What people [3 and hate about Sondheim — Page 3

I'd rather take a pop score anyday.


- If you knew anything. Sondheim has his one and only pop score. MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG. It's pop for Sondheim's standards, but is in another league from Schwartz's pop garbage.

Updated On: 5/24/08 at 03:51 PM

Ahh. Wildhorn. Now there is the true master of American Musical Theatre.

Amen, SondheimGeek.

And look for a revival in 09/10.

I am very excited for the revival! I've heard various things about the revised versions of the book/score, and I'm wondering if it would be better to revive the show as it was originally concieved, without the countless revisions?

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Passion is actually one of the few of his shows that I think are actually good. Earlier on BroadwayRadio one of his most annoying songs came on, You Could Drive a Person Crazy.

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Ahhh I forgot about Schwartz's remarkable Meadowlark. Noone can deny that that is a great song.

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I like Schwartz... about half the time. Good- Wicked, Baker's Wife, Pippin. Bad- Godspell (which my hatred for is enough to even out my love for the other three). Sondheim is never old to me. He's about half of my iPod. P.S.: Don't discriminate against 1992. I like Sondheim and I was born in 92 (although I do agree my generation can be pretty... classless)

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I hate when people run around spouting about how much they love Stephen Sondheim just to seem smart and cultivated. Granted, this is not pointed at anyone on this site-- I'm talking about people who just say, "Yes, I'm a huge Sondheim fan" but can't name any of the shows he wrote (except for "West Side Story," which loads of people seem to think he composed the music for, and "Sweeney Todd," the delight of Depp fangirls everywhere who don't even know that there ever was a Ballad of Sweeney Todd). It seems to me like an AWFUL lot of people think he's the same person as Stephen Schwartz as well. I've actually heard people say, "I love Stephen Sondheim! Wicked was the best thing ever!"

That said, the most-played song on my iPod is the Gun Song/Ballad of Czolgozs from "Assassins," which is one of my very favourite songs from any musical. I have to admit, I don't know a whole lot of Sondheim's work, but I like most of what I've heard-- eventually. It usually goes through a pattern of, "Wow, I don't like this. There's no tune." And then, "What was I talking about, this is *catchy.*" And then "AUUUUGH, I CAN'T GET THIS OUT OF MY HEAD!"

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I saw Sweeney Todd on Broadway and was blown away. I didn't know Sondheim's music when I went to see it. I only knew who he was from reading about the show. I became semi addicted to his scores and have been a longtime fan. I don't own every Sondheim recording. I don't think I have to to be a big fan. Sweeney and Merrily are my two favorites. I have 4 or 5 Sonheim shows on my ZUNE that I listen to often. I just think he is brilliant and there is always something wonderful to find in his music. I even went back to his earlier stuff and listened to what I could in order just to hear how his style changed and progressed and how you find bits and pieces of one score in another. he is fun and challenging at times (in a good way) to listen to.

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What I love about Sondheim: his music and lyrics.

What I hate about Sondheim: nothing really.

What I wonder about Sondheim: why so much of his magnificent music and lyrics are stuck in shows with such lackluster books, and often come to the stage in such lackluster productions.

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I, like many here, love Sondheim's lyrics. Smart lyrics are so important in story-telling and the lyrics are why I adore Into the Woods and Sweeney Todd. My true appreciation for Into the Woods grew when I was in the show (first in HS, then in college) and had time for the lyrics to sink in. I also think the lyrics from Company are quite clever.

I like a lot of his music as well (Sweeney is his strongest work for me musically), but whenever I stare at the sheet music for a lot of his songs, the singer is me wants to beat him for making it a b**** to sing!

Of course, musical theater tastes varies for every individual, so I can understand why people don't share the same love for Sondheim I do. I'm not a huge fan of the music from Wicked as I feel for every semi-decent song, there is a huge clunker. To each their own.

Pacific Overtures takes time... But it will happen.