Sondheim's Catchiest Score? — Page 2

Almost all of Sondheim's scores are pastiche, so "catchy" is certainly subjective.

If you are an aficianado or just brought up around the music that Sondheim is channeling in a part of whole of his scores, then that's "catchy" to you.

If you're a fan of the tin pan alley then Forum and some of his other more traditional musical theater scores are probably your taste.

Subject matter plays into it, of course, as well. If your partial to people eating other people, then maybe Company...um, I mean Sweeney might be more your taste, no pun intended.

And, I don't think that "catchy" is by any means judgement of how good something is, even if that wasn't the intention of the original poster. Many people do feel that "catchy" music is often facile and predictable, even if it is Sondheim-catchy.

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"Company". Though "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum" is a close second.

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Definitely Assassins and Company (especially the OBC).

I also find parts of SitPwG a bit catchy...

Updated On: 3/11/07 at 03:55 PM

B12B-I had the same reaction at first. Not an original note in the score, I thought.
May I suggest you give it another chance? It does have some lovely melodies and is worth the time.

At least listen to "The Thing That Ever Happened".

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Was listening to Merrily today. Anyone who claims Sondheim can't write a melody really needs to listen to OUR TIME. Incredible.

I find Follies very catchy...

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Forum and strangely ALNM for me.

PASSION.




just kidding ... but it is my favorite :)

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crawww, what an excellent metaphor.

Yes, barbed is the term I would use. Excellent.

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That's so very true about not being able to get certain parts of the less immediately catchy out of your head. It just hits you one day, too.

As to the catchiest, Company was the most accessible for me, and Merrily is the most "hummable," whatever criterion that may be.

Of the Sondheim I'm familiar with, I would say "Assassins."

"The Ballad of John Wilked Booth" and "Unworty of your Love" have been rotating positions in my head all day.

"Because of bad re-vieeeeeeuuuuuuuuuwwwww"

~Jacob.

Definitely Forum. I can get even my non-theater geek friends into that one, whereas they find most of Sondheim's other music too complicated.

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Into the Woods and Assassins.