|

|

Advertisements

Stephen Sondheim Quotes

Having just the vision’s no solution, everything depends on execution Picture Quote #1

Every writer I’ve ever spoken to feels fraudulent in some way or other Picture Quote #1

I prefer neurotic people. I like to hear rumblings beneath the surface Picture Quote #1

Math and music are intimately related. Not necessarily on a conscious level, but sure Picture Quote #1

So many good songs get written fast, because you know exactly what has to work Picture Quote #1

When the audience comes in, it changes the temperature of what you’ve written Picture Quote #1

Advertisements

The difference between a cow and a bean is a bean can begin an adventure Picture Quote #1

It’s not so hard to be married, I’ve done it three or four times Picture Quote #1

Friendship, obligation and greed are not good enough reasons to write anything Picture Quote #1

I’m a lazy writer. My idea of heaven is not writing. On the other hand, I’m obviously compulsive about it Picture Quote #1

Over a period of time it’s been driven home to me that I’m not going to be the most popular writer in the world, so I’m always happy when anything in any way is accepted Picture Quote #1

If you told me to write a love song tonight, I’d have a lot of trouble. But if you tell me to write a love song about a girl with a red dress who goes into a bar and is on her fifth martini and is falling off her chair, that’s a lot easier, and it makes me free to say anything I want Picture Quote #1

Advertisements

The truth is that I don’t like rehearsals. I get embarrassed hearing my own work. I assume that the cast is embarrassed to sing the stuff Picture Quote #1

I love computers. I love writing on them. I love gadgetry. The thing is: I am a slow reader. So, if I am going to get my work done, I read, like, a newspaper and that’s it. If I got into websites and the internet, I wouldn’t get any work done Picture Quote #1

Making lyrics feel natural, sit on music in such a way that you don’t feel the effort of the author, so that they shine and bubble and rise and fall, is very, very hard to do. Whereas you can sit at the piano and just play and feel you’re making art Picture Quote #1

All the best performers bring to their role something more, something different than what the author put on paper. That’s what makes theatre live. That’s why it persists Picture Quote #1

I’m interested in the theater because I’m interested in communication with audiences. Otherwise I would be in concert music Picture Quote #1

Musicals are, by nature, theatrical, meaning poetic, meaning having to move the audience’s imagination and create a suspension of disbelief, by which I mean there’s no fourth wall Picture Quote #1

Advertisements

Nowadays, there are sometimes more producers than there are people in the cast, because it takes that much money to put a show on Picture Quote #1

One difference between poetry and lyrics is that lyrics sort of fade into the background. They fade on the page and live on the stage when set to music Picture Quote #1

By the time I was 22, I was a professional. A young and flawed professional, but not an amateur Picture Quote #1

Generally, the best recording is the original cast, because that’s the way the piece grew: integrally, with them Picture Quote #1

I chose and my world was shaken. So what? The choice may have been mistaken; the choosing was not. You have to move on Picture Quote #1

I don’t listen to recordings of my songs. I don’t avoid it, I just don’t go out of my way to do it Picture Quote #1

Advertisements

I firmly believe lyrics have to breathe and give the audience’s ear a chance to understand what’s going on. Particularly in the theater, where you have costume, story, acting, orchestra Picture Quote #1

I really don’t want to write a score until the whole show is cast and staged Picture Quote #1

If people have split views about your work, I think it’s flattering. I’d rather have them feel something about it than dismiss it Picture Quote #1

If you’re dealing with a musical in which you’re trying to tell a story, it’s got to sound like speech. At the same time it’s got to be a song Picture Quote #1

Lyrics have to be underwritten. That’s why poets generally make poor lyric writers because the language is too rich. You get drowned in it Picture Quote #1

My mother wanted me off her hands. She was a working woman. She designed clothes, and she was a celebrity collector. It’s my mother’s ambition to be a celebrity Picture Quote #1

