FINIAN'S RAINBOW, as wonderfully performed by Guy Davis in the last revival.

[Alex Kulak2]

Posted: 1/27/21 at 8:53pm

JudyDenmark said: "Speaking of theremin, Be More Chillis the first show I've seen to list it in the orchestration, though I've only started paying close attention to orchestrations in the last 4-5 years, so it's probably not the actual first."

I think Charlie Rosen (the orchestrator of Be More Chill said in an interview that BMC was the first Broadway show to have a real theremin (as opposed to a synth patch) in the orchestra.

[pmensky]

Posted: 1/28/21 at 11:37am

The harp in “A Little Night Music.”

[uncageg]

Posted: 1/28/21 at 11:46am

icecreambenjamin said: "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."

That was the first one that came to my mind.

 

[Pernigraniline]

Posted: 1/29/21 at 5:45am

WhizzerMarvin TrinaJasonMendel said: "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.
"

Whilst it was probably written to show off Tommy Steele's skills, in Kipps, he does actually go out and buy a banjo!

[Charley Kringas Inc]

Posted: 1/29/21 at 11:53am

I'm not sure if this counts, but I always associate the sound of a very slightly out-of-tune rehearsal piano with A Chorus Line.