Re: Best American Composer.

Lane Singer (lsd@ix.netcom.com)
17 Apr 1995 15:58:10 GMT

In <Pine.OSF.3.91a.950417102219.9331H-100000@hopper.unh.edu> Kublai Ken <wkl@hopper.unh.edu>
writes:

>On 15 Apr 1995, Lane Singer wrote:
>
>> Not a personal thing for me, unless one can consider it personal that
>> his lack of talent is so incredibly glaring, and yet he seems to
>> be wildly successful.
>
>I guess this is a bad time to say I own the soundtracks for "Phantom of
>the Opera," "Cats," and "Evita," isn't it?

Yikes. I've heard 'Evita' is great, I've just never heard the
music. I can assure you that I listen to some things that would
make many another cringe :) and that I think are quite wonderful.
Country music, now and again, for instance.

>> I believe he came up because at one point the topic was light opera,
>> or musicals, and he seems to be one of the only games in town right
>> now. But look back at the composers of 30-70 years ago, and it's
>> enough to make one weep that all we have to show for ourselves at
>> this point in that genre is Weber. (Not entirely true, I realize -
>> I make no complaint about anyone else.)
>
>Isn't Sondheim still around (my nominee for best composer, anyway?).
>"Into the Woods," and the like are better in my mind than the Webber
>things.

Yes, he certainly is around, and very good :) You have excellent
taste.

>Ah, well. Different tastes, I guess. I never knew that so many
>people dislike Webber's work that much. Truth be told, I like his work,
>but I have seen lots of people who cringe at the very mention of his
>name, and I have always wondered why.
> Oh, well. Thanks for the answer.

Thanks for not flaming me for being presumptuous about something
so personal, and important, as music.

Lane