| re: Ryan Takes Us Through The Tanz Album - One Of Jim's Greatest Works | |
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Posted by: |
steven_stuart 09:54 pm UTC 05/08/21 |
| In reply to: | re: Ryan Takes Us Through The Tanz Album - One Of Jim's Greatest Works - rockfenris2005 07:39 pm UTC 05/07/21 |
| Jim would have loved reading your review. He was very proud of Tanz. > Thanks. I wrote that the night before I heard the news. > > > This review originally appeared on the Ryan's Reviews > > site. It is Ryan's (rockfenris2005) review of the 1998 > > Tanz Cast Recording. Please enjoy. > > > > In October 1986, "The Phantom of the Opera" opened at Her > > Majesty's Theatre in London and as of early 2020, nearly > > 35 years later, the same production was still running in > > both the West End and Broadway. The success of this > > musical was sort of like catching lightning in a bottle. > > First there was the score, with songs like "The Music of > > the Night", "All I Ask of You" and "Wishing You Were > > Somehow Here Again" and "Phantom", all of which were > > released as singles (the last one directed by Ken Russell > > who did the video for Pandora's Box "It's All Coming Back > > to me Now"). There was also the way that it was performed > > by Michael Crawford, Sarah Brightman and Steve Barton > > (remember that name). It had been directed by musical > > theatre legend Harold Prince, the Prince of Broadway. The > > sets and costumes designed by Maria Bjornson were a > > masterpiece of design. At the end of the first act, when > > the Phantom drops the chandelier on the audience of the > > Opera Populaire, a chandelier comes sliding down over the > > heads of the audience and crashes onto the stage, which > > you probably already knew! There is very little I can > > fault about this production, which you've got to > > understand is difficult for a musical. > > > > In December 1996, Jim Steinman and Andrew Lloyd Webber the > > composer of "Phantom" and some of the biggest musicals of > > the twentieth century were in Washington D.C. for the > > world premiere of their musical "Whistle down the Wind". > > At the time, Andrew had just opened the London, Los > > Angeles and New York productions of "Sunset Boulevard", > > while Jim had released "Bat out of Hell II" with Meat Loaf > > and was about to have another hit with Celine Dion on a > > remake of "It's All Coming Back to me Now". On "Whistle", > > Andrew and Jim were working with Harold Prince, the third > > and final time Hal would direct one of Andrew's musicals, > > and the anticipation for audiences everywhere was high. If > > "Whistle" worked, it would open on Broadway the following > > April at the Martin Beck Theatre (posters advertising this > > production still show up sometimes online.) Ultimately, > > despite the success at the box office, Andrew and Jim were > > left feeling dissatisfied. They would put together a new > > production in 1998, which spawned the Boyzone Number #1 > > "No Matter What" (when "Songs from Whistle down the Wind" > > is in the car, that is the most played song.) > > > > In October 1997, Jim composed the score for another > > musical which opened at the Raimund Theater in Vienna, > > based on the 1967 film "The Fearless Vampire Killers" > > called "Tanz der Vampire: Das Musical". Both the film and > > musical were directed by Roman Polanski, who also co-wrote > > the screenplay. The book and lyrics for the musical were > > written by Michael Kunze, who had translated musicals like > > "A Chorus Line", "Evita" and "Phantom" for their original > > German productions. He had recently written his own > > musical "Elisabeth" with score by longtime collaborator > > Sylvester Levay. The choreography was handled by Dennis > > Callahan, meanwhile sets and costumes were spectacularly > > brought to life by William Dudley and Sue Blane, who once > > upon a time had designed costumes for a little musical > > called "The Rocky Horror Show". Meanwhile a very talented > > man named Hugh Vanstone handled the lighting, with Michael > > Reed supervising the score and Steve Margoshes providing > > orchestrations. Steve Barton was cast in the leading role > > of Count Von Krolock opposite Cornelia Zenz as Sarah, > > Gernot Kranner as the Professor Abronsius and Aris Sas, > > his young apprentice Alfred. To top everything off, > > Dewynters who had also designed the advertising for > > "Cats", "Les Misérables", "Phantom" and "Miss Saigon", > > created the logo image of a set of vampire fangs > > underneath the show's bloody title. > > > > I say all of this, because in my humble view from > > everything I've been able to experience with these > > musicals, this is one of those times a productions catches > > lightning in a bottle. Look at all of these things from > > both musicals. If there's a weak link in either of them, > > it would probably be the book, but how many times have I > > even noticed this? Everything just works, and it not only > > works, it works beautifully, and so it becomes easier to > > see why both "Phantom" and "Tanz" have been running all of > > this time. Originally by the way, Jim was going to write > > lyrics for "Phantom", but he was too committed to the > > Bonnie Tyler album ("Secret Dreams and Forbidden Fire"), > > however he then composes "Tanz". If it had been produced > > successfully in the English language, I think more people > > out there would agree with me on this. I'm not even sure > > how many audiences in London or New York, much less > > Australia, are aware of this musical, compared to > > something like "Wicked" or "The Lion King" and obviously > > "Phantom". > > > > Since the release of the 1970 concept album of "Jesus > > Christ Superstar", which launched the careers of Tim Rice > > and Andrew Lloyd Webber, listeners have always had the > > ability to listen to the complete scores of Andrew's > > shows. What you hear on the "Superstar" album is more or > > less what is played in the theatre. It's the same with > > "Evita", "Cats", "Phantom", "Sunset Boulevard", and then > > Boublil and Schonberg with "Les Mis" and "Miss Saigon". > > This was not something that really happened in, say, the > > Golden Age of Musicals when Rodgers and Hammerstein were > > writing "The King and I". Musicals like "Evita" and "Les > > Mis" on the other hand are predominantly through sung, > > meaning there is little to no dialogue and everything can > > be recorded onto an album, so long as you can get it to > > fit. This is what happened with both the albums for > > "Phantom" and "Tanz", and this is what I first heard. I > > also experienced it from the point of view of a Steinman > > fan, having heard the "Bat" albums, suddenly putting this > > in and treating it as an album produced by Jim. > > > > What I heard that first time, firstly in a highlights > > version and then a complete, only underlines what I've > > been saying, that "Tanz" like "Phantom" before it caught > > lightning in a bottle. The album itself not only > > compliments a truly extraordinary production that as of > > early 2020 was still being performed somewhere in the > > world, but it is one of the greatest cast recordings I've > > ever heard. It is a monster! And it's also, for this > > listener, the ultimate showdown as a Jim Steinman fan. > > It's like a movie, like "Star Wars" perhaps, where > > everything is building towards that last battle with Darth > > Vader and Luke Skywalker facing off against the Emperor, > > who's been pulling the strings ever since "The Phantom > > Menace". The sabres are flashing. Tempers are flying. > > Palpatine's laughing in the background and he's about to > > zap you with Sith lightning. This is it. Hold onto your > > hats. The next three hours are going to blow your mind. > > You've listened to "Bat", you've listened to "Bat II", > > "Bad for Good", "Dead Ringer", "Original Sin", and the > > Bonnie Tyler albums, the soundtracks, all of that, you've > > cringed at some of the accents from "Whistle down the > > Wind" while gushing in awe over Batman and Superman > > writing songs together, and now this. This is just fucking > > it! > > > > The story takes place in late nineteenth century > > Transylvania, as vampire hunter Professor Abronsius and > > his assistant Alfred travel from Konigsberg to > > Transylvania in the search of vampires. The scene rises on > > a blizzard and Alfred is helplessly searching for the > > Professor, who is frozen solid in the snow. Alfred finds > > him and takes him to a village which seems to fear > > vampires. There, Alfred meets the Innkeeper's daughter > > Sarah who loves taking baths, and they begin to get > > romantic about one another, only Sarah is being serenaded > > and seduced by the mysterious Count Von Krolock who > > invites her to his ball. Abronsius is suspicious, and