Klarinet Archive - Posting 000278.txt from 1998/03

From: "Scott Morrow" <sdm@-----.edu>
Subj: Re: Musical
Date: Fri, 6 Mar 1998 14:42:21 -0500

-----Original Message-----
From: clarinettist@-----.com>
Date: Wednesday, March 04, 1998 7:04 PM
Subject: Musical

> Our school drama department's major production this year is the
>musical, "Anything Goes." Has anyone played in the pit orchestra for
>this particular musical? If so, what is your opinion of the music? The
>only information I have about the musical so far is that the setting is
>the 1920's, also known as the Jazz Age. Beyond that, I am clueless. Any
>information and opinion would be appreciated, for I am trying to decide
>whether to participate or not. The rehearsals are going to be REALLY
>long. If the music is poor, I am not going to waste my valuable study
>time!
> Thanks!!!
>
>Victor
Victor,
I played the show many years ago in college. The songs are by Cole
Porter, who wrote in the 40's-50's, but the "Anything Goes" you're going to
play is a revised version that was rewritten for a revival (I think) in the
60's, and contains only a handful of the original numbers; the rest of the
numbers are other Cole Porter songs from his other shows (don't let anyone
tell you otherwise!), so don't be surprised if they sound "familiar"!. The
story is light, entertaining, and serves very little purpose except to take
you from one musical number to the next (typical of the style of musicals of
Porter's period). The story takes place on a ship - I understand the
original version was about a ship wreck, but the Titanic went down shortly
before the show was supposed to open, so shipwrecks weren't "fun" anymore!
The music is fun (I think I played a composite of the Reed 1 and Reed 2
books: clarinet and alto sax, with a flutist playing the flute parts). My
favorite number (for clarinet solos, at least!) was "The Heaven Hop", which
had nothing to do with anything in the story, but was fun!
Good luck!

-Scott

Scott D. Morrow
DNA Synthesis Core Facility
Department of Biochemistry
The Johns Hopkins University School of Hygiene and Public Health
Baltimore, MD 21205
(410) 955-3631

   
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