Billy Elliot the Forum

This is in defense of Sir Elton's score for BETM. This gentleman feels it is less than tuneful, or memorable; what he needs is a 'kick up the @#$%' and be tutored in the fact that much of the score is written in the style of colliery band music, which is more than appropriate to the essence of the story. Sir Elton created a score to enhance the story, and not become 'the story'.

Not every musical has to have 'memorable' pap in its score; in any event, I may reconsider his opinion again when his musical achieves one tenth of the success of BETM.

As much as I adore Elton John as a great pop writer, I don't think that "Billy Elliot" has a very good score, because it doesn't accomplish the essential thing that is required in a musical.

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/la ... story.html

Until he achieves success, I would like to apportion to this gentleman the one word soto voce salutation that Scottish Dancer gives to Jackie, as he exits through the stage door......

Michael Feinstein is THE acknowledged authority on American Standards, and in particular, the music of the Gershwins. He is highly respected in the society of musicians and composers. That is why I am very surprised that he would not have taken the time to know the background of the music for BETM, and I am even more surprised that he would volunteer his comment on Elton John's score in this way in this interview.

I would say Feinstein is an authority on American musicals in the traditional style. I too am surprised that he made such comments. How many Tony awards has he won (or even been nominated for)?

He seems to be stuck in the era of "Gypsy", "My Fair Lady" and "Guys and Dolls". Many recent Broadway scores have departed from this traditional style, not just BETM.

Here's the latest on the upcoming bio film about Elton called Rocketman, with a screenplay by Lee Hall:

http://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-28459420

A week where Sir Elton will enjoy the worldwide broadcast of 'Billy Elliot: Live', but he will also celebrate the fact that The Lion King has achieved the great status of being the highest grossing musical of all time:

After nearly 17 years of performances in New York, “The Lion King” is still frequently the top-grossing show on Broadway each week, as it was last week. But now the musical holds the global box-office record as well.

The show stripped that title from “The Phantom of the Opera” this summer with a gross of more than $6.2 billion worldwide, more than any other show, movie or other work of entertainment, The Associated Press reported on Monday.

http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/ ... c=twr&_r=0

Good for him easy to see why things he writes are so popular. Your Song is one of my favourite songs, period.

Does the Lion King musical have the same songs as the movie?

OliverWaters wrote:Good for him easy to see why things he writes are so popular. Your Song is one of my favourite songs, period.

Does the Lion King musical have the same songs as the movie?

Google is a great resource. You can find the answer faster than I can look it up, cut and paste, and press send.

This popped up -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3qJQDu9RHVs

Sir Elton is part of this project, and how very creative and interesting it is!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/article ... only-knows

Interesting indeed. I guess it's a sign of my "age bracket" that I didn't recognize quite a few of them - many of whom I'm sure are currently popular. Nice to hear Brian Wilson in (fairly) good voice. He and the Beach Boys have always been among my all-time favorites in pop music.