when > > Sarah runs away to the castle, they all find themselves > > drawn into the world of the vampires, where everybody's > > dreams and nightmares come true. In Krolock's Soliloquy in > > the second act, he turns directly to the audience and > > warns them that in the next millennium the world will be > > filled with an insatiable greed. Meanwhile everything is > > set to the musical rollercoaster that is Jim's score. > > > > Let's have a look at what I call the complete album, that > > is the full double cast recording containing the vast > > majority of the show. Note: so I don't embarrass myself > > with any poor German here, I'm going to list these titles > > in English. > > > > Disc 1: > > > > "Overture"---Bang! "The Storm" from Jim's album "Bad for > > Good" is transformed into a thunderous Overture which > > drags you into the world of this blizzard, howling in the > > middle of a wilderness in Transylvania. This Overture > > alone is bloodcurdling, in a great way. > > > > "Hey Ho Professor"---Alfred searches for the Professor. > > Listen to the underscore and the sound effects that are > > happening here. When it gets to the bit where all the > > music swells, when Alfred finds the Professor, it's > > mental. > > > > "Garlic"---firstly, I love the burps!!! Alfred and > > Professor arrive at the village Inn, which is filled with > > garlic hanging in all directions. We meet Chagal the > > Innkeeper, Rebecca his wife and Magda the maid who Chagal > > is having an affair with. Professor asks Chagal about the > > garlic, but he just tries to fob him off. This song is an > > earworm. > > > > "Please, Gentlemen"---Chagal escorts Abronsius and Alfred > > to their rooms, when they start hearing voices, singing > > voices, which turns out to be Chagal's daughter Sarah in > > the middle of taking a bath. Alfred is smitten with her > > and as it turns out, the feeling is pretty much mutual, > > but Chagal isn't happy. > > > > "A Pretty Daughter is a Blessing"---Chagal comes back with > > a hammer and nails and boards up the door to Sarah's room, > > while singing about it. While he's hammering at the door, > > it's all happening in time with the music. The mix of > > humour and drama in this score is just fantastic. > > > > "Never Ever Seen"---everyone goes to bed, but Alfred and > > Sarah are still wide awake, "dreaming" about one another, > > meanwhile Chagal's trying to continue his affair with > > Magda, Rebecca wakes up irate, and Professor thinks he > > sees someone on the stairs, but outside the Inn the > > Vampires are gathering, singing the music for, wait for > > it, "Turn around..." It gives me the chills. > > > > "God is Dead"---Alfred and Sarah are still awake, when > > Count Von Krolock appears outside the inn and begins > > serenading Sarah with his song. It's the music for all of > > the choruses from "Original Sin", when then morph into the > > chorus of "Total Eclipse of the Heart", only it breaks off > > toward the end. The music, orchestrations and Steve > > Barton's performance are phenomenal. > > > > "Everything's Fine"---it's the next day at the Inn, and > > Chagal, Magda and Rebecca are doing their chores outside > > when suddenly the local hunchback, Koukol, appears asking > > for candles. Listen to the underscoring here. It goes from > > happy and chirpy to nervous and suspenseful. Again, I just > > love it. > > > > "Truth"---Professor appears, asking about Koukol, but > > Chagal just tries to fob him off again. Professor launches > > into his patter song, which is like something out of a > > Gilbert and Sullivan comic opera. Perfect for the > > Professor, meanwhile Jim goes "Pirates of Penzance", wow. > > > > "You're Really Very Nice"---Alfred is about to take a > > bath, but Sarah shows up. She wants to use the bathroom > > and gives him her special sponge. The music underneath > > here, turning into snatches of song, is a neat tune. Of > > course, it's all leading up to the next bit. That part > > where she starts humming is gorgeous. > > > > "Invitation to the Ball"---Count Von Krolock appears in > > the skylight, gazing down on Sarah, and inviting her to > > his ball. Now he's standing in front of the tub singing to > > the music from "Original Sin". Only Alfred hears voices, > > Krolock vanishes and everything turns into a big > > shemozzle. The ending of this scene is the orchestra > > quoting "Total Eclipse", not the