Stephen Sondheim
On Broadway, he and lyricist Richard Maltby, Jr. wrote the scores for the musicals Baby (Tony Award nominations for Best Score and Musical) and Big (Tony Award nomination for Best Score). His Off-Broadway scores, also written with Mr. Maltby, include The Sap of Life, Starting Here, Starting Now (Grammy nominee); Closer Than Ever (Outer Circle Critics Award for Best Musical and Score); and Take Flight, which has received concert performances around the world. His current projects include four new musicals, three with Richard Maltby, and one with writer Adam Gopnik.
Shire scored many films including Norma Rae (Academy Award winner for Best Song, lyrics by Norman Gimbel); The Promise (Academy Award nominee for Best Song; lyrics by Alan & Marilyn Bergman); Francis Ford Coppola’s The Conversation; All the President’s Men; The Taking of Pelham 1-2-3 (which introduced dodecaphonic funk to the world); Short Circuit; 2010; Farewell, My Lovely; Fast Break (which featured “With You I’m Born Again,” performed by Billy Preston and Syreeta); Monkey Shines; The Hindenburg; Zodiac; Return to Oz; and Saturday Night Fever, for which he received two Grammy Awards.
He earned five Emmy nominations for his television scores which include Sarah Plain and Tall; Raid on Entebbe; Oprah Winfrey’s The Women of Brewster Place; and Rear Window with Christopher Reeve. He also composed the theme song for the long-running series Alice.
Shire serves on the executive board of the Dramatists Guild of America and makes his home in the Hudson Valley in New York.
FILM SCORES
Main Title
Orchestration by the composer
INSTRUMENTATION: 2 (II. Picc), 2, 3 (III. Bs. Cl), 2 (II. C-bsn.)/4, 3, 3 (III. Bs. Trb.), 1 / Timp, G.C., Drums / Stgs / Hp / Pf (or keyboard) / Electric Guitar, Electric Bass / [Additional optional Tenor & Baritone Saxophone parts, if requested]
A Suite from Farewell, My Lovely is available, at this time there is no recording. “Marlowe’s Theme” can be rented separately from the suite.
Main Title (Marlowe’s Theme)
INSTRUMENTATION for “Marlowe’s Theme”: 3 (III. dbls. picc.), 3 (III. C.A.), 3 (II. dbls Cl. in A), 3 (III. C-bsn) Alto Sax Soloist (Cued for Soprano Sax, as well) / 4, 0, 3 (III. Bs. Trb.), 1 / Drums / Vibes, Timp / Stgs / Hp / Pf / Guitar, Rhythm Bass (Separate from the Contrabass part)
Mrs. Grayle’s Theme
Take Me To Your Lido
INSTRUMENTATION for the SUITE: 3 (III. doubling on Picc.), 3 (III. C.A.), 3 (II. doubling on Cl. in E-flat, optional doubling on Clar.in A; III. doubling on Bs. Cl.), 3 (III. Doubling on Cbsn.), / Soprano, Alto, Baritone Sax Soloists / 4, 4, 3, 1 / Gtr, E. Gtr. / Timp, Drum Set, Anvil, Sus. Cyms. / 2 Perc:[Vibes, Xylo, Crotales, S.D., Song Bells, Mellow Drum, Roto-tymps (or Tom-Toms), B.D.,] / Hp, Piano, Celesta / Strings
End Title
Orchestration by the composer
INSTRUMENTATION: 2 (II. Picc), 2, 3 (III. Bs. Cl), 2 (II. C-bsn.)/4, 3, 3 (III. Bs. Trb.), 1 / Timp, G.C., Drums / Stgs / Hp / Pf (or keyboard) / Electric Guitar, Electric Bass / [Additional optional Tenor & Baritone Saxophone parts, if requested]
There is a Suite from Old Boyfriends available; it has no recording at this time. Here are the main themes from the Suite:
Main Title
Love Scene: Dianne & Jeff
Love Scene: Dianne & Eric
Love Scene: Dianne & Wayne
Orchestration by the composer
INSTRUMENTATION: 3 (I. doubling on Picc.), 3 (III. doubling C.A.), 3, 3 (III. Cbsn.) / Ten.Sax, Bari.Sax / 4, 4, 3 (III. Bs. Tbn.), 1 / Timp., 2 Perc:[Hubcap with springs (metallic & ugly), “harsh metallic scraping on something,” Glock., Crotales, Drum Set, Vibes, Song Bells, Chimes, Dharma Bell (or Buddha Bell or Tam-Tam)] / Gtr., E. Gtr., Fender Bass / Piano, Harp / Strings (Viola soloist)
Theme
Orchestration by the composer
INSTRUMENTATION: 2, 2, 2 (I. E-flat Cl.), 2 / 4, 3, 3 (III. Bs. Trb.), 1 / Marimba, Timp. / 2 Percussion: I. Tablas or Dumbec, II. Tambourine) / Stgs / Hp / Pf
The first two audio clips are from the original soundtrack of the 1985 film played by the London Symphony Orchestra. The film orchestrations are by Herbert Spencer (with a little assist by the composer). The third is a live recording of a Suite derived from the film score, arranged by Deniz Cordell, played by the “Pit Stop Players” (a reduced instrumentation from the original film score). A Suite scored for a full symphonic orchestra is also available.
