The good news: I do not have to have chemo. The bad new: I can't get in for radiation until sometime in January so California is pouf. Watch out, I may turn up on your doorstep if you live in a warm climate.
I am not quite done this but it's the only older book I have been reading. And it is terrific. Ms. Seceste wrote a book on Leonard Bernstein before this so she was primed for Stephen.
Sondheim was born to rich parents who had little time for their son or each other. But his life took a big turn when his now divorced mother bought a house down the road from Oscar Hammerstein in Doylestown, PA. Sondheim was like a second son to the Hammersteins and wanted to be as much like his surrogate father as possible and certainly succeeded. He went to fine schools and colleges and by twenty-five was writing the lyrics for West Side Story. It was pretty much pure success after that. Yes, there were disappointments (Merrily We Roll Along) but even that has many lives after its original bust. People are now comparing him to Shakespeare as far as his impact on culture. His mentorship of singers, writers, composers is amazing.
I have to admit I still don't understand why some of his songs are so beloved-I think I have a very conventional ear-but others like Send in the Clowns, I can see. You can see pretty much everything he has done on you tube. Especially great is his ninetieth birthday celebration. May we all die like Sondheim-going to two of your own works and having a great Thanksgiving dinner.
11 comments:
Congratulations and condolences...it's a regular rental in Cali, or you have a small list of vacation sites?
Secrest definitely seems to be hitting the likeliest targets...though if her Sondheim book followed the Bernstein immediately, and her next or previous yet one was about Jerome Robbins or Arthur Laurents, I'd suspect a certain possibly obsessive trend...
https://www.npr.org/2011/02/24/97274711/the-real-life-drama-behind-west-side-story
Good news about the chemo. Sorry you can't make Cali. Hopefully we will have a mild winter in Michigan.
I must admit I know little of Sondheim beyond West Side Story and Send in the Clowns. Must admit the trailer for West Side Story looks good even though I'm not a fan of musicals.
Excellent news! You are welcome to visit us in Florida. Our condo has two bedrooms and two bathrooms.
Of course, I've been a huge Sondheim fan for 50 years (with a few exceptions). His FINISHING THE HAT was a terrific book, and I enjoyed his insights into composers like Cole Porter.
Excellent news about the chemo! So many of our friends who have endured chemo came away sick and weakened. Our door is always open to you...but right now we have snow on the ground and the prospect of 60 mph winds on Saturday!
Sondheim has been a polarizing figure among Broadway enthusiasts. While Jeff Meyerson loves his work, Bruce Taylor hates it and claims Sondheim "ruined" Broadway musicals for over a generation. I've seen WEST SIDE STORY several times, but I might watch it again over the Holidays.
We were in the 30s all day yesterday, but tomorrow could reach a record high of 65! And next week looks like 50s all week. We only have a little over three weeks until we leave for Florida.
On March 11, 1973 (two weeks after A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC opened on Broadway), SONDHEIM: A MUSICAL TRIBUTE was performed (and recorded live) at the Shubert Theatre (a benefit). There were performances from COMPANY, FOLLIES and NIGHT MUSIC, but also WEST SIDE STORY, GYPSY, A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM, DO I HEAR A WALTZ?, ANYONE CAN WHISTLE, plus the early EVENING PRIMROSE and SATURDAY NIGHT. It's a good sampler of his music & lyrics. We had the album, but Jackie just bought the two CD set used, very cheaply.
Have you ever seen Evening Primrose? I think it was a tv show, right?
Right. I did see it at one point. It was in black & white because the original color tape was lost. Anthony Perkins and Charmian Carr (most well known for THE SOUND OF MUSIC) starred. I believe it is available on DVD. Just checked - Amazon Prime is showing it for $1.99 rental.
ABC STAGE '67 episode, "Evening Primrose".
A slightly mulled copy from YouTube, but both free and slightly easier to access than one from Amazon:
https://youtu.be/kA5lZZ4-QZ8
Patti – Have you heard Colbert’s new lyrics for Send in the Clown? He sang them to Sondheim during an interview. It comes about 5 minutes into this clip:
https://www.cc.com/video/ouqrnm/the-colbert-report-stephen-sondheim
I am glad to hear about the chemo, and sorry about having to cancel the California trip.
Thanks, Elgin. And Tracy!
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