In the first full-scale life of the most important composer-lyricist at work in musical theatre today; Meryle Secrest; the biographer of Frank Lloyd Wright and Leonard Bernstein; draws on her extended conversations with Stephen Sondheim as well as on her interviews with his friends; family; collaborators; and lovers to bring us not only the artist--as a master of modernist compositional style--but also the private man. Beginning with his early childhood on New Yorks prosperous Upper West Side; Secrest describes how Sondheim was taught to play the piano by his father; a successful dress manufacturer and amateur musician. She writes about Sondheims early ambition to become a concert pianist; about the effect on him of his parents divorce when he was ten; about his years in military and private schools. She writes about his feelings of loneliness and abandonment; about the refuge he found in the home of Oscar and Dorothy Hammerstein; and his determination to become just like Oscar.Secrest describes the years when Sondheim was struggling to gain a foothold in the theatre; his attempts at scriptwriting (in his early twenties in Rome on the set of Beat the Devil with Bogart and Huston; and later in Hollywood as a co-writer with George Oppenheimer for the TV series Topper); living the Hollywood life.Here is Sondheims ascent to the peaks of the Broadway musical; from his chance meeting with play-wright Arthur Laurents; which led to his first success--as co-lyricist with Leonard Bernstein on West Side Story--to his collaboration with Laurents on Gypsy; to his first full Broadway score; A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. And Secrest writes about his first big success as composer; lyricist; writer in the 1960s with Company; an innovative and sophisticated musical that examined marriage agrave; la mode. It was the start of an almost-twenty-year collaboration with producer and director Hal Prince that resulted in such shows as Follies; Pacific Overtures; Sweeney Todd; and A Little Night Music.We see Sondheim at work with composers; producers; directors; co-writers; actors; the greats of his time and ours; among them Leonard Bernstein; Ethel Merman; Richard Rodgers; Oscar Hammerstein; Jerome Robbins; Zero Mostel; Bernadette Peters; and Lee Remick (with whom it was said he was in love; and she with him); as Secrest vividly re-creates the energy; the passion; the despair; the excitement; the genius; that went into the making of show after Sondheim show.A biography that is sure to become the standard work on Sondheims life and art.From the Hardcover edition.
#344829 in eBooks 1996-09-01 1997-07-07File Name: B004N3BCG6
Review
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful. Great learning book for beginnersBy brittmdGreat and easy learning tool for beginners. Ordered this for my 7 year old who is just starting out on the piano. Easy for her to understand. The book has written activities to do which is great.2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. Very pleasedBy Cindy EdwardsMy daughter is about to start music in a week or two and this book was highly recommended by her teacher. It was purchased and shipped very quickly. The package was very sucure in the box and I have no complaints.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. This is a great book for beginning piano lessons this book is very ...By Mike WilliamsThis is a great book for beginning piano lessons this book is very helpful and the best book out there. Ive never had piano lessons and Im doing well for beginning. I would recommend this book to anyone starting off at the beginning.
