Stephen Banfield

One of the more complex books on the Master, "Sondheim's Broadway Musicals" is a fitting title, but may still be a bit misleading. This isn't a look at the history and creation of his shows as a whole - there are several books for that, all of them patchy but all enjoyable. Instead, this is a more technical analysis of Sondheim's music, including his inspirations and his lyrical and musical structures. If you don't know anything about music theory, this will be a tough slog (it's a tough slog for me, and I've at least got an amateur understanding), but - as with the great [b:Sondheim on Music: Minor Details and Major Decisions|419573|Sondheim on Music Minor Details and Major Decisions|Mark Eden Horowitz|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1174585228s/419573.jpg|408716] - it's fascinating anyway, just to see the level of creation and tinkering that goes on beyond the immediate emotional and intellectual stimulation one gets from viewing, or listening to, one of Sondheim's shows.… (altro)