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| bwayluvor31 |
Where is Sondheim best personified?I'm writing my English term paper on the views and works of Sondheim and Tenessee Williams and I was wondering which was a song or show best shows the real Sondheim (if there is one). I'm reading Sondheim: A Life and several other literary criticisms of his work, but I'm looking for specific examples that show his views/ideals/opinions within his works. This may sound like rambling, but I'm not quite sure how to phrase the question.Thanks a million for any input! 
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| Dvarg |
Re: Where is Sondheim best personified?The title song from Anyone Can Whistle is at times called Sondheim's "epitaph". He has sung it at several occations, it's recorded on the Scrabble Album and on the Sondheim Sings vol I.He has also said Opening Doors from MWRA is his most autobiographical song. Is this sort of what you asked about? |
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| bwayluvor31 |
YES! Thank you. Is Anyone Can Whistle on Itunes? I have Opening Doors already.
Any other thoughts? |
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| Dvarg |
Possibly. The track on Sondheim Sings appears also as a bonus track on the remastered version of the OBCR of ACW. |
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| Salome |
in addition ot Opening Doors and Anyone Can Whistle.
Putting it Together and Finishing the Hat from SITPWG |
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| what_the_heck013 |
You may also want to talk about his mother and the characters of Rapunzel and the witch in ITW. |
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| Dvarg |
As well as all the Dominating Mother figures in other SJS shows. |
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| bwayluvor31 |
For Rapunzel, were you reffering specifically to "Stay With Me" or just to their relationship in general? I'm quote hunting. Are there any dominating mothers besides the witch, Mrs. Lovett, Mama Rose, and (maybe) Desiree? I didn't want to leave any out that might show his consistency with these characters throughout his life. |
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| Dvarg |
This is a highly debatable topic. It's interresting (but not necessarily relevant) to look closer at characters like Cora Hoover Hooper, Fioria, Joanne, Carlotta, Leonora Armfeldt, The Shogun's Mother, Gussie, Georges' mother/Marie, Jack's mother as well as even Fosca. As for Fosca, it appears she actually had a child in the original novel and movie, and that her not having a child in the musical can relate to Sondheim's mother's expressed wish to not having given birth to him. In my opinion, this might be slightly far fetched, but it's an interresting read. The artivle appears in one of those academic collections of essays on Sondheim and his shows. I don't remember the title of the book, but I think it's blue with the over showing Sondheim beside a mirror giving a very nice effect. You can get it from Amazon.com I think you can find the book here |
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| bwayluvor31 |
Thanks.
I wouldn't have thought of characters like Fosca or George's mother to be particularly dominating, but I'll read into it. Jack's mother and Johann, though are great to add to the list. |
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| The REAL Ciaron |
Sondheim has admitted that most of the "strong" women in his musicals were modeled on his own mothers varied personalities. Especially with Phyllis in "Follies". He has said "Phyllis" would have been his mother had she gotten her wish (had no children). |