Writing a Paper on Sondheim

[BtMartin25]

Posted: 5/30/07 at 1:06pm

Hello fellow Bway Worlders... I'm writing a paper on the life of Stephen Sondheim, and was wondering if anyone had any juicy information that I shouldn't forget!

I would love if you could help.

[Fenchurch]

Posted: 5/30/07 at 1:26pm

There are already a lot of juicy tidbits about Sondheim. Your professor might be more impressed if you find out information about his other musical influences, like his work with Milton Babbit and why he's so influenced by composers like Debussy.

[SeanMartin]

Posted: 5/30/07 at 2:50pm

Deleted -- just not worth it.

Updated On: 5/30/07 at 02:50 PM

[WOSQ]

Posted: 5/30/07 at 3:45pm

Beats me....

[Unknown User]

Posted: 5/30/07 at 5:05pm

Hahah yeah there are a ton of "juicy" gossipy details you can easily find (many are even directly alluded to in the Seacrest biography although not the "big" one that always comes up) but I mean what kinda paper is this--are you applying to tabloid journalism 101?

E

[yellibean2]

Posted: 5/30/07 at 7:09pm

Hey, I write a biography paper on Sondheim last year and I used Stephen Sondheim: A Life by Meryle Secrest as my main source. It's not the best book but as far as I can tell, it's pretty much the only print biography of him.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 5/30/07 at 7:12pm

I'm gonna go with the philosophy that says gossip (if that's what you're asking for) hasn't much place in academia. Why on earth would you want to include something like that in a paper? It seems neither impressive nor appropriate for a school paper. Sure, write about his life, but gossip you dig up on the internet does not belong in an assignment for school.

[wickedrentq]

Posted: 5/30/07 at 8:04pm

I'm gonna be an optimist and think that by "juicy information" you didn't mean gossip but important information.

Regardless, I would still recommend quite a few books..."Art Isn't Easy" by Joanna Gordon gives a great in-depth look at his musicals...I've been told "Sondheim's Musicals" is also a good read but I haven't gotten around to it.

If you're interested in Sondheim's influences and such, a great book is called "How Sondheim Found His Sound."

And if you have a bit of a musical background and can follow some intense technical musical terms. another great book is "Sondheim on Music: Minor Details and Major Decisions." Here he is interviewed about several of his shows and he himself discusses these "major and minor" (scales--get it? haha!) aspects.

[Becoz_i_knew_you21]

Posted: 5/30/07 at 8:52pm

I would not put gossip in a paper for school. It is just not right.

[EugLoven]

Posted: 5/30/07 at 8:58pm

Papers usually need a Works Cited page at the back, right?

Don't come to the Message Boards for information.
Instead, pick up one of these books (just to name a few):

Reading Stephen Sondheim : a collection of critical essays / edited and with an introduction by Sandor Goodhart.

Stephen Sondheim : a life / Meryle Secrest.

Stephen Sondheim : a casebook / edited by Joanne Gordon.

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 5/30/07 at 9:02pm

His favorite flavor of ice cream is Strawberry!
He is a die hard All My Children fan!
Twice a week he takes a dip in the midtown Y pool! (and showers in the PUBLIC SHOWER!!!)
He once considered writing a musical about cats!
His favorite Jackson is Tito.
It is his fantasy to live in a castle with a moat and a drawbridge.

Updated On: 5/30/07 at 09:02 PM

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 5/30/07 at 9:04pm

Let me guess, your paper is due tomorrow, right?

[wickedrentq]

Posted: 5/30/07 at 9:20pm

Eug, again I'm not sure what this person's actual intentions were, but it is perfectly logical to come to a message board for information on a paper...information on good books to read, as we have been providing, see?

BTW, haven't heard of the Goodhart book, sounds interesting...good read?

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 5/30/07 at 9:22pm

Oh Sue...


Cola hurts when it comes out your nose!

[Jazzysuite82]

Posted: 5/30/07 at 11:27pm

Actually SOndheim talks far more of Ravel and Rachmoninoff than Debussy. I don't think there's more material out there on any other musical theatre composer than Sonhdeim. There are SOOOO Many books. Start there.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 5/31/07 at 12:09am

Jazzy is right--I'v enot heard him mention Rach much (except quoting from him for Ben's new song in the London Follies) but Ravel is the one SOndheim always mentions--not so much Debussy. And yeah besides maybe Bernstein--you can find SOOO many books on SOndheim's music background it's not funny

If music theory is an interest, Banfield's book is a must

[BtMartin25]

Posted: 5/31/07 at 2:04pm

I'm sorry that my post was very vague. Thank you to those who responded with books and such. I've gotten as much as I can from a local library, and a few internet magazine articles.

What I meant was, does anyone know of any major interesting events that I shouldn't forget. I mean, i've written plenty of paragraphs on his early life, and now that it's getting to the shows he's done.. i've been whipping through it. (Final paper of the year) So.. if something extraordinary happened it'd be great to know so I can research more into that.

Thanks.