Assassins: Vocal Score

Rating:
Summary: Who but Sondheim???
Review: Only Stephen Sondheim would dare to write a musical which took as its topic Presidential assassinations. What could have been depressing is, through the power of Sondheim's music and Weidman's book, transformed into an intriguing foray into the minds of the disturbed people who committed murder, and (this is the creepy part) committed it with a clear conscience. The music is phenomenal - an amalgam of John Philip Sousa, Stephen Foster, and Sondheim's unique brand of spiky, bittersweet harmonies. The book, by John Weidman, makes quite a few insightful observations on the twisted motivations of the Assassins. But it's Sondheim's hypnotic score that draws one back again and again.

Rating:
Summary: What a score!
Review: This is, in my opinion, Sondheim's greatest musical to date. The score, although shorter than most of his, contains some of his wittiest lyrics: 'Or we'd have been left / Bereft / Of F.D.R.!', and some of the greatest tunes ('The Gun Song' is a personal favourite). Sondheim cleverly uses the marches of John Philip Sousa to evoke the ironic feeling of patriotism in a tale about presidential assassins. He also pastiches the music of Aaron Copland in many numbers. The combination of these styles and composers provides a truly American atmosphere, which, when heard out of context make wonderful songs, but in context of the show carry a deeper underscore of menace. Whether you're intending to produce the show or you just want to own a piece of Sondheim history, this score is a must!