first time that music's > > going to give me the shivers here. > > > > "Out There is Freedom"---Alfred is serenading Sarah > > outside her window, only she's outside looking for the > > package which Koukol has just delivered to her. They sing > > a song together, which is some of the most breathtaking, > > heartbreaking, haunting music I have ever heard from Jim. > > This song will become the basis for "Going all the Way is > > Just the Start" on 2016's "Braver Than We Are" and you can > > see why Meat and Jim would want to record this together. > > The chorus of this song is quite literally breathtaking. > > > > "The Red Boots"---the original version of this sequence is > > a dance scene, which means we get treated to a five minute > > medley from this score, and it's just mental. Chagal and > > Alfred come out at the end, realizing Sarah is gone, and > > Chagal races off to look for her as the music turns into > > the second half of "The Storm". > > > > "Mourning for Chagal"---Chagal's body has been recovered, > > Rebecca's world is shattered and this is actually the last > > time we see her in the play. I always wonder what happens > > to her. You assume she's still down there in the Inn > > while... more later. Her little moment at the end of this > > is devastating, quoting the music from Chagal's song > > earlier. > > > > "Death is Such an Odd Thing"---now Magda the maid steps > > forward. She finds it odd that Chagal is now dead, only he > > isn't because he wakes up, having turned into a vampire. > > Magda wards him off with a crucifix, but it doesn't work > > because he isn't that kind of vampire. This song is just > > cool, an underrated theatre classic. > > > > "Through the Wilderness to the Castle"---Alfred and > > Abronsius catch Chagal, after they find out he's a > > vampire, and they get him to lead them straight to the > > castle. The music starts quoting "Midnight Serenade" from > > Jim's 1977 workshop of "Neverland" and it's so thrilling. > > > > "At the Castle"---they arrive at the castle, to be greeted > > by verses of "Turn around" and Count Von Krolock singing > > to music from "Neverland". The first time I heard this > > scene on the complete album, I felt like I was in my > > musical happy place, and not just because of the > > recycling. It's just precious. The "Come with me" music at > > the end is everything. And so, Krolock leads them into the > > castle, and the audience is left wondering what is going > > to happen next. It's time for an intermission, or in this > > case we have to change the CD. > > > > Disc 2: > > > > "Total Eclipse of the Heart"---Disc 2 begins with another > > bang, as the orchestra recites the music from "The Storm", > > and finally *that* song. In a way, the 1983 Bonnie Tyler > > song almost seems to sum up my idea of the 80s, where sky > > was the limit. Cynics wonder why this is here, and why Jim > > couldn't have come up with something new. I think it was > > destined for "Tanz". In the original song, Bonnie Tyler > > sings "Once upon a time there was light in my life/But now > > there's only love in the dark/There's nothing I can do/A > > total eclipse of the heart". To me, that could be a > > vampire singing. I also noticed the acronym for this song > > which is TEOTH which could be TEETH, as in vampire fangs. > > This version is a knock out. It equals Bonnie and Rory's > > original for me. > > > > "Carpe Noctem"---while Sarah is wandering the castle, > > singing with Krolock in the portrait gallery, Alfred is in > > the middle of a nightmare where Sarah is being turned into > > a vampire. This is a new song, but it features sections of > > older songs, music you'll recognize from "Come with me", > > "The future ain't what it used to be" and "Back into > > Hell". It does not surprise me that someone would want to > > record it for "Bat III". I just love this. It goes from > > metal to a choir singing at the end. > > > > "A perfect day"---Alfred and the Professor wake, preparing > > to go down into the crypt to kill Von Krolock and his son, > > Herbert... The quote from "Out There is Freedom" on piano > > is practically worth the album alone for me. > > > > "In the Crypt"---they make their way into the crypt, > > singing to the music from "Who Needs the Young?" from > > "Neverland" and "The Dream Engine", which eventually > > appears in both "Braver Than We Are" and the "Bat" > > musical. It has another