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| re: Question regarding 1987 London production of FOLLIES | |
| Posted by: Chromolume 11:43 am EDT 06/19/18 | |
| In reply to: re: Question regarding 1987 London production of FOLLIES - EvFoDr 10:40 am EDT 06/19/18 | |
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| I'm not sure I'd really say that "Country House" replaced "The Road You Didn't Take" as the songs function in entirely different scene contexts. (More accurate to say that the whole scene was added.) And obviously I feel that "The Road..." is sorely missed, and the the rethinking of Ben's track wasn't effective. But I also agree that "Country House" on its own merits is a fun song. The afford/bored/board line is clever, as are others - though in a lot of ways, the ending is my favorite part. The "second honeymoon" moment where maybe we think they're actually going to find a moment of peace or even romance with each other...then the barb he can't resist ("should be better than the first") - her impulsive response as the bubble is burst ("there are times when you can be a louse") - then a pause, and Ben's perfect cap of "the hell, let's get a house" (which could be played in various ways but certainly leaves Phyllis stymied). Though also - for those people that agree that the song stylistically feels a bit too much like Sunday or especially Woods, there is that moment about "the child" that does feel very Woods...especially with the sting chord in the orchestra at that point. So be it... |
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| re: Question regarding 1987 London production of FOLLIES | |
| Posted by: EvFoDr 11:56 am EDT 06/19/18 | |
| In reply to: re: Question regarding 1987 London production of FOLLIES - Chromolume 11:43 am EDT 06/19/18 | |
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| Maybe replaced wasn't the best word. But they took a solo moment examining Ben's psyche and now it's a duet exploring the relationship between Ben and Phylis. The songs occur in a pretty similar spot in the chronology of the evening. As far as House sounding like 1980’s Sondheim, it totally does. There is a word, which you might know, that I read in one of the Sondheim music analysis books—maybe Banfield. It’s a style of composing where he sort of just moves around the notes as opposed to having a more traditional melody. This is the style in which Country House is written, and used heavily in Sunday, Woods, Assassins, and Passion. What Can You Lose? Is also in this style. I wish I could remember the word, it’s bothered me for years!!! Argh. The other Follies songs, even the non-pastiche book songs, aren’t in this style. |
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