Customer Reviews

Song and Dance: The Musicals of Broadway

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Song and Dance was very interesting in that it seemed to give two sides to many musicalsl, the good reviews and the bad, and describe why they got each. This was a very objective view to take on musicals, except when describing the bad sides in for example Ragtime, there was nothing to support the opinion of the writer. This seemed out of place in such an objective book. Another problem with the book was the obvious lack of an efficient editor. There were many misspellings throughout the book, of actor and character names (Wilson Jermaine Herdia, Matron Mama Martin), etc. When I recognize a mistake in a book that I bought intending for it to educate me, I wonder how much I'm really going to get out of the book. And I wonder what other information is false. Overall, I think this book is very good if you want to read an often two-sided summary of the most influential musicals in history. But for learning purposes only, try to find something a little less shaky.

Fans of Broadway musicals will find Song & Dance an outstanding blend of book and music: the book has almost two hundred pages of history detailing the evolution of the Broadway musical from its 19th century roots to modern times. Over a hundred color and black and white photos are included. Music is presented on three compact discs of music packed with examples from different shows, while an accompanying booklet of session notes covers all the tracks. Simply an unbeatable package for any fan of Broadway musical history and events.

I receieved this for my birthday last month and loved it. It gives you three cd's to listen to which have songs from all the musicals that they mention in the book. All of the songs are from the original cast, (most being the best versions.) Book gives background on the creation of the musical and gives the storyline. I would recommend this to anyone who loves broadway musicals, but wants to know more about particular musicals. Also good for someone looking for a good play to go see.

Fun music, sung by all the favorites. Great background on each of the origional plays the songs were sung in. Highly recommend for people who like the old music.

The initial customer review is, incorrectly, a critique of Ted Sennett's stand-alone coffee table book-- not of "Song & Dance", the boxed set edition (for which this web-page was created). The new "Song & Dance" includes three CDs containing sixty four songs from sixty four shows--along with an extensive sessionography that enlightens and expands upon Sennett's original work.
No musical theatre retrospective on the market today--neither Sony or BMG's--is as thorough. Each of the aforementioned companies based their retrospectives on the limitations of their catalogues(both own less than half of the canon of Broadway and therefore attempt to limit the readers knowledge of musical theatre history for appearance's sake).
Song & Dance, the boxed set edition dares to stand between these two catalogues and to cull from the best of both--and then some. The process toward insuring the widest historical overview of musical theatre history took nearly three years from licensing to publication.
Written by noted music historian Andrew G. Hager, the boxed set's new in-depth Session Notes are from the perspective of the collaborators who brought each great work to life.
For those who wish to understand not only the historical data behind each work but to look behind the curtain at the great men and women who created your favorite musicals, this boxed set is invaluable.

The initial customer review is, incorrectly, a critique of Ted Sennett's stand-alone coffee table book-- not of "Song & Dance", the boxed set edition (for which this web-page was created). The new "Song & Dance" includes three CDs containing sixty four songs from sixty four shows--along with an extensive sessionography that enlightens and expands upon Sennett's original work.
No musical theatre retrospective on the market today--neither Sony or BMG's--is as thorough. Each of the aforementioned companies based their retrospectives on the limitations of their catalogues(both own less than half of the canon of Broadway and therefore attempt to limit the readers knowledge of musical theatre history for appearance's sake).
Song & Dance, the boxed set edition dares to stand between these two catalogues and to cull from the best of both--and then some. The process toward insuring the widest historical overview of musical theatre history took nearly three years from licensing to publication.
Written by noted music historian Andrew G. Hager, the boxed set's new in-depth Session Notes are from the perspective of the collaborators who brought each great work to life.
For those who wish to understand not only the historical data behind each work but to look behind the curtain at the great men and women who created your favorite musicals, this boxed set is invaluable.

The initial customer review is, incorrectly, a critique of Ted Sennett's stand-alone coffee table book-- not of "Song & Dance", the boxed set edition (for which this web-page was created). The new "Song & Dance" includes three CDs containing sixty four songs from sixty four shows--along with an extensive sessionography that enlightens and expands upon Sennett's original work.
No musical theatre retrospective on the market today--neither Sony or BMG's--is as thorough. Each of the aforementioned companies based their retrospectives on the limitations of their catalogues(both own less than half of the canon of Broadway and therefore attempt to limit the readers knowledge of musical theatre history for appearance's sake).
Song & Dance, the boxed set edition dares to stand between these two catalogues and to cull from the best of both--and then some. The process toward insuring the widest historical overview of musical theatre history took nearly three years from licensing to publication.
Written by noted music historian Andrew G. Hager, the boxed set's new in-depth Session Notes are from the perspective of the collaborators who brought each great work to life.
For those who wish to understand not only the historical data behind each work but to look behind the curtain at the great men and women who created your favorite musicals, this boxed set is invaluable.