Stephen Sondheim
Composer
1930-03-22
Books by Stephen Sondheim
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Into the Woods (movie tie-in edition)
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Into the Woods
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Quotes by Stephen Sondheim
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The dumbing down of the country reflects itself on Broadway. The shows get dumber, and the public gets used to them.
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There's a hole in the world like a big black pit who are filled with people who are filled with shit.
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Music blows lyrics up very quickly, and suddenly they become more than art. They become pompous and they become self-conscious ... I firmly believe that lyrics have to breathe and give the audience's ear a chance to understand what's going on. Particularly in the theater, where you not only have the music, but you've got costume, story, acting, orchestra. There's a lot to take in.
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If I cannot fly, let me sing.
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Art, in itself, is an attempt to bring order out of chaos.
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The worst thing you can do is censor yourself as the pencil hits the paper. You must not edit until you get it all on paper. If you can put everything down, stream-of-consciousness, you'll do yourself a service.
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Music straightjackets a poem and prevents it from breathing on its own, whereas it liberates a lyric. Poetry doesn't need music; lyrics do.
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One difference between poetry and lyrics is that lyrics sort of fade into the background. They fade on the page and live on the stage when set to music.
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One difference between poetry and lyrics is that lyrics sort of fade into the background. They fade on the page and live on the stage when set to music.
Read quote -
If I cannot fly, let me sing.
Read quote -
Art, in itself, is an attempt to bring order out of chaos.
Read quote -
There's a hole in the world like a big black pit who are filled with people who are filled with shit.
Read quote -
Music straightjackets a poem and prevents it from breathing on its own, whereas it liberates a lyric. Poetry doesn't need music; lyrics do.
Read quote -
The dumbing down of the country reflects itself on Broadway. The shows get dumber, and the public gets used to them.
Read quote -
Music blows lyrics up very quickly, and suddenly they become more than art. They become pompous and they become self-conscious ... I firmly believe that lyrics have to breathe and give the audience's ear a chance to understand what's going on. Particularly in the theater, where you not only have the music, but you've got costume, story, acting, orchestra. There's a lot to take in.
Read quote -
The worst thing you can do is censor yourself as the pencil hits the paper. You must not edit until you get it all on paper. If you can put everything down, stream-of-consciousness, you'll do yourself a service.
Read quote -
The nice thing about doing a crossword puzzle is, you know there is a solution.
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If people have split views about your work, I think it's flattering. I'd rather have them feel something about it than dismiss it.
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Every writer I've ever spoken to feels fraudulent in some way or other.
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I really don't want to write a score until the whole show is cast and staged.
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