So...  we just booked tickets to see Leonard Bernstein's MASS at the Kennedy Centre on what would have been his 90th birthday. 

Bernstein is unquestionably the greatest influence on my own work.  Though he tends to be a bit... over-dramatic in his writing, he above any other composer, brought a sense of structure and classical sensibilities to his theatrical writing.  Witness WEST SIDE STORY, easily the most genius Broadway score of the 20th century. 

Anyway, if you've not had a chance to hear his MASS (written in 1971 to open the Kennedy Centre), I recommend it.  It's very set in its time, and makes no small statement about Vietnam, reflecting the "Is God Dead?" mentality of the early '70's, but it's still incredibly moving, even after all this time.  Go ahead, give it a listen.

edited to add:  And he was a big queer, too!

Tom:

What composers really inspire you?  Which are your favorites? I plan to ask follow ups -- so be warned!

Biggest influences on Tom (more lyricist mentioned than composers -- I consider myself a lyricist who writes music.  Does that make sense?):

Bernstein (as composer, his lyrics SUCKED) tops the list, of course! 

Sondheim -- who's perhaps the greatest lyricist EVER, but no slacker as a composer, either.  His SUNDAY IN THE PARK moves me to tears just thinking about it. (ASSASSINS is another great work)

Howard Ashman -- RIP, greatly missed.  Another brilliant lyricist who died too soon.  His LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS is hysterical!  His love of language and clever use of words sings in every song he wrote.  Can't believe they waited till he died to give him an Oscar.  AIDS, man.  What a f*cked up tragedy.

William Gilbert (of Gilbert and Sullivan fame) -- same reasoning as Ashman.  An incomparable love of language and sense of humor.  PIRATES is one of my favorite works.  Try as I might, I can't get my school to do it.

Gershwin -- now, before everybody craps all over the Gershwins, there's a REASON their stuff has become "standards."  Sure, some of the lyrics are a bit hokey, but they turned out thousands of songs in a very short time.  It shouldn't surprise anybody that some of it is formulaic.  VERY singable stuff, and memorable.

Believe it or not, Rogers and Hammerstein rounds out the list -- singable and memorable.  Hammerstein is really the genius behind the duo.  He wrote a majority of the melodies that went along with his lyrics.  Richard Rogers often wrote (brilliant) orchestral arrangements to go with Oscar's melodies.

How important is sing-a-bility?  I suspect, based on your tastes, you place it pretty high on the list.

FYI -- my 4 year old's favorite movie since she was 2 years old is "The Sound of Music."

In re Bernstein, I cannot recommend more strongly his brilliant Harvard lectures from 1973: "The Unanswered Question."

"The Unanswered Question."

Boy, do I agree with that, Michael.  Bernstein was obsessed with making everyone understand the NEED for music in society.  His "Young People's" series is also excellent.  "The Joy of Music" is a great read, too.

How important is sing-a-bility? 

To me, VERY important.  What's the use of writing music that no one can sing?  I understand the technical skill necessary to sing opera -- and most operatic composition reflects that.  But how often do you find yourself humming opera, even the most singable ones?

"The Sound of Music."

Easily my least favorite R&H.  I find it trite and banal.  Not to mention, innacurate.  "So" is not "a needle pulling thread."  To be accurate, it's "Sol" not "So."  If there's one thing that makes music education challenging, it's getting kids to recognize that it's SOL!!!!  (And if you want to be REALLY anal, it's not "Ti", either, it's "Si" -- but that one's become rather accepted.)  "Fa" -- a "long, long way to run"?  Seriously, that's the worst lyric EVER!  Even Oscar must've been pressed on deadline that day.

"Fa" -- a "long, long way to run"?  Seriously, that's the worst lyric EVER!

***

Only a voice like Julie Andrews' could pull that off.

Bernstein's lyrics... bad, yes -- but he's so, well, sincerely sincere that I can't help but find them endearing.

But how often do you find yourself humming opera, even the most singable ones?

Why I was singing La Boheme in the shower just the other day!  Seriously, I've been to the opera.  I can appreciate the music but I do not love it.  Unless its Tommy.

To that end how do you like the more recent (oh 30 years or so) of Rock inspired musicals? 

I find [The Sound of Music] trite and banal.

My four year old would be devasted by your criticism of Maria!  She can sing about 90% of the songs (she can also sing my college fight song and spell the name of the school, she's just brilliant like that).  As a non-pro I like it.  I think its a great movie, very very enjoyable! (Woefully inaccurate to the true story as well but it is Hollywood . . . ) 

"Fa" -- a "long, long way to run"?  Seriously, that's the worst lyric EVER!

I guess you never heard "Sex Farm."

...bad, yes -- but he's so, well, sincerely sincere that I can't help but find them endearing.

Agreed, agreed -- that's really the only reason I can stomach some of it.  Bernstein's so earnest.  I met him only once and was so tongue-tied, I came off as an imbecile.  I'd just finished writing a thesis paper on his MASS and was trying to talk to him like I was knowledgeable.  Thank God I was cute, or I wouldn't have gotten anywhere with him. 

...how do you like the more recent (oh 30 years or so) of Rock inspired musicals?

Mixed feelings.  Anything that gets people into the theatre is good, I suppose.  But the problem with rock music is that it's not THEATRICAL music.  A song must advance the plot OR give us insight into the emotional center of the character.  Generally, rock music is not complex, well-developed music -- it's usually VERY simple, both structurally and harmonically.  It takes no great skill to listen to it.  (One of the reasons cretins like Andrew Lloyd Webber are so popular amongst "common" people, but so hated among the knowledgable.  I know that sounds elitist, but there it is.)

I guess you never heard "Sex Farm."

Is that a R&H that I've missed?