"It's A Big World" - Tom's last song in "Tom Sawyer"

[rbowser-]

Really nice and big sound Randy. When you put all these piece together in a production, it must come off really well.

Nice work and thanks for posting it now and not in 4 months from now :-)

Jim

Yeah, Jim, I was being way overly cautious last year when I started posting these. I just didn't want anyone to be able to complain about me, a moderator after all, for posting too often. It's such a relief that people agreed it was high time to throw off the shackles and wake this place up with more music!

This might make some sense - Even though this song sounds nothing like "Moon River," I did think of the early recordings of that song several times as I worked on this - especially when I was working on the distant, plaintive harmonica part.

I worked on "Sawyer" for approximately 6 months. That felt like break-neck speed to me. Full time every week day, studying film versions, adapting the novel, choosing song locations, working on lyrics etc. I only stopped when it felt like it was all flowing together well. The script was pared down to its pithiest, all the songs were kept short - Then I had a reading of the whole thing with actor friends, playing the songs from a CD deck at each cue - I recorded the proceedings - it was the confirmation I needed that the thing did indeed hang together and flowed the way I needed.

But the show hasn't been on stage yet - I await to see how it really all comes off in a live situation.

Thanks for listening, Jim.

Randy

[rbowser-]

I can not wait until we can hear the entire musical from start to finish.
~Rodney

Ah well, Rodney, that brings up a bit of a dilemma for me. Soon I'll have the Finale posted, then all the songs will have gone up here in the Listening Room, spread out over the last 12 months. It wouldn't be easy for someone to dig around and find all the posts and put them together in order. BUT - that may be the way I need to leave it, for now at least.

This was originally a commissioned work - one with no paid advance, but nonetheless, a producer wanted me to write it for a specific theatre company. Ever since I've known this man (who has to be nameless for now) - he's been friendly, but someone who is completely inscrutable when it comes to matters of business. At this point, I have NO idea if he'll ever actually have the show put on the boards. At one point, I thought for sure the first production would be underway within the first quarter of this year - but now, half way through 2012, there isn't the slightest hint of things starting up. Inquiries are met with silence.

So, for awhile now, I've been trying to find out if it's OK with this producer if I try to market the show elsewhere. No reply on that. I have to just proceed, since it is completely my property and I don't actually need his permission. I just wanted for him to have "first refusal" since he after all quasi-commissioned it.

I made inquiries at the local schools, but all of them have said the same thing - they don't have it in their budgets to add musicals to their schedules. They can't afford to put this on - even if no royalties were involved!

I have my eye on a publisher who specializes in shows aimed at family audiences, but their (understandable) prerequisite is that a show has to have been produced at least once, and that they have video to see of that production. --

If I could scrape together the funds, I'd put together materials and start going through the list of places to submit this to, using the Dramatists Sourcebook as a guide - but I get deflated on that idea even before I start.

Meanwhile, there was a BIG Broadway version of "Sawyer" recently - Not especially successful, but it's still the version that universities and schools are doing if they're interested in doing a Mark Twain show. Besides that version, other versions also exist. - I was aware of those factors when I started this, but didn't worry about it, since I thought the first production of my version was a sure thing - and buried myself financially by putting all my time into something which now--just sits there.

And so on.

I don't think it'd be smart to make the songs readily available online. I wouldn't make the script available like I have these Listening Room MP3 postings - but it could still do damage to the show's potential if I made it it easy for people to take the songs and run off to put their own version together.

That's the story - So for now, I won't be making all this readily available like I finally did with "Dorian." I need to be more protective. Later on down the line, maybe.

Thanks, Rodney.

Randy

[rbowser-]

Garritan, schmmarritan...how about those vocals? They fit all your songs so well! (And I think they also fit your online personality (and perhaps real-life one but I wouldn't know about that) because when I heard first my first track from this musical I was quite sure it was you who was doing the singing even though I did not know that for a fact. Your singing reflects the warm, helpful, encouraging, informative and musical approach you take to these Garritan forums and to your work. Excellent on all accounts!

