By Hailie Gold
Stephen Sondheim is one of, if not the most, musically adventurous composer in musical theater history. He got his start mentoring under Oscar Hammerstein III, but his career really kicked off when he wrote the spontaneous lyrics for the golden age musical, West Side Story, as well as the lyrics for Gypsy. He later went on to compose and write lyrics some of the most iconic musicals of this day and age, including Into the Woods, Sweeney Todd, Follies, Company, and so many others.
His compositions are some of the most challenging shows to stage, with all of their intricate details, and required large sets. The scores for his musicals may look a bit intimidating with their spoken, or patter songs; large group harmonies, and use of abnormal instruments in the orchestra, but once everything comes together, it makes for an extraordinary production.
One of the main challenges with Sondheim music is remembering the lyrics, because many them are off beat or not underscored by the orchestra. Also, he chooses many poetic words, which can be difficult to get out of your mouth in time. Good diction is a useful skill when performing Sondheim. The vocal range he writes for is also quite extreme, typically with several specific soprano ranges; a handful of strong tenors; some strong belting altos, and a few baritone/basses. I could only compare it to the work Andrew Lloyd Webber, but Sondheim generally caters to a smaller cast ensemble.
I believe Sondheim has had a remarkably successful career, and has created some of the most cherished classics. Plus, he has a Broadway Theater named after him, and if that’s not one of the highest honors, I don’t know what is.
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