Six by Sondheim
Glossary of Selected Musical Theater Terms
Thirty-two-bar song. Sondheim gives this definition: “a generic term for a song
built in four stanzas of equivalent length, the most common being eight measures.
They are presented in a sequential form of AABA or ABAB, where A and B each
signify a stanza and there is sometimes a slight variation in the last one to bring the
song to a conclusion. The A section is often referred to as the refrain, the B section
as the release. Examples of AABA would be Ol’Man River and Send in the Clowns;
examples of ABAB would be White Christmas and Anchors Aweigh. FTH 379
Sondheim scholar Dominic Symonds describes the form as either AABA or ABAC.
“In a typical AABA song the first eight bars establish a melodic and harmonic
pattern, the second eight vary that pattern, the third eight present a response with a
second subject [tune] and then the main pattern is reprised in a final eight-bar
section resolving to the tonic.” Oxford Handbook of Sondheim Studies, 41.
Release – also called third eight, or bridge. The B section of an AABA song form; a
musical, lyrical, rhythmical departure from the A. According to musicologist Stephen
Banfield, “A release should be just what its name denotes, a B passage of emotional
comfort, a broadening vision after the repeated rhetorical proposition of the A
section, with melodic height (it is habitually at the top of the tessitura) and
harmonic depth (often a modulatory sequence based on a cycle of fifths). Banfield,
331
Producer – responsible for budget and fund raising but also according to
Sondheim’s description, a person who can “make and effect executive decisions
about casting and stage management and set and costume design, supervise the
advertising and arrange the booking and cope with the unions—all the grubby
chores a producer has to attend to, and attend to well.” FTH 29
Revue- a compilation of songs designed to showcase selected songs, often of one
composer or the performers themselves. Staging is minimal, songs are typically
unrelated to each other in terms of plot or character. Sondheim examples are Side by
Side by Sondheim and Putting It Together.
Book writer- a playwright who works in collaboration with a songwriter. Book
author writes all the spoken dialogue, creates the dramatic structure and the tone of
the show. Book writer and composer decide where songs are needed and what the
purpose is for each song. Sondheim does not begin writing songs until he has ‘the
book’ in hand, because he depends on the writer to know who the character is, the
structure and tone of the entire show, and how the song fits a particular character
at a specific time in the show. Sondheim says: “The book writer of a musical is rarely
acknowledged as being a playwright. . .The book writer is the source from which the
songwriter—in this particular case, me—takes character, diction tone and style, and
sometimes dialogue. “ FTH 28
Genres of musicals
“Golden Age” written between the world wars. Generally have songs and
dances strung together by a tenuous plot, typically a marriage knot ending. Often
served as vehicles for stars such as Mary Martin, Ethel Merman, Fred Astaire.
“Integrated” musical era begins with Oklahoma in 1947 (although preceded
by Showboat in 1927 and Porgy and Bess in 1934). Song and dance carry the drama
forward, rather than acting as diversions or interruptions to the story. Songs serve
character and plot; no more ‘generic’ love or patter songs in these shows. They tend
toward realism in sets and stories. (By this definition Sondheim’s West Side Story,
Forum and Gypsy are examples of integrated musical shows.)
“Concept” musical as a term generally begins with Company, although
Sondheim identifies some earlier ones. Songs and dialogue now written around a
theme, with no linear narrative or story based on what one writer calls “the
trajectory of desire,” as in Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals. Much less attempt
to provide realism in sets, costumes, linear time in action; staging often serves to
remind audience they are watching a play (the opposite of inviting them to suspend
disbelief as in the integrated musical). Chorus Line by Michael Bennett and Marvin
Hamlisch and Cats by Andrew Lloyd Webber are examples of concept musicals.
Pastiche. Many of the songs in Follies are pastiches, fond imitations of an older
generation of composers and lyricsts. Sondheim distinguishes pastiche songs from
parodies or satires, where the intent is to comment on or ridicule the work or style
being imitated. FTH 200
Sample Music theater stock songs genres
Novelty song (e.g, Rain on the Roof in Follies)
List song (e.g. I’m Still Here; Could I leave you?)
Torch Song (e.g. Not a Day Goes By; Losing my Mind)
Patter song (e.g. Buddy’s Blues)
Love Song
Diegetic songs vs. Book songs
In a ‘book’ song, characters on stage are speaking to each other as in a play,
without acknowledging that they are now speaking in song. In ‘diagetic’ songs, a
character knows he/she is performing, and so do other actors on stage (unless they
are apparently out of earshot). Examples of diagetic songs are “I’m Still Here” and
“Who wants to live in New York?” which is actually embedded within ‘book’ song
“Opening Doors”. Many ‘show within show’ conventions allow for diegetic songs –
see Cabaret as an example.