Musical Theatre

What are the characteristics of Richard Rodgers’ works?

• Often AABA form

• Lush strings (sweeping)

• No irregular time signatures

• Clear vocal lines

• Adapted musical styles to suit the theme of the musical (eg: Pentatonic scales in the King and I)

• Use of recitative

• Frequent use of leitmotifs

What musicals did Richard Rodgers write?

• Oklahoma (1943)

• Carousel (1945)

• South Pacific (1949)

• King and I (1951)

• Sound Of Music (1959)

What are the characteristics of Leonard Bernstein’s works?

• Fusions - uses jazz, Latin American, classical (he travelled for example to South America to fully understand the rhythms of these genres)

• Hemiolas used

• Rhythmic vitality (lots of life)

• Emotional intensity

What musicals did Leonard Bernstein write?

• On The Town (1944)

• Wonderful Town (1953)

• Candide (1956)

• West Side Story (1957)

What are the characteristics of Stephen Sondheim’s works?

• Use of dark themes

• Angular harmonies

• Melodies based on the way the words are said

• Dense polyphonic (lots going)

• Pastiches of operettas

• Emotional / psychological character development

What musicals did Stephen Sondheim write?

• Company (1970)

• Follies (1971)

• Sweeney Todd (1979)

• Into The Woods (1987)

What are the characteristics of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s works?

• Irregular time signatures used

• Modulates semi-tone up

• Through-sung (minimal spoken language)

• Use of synthesizers, rock bands and modern instrumentation

• Dramatic and often melodramatic music arcs (lots of drama)

• Pastiche used for comic or stylistic effect

What musicals did Andrew Lloyd Webber write?

• Jesus Christ Superstar (1970)

• Evita (1976)

• Cats (1981)

• The Phantom Of The Opera (1986)

• Starlight Express (1984)

What are the characteristics of Stephen Schwartz works?

• Pop and rock influences

• Lots of syncopations

• Character growth and spiritual undertoes

• Emotional storylines

• Uplifting themes

What musicals did Steven Schwartz write?

• Godspell (1971)

• Pippin (1972)

• Wicked (2003)

What are the characteristics of Claude-Michel Schonberg’s works?

• Sung-through operatic style musical

• Lots of perfect 4ths and 5ths

• Vocal often written high in baritone and tenor

• Vocals for altos belting

• Powerful chords + melodies

• Strong storylines

• Solo lines embedded in choruses

What musicals did Claude-Michel Schonberg write?

• Les Miserables (1980)

• Miss Saigon (1989)

• Martin Guerre (1996)

Which composers tend to write through-sung musicals?

Claude-Michel Shonberg and Andrew Lloyd Webber

Which composers wrote musicals influenced by the rock genre?

Stephen Schwartz and Andrew Lloyd Webber

Who wrote fusions with jazz, Latin American and classical?

Leonard Bernstein

Opposed to Richard Rodger’s use of clear vocal lines, who writes melodies based on the way words are said and have angular harmonies?

Stephen Sondheim

Which composer often uses regular time signatures and which composer uses irregular time signatures often?

Richard Rodgers uses regular time signatures; Andrew Lloyd Webbers uses irregular time signatures

Who uses pastiches for comedic and stylistic effect?

Andrew Lloyd Webber

Who uses pastiches of operettas?

Stephen Sondheim

Who uses dense polyphonic textures?

Stephen Sondheim

Who tends to use syncopations?

Stephen Schwartz

Leonard Bernstein used tritones for West Side Story, so which composer uses lots of perfect 4th and 5ths?

Claude-Michel Schonberg

Describe Andrew Lloyd Webber’s use of instrumentation

Synthesizers, rock bands and modern instrumentation

Who tends to modulate a semi-tone up?

Andrew Lloyd Webber

Who uses leitmotifs frequently?

Richard Rodgers

Who uses lots of rhythmic vitality in their works?

Leonard Bernstein

What form does Richard Rodgers tend to use?

AABA

Describe Richard Rodger’s use of strings

Strings are lush-sounding

What undertones do lots of Stephen Schwartz works have?

Spiritual undertones

Who writes altos belting in their works?

Claude-Michel Schonberg

Who wrote high baritone and tenor parts?

Claude-Michel Schonberg