Customer Reviews

Hedwig and the Angry Inch

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

For some people, the stage production of Hedwig And The Angry Inch was this greally great Off-Broadway musical. For others it taught them a little bit about themselves, about those around them, and about their lives. John Cameron Mitchell's text laces beautifully with Stephen Trask's lyrics to dish out an emotional beat down that hurts so much you love it.

If you haven't seen it, I'll admit, reading the script isn't going to do it for you, but if you've at least heard of it, go out and get yourself the CD and read along between the songs. There's also some incredible photography to look at, many of which haven't been seen before. You get a semi-decent idea of what's going on on stage, anyway. It's quite a show by some extremely talented people. I will never forget Hedwig or her brain parents as long as I live.

John Cameron Mitchell and Stephen Trask's Hedwig and the Angry Inch debuted off Broadway in 1999, then gained widespread popularity in 2001 when a film version of the queer-themed rock musical hit theaters. It's a wonder why then fans had to wait till 2004 for a songbook to be released. The bitter wait aside, finally here is Hedwig and the Angry Inch: piano/vocal selections published by Hal Leonard, and if you're a Hedwig fan, better snatch one of these before they're out of print!

THE BASICS:
--Music and Lyrics by Stephen Trask.
--Contents: Tear Me Down (6 pages), Origin of Love (12 pages, Sugar Daddy (8 pages), Angry Inch (6 pages), Wig in a Box (9 pages), Wicked Little Town 9 pages), The Long Grift (4 pages), Hedwig's Lament (2 pages), Exquisite Corpse (5 pages), Wicked Littel Town Reprise (5 pages), Midnight Radio 6 pages).
--70 pages. (Music starts on page 4.)
--No pictures/photos.
--The cover is the Hedwig MOVIE art, but the songs are printed from their 1999 form. So for instance in "Sugar Daddy," there is an "extra" monologue music interlude by Luther that isn't in the film.
--The title says "piano/vocal selections." But note that there are ALSO guitar chords and diagrams for every song!! Songs are arranged so that you have the melodies intertwined (the songs are not just piano accompaniment), and you get all the lyrics too. You get spoken dialogue too in the songs as in Wig in the Box and Tear Me Down.
--ISBN 0-634-06881-4. Not to be confused with the other Hedwig books/libretto/making-of.

OVERALL: ***1/2 stars out of 5.
A great piano solo songbook for lovers of the Hedwig play/film. The songs are arranged from the play, so there are some "extra" lyrics not seen in the film. Arrangements are rich, though at times not very sophisticated. Driving rock beats frequently are arranged as humongous chords. This might sound a little strange in songs like Tear Me Down and Exquisite Corpse, but it works out decently. Songs originally with a piano or piano-based melody like Wig in a Box, WIcked Little Town, and Origin of Love sound beautiful in their piano arrangements here.

Songs are very challenging with heavily-sharp'd/flat'd keys, quirky rhythms and frequent jazz triplets (the quarter-half note combo). In the end of Midnite Radio, the pianist is told to "ad lib" the ending, which something for the novice. The book is too difficult for a beginner, but has potential to sound super for a very skilled pianist. But get the timing down and the melody comes right through. Worth owning this music book while you can still get your hands on it, even if it ends up being too tough to master.

What can I say I loved this book. The book is wonderful it includes the entire lyrics for the songs in the musical and the text from the script. In addition it includes Plato's symposium which John Cameron Mitchell partially based the play on, and a number of photos from the musical production. There are two pages with wonderful color glossy pictures, the rest are good balck and white photos. If you didn't get the chance to see the play this is the next best thing to it. If you did get a chance (like myself) to see the play then this is a must have for a Hedwig fan. I can't say enough about this wonderful, book other then you'll love it.

A fellow reviewer left a detailed description of the sheet music/vocal score/piano and guitar score for "Hedwig". This item is not that. It is merely the book of the stage play, and while it is a wonderful collector's piece DO NOT ORDER IT IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR SHEET MUSIC.

Well, I guess what I really have to say is, "wow!" I've been listening to the Hedwig soundtrack since it came out, but I never got a chance to see the play, and, consequently, I missed out on a GREAT deal. While this book doesn't replace seeing a show, it does contain the entire script. So now I've caught up and know more exactly what all of those fabulous songs are about!! And what a story . . .

Buy the soundtrack, and if you are at all moved, the next logical step is to buy the book. You will not be disapointed.

My 18 year old son asked me to watch this movie with him and I found it to be a really good movie. It was a little shocking, but the music was really good. I loved the actor who played Hedwig and the movie kept me thoroughly entertained.

This is, simply put, an amazing work. From the stage production to the written play to the movie adaptation, it is an incredible, gender-blowing glam rock force to be reckoned with. Maybe people will see themselves in Hedwig, and her emotions and beliefs are expressed beautifully, as are the underlying themes in the work. This is truely the only rock-n-roll musical that rocks--or even matters.

What can I say, I mean if you dug the movie, and the music from the movie, you are a pianist, and or singer, guitarplayer, then you'll dig the book.

The movie is a philosophical tour de force backed by an amazing soundtrack. The music is a bit complicated for beginners. But if you have a musical background and want to be able to play along with the soundtrack and pretend you are a member of the Angry Inch (and I do) then this book is for you.

Books from a successful Broadway or off-Broadway show are typically pretty silly, or at least pandering about how fabulous it is. This is a decidedly curious marketing tool, since it comes out after the show has lost its steam in New York, before the movie is made, and while the show is sort of on tour.

Hedwig and the Angry Inch was a really fabulous off-Broadway show, though I don't think the script on paper will quite capture the experience and power of it. Still, as it is a most worthwhile production, any marketing tool behind it is assuredly for the bet.