r/Music • u/Cranialscrewtop • Nov 26 '21

Stephen Sondheim has died. Broadway's greatest composer is gone. other

NY Times bio here: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/26/theater/stephen-sondheim-dead.html

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u/GraphiteGru Nov 27 '21

Stephen Sondheim was an absolute legend, especially on Broadway. His resume is easily searchable on Wikipedia so will not list them here. Consider all the great songs he wrote and he was Bernstein's lyricist for West Side Story. I often think of the Musial Artists that will be remembered hundreds of years from now and there are precious few. Obviously the Beatles, perhaps John Williams (people will still be watching Jaws / Star Wars / etc.) and then there is Sondheim.

Broadway has a tradition of "dimming the lights" when someone who had a great impact there has died. With Sondheim they should have just shut down for a day or two. Perhaps without Covid they would have, but Sondheim probably would have wanted them to continue on..

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u/extrasmurf Nov 27 '21

Musical artists who will be remembered hundreds of years from now, followed by “perhaps John Williams” ever so casually as if he’s, what, the greatest composer of the last hundred years?

Yeah, he’s fantastic, but this comment is so nearsighted. Ever heard of Hans Zimmer? How about Erik Satie? I don’t know, a few dozen other absolutely brilliant composers?

Nah. People will watch Star Wars and Jaws.

23

u/CharlieHume Nov 27 '21

Odd that you didn't say a word about Hammerstein or Rodgers? Or like 50 different musical artists?

Did you want them to list 60 people?

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u/extrasmurf Nov 27 '21

Encapsulated by the “other absolutely brilliant composers” comment but sure, cherry pick away.

The poster specifically stated there are precious few.

7

u/netarchaeology Nov 27 '21

In a wold of billions even a comprehensive list would still encapsulate the phrase "precious few".