Well now, all that great feedback on the singing part of these vocal demos is very heartening to read. I'm glad what I do works that well for you, Mabry, and that you even feel you're getting an insight about me when you listen.

I'll tell you - Though I used to sing once in awhile in stage productions, I always knew singing wasn't my forte, and for whatever reason, there was this definite finite limit to how much I could develop as a vocalist. I have a light voice that doesn't carry, and now with digital tools, I unfortunately am painfully aware of my tendency to be flat!--arrgh - but that's a very common vocal problem, so I can give myself a bit of a break on that. Still, I wouldn't be able to post anything I sing on without giving Sonar's V-Vocal pitch correction tool a good work out!

But, I go on with my little songwriter/"singer" demos, since I know from experience how incredibly impractical it is to find and record actual singers. If I had a budget, I'd pay singers well in order to up the impact of what I put together.

I'm content enough with my kind of weak, Christopher Cross kind of delivery, and even though my wife teases me, "um--you're a good songwriter honey, but not a singer" - it has to suffice!

So, I'm glad to hear that you think my vocal tracks are adequate. Thank you!

Randy

[rbowser-]

I Know ... I Know
... I'm Late ... I'm Late ... For A Very Important Date! No Time To Say Hello Goodbye, I'm Late-I'm Late-I'M LATE!!

You knew I'd get to this eventually! Randy, finally had a chance to listen to this (and, of course, all the underscores; always some of my favorite music in shows) ... WOW! Great ballad; nice vibe to it. Glad to have read the set-up; makes it a bit more poignant.

Once again, as I was listening to "IABW", I was reminded how this song fullfills all the criteria of a good musical theater song (especially for a gentle, unpretentious musical based on a slice of Americana familiar to most of us): It was lyrically sing-songish enough, something you think you are knowing as it unravels, but then: Twist and Turn Alert: It takes little deviations here and there to remind you it is authentically original. Real nice; it may become my new favorite from the score.

As with the other music, the orchestrations is right on point; a nice amalgam of traditional with flavorful 'downhome' spice.

Really enjoyed it (and the "Alladin's Palace" reminded me of one of my favorite cues from the faboulous Victor Young's "Around The World In 80 Days" ... I think it was named "Temple Of Doom" but it had all that exotic percussion too ... Nice!) Also, liked the low strings under the higher Fx and other instruments in "Bats" ... I like that separation on dramatic cues such as this.

Thanks for posting this latest installment!

Frank

hehehe--well, I don't think it's really ever too late to post a reply on Listening Room threads, if one is motivated to do so. I'm just always tickled when I see your name pop up on one of my threads, Frank - it's always appreciated.

Glad you like me ballad! David "Et Lux" is probably right, that when it comes to writing songs, these more melodic ballads are my stronger suit. I could probably be content to write nothing else but these kinds of songs - Well, that's excluding my instrumental work which is really in a totally different category.

I love your description of "Sawyer" as a whole - gentle, unpretentious. Exactly as I want it to be taken. It's not really anything like the big, flashy Broadway model. It was written for a company who performs in a small theatre, and their style consistently leans towards productions that are small and intimate. I talk more about that group in my reply to Rodney above.

HA! "Around The World in 80 Days"-- geez, Frank, you come up with such perfect comparisons and descriptors. That analogy makes total sense to me, I can hear that soundtrack now, since you brought it up. That little cue was great fun to work on, giving Garritan World a good work out.

Thanks, my friend.

Randy

[rbowser-]

I listened to all three of the tracks and enjoyed them. I like the atmosphere and it fits well as a scenario. The quality and mixing sound crisp and clear. Thanks for sharing.

Regards,

Richard

Richard! Sorry, I'd somehow overlooked your post - It's great to see you on one of my threads!- Thanks for the kind words!

Randy