20 years ago today we lost one of the great composers of the American Musical Theatre. His name was Jule Styne and he was 88 years old when he passed. He will always be remembered for composing such shows as GYPSY, HIGH BUTTON SHOES, FUNNY GIRL, and GENTLEMEN PREFER BLONDES. He was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1972 and the American Theatre Hall of Fame in 1981. Let us never forget such a legendary composer, and may his works live on through the ages.
Anything regarding shows stated by this account is an attempt to convey opinion and not fact.
I you have not listened to Darling of the Day, get it immediately. Only 32 performances, but a lovely score with a wonderful performance by Patricia Routledge. I enjoy the score better than anything he had done other than Gypsy.
I also love Hallelujah Baby and really think the show should be done by Encores one of these days.
"I you have not listened to Darling of the Day, get it immediately. Only 32 performances, but a lovely score with a wonderful performance by Patricia Routledge."
And so many others like The Christmas Waltz, Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!, Every Street's a Boulevard In Old New York, I Don't Want To Walk Without You, Three Coins In a Fountain, and on and on. Spectacular catalogue!
One of my favorites of his is HAZEL FLAGG. One of his most underrated scores I would say. I listen to it all the time, along with his other scores of course. The hits as well as the flops are wonderful throughout.
Though I didn't mention them in my original post, I am also a fan of HAZEL FLAGG, SUGAR, DARLING OF THE DAY, SUBWAYS ARE FOR SLEEPING, DO RE MI, PRETTYBELLE, BELLS ARE RINGING and HALLELUJAH, BABY! I even enjoy quite a bit of LORELEI. He really was one of the greatest Broadway ever saw.
Anything regarding shows stated by this account is an attempt to convey opinion and not fact.
Add my voice of support for the scores of Prettybelle, Sugar and Bar Mitzvah Boy. The overtures for Look to the Lillies and One Night Stand sound pdg on the TER collection too.
Saw Look To The Lillies. I remember that Sammy Davis was being mentioned for the Poitier part. They were changing songs like gangbusters. It was a pleasant show that would be great @ Encores
Styne regularly stole music but he stole from himself so it was OK. Call Me Savage from Fade had the same melody as Witches Brew from Hallelujah another underappreciated show with a great score. When one of his Overtures started you knew it was him. He was the Ethel Merman of overtures
There's a late 1970s episode of Desert Island Discs - a radio talk show where guest picks the music they would bring if they had to be stranded on a desert island - with Jule Styne on the BBC website. It's an interesting listen.