The Adam Guettel Argument- Page 3

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 11/11/06 at 3:45pm

Adam Guettel is one of my favorite composers. Even though Floyd Collins and The Light in the Piazza are nothing alike, they are still so beautiful.

[Jazzysuite82]

Posted: 11/11/06 at 4:43pm

RentBoy86 you act as if the performing of numbers came as a surprise to Guettel. It didn't. He didn't write something on paper that isn't performable. I mean c'mon really? These people aren't ameteurs. Lest you forget, Piazza and Floyd both went through a series of readings and workshops. They were in development for years before the published versions went out. So I'm sure Adam got what he wanted after hearing it over and over. Honestly you're going to have to give me specifiv examples of this too much lyric you're talking about. Because I don't know what you mean. Especially in Guettel's music. That sounds like a Sondheim accusation.
Updated On: 11/12/06 at 04:43 PM

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 11/11/06 at 4:52pm

Like Jazzysuite mentioned before - Getting Married Today.

If Amy can get all those words out and still hold a note then there really isn't such a thing has too much.

If you can't do it, then you can't do it. That's why some people become actors and some people become audience members.

(And I was being somewhat facetious with Der Holle Rache, but I think my point was made...)

Updated On: 11/11/06 at 04:52 PM

[buffyactsing]

Posted: 11/11/06 at 5:47pm

"He doesn't "help" you, like Sondheim does."

A lot of Sondheim has little to no help either.

[LostLeander]

Posted: 11/11/06 at 6:17pm

Clara is one of the most difficult roles to sing, not because her range is incredibly difficult, but all of her songs sit so much in the break of a soprano's voice.

You must be able to navigate through your chest, mix, and head voice, and make concious, deliberate decisions about where to place things. Kelli O'Hara sounds absolutely divine, but you know she was working hard to sound so effortless.

Those intervals in Light in the Piazza fit perfectly with Clara's character... she's reaching, rising, straddling childhood and adulthood... it's perfect writing.

I'd say that Guettel is one of the best melodic writers of our time. He has the sweeping romanticism of his Grandfather but with a distinct modern voice. He creates some of the best melodies that I have ever heard.

Specefically, Hero and Leander, Light in the Piazza, How Glory Goes.

Collins and Piazza sound NOTHING like each other. Maybe there's are similiarities in Dividing Day, because he's writing in Margaret's South Carolina voice, but I think it fits perfectly into Piazza's score, and could never be used in Collins...