Can Lin Miranda write in other musical styles?
Can Lin Miranda write in other musical styles?
#1Can Lin Miranda write in other musical styles?
Posted: 4/24/16 at 10:01pm
He is currently Broadway's hottest composer with a fan base that would be the envy of many rock stars. So far he has done two shows in the Rap/Hip-Hop style (I must confess I do not understand the distinction between the two,) I greatly admire his dedication to craft, obsessively rewriting every quatrain to make it as close to perfection as possible.
That said, I wonder if he could write Jazz, or traditional-style musical comedy styles or even something operatic or in a more "classical" musical language. I bet it would be sensational.
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CurtainPullDowner
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/4/04
Mr Roxy
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/17/03
#3Can Lin Miranda write in other musical styles?
Posted: 4/24/16 at 10:06pm
This is the $ 64,000 question. Time will tell
Poster Emeritus
#4Can Lin Miranda write in other musical styles?
Posted: 4/24/16 at 10:08pm
I mean, he's also done Bring it On which has some poppy ballads.
#5Can Lin Miranda write in other musical styles?
Posted: 4/24/16 at 10:10pm
I would argue that he's already exhibited a lot of versatility beyond the hip-hop/rap he's known best for.
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#6Can Lin Miranda write in other musical styles?
Posted: 4/24/16 at 10:12pm
^ I'd go as far as to say "Hamilton" has pop ballads too. "You'll Be Back" is pretty Brit-pop by the way of golden age MT. I'd love to see him write something completely different for his next project! Any hints on what "Moana" will sound like?
"I saw Pavarotti play Rodolfo on stage and with his girth I thought he was about to eat the whole table at the Cafe Momus." - Dollypop
BroadwayConcierge
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/24/15
#7Can Lin Miranda write in other musical styles?
Posted: 4/24/16 at 10:14pm
Who cares? Who or what is requiring him to be able to write in such range? I'm not doubting whether he can or can't write in other styles, but what's wrong with him being completely masterful in the realm he works in? It's his craft.
Updated On: 4/24/16 at 10:14 PM
aaaaaa15
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/31/15
#8Can Lin Miranda write in other musical styles?
Posted: 4/24/16 at 10:15pm
In the Heights was latin/salsa influenced rap.
Hamilton is R&B influenced rap.
There are also songs in both shows that stand out in the scores (particularly in Hamilton) as being outliers e.g. 'Burn', 'You'll Be Back', 'Who Lives Who Dies Who Tells Your Story' etc.
'The Room Where it Happens' also has jazz elements.
So yes I think he could, but I also think he knows where his strengths lie.
#9Can Lin Miranda write in other musical styles?
Posted: 4/25/16 at 12:06am
Yes he can! As others noted, the songs in Hamilton are a wide range of different types of genre. Which is what makes Hamilton great.
Also he wrote music for Star Wars and the upcoming Disney movie. Certainly the music in Star Wars was not hip hop.
One of the things I admire about LMM is he was raised appreciating Broadway musical classics. I am sure he can write a more "traditional" musical. However, he will probably stick with what he does best and the niche he has created for himself.
Not to be confused with Dave19.
Updated On: 4/25/16 at 12:06 AM
#10Can Lin Miranda write in other musical styles?
Posted: 4/25/16 at 12:07am
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#11Can Lin Miranda write in other musical styles?
Posted: 4/25/16 at 12:17am
Can Mozart write in other musical styles?
Can Sondheim write in other musical styles?
Can Debussy write in other musical styles?
How about Cole Porter? He got anything else up his sleeve????
It's less impressive for a composers to write in different styles than to create their own style entirely. The ones who make it into the history books are the ones that create their own musical language.
#12Can Lin Miranda write in other musical styles?
Posted: 4/25/16 at 12:20am
Plenty of his songs, including ones others have already mentioned, could easily live in a musical without hip hop. He's actually a lot more versatile already than a lot of other composers. There's a certain joy to his writing in the way he draws from all these different musical styles.
Wilmingtom
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/18/11
#13Can Lin Miranda write in other musical styles?
Posted: 4/25/16 at 12:43am
"The ones who make it into the history books are the ones that create their own musical language."
LMM didn't create the language of rap, he usurped it for his own, brilliant purposes. Of course he can write in other styles and undoubtedly will when he has a story to tell that doesn't lend itself to the musical vernacular for which he's become well known.
#14Can Lin Miranda write in other musical styles?
