Sweeney Todd

Question 1

Stephen Sondheim, how was he innovative?

Answer 1

• Changed the face of American Musicals - gave the form a dark dramatic edge, updating it joltingly to mirror the troubling times in which he was working in.
• Master of both words and melody
• Complex, carefully crafted lyrics with social and psychological undertones
• Operatic quality

Question 2

The Ballad of Sweeney Todd main points

Answer 2

• F# minor although tonally ambiguous, g based rocking motif over and F# tonic chord
• Opening melody - fast triple time 6/8, reminiscent of a British folk jig
• All ideas based upon the “Dies Irae”
• Carefully placed accents and changes of time signature creates jaggered and agitated effects (bar 71)
• Company vocal range increases throughout, climaxes with group screaming “Sweeney” a cue for dead Sweeney to appear from the grave (top A from sopranos)
• Orchestra ends with brittle xylophone - skeletons
• piece closes with low trombones and percussion suggesting the slamming of a coffin lid

Question 3

My Friends main points

Answer 3

• Ab Major
• 3/4
• Opening melody is Dies Irae in inversion
• Ambiguous harmonic repertoire - Eb sus 2 in bass juxtaposed with an Ab sus 4 in rocking quaver melody
• B11 - ‘my friend, my faithful friend’ employs ascending leap of 3rd and 4th
• ‘friend’ is held across a 4/4 time signature change - shows how he glorify’s razors
• B15 - ‘speak to me friend and I’ll listen’ - piano - as though they are people
• B53 - Lovett and Sweeney sing in canon 3rds - beautiful with Dies Irae intertwined - dance of the dead
• B68 - ‘wonders’, ‘won’t we’, ‘precious’, ‘rubies’ flattened Ab and Eb tonic and dom - jilting highlights Sweeneys intentions

Question 4

Other points to note to Sweeney Todd

Answer 4

• Sondheim wanted the music to have the effect of horror movie music
• Pipe organ, associated with Gothic horror, dissonant chords