The Last Five Years - Vocal Selections [Paperback]

Jason Robert Brown (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1, 2003

Jason Robert Brown, the creator of Parade and Songs for a New World, has written a distinctive new Off-Broadway musical. The Last Five Years tells the story of a failed marriage of 20-somethings: he a successful novelist, she a struggling actress. Her story is told in reverse, his conventionally moving forward. They meet in the middle at the point of their wedding. Brown's strong writing has found a solid following among musical theatre fans. Our songbook features piano/vocal arrangements of 12 songs: Goodbye Until Tomorrow * I Can Do Better Than That * If I Didn't Believe in You * Moving Too Fast * The Next Ten Minutes * Nobody Needs to Know * A Part of That * The Schmuel Song * Shiksa Goddess * Still Hurting * A Summer in Ohio * When You Come Home to Me. "Short, bittersweet and nearly perfect, Brown has come up with a winning combination of music and book." - Variety

Product Details

Sample Music Notation [24kb PDF]

• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: Hal Leonard Corporation (July 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0634048287
• ISBN-13: 978-0634048289
• Product Dimensions: 11.9 x 9 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #144,481 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #82 in Books > Arts & Photography > Music > Theory, Composition & Performance > Sheet Music & Scores > Forms & Genres > Vocal

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

48 of 48 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a terrific songbook, August 7, 2003

By 

Steven Carroll (Sammamish, WA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Last Five Years - Vocal Selections (Paperback)

Let provide a little more information about this book, which i absolutely love. Like all of the other Jason Robert Brown vocal selections, this one is characterized by complex piano arrangements (for the most part transcriptions of the actual piano parts you hear on the recording). The casual player will find these arrangements MUCH more difficult to play than the average broadway vocal selections (such as Phantom, Les Miz) because they are not simplified. However, the intermediate player will find much to love in these pieces. I think of the JRB trifecta (last 5 years, parade, songs for a new world) to be a pretty great workshop in how to play rock piano accompaniments.

This book is definately my favorite of the 3. The first reason is that it is by far the most complete. All but 2 songs are presented (See I'm Smiling, and A Miracle Would Happen), although a few songs lose interludes (the intro to Still Hurting and the matching exit from Goodbye Til Tommorow). Climbing Uphill is combined into "When you come home to me".

Second, wow, the music. This stuff just feels great under the fingers and I think Brown has really matured as a composer with the variety in this work.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Music For A Great Show, September 9, 2004

By 

Jordango "The Amazon" (America) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Last Five Years - Vocal Selections (Paperback)

I, like many many others, have fallen in love with the Off-Broadway recording of The Last Five Years. I was also very fortunate to have seen it as well. Awesome show, awesome music. There isn't anything else to say. This is really the best as far as small musicals go in my opinion. Not only is it startling realistic, but the music is sophisticated and the lyrics are complex. But only in the very best ways. So of course, being a thespian I must have the music for this spectacular show so that I can feel somewhat connected to it. Of course there is the benefit of being able to sing the great songs by myself instead of with the recording (which isn't all that bad either). First thing to consider: The music is very difficult to play. The piano score for this is incredibly complex and difficult and hasn't really been toned down from the actual music. Therefore, those looking to get this book for audition songs, I wouldn't reccomend it. Unless the pianist has seen it, is an excellent piano player, and has had time to study it, it will not go over well. You would have be an absolute genius at the piano to be able to sight read this music well. So that is very unfortunate. Another odd thing about this music book is that almost every song in the show is in it. The only ones that aren't in it are See I'm Smiling and A Miracle Would Happen. Usually they leave out more songs than that, but it makes for the fact that you'll probably get everything you're looking for. But this music collection is essential for anyone who loves theatre and wants their own music. Then again, even if you aren't into theatre, the music in this book is also appealing to many who are simply into music itself. A big reccomendation.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Just about everything you want, August 2, 2005

By 

Marcy L. Agreen (New Castle, DE USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Last Five Years - Vocal Selections (Paperback)

Piano playing is my hobby, singing is my passion. The music is not the easiest I've played, but I really bought the book because the songs are great for singing: auditions, cabaret, or just for fun! It's GREAT music! It does not include all the songs on the CD however, but it has the fun ones, so I wasn't too disappointed. It also does not include the haunting little piano ditty that plays at the beginning and the end of the show. The melody is not in the accompaniment, so it's probably not too good for piano solos, but overall, it's a good buy.