What's good about Andrew Lloyd Webber?

[jczelyph]

Posted: 1/4/05 at 11:14am

I was interested to know what people think he has contributed to musical theatre, and whether his shows are of artistic merit, and if so, how....

He's certainly been an important figure in musical theatre during the past 40 years but has he changed the form? I'm sure there's no doubt that Sondheim is an incredibly important and artistic composer but can ALW be viewed similarly?

Updated On: 1/4/05 at 11:14 AM

[ckeaton]

Posted: 1/4/05 at 11:17am

Lots and lots of jobs, and revenue.

[CarolynW]

Posted: 1/4/05 at 11:35am

This may be long. I have been getting readi=y to post on another board and am very upset at how people hope the Phantom film will go down.

Everyday I chat with young people 13-18 years old who grew up on ALWs music. Most saw Phantom on stage at a young age, some have never see it, but they of course probably saw CATS.

ALW brought children into the theatre, that is something that I have seen. I worked in Los Angeles when Phantom first opened there. I was a volunteer at the theatre. Young kids 5 years old some would come dressed as the Phantom or Christine. Some of those kids are now 18 years old and posted a reply to me that they were probalby one of the kids I was talking about who grew up on ALW.

My children in their 40s grew up on ALW, not just Phantom, but JCS, Joseph, Sunset Blvd, etc. I have a grandson and hoping he will too get into musicals and go to the theatre when he grows up.

That is what ALW has contributed, his shows appeal to young people and then they see one show and maybe another show.

That is why I hope the film will do well, so more musicals will be put on film that young people can see. Most of middle America cannot afford to see stage shows they are priced too high. Most have the see CATS on PBS.

Today I got a email from someone in Guam who hopes the film comes to their country. I don't know as I have nothing to do with international distribution. This person loves the OLC and never saw a stage production of the show.

This is what ALW does for theatre and some of his shows flopped, but he did them because he wanted to. He has the money to do that and he has said that we need new blood in theatre. That is why I admire the man. He takes chances and told someone the other day he ignores those that bash him. Not in those words:)

So that is my comment. That is also the reason I was asked to moderate the WB message board for the Phantom film. They knew I would go in with an objective attitude and not put people down because they like the film. Even if I had not liked the film, I still would not have told others they were wrong that it was horrible. That is what is sad right now is people putting down the film. Well, if Phantom does not do well then SUNSET BLVD. willnot get released for filming by Paramount probably, Les Mis may never get done on film. These are things others are not thinking about. I do as I love musicals. Even some who have said they do not like the film, said they would buy the DVD. That makes no sense to me, unless they do like it enough to have the DVD. It is crazy how this love/hate thing is for ALW and Phantom. But the ones gettign hurt are those young people who may never see the Phantom film or any other musical on film/theatre.

Told you it would long and I am not even sure if it makes sense. I just got up and have been sick for few days, but still I do not let the kids down. They want to talk about the film and I will continue doing it, because that is the type of person I am.


Yours,

Carolyn

[jczelyph]

Posted: 1/4/05 at 12:33pm

Thanks! Any other views? Anyone wanna tell us why ALW is bad?

[ElTico68]

Posted: 1/4/05 at 12:46pm

Even though I don't believe he has really changed musical theater, he did create a couple of pieces that will forever be seen as classics: "Jesus Christ Superstar" and "Evita". Don't take me wrong, I love some of his work, but mostly because it's fluff. The same way I love big action movies with no plot and awesome special effects. They're great, lavish entertainment. And because of that, as Carolyn stated, they're accessible to everyone. (and before I'm accused of not having any taste, yadda yadda yadda, as it's likely to happen on these boards, I am also a huge Sondheim fan)

What's bad about ALW? His lack or originality... how he uses a couple of melodies and rehashes them over and over in the same play. The last ALW musical I really enjoyed was Phantom... Sunset Blvd. was ok, but only because I saw Betty Buckley.

Anyway... my 2 cents.

[MasterLcZ]

Posted: 1/4/05 at 1:14pm

He has a really wonderful collection of Victorian and Pre-Raphaelite paintings and decorative arts.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 1/4/05 at 1:18pm

ALW has certainly given musical theatre some indelible standards and brought musical theatre into worldwide recognition more than any other composer. That's a pretty hefty accomplishment.

[jackson992]

Posted: 1/5/05 at 4:51am

heh Sondheim is nothing next to ALW. Sondheim's stuff has no melody to it. The use of repeating melodies in ABW's work is a good thing. That's just good songwriting.

[jo]

Posted: 1/5/05 at 7:20am

On a worldwide basis, there are probably more people familiar with the works of ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER than any other contemporary musical theatre composer. Here in Asia, his music is well recognized and people are familiar with his musicals ( we have had local productions in Manila of Jesus Christ Superstar, Evita, Tell Me On a Sunday, etc.,) and male and female singers have used his songs in many concerts. He has advanced the cause of music from the theatre very well.

He has also tackled many different subjects in his musicals and it is amazing how he can weave musical fantasies over unusual subjects ( sectarian violence in THE BEAUTIFUL GAME, poems about CATS, children's fantasy in WHISTLE DOWN THE WIND, a romantic albeit disfigured hero in PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, a story of intertwining love among Bohemians in ASPECTS OF LOVE, a murder mystery in WOMAN IN WHITE, political revolutions in EVITA, an almost revisionist story of Jesus in JCS and another biblical story in JOSEPH, even trains and the related human metaphors in STARLIGHT EXPRESS... isn't this quite a cornucoppia?).

