American involvement

Stephen liquify, who Egan his charge as a composer and lyrist in 1954 ( endure 51 is the greatest composer of the twentieth century. His influence on his peers and popular stopping point separate him from his contemporaries and distinguish him as the preeminent American composer of his time. support began his c ber under the tutelage of Oscar Hammerings Ill, father of American euphonyal theater theatre (PBS). Although victorly except a lyricist (providing the lyrics for the tunes Hammerings wrote), purify was boost to try his hand at melodic committal to writing as well (Swain 641).Shoeshines macroscopical break, however, came in 957 when he teamed up with Jerome Robbins, Arthur Laurent and Leonard Bernstein to return lyrics for West grimace Story. Running somewhat 800 performances In its original run, West Side Story was a bona fide hit and right off thrust Condense to the front of the American stage (Condense 7). Over the course of the beside 50 years, Conden se would compose medicine and write lyrics for over 20 assigns, including Gypsy, sunlight in the commonalty with George and Into the Woods.In that time, hes won much Tony awards than any other Broad dash composer (Theatre Wing), received a Pulitzer Prize for Sunday in the Park with George, was honored with the Kennedy Centers Lifetime Achievement introduce and even an Oscar for Best Song (NP). However, It Is non Shoeshines accolades that distinguish him from his peers. Rather, it Is the enduring legacy of his cream (in the theatre and In popular out-of-the-way(prenominal)ming) and the conglomerateity and melodiousity of his make up that mark Condense as the greatest American composer of the twentieth century.In localize for a composer to be considered important, his or her legacy essential extend beyond the tuneful world. The 20th century adage many important melodyal figures, still no(prenominal) chip in had the wide-reaching ethnic modulate that Stephen Cond ense has. HIS music and personality take Influenced television system and movies In a way no other modern Broadway composers film. Shoeshines music is lots featured on television shows and in movies, even when they may depend out of place. So far is his cultural reach that his name is synonymous with melodic theatre, even for the uninitiated.For example, several of Shoeshines yells have been intent on Foxs show Glee. Telling the accounting off suburban Ohio high schools show choir, Glee has made Its name fetching stocks and creating mash-ups the shows latest season was the mishap of l Feel Pretty (from Shoeshines West Side Story) and Talcs Unprinted. In item, Glee utilized at least two other Condense margin calls as well (Entertainment Weekly). Glee is not the ex makely television program to make use of Shoeshines work.The hit BBC television show frightening Housewives has use a Condense song title or lyric as the chronological succession title for e really episode in its seven seasons (BBC). Several songs have even been included in episodes (NP). leave alone Farrell sang the popular song mail in the Clowns from A Little iniquity medical specialty when he appeared as a guest on David Letterman. The Fox animate show The Simpson, long considered arbiters of pop radical relevance (Entertainment Weekly) also Send in the Clowns from A Little Night Music when Crusty the Clowns show gets cancelled (Fox).Crusty, sitting on a stage by himself, sings the song as huge lights composition out his name behind him, a reference to the eleven oclock number Roses circle in another Condense melodious comedy Gypsy. Shoeshines music remains relevant not only on television, still on the stage as well. There are currently over 300 productions of Shoeshines musicals world performed throughout the country (Review). In the aside five years, six of his shows have been performed on Broadway (ASS). One, Company was recently performed at capital of Nebraska Center with an all-star cast including Neil Patrick Harris and Stephen Collect (Holder).The position was so popular that the production is red ink to be shown in theatres in June (Philharmonic). Shoeshines chronic importance in popular last is one of the primary reasons he is the most important and influential composer of the last century. though many other composers such as Irving Berlin and Leonard Bernstein received the same train of small success, none has enjoyed the career longevity that Condense has. Neither Berlin nor Bernstein has written songs that eve achieved the same take aim of pop culture relevance that Condense has.Although lolly Porter may have achieved a similar level of success in the sass (ASS), the fact that his songs are no longer as recognizable as Shoeshines indicate that Shoeshines are more important to American culture in the last century. However, in order for a Broadway composer to truly be considered great, they must do more than provide small t unes. They must also provide music that holds merit outside of the context of the musical theyre presented in Shoeshines songs do Just that. His music is far more complex and original than that of his interpolates, further separating him from the pack.One of the hallmarks of Shoeshines music is the use of disagreement (Condense 37). Dissonance, the use of chords that dont sound right was, until Condense began experimenting with it, almost unheard of in musical theatre (PBS). It has, however, been used in musical composition for centuries (NP). Shoeshines use of dissonance illustrated how complex his compositions are while many composers pass for melodies that are pleasant to the ear, Condense uses composition to further storyline and provide acumen into the mood of the scene the music is used in.For example, in the song Take a Look, Lee from Assassins, Condense uses dissonance to execute tension leading up to the assassination of John F. Kennedy. tour other composers (particul arly Cole Porter and Irving Berlin) used music as a break from the action of a show, Condense uses it to further action (Condense 46). And pretend complexness. In Sweeney Todd, Toby, an orphaned adopted by the title murderer and his mistress Mrs sleep together suspects Toddys murderous ways and sings Not While Im Around to Mrs distinguish. The song is sweet and often considered one of Shoeshines best(p) love songs (Condense 152).However, when the song is later sung y Mrs Love who is looking to capture and kill Toby, the put forward in key creates a far more ominous tone. Here, the same song with the same melody has a very different meaning and mood, thanks to Shoeshines arrangement. The complexity and immediacy of his music illustrates Shoeshines genius for not only musical theatre melodies but also composition as a whole. While other composers may have been as prolific as Condense, none can match his sophistication and complexity. Condense does not create songs that can work i n any musical resembling Porter or Berlin did (Condense 7).Rather, each musical is closer to an opera with each song building pony and influencing the next (Condense 8). It is this level of complexity that marks him as the best composer of his generation. Shoeshines work is also far more realistic than that of his contemporaries. Even when writing about mythological or fantastic elements, he manages to make his characters real Shoeshines characters never run short caricatures. They are fully formed individuals who act like real people would act in the situations theyre placed in. Condense argues that characters should.