Posted: 4/25/16 at 1:17am
I think "You'll Be Back" is basically Hamilton's "King Herod's Song." It's a more traditional sounding song perhaps designed as an intentional comedic departure from the rest of the score. I'd be curious to know what a non rap Lin-Manuel Miranda musical would sound like. Something where all the songs sound more like "You'll Be Back." I don't know that it would be any good or if people would be lining up to see it but I'd be curious.
#15Can Lin Miranda write in other musical styles?
Posted: 4/25/16 at 1:23am
I am surprised no one mentioned Dear Theodosia. That is another great song that sounds different than the rest. Even Hurricane has a different sound.
Not to be confused with Dave19.
aaaaaa15
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/31/15
#16Can Lin Miranda write in other musical styles?
Posted: 4/25/16 at 1:26am
I just looked through the Hamilton track-listing and really only about half of the songs can be called primarily rap.
#17Can Lin Miranda write in other musical styles?
Posted: 4/25/16 at 1:33am
aaaaaa15 said: "I just looked through the Hamilton track-listing and really only about half of the songs can be called primarily rap.
"
Agreed. You can pull out a lot more songs that are not rap. History has its Eyes on You is not rap, although the music has more of a hip hop or R&B sound.
Not to be confused with Dave19.
Updated On: 4/25/16 at 01:33 AM
#18Can Lin Miranda write in other musical styles?
Posted: 4/25/16 at 2:20am
I really don't even think the scores for In the Heights and Hamilton are that similar. Everyone who doesn't like Hamilton says that they're too similar but when you really get to know it they're very different scores.
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#19Can Lin Miranda write in other musical styles?
Posted: 4/25/16 at 2:33am
gypsy101 said: "I really don't even think the scores for In the Heights and Hamilton are that similar. Everyone who doesn't like Hamilton says that they're too similar but when you really get to know it they're very different scores.
"
I agree with this. After listening to both cast recordings, I prefer In the Heights. Not sure if it has to do with not having seen Hamilton yet. But, the 1St time I listened to that all the way through, it felt a little tedious because there is so much. Great music. But, I think I just like the sound of In the Heights better. Still like Hamilton though.
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sparepart973
Broadway Star Joined: 4/7/12
#20Can Lin Miranda write in other musical styles?
Posted: 4/25/16 at 2:47am
He also wrote "Write Back" it appears on Andrea Burns' album.
aaaaaa15
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/31/15
#21Can Lin Miranda write in other musical styles?
Posted: 4/25/16 at 2:48am
gypsy101 said: "I really don't even think the scores for In the Heights and Hamilton are that similar. Everyone who doesn't like Hamilton says that they're too similar but when you really get to know it they're very different scores."
They aren't. They both feature rap (to different degrees) and that's it. It's like saying all rock musicals sound too similar or all golden age era musicals sound too similar. There is no latin/salsa in Hamilton and almost no R&B in ITH.
#22Can Lin Miranda write in other musical styles?
Posted: 4/25/16 at 7:40am
Miranda co-wrote Neil Patrick Harris' "Bigger", the opening of the 2013 Tony Awards (with Tom Kitt), and if that isn't a traditional show-stopping Broadway number, I don't know what is.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=danBaPWT09A
Broadway Forever2
Leading Actor Joined: 3/7/16
#23Can Lin Miranda write in other musical styles?
Posted: 4/25/16 at 8:09am
he obviously can There are traditional broadway songs in Hamilton and In the Heights as well as jazz, pop etc. He also wrote music for Star Wars and is writing for Moana which I doubt will have much rap. He seems to have a great understanding of the musical style and was raised on the classics. Sondheim and Les Mis for example were huge inspirations when he was writing Hamilton. Even In the Heights and Hamilton are so different. In the Heights was latin influenced. But I don't think he will drop the hip hop thing. That what he's known for right?
Also I have a question. Were there any hip hop musicals on broadway before in the Heights?
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KCW
Featured Actor Joined: 10/31/15
#24Can Lin Miranda write in other musical styles?
Posted: 4/25/16 at 8:17am
There were a few off broadway shows and correct me if im wrong, Tupac had a show? It's talked about by the Co writer of the Hamiltome that he thought rap and hip hop would transfer to stage really well but it hadn't yet, so In The Heights was a breakthrough. I would like to add that songs in In the Heights contain no hip hop/rap as well (ex. It won't be long now)
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#25Can Lin Miranda write in other musical styles?
Posted: 4/25/16 at 8:25am
He's writing the music and songs for Disney's Moana, so we'll see what style that ends up being.
I think he certainly can write anything, including a traditional musical score, but his forte and passion is infusing various styles with hip-hop. That's his wheelhouse.
....but the world goes 'round
