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| re: Some Like It Hot (no spoilers) | |
| Last Edit: Chromolume 11:03 pm EST 11/27/22 | |
| Posted by: Chromolume 10:56 pm EST 11/27/22 | |
| In reply to: re: Some Like It Hot (no spoilers) - writerkev 09:51 pm EST 11/27/22 | |
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| Is instant memorability really the mark of a good score? No, it's not. But people seem to think it is. The very vast majority of us can't remember music we've heard once. There's a famous story about Mozart perfectly transcribing the Allegri Miserere after one hearing, but that was Mozart lol. Mostly, if you go out of a show humming any tune, it's literally the last one you heard. I started thinking about this when I was doing a production of Grey Gardens, and the tune of the Act I song "The 5:15" stayed with me for some time after the show was over each night. Well, we had just played it for the exit music - no wonder. I tend to really think that what people really want to mean when they say "memorable tune" is a melody (or more likely just the "hook" of a song) that makes good sense in your head as you're hearing it - the effect some have already noted about the songs in this show. NOT the ability to remember them the next day, or even during drinks after the show. Just a tune that makes sense. But almost always, it takes a few listens to start to really remember the specifics of a full melody. (And even for me - when I said that the tune of the title song is still with me, it's really not - not specifically - but I remember the general feel of the song and the basic sense of the tune. But I couldn't hum it for you right now. I'd have to hear it again to remember it.) A song can have the impression of being incredibly "tuneful" as you hear it - but that has nothing to do with your ability to remember it later. One of the reasons jukebox shows are so popular is because the audience can hum the tunes when they're buying tickets, let alone after the show. :-) But no, this expectation that a good score is one you can really specifically remember after hearing it - no, that's not realistic. It's pretty ridiculous, actually. I can guarantee you the the first night audience for Oklahoma wasn't humming the score on the way out. Except maybe for a line or two of "Oh, What A Beautiful Morning" (the last song that was sung) or a line or two of "Surrey With The Fringe On Top" (the last song played by the orchestra on the way out). That's it. They might have had a generic memory of the effect of the title song, or a few others along the way. But humming them or remembering any real musical specifics? I really doubt it. LATER audiences might, because they had then heard the recording already, bought the sheet music to play at home, maybe heard dance band arrangements on the radio, etc. But not after only one hearing. |
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| re: Some Like It Hot (no spoilers) | |
| Posted by: ablankpage 12:28 am EST 11/28/22 | |
| In reply to: re: Some Like It Hot (no spoilers) - Chromolume 10:56 pm EST 11/27/22 | |
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| Grey Gardens is a great example, actually! I saw the show cold and on the way home I was humming "da da da da dum" from "The Revolutionary Costume for Today", the refrain of "Around the World", and "When lilacs return in spring/Will you?" I can remember several similar experiences with musicals over the years, a small persistent melody or two that really hit me in the theater and stuck with me on the way home. It's definitely not the metric by which I judge musicals (a lot of my favorite Sondheim songs took many repeat listens until they really opened up to me), but I've never quite had this experience where everything was enjoyable in the moment and then immediately forgettable. The way dsikula describes it (above) is exactly how I felt too. I'll be curious to hear what you think of the score if you end up seeing it before the cast recording comes out! |
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| re: Some Like It Hot (no spoilers) | |
| Posted by: Chromolume 12:46 am EST 11/28/22 | |
| In reply to: re: Some Like It Hot (no spoilers) - ablankpage 12:28 am EST 11/28/22 | |
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| TBH I have no interest in the show whatsoever. I might catch a potential Boston tour performance if there is one, but if I get to NYC again anytime soon I can't imagine this would be a priority on my list. | |
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| re: Some Like It Hot (no spoilers) | |
| Posted by: marco49 12:22 am EST 11/28/22 | |
| In reply to: re: Some Like It Hot (no spoilers) - Chromolume 10:56 pm EST 11/27/22 | |
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| There are songs in SLIH that are instantly memorable, the title song, DAPHNE’s song, YOU COULD’VE KNOCKED ME OVER WITH A FEATHER,MARAPOSA, etc., a really good score!! | |
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