All That Chat - re: Musicals we love: Sondheim's Follies

HOME ALL THAT CHAT ATC WEST COAST SHOPPIN' RUSH BOARD FAQS

LOGIN REGISTER SEARCH FLAT MODE

not logged in

re: Musicals we love: Sondheim's Follies

Posted by:	LegitOnce 11:38 pm EST 01/20/14
In reply to:	re: Musicals we love: Sondheim's Follies - keikekaze 03:15 pm EST 01/20/14

Of the four, I would say "Too Many Mornings" is the nearest thing to a Rodgers and Hammerstein song. The form relatively conventional, a pop ballad with a contrasting middle section followed by a reprise. The dramatic situation, ex-lovers meeting after many years and pining for what might have been, is the sort of slightly offbeat scene that Hammerstein would find interesting. In a sense it's a "conditional love song," though a good deal less hopeful than the R&H classics from the 1940s. "I'm Still Here" is such an interesting piece: it's obviously a character song, but it sounds like a pastiche number. The way that reconciles, I think, is that Sondheim is depicting Carlotta as a raconteur: it's the story of her life, but she's jazzing it up for a big room, sort of like Judy Garland telling the story of :the Academy Award I lost." It's only natural, I think, that a larger-than-life type lady like Carlotta should imagine her autobiography being sung to a Harold Arlen tune.

reply \|

Previous:	re: Musicals we love: Sondheim's Follies - keikekaze 03:15 pm EST 01/20/14
Next:	re: Musicals we love: Sondheim's Follies - EvFoDr 04:19 pm EST 01/20/14

Thread:

All That Chat is intended for the discussion of theatre news and opinion
subject to the terms and conditions of the Terms of Service. (Please take all off-topic discussion to private email.)