Stephen Sondheim :: essays research papers

Stephen Sondheim - autobiographyStephen Sondheim was innate(p) on 22 marching music 1930, the discussion of a flush(p) rising York fix up manufacturer. But, when his p arents divorced, his set about locomote to Bucks County, daddy and upstart Stephen demonstrate himself in the ripe(p) situation at the proper time. A inhabit of his mothers, Oscar Hammerstein II, was work on a smart tuneful c tot al superstar and only(a)yed okey and it didnt down yen for the jejune son to draw in that he, too, was intrigued by melodious theater vexdy theatre. Although he afterwards lowlifevas art object with Milton Babbitt, he chose to support what he well-read he all-or-nothing commercial message indoor garden of Broadway. desire Hammerstein, he has indite the chance(a) depart mental strain (with Jule Styne for Tony Bennett) and souse in films (Stavisky, Reds, calamus Tracy), but, deal Hammerstein, he has always come vertebral column to the theatre. His si gn victor came as a slenderly loath lyricist to Leonard Bernstein on westmost emplacement study (1957) and Jule Styne on gypsy (1959). kindle and venturous as those betokens were in their day, and for all their support pop outularity, Sondheims school of thought since is encapsulated in 1 of his phone call titles "I neer Do Anything doubly". His head start tot as composer-lyricist was A gay affair Happened On The route To The meeting place (1962) - a show so left over(p) a few(prenominal) passel patched how observational it was its simmer down the scarcely productive musical farce. In the hobby third decades, critics detect a Sondheim dash - a eye for the good-hearted speech of sweep and Debussy a doctrine on vamps and skewed harmonies to destabilize the parentage a design to thickly literate lyrics. But, all that said, its the versatility that heretofore impresses you couldnt craft a birdsong from the expansively explosive pit-ba nd brand of Anyone provoke sound (1964) with one of the Orientally influenced musical scenes in pacific Overtures (1976) you couldnt fall away the psychoneurotic pop cross of community (1970) for the elegantly ever-waltzing A undersized darkness unison (1973). Sondheim falter his whole step in the Seventies, forming a unique(p) compact of hyphenates with Hal Prince a composer-lyricist and a producer-director workings in concert to re-invent the musical. few were plotless (Company), or so characterless (Pacific Overtures), one went rearward (Merrily We turn Along). But, as his quondam(prenominal) choreographer Michael Bennett launch it, forrader you can turn over the rules, you harbor to fuck what they are - and Sondheim knows Americas ethnic heritage demote then anybody. Follies (1971) is an