I am a fan of his music and have seen almost all of his musicals, except for Jeeves and the more recent Woman in White. His music has brought me a lot of pleasure over the years and I hope we can look forward to more years of composing from him. Updated On: 1/5/05 at 07:20 AM

[BroadwayBound06]

Posted: 1/5/05 at 7:38am

jackson992, a little bit of advice, saying stuff like that will get you flamed on this board. How much Sondheim have you listened to? He certinly does have melodies, they're just tricky and you have to search for them. And honestly, none of Webber's peices can touch Company, Sweeney, A Little Night Music, Assassin, etc. well except for maybe JCS but the thing with Sondheim, he shines through with his lyrics more than anything else, he can make stuff work that no one else can. But then again Webber is only a composer, so it's a little hard to compare them.

[joeyjoe]

Posted: 1/5/05 at 8:24am

"...it's a little hard to compare them."

BB06, my thoughts exactly... they are both good at their art in different ways... this isn't a competition between the two...

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 1/5/05 at 10:23am

Why is Webber only ever compared to Sondheim? There are other composers out there as well, but everyone goes straight to Sondheim when talking about Lloyd Webber. It makes no sense other than the usual snobbery. Sondheim and Lloyd Webber are completely different. They write different shows for different reasons, are both considered successful for different reasons, and other than both being musical theatre composers, have absolutely nothing in common. And yes, Sondheim's music has melodies. I can't believe I just said that.

[Joshua488]

Posted: 1/5/05 at 1:23pm

Sondheim's music has melodies?! Since when??

Just kidding! Sondheim, along with Webber, is a genius. He may not follow your typical musical theater style of composing, but that's what makes him excellent. I love Sondheim's music, but it is difficult as hell. Sondheim's music may have a melody, but I would love to hear someone try to sing one of his songs a cappella and ON KEY the whole song. That seems like a feat in and of itself!

[robbiej]

Posted: 1/5/05 at 1:26pm

According to Sarah Brightman, he has a very big willie.

[leomaxfrank]

Posted: 1/5/05 at 1:48pm

Yes - that is the word on the street. I too appreciate ALW for his contributions to the theatre. Even though I don't listen to his stuff on a regular basis (except for JCS), I'm glad that what he has done for the theatre will surely be appreciated throughout the world - and for the rest of time.

[sydney23]

Posted: 1/5/05 at 4:14pm

You do hear that complaint repeated constantly about Webber - about the endless repetition of a couple of melodies. Funny, but I don't hear it that way. Just off the top of my head i can think of more than a handful of tunes i really like in "phantom" - all of them melodically distinctive from each other. "think of me", "angel of music", "music of the night" "primadonna" "masquerade" and "all i ask of you" are a pretty nice collection. True, they do get repeated a great deal throughout the piece - but I'm curious if you all object to the use of leitmotif (or endless repetition ) as popularized by Wagner in opera as well? I personally like the connecting of musical ideas to the characters and themes of the show through some repetition. I think those themes can sort of act like pavlovian triggers within the story and it can really deepen the response and emotions of the audience when it's done well.

[jackson992]

Posted: 1/5/05 at 5:14pm

Well the shows you all listed are all awful IMO. If you can list some good shows of his I might be able to support you more.

[StickToPriest]

Posted: 1/5/05 at 5:23pm

" heh Sondheim is nothing next to ALW. Sondheim's stuff has no melody to it. The use of repeating melodies in ABW's work is a good thing. That's just good songwriting."


I can understand why you don't like him.

To like Sondheim, you have to have an ear for music, want to be challenged intellectually and not have stuff spoon-fed to you, and be a fan of great theatre.


And, by your comments, you seem to not have worry about any of those three things getting in your way, so keep disliking Sondheim all you want.

[BroadwayDiva]

Posted: 1/5/05 at 5:29pm

I grew up on ALW. My parents are huge ALW fans and always had his music playing. I've seen many productions of most of shows, and I love all of them, especially JCS. His melodies are catchy, and some are just amazing ("Heaven on their Minds" is one of my favorite songs).

[jczelyph]

Posted: 1/5/05 at 5:39pm

StickToPriest: Don't be an ass. It's that kind of ridiculous, immature ("If you don't like Sondheim, you must be stupid"), snobby, unfounded kind of comments that make this board sometimes less than welcoming. Have an opinion by all means, express it at your leisure, but don't be mean or base. It's not fetching.

Updated On: 1/5/05 at 05:39 PM

[StickToPriest]

Posted: 1/5/05 at 5:44pm

Aww.

Can't I be an ass every once in a while?

I don't do it often and its kinda fun.

[jczelyph]

Posted: 1/5/05 at 5:58pm

Priest: Well, maybe once. :-> But not on this thread. I like ALW and I make effort to deny that. I'm sick of sonbbery (however lighthearted) causing hard feelings. I like Sondheim too. He's not popular in the UK so I only really started to appreciate him after reading this board. He's growing on me and I am appreciating him more and more. He's different to ALW and he's good for listening to when you want something different than what ALW creates. Neither is better than the other. Indeed, who really can say? I'd never suppose I was versed enough in what constitutes 'quality art'.

Anyway, curmudgeonly rant over with, normal jczelyph service is resumed forthwith. Priest, what do u think is good about ALW?

Updated On: 1/5/05 at 05:58 PM

[jackson992]

Posted: 1/5/05 at 5:58pm

I can sing any of his stuff:) I don't mid challenging music but it has to have some kind of melody to be memorable to me. The only two shows of his that are ok are Into the Woods and Passion

[brdwaybaby17]

Posted: 1/5/05 at 6:04pm

Well, he did introduce us to Sarah Brightman...

Updated On: 1/5/05 at 06:04 PM

[jczelyph]

Posted: 1/5/05 at 6:05pm

Sarah Brightman isn't a good thing...