Friday, April 23, 2010

MT-Land and You, part I

For collaborative pianists, ignorance is never bliss, especially when it comes to repertoire. On the other hand, the reams upon reams of existing repertoire ensure a pianist can live lifetimes without learning it all. 'Standard repertoire' is a body of literature much easier to scale, and in academia, beginning pianists generally do so within a few years. Musical theatre rep differs, however, in that classical voice teachers generally stick to, well, the classics. This usually gives the average CP student a minimal amount of exposure to a very marketable field. For further exploration, try this:

The easiest way to learn a lot of MT standard repertoire is through the collections called Singer's Musical Anthologies (there are several). Checking out audition websites like this and that can show you what singers are singing a lot. Also check out the following composers - I've listed their shows and popular songs in parenthesis:
  • Jason Robert Brown - Songs for a New World (Stars and the Moon, I'm Not Afraid, King of the World), Parade (You Don't Know This Man, Old Red Hills, It's Hard to Speak My Heart) and The Last Five Years (I'm Still Hurting, Shiksa Goddess . . . really, the whole thing). Also check out Wearing Someone Else's Clothes just because its good
  • William Finn - A New Brain (And They're Off, Sailing), Elegies (Infinite Joy, I am There), 25th Annual Putnam Spelling Bee (I'm Not that Smart, My Unfortunate Erection, I Speak Six Languages)
  • Stephen Flaherty - Seussical (Notice Me, Horton, Alone in the Universe), Ragtime (Your Daddy's Son, Wheels of a Dream) - also be aware of Once On this Island, Lucky Stiff, A Man of No Importance and Dessa Rose
  • Adam Guettel - The Light in the Piazza (The Beauty Is, Light in the Piazza, Love to Me), Myths and Hymns (Hero and Leander, Migratory V, Awaiting You), Floyd Collins (How Glory Goes) and the song Baby Moon
  • Andrew Lippa - Wild Party (Look at Me Now, Life of the Party), YAGMCB (My New Philosophy) - also check out jon & jen
  • David Shire - Closer Than Ever (Miss Byrd, What Am I Doin'?, If I Sing), Starting Here, Starting Now (Crossword Puzzle, Autumn, I Don't Remember Christmas), Big (I Wanna Go Home, I Want to Know, Dancing All the Time) - also check out Baby
  • Steven Schwartz - Wicked (Most of it), Children of Eden (Spark of Creation, Lost in the Wilderness), Pippin (Corner of the Sky, Extraordinary), Baker's Wife (Meadowlark, Where is the Warmth)
  • Jeanine Tesori - Thoroughly Modern Millie (Not For the Life of Me, What Do I Need With Love, Gimme, Gimme) the Girl in 14g, Violet (Let it Sing)
  • David Yazbek - Full Monty (Man, Breeze off the River), Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (Here I Am)
  • Maury Yeston - Nine (Guido's Song, Unusual Way), Titanic, Grand Hotel (Love Can't Happen)

1 comment:

Unknown said...

I have been looking for the sheet music to "Let it Sing" from Violet. I was wondering if you had any suggestions on where to look, because I already checked many of the online sites like musicnotes. Thank you.