A Chorus Line - Updated Edition: Vocal Selections [Paperback]

Edward Kleban (Composer), Marvin Hamlisch (Composer)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1, 1982

One of the longest running shows on Broadway, A Chorus Line won nine Tony Awards and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Our updated songbook features vocal lines with piano accompaniment for ten songs: At the Ballet * Dance: Ten; Looks: Three * I Can Do That * I Hope I Get It * One * What I Did for Love * more.

Product Details

Sample Music Notation [24kb PDF]

• Paperback: 80 pages
• Publisher: Hal Leonard Corporation (February 1, 1982)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 088188068X
• ISBN-13: 978-0881880687
• Product Dimensions: 12 x 9 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #400,372 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Better than sheet music, March 1, 2006

By 

Maddi Hausmann Sojourner "madhaus" (Silicon Valley, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Chorus Line, A Vocal Score (Paperback)

This isn't "sheet music" for the songs on the cast album, this is the ENTIRE vocal score. This is a reduction rather than an arrangement; the full orchestral score was reduced to one piano with a number of extra notes added showing where you would throw in other instruments. This is more difficult and comprehensive than the "Piano/Vocal/Guitar" arrangement, also sold by the same publisher. But go ahead and try those challenging notes, because look what you get!

*Every* piece of incidental music in the show is included here. That means all the lead-ins to songs, not just the songs themselves. That means all the spoken cues to start the music. The filler songs "And" and "The Tap Combination" are included. The full version of "Hello Twelve, Hello Thirteen" is here. Both versions of "One" are here for your enjoyment; the "rehearsal" version (where the actors recite the dance steps, count the beat, and sing the song in a brilliant 4-part arrangement) and the finale used for curtain calls (which includes the countermelody "She walks into a room..." that turns into a terrific interwoven melody for verse 3, followed by fantastic 4-part harmony reprise in verse 4).

The 96-page "sheet music" (Hal Leonard SBN: 088188068X) does not have any of this detail. It features the same pieces in the cast album but only one version of One, which skips both the rehearsal thoughts and the final verse with harmony. It also severely truncates such great hits such as Hello Twelve (which has four parts) and "The Music and the Mirror" (which has an extended musical section where Cassie does her mirror dance). The Vocal Score, this product right here, has ALL that detail.

Don't be confused by the incorrect "look inside" for this product. It shows the identical contents of the Piano/Vocal/Guitar version I mentioned above, and that is NOT what you get with the Vocal Score. It really is over 200 pages of material, and that's why it costs so much more. And it is WORTH IT.

If you just want to play a few of your favorite songs from the show, buy the shorter, easier, and less expensive version. But if you want to capture every element of Marvin Hamlisch's score, if you just love everything about this show and want to recapture the music, THIS is the one to buy.

NOTE: There is something wrong with Amazon's handing of this product. This review is appearing for both the VOCAL SCORE product and the PIANO/VOCAL/GUITAR product. This is probably the same bug giving the wrong "Look Inside" information for the vocal score. However, if you buy the vocal score, they will ship you the correct product.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good, but there is better, March 1, 2006

By 

Maddi Hausmann Sojourner "madhaus" (Silicon Valley, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: A Chorus Line - Updated Edition: Vocal Selections (Paperback)

As arrangements of Broadway shows go, this book is pretty good. All pieces are in the correct key (far too often, popular sheet msuic is deliberately transposed into the wrong key to prevent people from singing them properly), and the arrangements are a good take on the actual orchestral score. It's a fairly challenging arrangement; beginners should NOT buy this music as they will be extremely frustrated.

However, I cannot give this book 5 stars since several songs are truncated. Only one version of "One" is included, it is not the "rehearsal" version (where the actors recite dance steps and count the beat as they learn the song) but the finale, yet verse 4, with the fantastic 4-part harmony, is not included. "Hello Twelve, Hello Thirteen" was cut down to only the introduction, leaving out the fantastic montage of character stories sung through this four-part number. (The new Chorus Line cast CD, from the 1975 version, has almost 15 minutes of material from this recurring song.) "The Music and the Mirror" omits the extended music for Cassie's mirror dance, only including the singing.

If you want absolutely every shred of music from the show, you should look at the Vocal Score instead. That book is 224 pages of every bit incidental music, lead-ins, all verses, and codas. If you just want to play or sing a few of the songs for the show and you are comfortable with a moderately difficult arrangement, this is the right book to buy.

NOTE: There is something wrong with Amazon's handing of this product. This review is appearing for both the VOCAL SCORE product and the PIANO/VOCAL/GUITAR product. This is probably the same bug giving the wrong "Look Inside" information for the vocal score. However, if you buy the piano/vocal/guitar version, they will ship you the correct product.

5.0 out of 5 stars Very Pleased!, August 27, 2011

By 

M. L. - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: A Chorus Line - Updated Edition: Vocal Selections (Paperback)

There was a warning of damage to this book, but it was in much better condition than expected. Pleasantly surprised. Would definitely buy from this seller again.