Sunday in the Park with George (1984 Original Broadway Cast)
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Free Music Notes for Sunday in the Park with George (1984 Original Broadway Cast)
Free Music Review: Powerful Stuff.
Hit: 5 Stars
This Musical made a powerful impact on me. After listening to it the 1st time I asked myself "What in the world is this jumble of musically incomprehensible rubbish?", but I decided to patiently wait a few days and give it a 2nd try before discarding it.
WISE DECISION.
What at first seemed a forgettable lineup of tunes immediately proved itself familiar upon the 2nd hearing.
What at first appeared a pretenious libretto turned out to be a story chalk full of humor, wisdom, and great sadness.
Just listen to the French horns entrance on track 1, and the indelible grandeur and beauty of this work will quickly become apparent. The initial reference to a white canvas, which sets the stage for the sad story to come, also ends the musical, with a hopeful message of a future full of possibilities. That's an appealing message to me.
To sum up, a very rich musical landscape (not your average tune-o-rama) along with absolutely superb performances earns this my highest recommendation. You won't easily tire of this recording. In fact, the more I listen, the more I like.
Enjoy.
Free Music Review: Amazing new orchestral and structural direction for Sondheim
Hit: 4 Stars
Sunday In The Park With George is Stephen Sondheim's Pulitzer Prize winner. Is it his very best work? No. Is it amazing? Yes, warts and all. After getting badly wounded by 1980's Merrily We Roll Along (a neglected masterpiece, in my opinion, at least for the music) and after almost leaving musical theater altogether, Sondheim put pen to paper to create one of the most *personal* and original scores in any genre or era. His "pointalistic" style of writing perfectly compliments and in fact "describes" Seurat's style of painting. The orchestration is crystal clear and filled with Seurat's colors, and is well-served by the then-new digital sound technology. And for a composer often accused of being cold and aloof, Sondheim here finally poured out his soul and revealed his insecurities.
Patinkin and Peters are wonderful in what most non-singers would not realize are very demanding roles (especially for Peters, who actually injured her voice singing this role off Broadway while also singing an Andrew Lloyd Webber revue on Broadway). The supporting cast is also excellent. But the real "star" of the show is the show, or the idea of it. Never before has such an innately non-musical idea been so well-adapted as a musical. Never have such abstract and frankly intellectual concepts made it to a mass medium so well. Imagine if this work started out life as a book instead. I could just hear the critics saying it was "unadaptable" to the stage or screen. Sondheim and Lapine deserve kudos for that, for they handle realism, surrealism, fantasy, and an almost sci-fi-ish laser sequence with equal aplomb, blending styles and genres much better than many heralded 1990's movie directors with their over-hyped hybrid films.
So what are the weak spots? A few of the songs are, to me, not quite up to Sondheim's extraordinarily high standards. Though many laud "We Do Not Belong Together" for its emotionalism, to me it sounds dangerously talky and "heart-on-sleeve"--unusual for Sondheim. The same with Bernadette's second song in the same vein, "Move On." ("Stop worrying if your vision is new/Let others make that decision, they usually do. You keep moving on." --For Sondheim, this is kind of straightforward and square, devoid of the usual layers of irony and insight we expect from him. It almost sounds like he's having a therapy session in front of his audience.) Some of the direction, too, is a little awkward and stilted, if you see the video of the production. There's a certain artificiality and stiffness up on that stage that makes it feel like a high school play in spots. Of course, this issue does not mar the CD.
The recording is first class. The booklet is frustrating, though. It is so thick it barely fits into the skinny CD case, and in fact the little plastic teeth that are supposed to hold it in place wind up tearing the back cover after repeated slidings in and out. Mine's at the point where the last few pages are about to be shredded.
This was Sondheim's last great musical, excepting possibly his latest, "Bounce," which I haven't seen or heard. Into The Woods was a pleasant evening and had a great Act I, but it didn't come together well in the end and had a rather pedestrian message. Assassins was a fascinating experiment, like Pacific Overtures, but I feel it fell flat, though I understand a recent revival smoothed out many of the problems. And I don't even want to go near Passions, which should have been called Obsessions and which was relentlessly and unnecessarily dark in my opinion, despite some beautifully emotional music. (I can't believe Barbra Steisand has never recorded "Loving You.") While Sondheim may have faded in the 90s and beyond, he's still THE voice of American musical theater, and an achievement such as the present disc helps you understand why.
Free Music Review: The most beautiful Score. Ever.
Hit: 5 Stars
This is Sondheim's masterpiece, in my opinion. Sweeney Todd is usually hailed as his masterpiece, and i can understand that. It appeals to a wider range of people. But this is for a select audience. It has a very intelectual message, and a score to match. But you do not have to be an intelectual to understand it and enjoy it It just takes many listens to let it asorb you. Notice the "dots" of music. But this is not a boring score, quite the contrary. Notice how fast the music and lyrics move. One problem with this recording. The quiet moments are too quiet. They should have been mastered at a higher volume. This quickly becomes a nuisance, because you find yourself turning the volume up, and then down at the loud parts. This is very prevelent in the number "It's Hot Up Here". Still this is a great recording, and deserves the five stars. Also, this is the perfect companion to the Dvd, so check that out too.Free Music Review: Sondheim's Masterpiece
Hit: 5 Stars
Though not the most popular or well-known of Sondhieim's musicals, "A Sunday in the Park With George" could easily be considered his finest work. The Pulitzer Prize winning play, inspired by Georges Seurat's beautiful painting "A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte," contains haunting melodies and intellectually un-matched lyrics.As far as the cast shows, the stand-outs are, unpredictably, Bernadette Peters and Mandy Patinkin. Peters is wonderful in anything she does, but this score not only shows off her range as a singer but as an actress. Never before has she given a stronger performance.
Patinkin, though a weaker actor in film, shines more than ever. His stunning tenor voice pierces the heart, and evokes emotion never seen in a piece of musical theatre.
Sunday in the Park with George is not for everyone, however. With long, repetitive tracks and very little humor, the play is a piece to think about for days. You won't regret buying this - it's truly Stephen Sondheim's masterpiece.
Free Music Review: ~Pretty Good Musical- Worth Your Money~
Hit: 4 Stars
This is a very interesting musical, and it definetly is not easy listening. It is more of an intellectual musical. Mandy & Bernadette shine as the leads, and their chemistry is definetly tangible. The only problem is that it is somewhat confusing if you don't see the DVD, and Mandy sometimes gets a little TOO into his character. His most irritating moment is when he uses his "dog voices." When I hear them, I feel like throwing the CD player against the wall. But other than that, it is good. I would definently recommend purchasing the DVD, which clearly will clear up confusion.