Tune in to hear Stephen Sondheim on NPR's Fresh Air today; he'll discuss his newly released collection of lyrics, Finishing the Hat. Paul Simon, reviewing the book in the Times Book Review, calls it "a master class in how to write a musical ... given by the theater’s finest living songwriter" and says: "I would argue that Sondheim’s lyrics are deeper, more invisibly intricate and braver in their search for truth than those of any who have preceded him." Fresh Air says of Sondheim's Evening Primrose, just out on DVD: "Boy, does it make a case for the early brilliance of Sondheim."
Stephen Sondheim will be the guest on today's episode of NPR's Fresh Air. The composer will talk with host Terry Gross about his new book, Finishing the Hat (Knopf), which includes the lyrics for all of his musicals from 1954 to 1981, as well as never-before-published songs from each show, plus anecdotes, behind-the-scenes photographs from each production, and handwritten music and lyrics from the songwriter’s personal collection. Tune in on NPR member stations across the country and online at npr.org.
Legendary singer-songwriter Paul Simon reviews the new book in this weekend's New York Times Book Review. "After reading Finishing the Hat," Simon writes, "I felt as if I had taken a master class in how to write a musical. A class given by the theater’s finest living songwriter ... I would argue that Sondheim’s lyrics are deeper, more invisibly intricate and braver in their search for truth than those of any who have preceded him." For more of Simon's perspective on his fellow songwriter, read the review at nytimes.com.
Sondheim celebrated the US release of the book earlier this week with a party at Chartwell Booksellers in Manhattan. There are photos from the event at broadwayworld.com.
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Earlier this week, Fresh Air contributor David Bianculli reviewed Sondheim's Evening Primrose, which has just been made available for the first time since its aired on ABC in 1966 with a newly released DVD from Entertainment One / Archive of American Television. With all that's going on this week, "no new television event, to me, is quite so exciting as this week's DVD release of Evening Primrose," says Bianculli, a TV and film historian. "You know from the start—the very start—that this is pure, clever Sondheim," he explains. "And boy, does it make a case for the early brilliance of Sondheim." You can listen to his review at npr.org.
The Nonesuch studio recording of Evening Primrose, from 2000, featuring Neil Patrick Harris and Theresa McCarthy (Floyd Collins), was the first recording of the show under Sondheim’s supervision, and is available in the Nonesuch Store. The album contains another Sondheim rarity, The Frogs, starring Nathan Lane and Brian Stokes Mitchell.
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