section here. Listen to that > > piano. I just love it. It feels like an old silent movie. > > Meanwhile Alfred is too scared to kill the Count and > > Abronsius who's caught on the railings by his suspenders > > is furious. They have to leave, which is when we see > > Chagal and Magda as vampires singing together. > > > > "Books, Books"---Alfred and Abronsius discover the > > library, and we hear this reprise of "Truth". This is a > > list song, and it's a very good one. I love when Sarah's > > humming comes in. > > > > "For Sarah"---Alfred finds Sarah, in the middle of having > > her bath, but she doesn't want to be saved. Alfred is > > resolute, and that's when he sings his big song, which was > > once the music for "Milady", a song Barry Manilow recorded > > but never released in the 80s, from Ray Errol Fox and > > Jim's musical "The Confidence Man". This song is a wonder > > in all its manifestations, including Jim's film score for > > "A Small Circle of Friends". By the way, the chorus music > > from "Out There is Freedom" is also from "Confidence > > Man". > > > > "More Books"---the Professor is still in that library! > > Alfred ends up finding a book called "When Love is Inside > > You" which is how he meets the Count's sequel. > > > > "When Love is Inside You"---this is such a fun song! > > Alfred learns that Herbert the son is gay and has a thing > > for him, and Herbert tries to bite him, but Alfred escapes > > with the help of the Professor. The reprise is mental! > > > > "You're Mistaken, Professor"---Abronsius confronts the > > Count on the battlements of the Castle. This whole > > sequence is riveting. I love all the quotes from "The > > Storm"/Overture music. Imagine hearing a calm quiet > > version of "The Storm". Well, it's on this track! > > > > "Eternity"---the "Bat out of Hell" tour in the 70s would > > begin with a drummer bashing out a rock version of the > > Bolero, while Jim starts removing his gloves and pounding > > the piano onstage, before they all launch into "Great > > Boleros of Fire", and Meat comes out to sing "Bat". In > > "Tanz", this is now an introduction for the vampires with > > full orchestra behind them. Terrific!!! > > > > "The Insatiable Greed"---Alfred and the Professor watch > > from behind one of the graves as Krolock delivers his > > haunting soliloquy, talking about his victims from the > > past. The music here is "Objects in the rear view mirror > > may appear closer than they are" from "Bat II", one of the > > great highpoints of that album. This stands in its own > > right as one of the most powerful performances in Jim's > > career. I'd love to know what Meat Loaf thought of it. > > > > "The Ball"---the ball has officially begun, and as the > > Vampires gather together and Abronsius and Alfred watch in > > their disguises, the scene completely goes off. The > > "Original Sin" music gives way to the chorus of "Total > > Eclipse", a truly awesome moment for this Steinfan, as > > Krolock bites Sarah. The Minuet based on "Turn around > > bright eyes" and what happens next, by the way? OMFG!!!! > > > > "Out There is Freedom (Reprise)"---Alfred and the good > > Professor manage to escape all right, but then Sarah bites > > Alfred and turns him into a vampire. The reprise of the > > chorus only underlines what a killer piece of music this > > is, and so well matched to the drama. > > > > "The Dance of the Vampires"---Abronsius is oblivious to > > everything and the Vampires take over the world. The music > > here is none other than the song I’ve been raving about > > for like how many reviews now? Yeah, "Tonight is What it > > Means to be Young" from "Streets of Fire" has been made > > over into the song of triumph for the vampires, their > > global dance as they take over the world, which this > > production also might have done. > > > > And so we come to an end. It's over now, the vampire music > > of the night. > > > > In the 2004 edition of "Musicals: The Complete Illustrated > > Story of the World's Most Popular Entertainment", this is > > what the author Kurt Gänzl had to say: "Tanz der Vampire's > > tale, its fun, its music and its spectacle all came > > together in what was undoubtedly the most complete and > > effective musical to have come out of central Europe." I > > can't say I'm surprised? Lightning in a bottle! > > > > Thank you, > > > > Ryan. | |
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