Customer Reviews

Allegro (Vocal Score)

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Allegro opened on Broadway at the Majestic Theater on October 10, 1947, running for only 315 performances. It starred John Battles as Joseph Taylor, Jr., Annamary Dickey as Majorie Taylor, William Ching as Dr. Joseph Taylor, Roberta Jonay as Jennie Brinker, Lisa Kirk as Emily West, and John Conte as Charlie Townsend. It was directed and choreographed by Agnes de Mille. The production received mixed reactions from critics, which is perhaps the reason that it, along with only three other R&H productions, was never performed on the big screen. Be that as it may, it did win three Donaldson Awards including Best Book, Lyrics and Score.

According to Stephen Sondheim (who was a production assistant for the original Broadway production), in his introductory remarks prior to the 1994 New York City Center Encores! concert reading of the show, Allegro may have suffered the most disastrous opening night in theatre history. In addition to a falling flat, during a dance number in Act One, one of the actors caught his tap shoe in a track on the stage, tearing every ligament in his leg, and had to be carried - screaming - from the stage. In Act Two, Lisa Kirk, who was making her professional stage debut, caught a heel in another track and fell headlong into the orchestra. Mr. Sondheim confesses his memory may be faulty, but he recalls that she was back up on the stage without missing a note.

Oscar Hammerstein often claimed that he wished he could go back and rewrite the second act of Allegro; he felt audiences didn't get the show properly, leaving the show thinking it was a simple story of an Everyman returning to his roots. Hammerstein claimed the show was his most autobiographical work, and that Joseph Taylor, Jr.'s life was a mirror of some of his own experiences.

Looking at and playing with this score today, one realizes that despite the bad opening night (and Sondheim has had some fairly bad openings himself since then) the material for this show is sparkling. This show is a musical and book achievement that would do well today in our world of Indies and art pieces. As a full scale Broadway musical, even with the likes of Lisa Kirk (who would become a legend)America wasn't interested in having a theatre piece hold a mirror into their faces and say, "Look: this is us. This is America." Every great theatre collaborator has attempted this, at times relentlessly. Again, look at Sondheim. But then Sondheim studied under Oscar Hammerstein, so it should surprise no one that "allegro" is of such high quality. The difference between "Allegro" and "Oklahoma" is that "allegro" withstands time and "Oklahoma" is a delicate piece of history to be placed on a curio shelf and kept well dusted. Take a look at Allegro-full of musical riches, buy the libretto for this and consider this show the next time you want a huge old fashioned musical that everyone isn't sick of seeing over and over.

This book is a wonderful substitute if you don't need the entire vocal score...it's a great option for those of us who love this musical, but only want the "big" songs out of the show!

This Vocal Score has all of the music from the show...from scene change music to bows and exit music. The ALLEGRO Vocal Score is very thick as well...an impressive 245 pages (I'm looking at the book now). If you plan to do the show, want the music, or for any reason: GET THIS VOCAL SCORE! Allegro is a great show (I love R&H no matter what) and I'm 100% satisfied. (I bought the book-new and never before used-in a zShop with Amazon for cheap!) I now have all of the Rodgers and Hammerstein Vocal Scores- and I'm so excited to add this one to my collection!

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