1 2 3 4

Friendship Quotes

Motivational Quotes

Inspirational Quotes

Advertisements

Text Quotes

Having just the vision’s no solution, everything depends on execution (Stephen Sondheim Quotes) Every writer I’ve ever spoken to feels fraudulent in some way or other (Stephen Sondheim Quotes) I prefer neurotic people. I like to hear rumblings beneath the surface (Stephen Sondheim Quotes) Math and music are intimately related. Not necessarily on a conscious level, but sure (Stephen Sondheim Quotes) So many good songs get written fast, because you know exactly what has to work (Stephen Sondheim Quotes) When the audience comes in, it changes the temperature of what you’ve written (Stephen Sondheim Quotes) The difference between a cow and a bean is a bean can begin an adventure (Stephen Sondheim Quotes) It’s not so hard to be married, I’ve done it three or four times (Stephen Sondheim Quotes) Friendship, obligation and greed are not good enough reasons to write anything (Stephen Sondheim Quotes) I’m a lazy writer. My idea of heaven is not writing. On the other hand, I’m obviously compulsive about it (Stephen Sondheim Quotes) Over a period of time it’s been driven home to me that I’m not going to be the most popular writer in the world, so I’m always happy when anything in any way is accepted (Stephen Sondheim Quotes) If you told me to write a love song tonight, I’d have a lot of trouble. But if you tell me to write a love song about a girl with a red dress who goes into a bar and is on her fifth martini and is falling off her chair, that’s a lot easier, and it makes me free to say anything I want (Stephen Sondheim Quotes) The truth is that I don’t like rehearsals. I get embarrassed hearing my own work. I assume that the cast is embarrassed to sing the stuff (Stephen Sondheim Quotes) I love computers. I love writing on them. I love gadgetry. The thing is: I am a slow reader. So, if I am going to get my work done, I read, like, a newspaper and that’s it. If I got into websites and the internet, I wouldn’t get any work done (Stephen Sondheim Quotes) Making lyrics feel natural, sit on music in such a way that you don’t feel the effort of the author, so that they shine and bubble and rise and fall, is very, very hard to do. Whereas you can sit at the piano and just play and feel you’re making art (Stephen Sondheim Quotes) All the best performers bring to their role something more, something different than what the author put on paper. That’s what makes theatre live. That’s why it persists (Stephen Sondheim Quotes) I’m interested in the theater because I’m interested in communication with audiences. Otherwise I would be in concert music (Stephen Sondheim Quotes) Musicals are, by nature, theatrical, meaning poetic, meaning having to move the audience’s imagination and create a suspension of disbelief, by which I mean there’s no fourth wall (Stephen Sondheim Quotes) Nowadays, there are sometimes more producers than there are people in the cast, because it takes that much money to put a show on (Stephen Sondheim Quotes) One difference between poetry and lyrics is that lyrics sort of fade into the background. They fade on the page and live on the stage when set to music (Stephen Sondheim Quotes) By the time I was 22, I was a professional. A young and flawed professional, but not an amateur (Stephen Sondheim Quotes) Generally, the best recording is the original cast, because that’s the way the piece grew: integrally, with them (Stephen Sondheim Quotes) I chose and my world was shaken. So what? The choice may have been mistaken; the choosing was not. You have to move on (Stephen Sondheim Quotes) I don’t listen to recordings of my songs. I don’t avoid it, I just don’t go out of my way to do it (Stephen Sondheim Quotes) I firmly believe lyrics have to breathe and give the audience’s ear a chance to understand what’s going on. Particularly in the theater, where you have costume, story, acting, orchestra (Stephen Sondheim Quotes) I really don’t want to write a score until the whole show is cast and staged (Stephen Sondheim Quotes) If people have split views about your work, I think it’s flattering. I’d rather have them feel something about it than dismiss it (Stephen Sondheim Quotes) If you’re dealing with a musical in which you’re trying to tell a story, it’s got to sound like speech. At the same time it’s got to be a song (Stephen Sondheim Quotes) Lyrics have to be underwritten. That’s why poets generally make poor lyric writers because the language is too rich. You get drowned in it (Stephen Sondheim Quotes) My mother wanted me off her hands. She was a working woman. She designed clothes, and she was a celebrity collector. It’s my mother’s ambition to be a celebrity (Stephen Sondheim Quotes)

1 2 3 4