Music Monday - Stephen Sondheim

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The worldwide reaction to Sondheim’s death continues. At the secondary school where I teach the music theatre classes have swapped their usual end of year activities for documentaries about the great man.

This popped up this morning. It would be wonderful to see Australian theatres take part on Wednesday.

This Wednesday, join us and the theatre community in dimming your lights for Stephen Sondheim

This Wednesday, December 8, Broadway theatres will dim their marquees at 6:30 PM ET in honor of legendary composer Stephen Sondheim.

As we continue to commemorate Sondheim and his everlasting impact, we invite you to join in dimming your lights on Wednesday at whatever time is convenient for you.

For more than 40 years, MTI has had the distinct privilege of representing Mr. Sondheim's work, including 28 of his iconic musicals and revues, resulting in over 50,000 productions around the world. We know his shows have meant so much to so many of you.

We look forward to you joining us in spirit. 

Schmigadoon!

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I discovered this last night, after urgings from son Ben (not a particular music theatre fan) and conversations with several music theatre students in recent weeks.

It is an American musical comedy TV series of 6 episodes created by Cinco Paul and Ken Daurio. It premiered on Apple TV+ on 16th July this year.

Broadly, it is a parody of the Golden Age musical, Brigadoon, but it goes much further in also parodying famous musicals of the 1940s and 1950s – Oklahoma, The Sound of Music, The Music Man, Finian’s Rainbow, Carousel, and many more. (You can play the game ‘spot the reference’).

The cast line-up is stellar- Kristin Chenoweth, Alan Cumming, Martin Short, Aaron Tveit, Ariana DeBose – to name only a few. It’s as if all these stars wanted to fill their downtime during Covid – if so, lucky us!

At all levels it tries to parody the Technicolor palette from the golden years of Hollywood, while using a contemporary sensibility. It is firmly tongue in cheek.

It would be an interesting classroom challenge for music theatre students to identify, not just the sources, but also the cliches and habits of music theatre writers. 

Sidenote – will they ever parody Sondheim?


Music Monday - Composing music at age 70.

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This weekend our family celebrated a milestone for Robin Pascoe – he turned 70. In many ways it is hard to believe – he is still teaching and writing (words, not music) at the same energetic pace. 

But the calendar does not lie, and the mirror also gives the occasional brutal clue as well!

As we reminisced over his three score years plus ten, I found myself thinking of my favourite composers. Sadly, many did not make 70; however, I did find four favourites who published works at 70 or above.

  1. Stephen Sondheim (1930-) Bounce written in 2003, later retitled Roadshow in 2008.

  2. Olivier Messiaen (1908-1992) Saint-Francois d’Assise, Opera in 3 acts, written between 1975-83.

  3. Aaron Copland (1900-1990) Wrote Night Thoughts in 1972 for the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition

  4. Richard Rodgers (1902-1979) Two By Two (1970), Rex (1976), I Remember Mama (1979)

Can you add to this list? Please do so in the comments section below.