Customer Reviews

Defying Gravity: The Creative Career of Stephen Schwartz, from Godspell to Wicked

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For decades, I have been fascinated by Broadway musicals and Broadway music, even though my occupation has nothing to do with the field of entertainment. However, it does deal with creativity. I think this is part of the reason I was drawn to the work of such composers and lyricists as Rodgers and Hammerstein, Gershwin, Kern, Porter, Lerner and Loewe, and Sondheim. I have read everything I could get my hands on about this individuals and others. What in their background led them to this occupation? What led them to become so successful?

Stephen Schwartz is a member of the current generation of Broadway composers and lyricists. Probably because there are so few opportunities for individuals with this talent and desire, each generation produces a very small number of successful composers and lyricists. In his case, Schwartz is both a composer and lyricist. Anyone with an interest in show music will have his or her favorite shows and favorite songs. Schwartz is the composer-lyricist of WICKED, my favorite of his shows and an amazing accomplishment. He wrote the lyrics to the songs from Disney's HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME (and the German stage production of it) and to the song "If I Never You" from POCAHONTAS, also bordering on masterpieces in my opinion.

The author of this marvelous book is Carol de Giere. This book is not only extremely interesting to read, the author has capured the story of the steps along the path that led Schwartz from childhood to where he is today. This includes such great successes for someone so very young to great diappointments and how he handled them. We are left with an extraordinarily talented artist who received encouragement when he needed it and possessing an abundance of self-confidence.

There have been many movies in the past about composers (including Rodgers and Hart, Kern, Gershwin, and Porter). As I read this book, I thought: This book would make a good basis for a very interesting movie. For those individuals interested in Broadway, Broadway musicals and the people who create them (and creative people in general), I highly recommend this book and compliment the author.

It is rare to find a biography written so well that you don't want to put it down, with characters so vivid they live in your head when you do manage to briefly walk away. For anyone interested in the crafting of words and music, there is much to learn here. Carol de Giere describes in depth, not only Stephen Schwartz's work, but how he works. You need not come to this book a Schwartz fan, but you will probably be one when you finish it. I can not recommend Defying Gravity highly enough, particularly for anyone interested in music, writing, and theatre.

While I was working with Kristin Chenoweth on her memoir, A Little Bit Wicked: Life, Love, and Faith in Stages, I read "Defying Gravity" as part of my research, and I absolutely loved it. The creative genius of Stephen Schwartz is a force of nature and helped make Kristin a Broadway icon.

Carol de Giere delivers an Amazing analysis of Stephen Schwartz. No one has done this, and de Giere's analysis is fascinating.

She talks about "Godspell,", and "Pippin," and "The Magic Show," and "The Baker's Wife", and "Working," and "Rags", and finally, and most importantly, de Giere spills the whole story of "Wicked." And she tells amazing backstage stuff. She was actually there.

Buy the book. It's amazing.

I had really been looking forward to reading this book, and was thrilled to be able to get a few copies directly from the author that were autographed by both the author and Stephen Schwartz. The book exceeded all of my expectations. I only knew about a couple of his musicals, but Carol covered them all.
I also had no idea the amount of group effort that can go into writing and producing a musical for Broadway. My respect for Mr. Schwartz has greatly increased with reading this amazing book.
It was also fascinating to get a look into the inner workings of Mr. Schwartz's writing process.
If anyone wants too get an insiders look at not only Stephen Schwartz's musical and creative career, but also of the process of creating and producing musicals, I heartily recommend this book!
Good job Carol!!!

For anyone who has ever seen a Stephen Schwartz musical or heard a Schwartz film song or soundtrack, this book is a must! Brilliantly executed, it proceeds with all the impact of a much-loved novel.

Sometimes, going behind the scenes to see the nuts and bolts of the creative process examined and revealed, takes away from the effect of the final work itself. Not in this case...Carol de Giere's engrossing biography is a page-turner which only adds to the magic.

Almost impossible to put down, this book must be one of the best ever written about working in theater and film. A fascinating subject, profoundly portrayed.

I read this book in one weekend. I was astounded by the creativity, both on Mr. Schwartz's part and on the author's. Quite a complicated task to present the creative process, and I think Ms. deGiere gives us a clear and interesting view. For people with talent, this book can provide inspiration. For people who admire and enjoy such talent, this book is a real treat. Buy it and be in awe of Stephen Schwartz's great gifts.
Bettie S. Laven, Oakland, CA

If you are a fan of the music and genius of Stephen Schwartz, then you will not be disappointed in Carel de Giere's account of his journey as songwriter and lyricist from Godspell to Wicked in Defying Gravity. I have been a fan of Stepehn Schwartz's music for over thirty years and found Ms. de Giere's detail, via a chronological narrative, with personal notes, reflections, interviews and photos to be a marvelous insight into Stephen's musical career. It's as though you've been given a free ticket to the window of his musical life and can sit back and enjoy the show as you turn every page. The stories about the development of various songs and the singers/actors who performed them were so engaging that I found myself searching the internet to hear them perform. This is a book that will be read more than once. Bravo!

A legend in musical theatre, few careers can compare to Stephen Schwartz. "Defying Gravity: The Creative Career of Stephen Schwartz from Godspell to Wicked" tells of the man's career who has spanned dozens of successful plays and movies, some of which are huge blockbuster Disney hits like "Pocahontas". Supported by the man himself, De Giere covers the man's entire career with words from those who know him and have worked on him throughout. Enhanced with notes from Schwartz on his own work, "Defying Gravity" is a must read for musical theatre historians, be they professional or amateur.

Although I am not even half-way through this book, it is an excellent document of the career of one of Broadway's successful contemporary composers. The details that are presented of Stephen Schwartz's collegiate years that led to his offerings on Broadway, are probably unfounded in any other published sources up to this time. I look forward to his more recent musicals as I read through and look at the documenting pictures. So many of those performers are now passed away, and this will also be a fine tribute to the work they offered to audiences around the world.
As a scenic designer I have had opportunities to both see original Schwartz productions, and design local versions; in addition, I stage managed a concert that he was the featured performer in, and it was there that he also offered tidbits of his life and career.
I certainly recommend this book to anyone in the song-writing business, as well as a fine document and testament to his career so far. The side bar notes running through the book are not pulled quotes, but more bits and bites.