BBC - BBC Radio 3 Programmes - Composer of the Week, Stephen Sondheim (1930-...

Page 1 of 1

Home

Sondheim's Early Life and Career More details

As part of his 80th birthday celebrations, Broadway legend Stephen Sondheim looks back over Episode 1 of 5 from
his life and work, with Donald Macleod. The result is a fascinating retrospective of half a century
of creativity, with the artist himself as tour guide. Along the way, he explodes a few myths about
the inner workings of musical theatre.
Composer of the Week
In the first of the week's programmes, Sondheim talks about his childhood, his parents' divorce, Stephen Sondheim (1930-)
his near-adoption by the Hammerstein family and his apprenticeship with Oscar Hammerstein,
the lyricist of Oklahoma! Then there's the rollercoaster ride of his early career: his first, abortive
Broadway show; two amazing breaks, when he was commissioned to write the lyrics for first In this series
West Side Story, then Gypsy; his unhappy collaboration with Richard Rogers; and his major
creative breakthrough with Company, a musical with situations and characters but no Previous:
conventional plot, and the first appearance of characteristic Sondheim subject-matter - the You're at the first episode.
virtual impossibility of forming good relationships. As one British critic observed, "It is Next:
extraordinary that a musical, that most trivial of forms, should be able to plunge as Company Follies, A Little Night
does, with perfect congruity, into the profound depths of human perplexity and misery.". Music and Pacific
Overtures

Music Played
Duration
Stephen Sondheim — Pretty Little Picture
Performer: Stephen Sondheim (pno & vox) 60 minutes
PS Classics PS-9529, 2

Stephen Sondheim — Pretty Little Picture

Performer: Zero Mostel (Pseudolus) Performer: Brian Davies (Hero) Performer: Preshy More from BBC Radio 3
Marker (Philia)
Angel ZDM 7 64770 2, 6
Factual Arts, Culture & the Media
Stephen Sondheim — What More Do I Need Music Classical
Performer: David Campbell (Gene) Performer: Lauren Ward (Helen) Performer: Clarke Discussion & Talk
Thorell (Hank) Performer: Andrea Burns (Celeste) Performer: Rachel Ulanet (Mildred)
Performer: Natascia A. Diaz (Florence) Performer: Christopher Fitzgerald (Bobby)
Performer: Michael Benjamin Washington (Ted) Performer: Kirk McDonald (Artie)
Performer: Greg Zola (Ray) Performer: Joey Sorge (Dino) Performer: Michael Pemberton
(Clune) Performer: David A. White (Lieutenant)
Nonesuch 7559-79609-2, 20

Jule Styne — Everything’s Coming Up Roses (lyrics by Stephen Sondheim)

Performer: Ethel Merman (Rose)
Columbia CK 32607, 12

Stephen Sondheim — Free

Performer: Zero Mostel (Pseudolus) Performer: Brian Davies (Hero)
Angel ZDM 7 64770 2, 4

Stephen Sondheim — There’s Always a Woman

Performer: Madeline Kahn (Cora Hoover Hooper) Performer: Bernadette Peters (Fay Apple)
Performer: American Theatre Orchestra Performer: Paul Gemignani (cond)
Columbia CK 67224, 25

Richard Rodgers — Do I Hear a Waltz (lyrics by Stephen Sondheim)

Performer: Elizabeth Allen (Leona Samish)
Sony SK 48206, 12

Mary Rodgers — The Boy From … (lyrics by Stephen Sondheim)

Performer: Millicent Martin Stuart: Pedlar (pno)
RCA 1851-2-RG, CD 2 track 8

Stephen Sondheim — Company

Performer: Dean Jones (Bobby) Performer: Company
Sony SK 65283, 1

Stephen Sondheim — The Little Things You Do Together

Performer: Elaine Stritch (Joanne) Performer: Company
Sony SK 65283, 2

Stephen Sondheim — You Could Drive a Person Crazy

Performer: Donna McKechnie (Kathy) Performer: Susan Browning (April) Performer: Pamela
Myers (Marta)
Sony SK 65283, 4

Stephen Sondheim — Getting Married Today

Performer: Beth Howland (Amy) Performer: Steve Elmore (Paul) Performer: Teri Ralston
(Jenny) Performer: Company
Sony SK 65283, 8

Broadcasts

Mon 22 Mar 2010 12:00 BBC Radio 3

Mon 22 Mar 2010 22:00 BBC Radio 3
Mon 26 Jul 2010 12:00 BBC Radio 3

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00rjycs 11.8.2010