Description
Book SynopsisThe Sound of Broadway Music is the first book ever written about the virtually anonymous world of theatrical orchestrators and arrangers. Stocked with intriguing facts and juicy anecdotes, most of which have never before appeared in print, The Sound of Broadway Music brings fascinating and sometimes surprising new insight into the world of musical theatre.
Trade ReviewSteven Suskin's six hundred and fifty pages of information substantiating the contribution of orchestrators to the music of Broadway is nothing less than jaw-dropping. Their working relationship with the composers of Broadway scores and directors of Broadway shows is fascinating in its detail. There can be no comparable feat of research more meticulous than this valuable addition to the history of American musical theater. * Hal Prince, director *
Backstage has been the unwarranted space where the wondrous talent of orchestrators remained until now. Steven Suskin has meticulously opened the curtain so that this array of musical magicians can finally take their long overdue bow. May this composer be among the first to shout, 'Bravo!' * Jerry Bock, composer *
Fans as well as musical theatre scholars will be forever indebted to Steven Suskin for this book. It's fascinating, entertaining and an essential addition to the literature of American musical theatre. * Michael Feinstein, composer, performer *
Table of ContentsVerse: On Orchestrators and Orchestration ; Refrain: Men of Notes (And a Few Women, Too) ; I. The Dreyfus System ; II. Twelve Major Orchestrators ; III. Ghosts and Other Helpers ; IV. Valued Members of the Music Department ; V. Comparative Orchestrators ; Bridge: The Art of Orchestration ; VI. From Song to Stage ; VII. The Arrangement ; VIII. Overture ; IX. Meet the Colors ; X. And Then Comes the Orchestrator ; XI. The Orchestration ; XII. Putting it Together ; XIII. "Sweeney in the Pit with Steve" ; Final Refrain: What's the Score? ; XIV. About the Listings ; XV. The Listings ; XVI. Additional Shows by Other Orchestrators ; Coda ; Chronology ; Acknowledgements ; Sources and Bibliography ; Index
