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Marty Neumeier's avatar

I remember a long TV interview of Sondheim in the 1980s. The interviewer asked how he knew where to put the songs in a musical. He said, "The songs should go in the exact spot where the dialogue can no longer contain the emotion." I thought it was so good that I used it in my work as a communication designer. I put the illustrations where the text could no longer express the emotion, the clarity, or the pacing I needed. And it worked!

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David Perlmutter's avatar

Sondheim was willing to experiment in an art form that tends to play it safe- those people are the ones who make a difference in the end.

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Bruce Lambert's avatar

The Gioia brothers, together, are a national cultural treasure. I am so grateful for both of them and how their work not just educates but edifies me. Bravo.

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Greg Gioia's avatar

I agree. But Ted should be included as well. He's no slouch!

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Bruce Lambert's avatar

Oh, another country heard from.

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Johanna Polus's avatar

Great excerpt. I really admire how fearless he was in the face of flops, of which there were quite a few. The Best Worst Thing That Ever Could Have Happened is a fun documentary about the fiasco that was the original Broadway opening of Merrily We Roll Along (with bonus footage of very young Jason Alexander and Giancarlo Esposito).

It's testament to Sondheim's talent that such a short-lived show developed a cult following and is now enjoying a successful Broadway run decades later. Some of his best songs.

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Rose White's avatar

Ah! This book has long been on my radar (as a bookseller I have access to the Digital advance copy scene, and I saw it there months ago!). I wondered if you might be related! This book sounds incredible and I'm going to promote it like hell when we get copies in stock. Would love for an opera Renaissance as well.

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Christopher Childers's avatar

This book was great! I loved reading it. Made me want to write a libretto!

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adrienneep's avatar

Words, music, and movement. What’s not to love? I had my awakening at age 5 with a summer outdoor movie screen nestled in the pine trees, with Oklahoma! and shooting stars behind. Sondheim had the privilege of being mentored by Oscar Hammerstein II and young crushed by Mary Rodgers. There really is American musical royalty. Of course it didn’t hurt to have preternatural genius as well.

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David MacGregor's avatar

For any poet or writer

Sondheim is heartening

Half his efforts failed

Goethe was right

Success at the beginning

Kills no art

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Kate Stanton's avatar

Intrigued! “Sondheim can only be understood on his own terms. He was the exception who disproved the rules.” Trailblazer🔥Also, loads of talent in the Gioia family. Thank you for sharing your gifts with us! This is what it’s all about. Find what you’re meant to do & share it with others.🎵inspiring

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Michael Kupperburg's avatar

Bought it for a friend, an opera fanatic, and he thoroughly enjoyed it. Knew a viola playing in some local symphonies near San Francisco, she enjoyed playing in Sondheim musicals. She also made comments of how much the singers enjoyed singing his songs, as compared to other composers or music.

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Andy's avatar

If I hadn’t just seen Into The Woods, I might agree.

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Jane Baker's avatar

I saw Into The Woods at Bath Theatre Royal a couple of years ago and I enjoyed it very much but - for reasons I had to leave at the end of the first act which feels like The End,the Happy Ending End. Later I saw someone who knew this show and they said in the short second Act it all falls apart,so im glad I kept to the Happy Ending!

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VMark's avatar

Spent a quick bit of time in that arena, the hardest hustle in show biz. Getting so many moving parts up and running and financed is a feat. With as many shows as he put up, one might think there’d be more “successes”. Getting so many made was also part of his genius. But even in the flops, there was wonderful work, as there is in many shows that never saw the bright lights.

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cmgnyc's avatar

Thanks for the excerpt, Ted. Just ordered two copies — one for myself and the other for my fellow opera-loving friend. Looking forward to reading it.

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Mark Saleski's avatar

Musical resonance is a funny thing. While I can see the obvious talent of Songheim, it does nothing for me as I absolutely loath musical theatre.

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Jane Baker's avatar

Id LOVE to see A Funny Thing....I wish some impresario would stage it ( and Oh What a Lovely War!). I think it was 2022 I went to a West End Show that was a compilation of songs and scenes from. Sondheim musicals. It was brilliant. Our Bonnie Langford was in it. How fabulous to be immortalised in Noel Cowards diaries. He was less than kind to five year old Bonnie,but she's in there,immortalised by words! And a very funny moment was when Bernadette Peters,one of his regular stars,did something wrong (don't know if for real or pretend) then apologised to us that audience by saying,"I'm sorry - I'm American" that got a huge laugh as I think Mr Trump had said something that was all over our media,some things don't change!

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Larry Stevens's avatar

Sondheim made beauty. Most of his peers made songs and stories, something else.

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