The Broadway Musical: A Critical and Musical Survey - Softcover

Swain's valuable survey contains a great deal of perceptive musical and dramatic criticism and analysis. -- Geoffrey Block, Author of Enchanted Evenings: The Broadway Musical from Show Boat to Sondheim Swain's study should convince even the sceptic that the musical can be seriously and usefully analysed....an essential book for those concerned with drama, song and popular arts. * Popular Music * Swain's study should convince even the skeptic that the musical can be seriously and usefully analysed...an essential book for those concerned with drama, song, and popular arts....Swain has not only advanced the critical analysis of the Broadway musical, but has developed techniques that will enable the great composers of musicals to be given appropriate critical recognition. * Times Literary Supplement *

This new edition of Swain's classic awardwinning text reveals how a musical drama achieves plot movement, character development and conflict through strategic placement of music in twenty impressive productions. Included is the latest research and viewpoints of contemporary critics, highlighting the various styles of important composers including Jerome Kern, George Gershwin, Jerry Bock, Stephen Sondheim, and Andrew Lloyd Webber. This new edition also includes a previously unpublished essay on Les MisZrables. An expanded epilogue offers insight into the phenomena behind Miss Saigon and Phantom of the Opera, _megamusicals_ which seemingly popularized the Broadway tradition. For people interested in Broadway musicals, theater, popular music, American music, opera and/or twentiethcentury music.