Springtime for Mel - Mel's Opinion of the Score a bit off?

[macbeth]

Posted: 4/3/04 at 9:18am

https://www.broadwayworld.com/l.cfm?id=27263

"I think [audiences] were probably fed up with Andrew Lloyd Webber songs and heavy, dark music, and maybe they wanted some of the old-fashioned Irving Berlin, Cole Porter and Gershwin stuff that I've delivered."

I've always considered the Producers score to be serviceable and all, but to put it at the level of those greats is a bit much, no?

[JakeB]

Posted: 4/3/04 at 9:33am

Didn't realise he was 77 - I thought he was mid sixties.

[Sumofallthings]

Posted: 4/3/04 at 10:47am

I think his opinion of the score was dead on. I don't think he is holding it to the greatness of a Berlin or Porter score but that is the style that he wrote and his colleagues wrote it in. Brooks was raised listening to Cole Porter and Irving Berlin so it's no surprise that he would want to pay homage and love that style of musical theatre. It's what he knows best.

[MusicMan]

Posted: 4/3/04 at 12:44pm

Serviceable is the word.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 4/3/04 at 1:20pm

I think it is a very good score even though I think Brooks is full of himself. Prior to the Producers, he could not get himself arrested

Music Man, again your opinion is your opinion as is mine. Both are opinions - nothing more & nothing less

Posted: 4/3/04 at 1:25pm

Agree with MusicMan on this one. The score does its job, nothing more.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 4/3/04 at 1:31pm

Another opinion. The opinion that matters most is yours & no n else's. It won the Tony for best score. Not bad for a serviceable score

[MasterLcZ]

Posted: 4/3/04 at 2:10pm

Frankly, Roxy...If Porter, Alen, Gershwin & Sondheim could had written a new score in competition with THE PRODUCERS, it would not have won. Mel's show created more excitement on Broadway than anything in many years, and the Tony voters wanted to amply reward him.

But, after all that...Serviceable is indeed the best way to describe the score.
One of its one-time backers, David Geffen, had the excellent idea of hiring Jerry Herman to write the music, with Mel contributing lyrics. According to Mel, Herman magnanimously suggested that Mel do the enitire score.

(Jerry! You schmuck!)

And what's odd in a Tony-winning musical: the score is the show one weak link. Everything (and everybody) else was top drawer.

Updated On: 4/3/04 at 02:10 PM

Posted: 4/3/04 at 4:34pm

Rox, winning the TONY is not necessarily a true measure of what is best.

For example, FINIAN'S RAINBOW did not win best score in 1947. What did? Kurt Weill's STREET SCENE.

Just one example.

[TheQuibbler]

Posted: 4/3/04 at 5:46pm

I love the score, actually. It's fun, big, hummable, and has wonderful orchestrations.

[alterego]

Posted: 4/4/04 at 1:48am

Couldn't agree more MasterLcz.

However, last night I went to a preview of the show here in Melbourne, Australia and have to say that the score rose above the some of the at best adequate performances (not everyone here is top drawer!) on view. I'll revist the show after Stroman and Brooks have visited to whip it into shape before I say anymore. Updated On: 4/4/04 at 01:48 AM