Finale & End Credits
INSTRUMENTATION: 3 (III. dbls Picc.), 3 (III. C.A.), 3 (III. Bs. Cl.), 3 (III. C-bsn.) / 4, 3, 3 (III. Bs. Trb.), 1 / Glock., Chimes, Crotales, Timp, Sus. Cym. / Stgs / Solo Vln. / Solo Vc. / Hp / Pf / Celesta / Synthesizer
Rag-March
INSTRUMENTATION: 3 (III. Picc), 3 (III. C.A.), 3 (II. Cl. in E-flat; III. dbls. Bs. Cl. ), III (III. C-bsn) / 4, 3 (Doubling on Cornets, if available), 3 (III. Bs. Trb.), 1 / Timp. / Glock. / 3 Percussion: (I. S.D., B.D., Sus. Cym.; II. Piatti, S.D.; III. Sus. Cym., Small B.D., Triangle) / Stgs / Hp / Pf (Tack Piano if Available) / Celesta
Return to Oz Suite
INSTRUMENTATION: 3 Winds (Doubling on Flute, Piccolo, Clarinet, Bass Clarinet, Soprano Saxophone, Alto Saxophone, Bassoon, Contrabassoon) / 1, 1 (Tpt in C), 1, 0 / 2 Percussionists: (I Drum Set & Mark Tree; II Vibes, Glock, Tree, etc.) / Strings (3 Vln, 1 Vla, 1 Vc, 1 Cb) / Piano
Manhattan Skyline
Orchestration by the composer
INSTRUMENTATION: 3 (III. Picc), 2, 2, 2 / 4, 3, 3, 1 / Drums, Timp / Perc: Tin Can Shaker, Tambourine, Cym. / Stgs / Hp / Electric Keyboard, Electric Guitar, Electric Bass [N.B.: There’s an optional Tenor & Baritone Sax part and a 2nd Electric Guitar part that can be made available if desired
Main Title
Orchestration by Jack Hayes
INSTRUMENTATION: 3 (III. Picc), 3 (III. doubling C.A.), 3 (II. doubling Cl. in E-flat; III. doubling Bs. Cl.), 3 (III. Cbsn.) / 4, 4, 3, 1 / 3 Perc:[Timp., Bells, Timbales, Sizzle Cym., Sus. Cym., Vibes, Wood Table, S.D., Drum Set, Tabor, Shaker, Cym., Squeeze Dr., Xylo.] / 2 E. Gtrs., Fender Bass, E-5 / Harp / Strings
Theme (Original Orchestral Arrangement)
Orchestration by the composer
ORIGINAL INSTRUMENTATION: 0, 0, 2, 0 / 0, 0, 0, 0 / Drums / Vibes / Guitar / Stgs / Solo Piano / (Optional: 2 Soprano Saxophones, or 2 Alto Flutes)
ALTERNATE INSTRUMENTATION: 0, 0, 2, 0 / 0, 0, 0, 0 / Stgs / Solo Piano
There is a Suite from The Hindenburg available but no recording. Here are the main themes from the Suite:
Main Title (Hindenburg Theme)
The Letter
Suspect Montage
Fin Repair Sequence
Orchestration by the composer
SOLOIST: Soprano Sax
INSTRUMENTATION: 3 (I. doubling Picc.), 3 (III. doubling C.A.), 3 (II. doubling Cl. in E-flat; III. doubling Bs. Cl.), 3 (III. Cbsn.) / 4, 4, 3, 1 / Timp, Perc: [Glock., S.D., B.D., Hand Cyms., Vibes, Piatti, Xylo] / Pno., Celesta / Harp / Strings
Music by David Shire, Lyrics by Alan & Marilyn Bergman
Orchestration by the composer
INSTRUMENTATION: 3,3(III.=EH),3,3(III.=Cbsn) / 4,0,0,0 / Timp, Song Bells / Piano, Harp / Strings
End Title
Composed by David Shire
INSTRUMENTATION: 3 (III. Picc.), 2, 3 (III. Tenor Sax), 3 (III. C-bsn.) / Optional Alto Sax Part is also available / 4, 3, 3, 1 / Drums, Timp. / 2 Percussion (I. Ahatsi or Large Cabasa II. Mellow Drum or Squeeze Drum, G.C.) / Stgs / Pf (or Electric Piano) / Electric Guitar, Electric Bass
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CONCERT MUSIC
Suite in Four Movements
Composed by David Shire
SOLOISTS: Alto Saxophone/Flute doubler; can also be played by two players.
INSTRUMENTATION: 0, 0, 0, 0 / 4, 3, 3 (III. Bs. Trb.), 1 / Drums / Timp. / 3 Percussion: (I. Glockenspiel, Vibes, Piccolo Triangle ; II. Sus. Cym., Song bells, Marimba, G. C.; III. Claves, Güiro or Cabasa) / Stgs / Hp / Guitar, Electric Bass / Pf / Electric Piano
SONGS
Main Title
Music by David Shire, Lyrics by Sheldon Harnick
Orchestration by Steven Bishop.
KEY: C
INSTRUMENTATION: 3 (III. Picc), 2 (II. C.A.), 3 (III. Bs. Cl.), 2 / 4, 4, 3, 1 / Timp, Tubular Chimes, Orch. Bells, 2 Perc:[Picc. Triangle, B.D., Piatti, Sus. Cym., Tam Tam] / Harp / