Gypsy - A Musical Fable (1959 Original Broadway Cast)
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Free Music Notes for Gypsy - A Musical Fable (1959 Original Broadway Cast)
Free Music Review: Ethel Merman Stars Once Again!
Hit: 5 Stars
Ethel's last play was one of her best. SHe sings well in the trio "Together Wherever We Go." She sounds great in showstoppers such as "Rose's Turn" and "Everything's Coming Up Roses."Free Music Review: rose
Hit: 5 Stars
I WAS VERY GRACED TO SEE "GYPSY" WHEN I WAS 12 YEARS OLD. THE NEW PRODUCTION WITH PATTI LUPONE AT THE ST. JAMES FINALLY MATCHES THIS....MICHAEL CULLEN..Free Music Review: gift
Hit: 5 Stars
bought this as a gift for a huge Ethel Merman fan and he was thrilled! Thank you once again amazon for having what I was looking for!Free Music Review: Fabulous! Fabulous! Fabulous!
Hit: 5 Stars
One of the best scores ever written for the stage!Free Music Review: The greatest musical ever.
Hit: 4 Stars
"Gypsy" may not be my favorite musical. But somehow I can't listen to the recording and watch the various filmed versions without marvelling at the eclectic and absolutely wonderful score, perfect colloquial lyrics, and unique and oddly touching storyline. It is, indeed, the perfect Broadway show.Jule Styne's score rings with originality and yet cannot be mistaken for anything but quintessential "Broadway." Sondheim's lyrics shine with astute insight and clever rhymes. Songs that were both catchy and jazzy, Styne and Sondheim wrote soft and lovely ballads like "Small World" and "Little Lamb", wild burlesque numbers like "You Gotta Get A Gimmick" and "Let Me Entertain You", toe-tapping musical comedy tunes like "Together Wherever We Go", and most importantly, powerful songs that delved into the very root of a character's personality such as "Some People" and the legendary "Rose's Turn."
"Rose's Turn" deserves a review of its own. It is this song that completely makes the show what it is. Sondheim's work on it, both musically and lyrically, was perfect in its ingenuity and originality. Mama Rose's striptease, parodying her daughter's elevates to an emotionally-charged number, completely showing every facet of her personality. The motif ("What did I do it? What did it get me? Scrapbook shots of me in the background.") that runs through the show works wonderfully in this song, creating a nervous, desperate atmosphere that hardly needs Sondheim's agitated lyrics to convey the mood.
With all that said, I have to admit that I am not an Ethel Merman admirer. Perhaps it's because I'm from a different generation that doesn't quite understand the "art of belting." It is interesting, however, to note that neither Styne nor Sondheim (who called her "the singing dog") felt Merman the perfect Mama Rose, a claim made by many just on this review page. Honestly, I prefer the more tender and yet strong-willed voices of Bette Midler or Angela Lansbury. Merman just doesn't really strike me the way she seemed to have stricken those who had a chance to see her or grow up with her portrayal.
Still, even with Merman, this recording is still wonderful. The perfect score and lyrics come out strong and clear, and the liner notes help us gain a better understanding of the story and the development of the show. This is the greatest musical ever. Listen to the CD and you'll find out.