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Stephen Sondheim

Stephen Sondheim Quotes

Composer

Stephen Sondheim, an American composer, was born on March 22, 1930. Renowned for his exceptional contributions to the musical theater genre, Sondheim's works are characterized by complex melodies, profound lyrics, and innovative narrative structures. His musicals, including 'West Side Story,' 'Company,' 'Follies,' and 'Sweeney Todd,' have had a profound impact not only in the United States but also globally.

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All Writing Song Ifs Stories Knows People Way Audience Musical Shows Want Art Casts World Children May Moments Pieces Play Sometimes

Famous 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.”

World Way Home Periods Driven Accepted Always Happy

Author:Stephen Sondheim

“Making lyrics feel natural, sit on music in such a way that you dont 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 youre making art.”

Way Feels Art Hard Play Fall Natural Effort Shining Piano Bubbles Rise And Fall

Author:Stephen Sondheim

“I don't like the word 'career'. When somebody says to me, 'oh, you've had such a wonderful career', I think, 'career - that's after you're dead.' I just don't think that way.”

Thinking Way Careers Wonderful

Author:Stephen Sondheim

“One of the hardest things about writing lyrics is to make the lyrics sit on the music in such a way that you're not aware there was a writer there.”

Way Writing Hardest Hardest Thing

Author:Stephen Sondheim

“When you know your cast well and their strengths and weaknesses, you can start writing for them, just the way Shakespeare wrote for his actors.”

Knows Way Writing Wells Actors Weakness Casts Strength And Weakness

Author:Stephen Sondheim

“It should be interesting to see two entirely different ways to treat a story, geared for two entirely different kinds of audience.”

Way Should Kind Two Different Stories Interesting Audience Treats Different Ways Different Kinds

Author:Stephen Sondheim

“Every writer I've ever spoken to feels fraudulent in some way or other.”

Way Feels Writing

Author:Stephen Sondheim

“Generally, the best recording is the original cast, because that's the way the piece grew: integrally, with them.”

Way Pieces Grew Originals Casts

Author:Stephen Sondheim

“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.”

Way Song My Way

Author:Stephen Sondheim

“Bit by bit, putting it together... Piece by piece, only way to make a work of art. Every moment makes a contribution, Every little detail plays a part. Having just the vision's no solution, Everything depends on execution, Putting it together, that's what counts.”

Way Littles Art Play Moments Together Bits Vision Pieces Depends Solutions Details Contribution Works Of Art Execution

Book:Wordplays 5: An Anthology of New American Drama

Source: Wordplays 5: An Anthology of New American Drama

“Into the woods--you have to grope, But that's the way you learn to cope. Into the woods to find there's hope Of getting through the journey.”

Way Journey Woods

Author:Stephen Sondheim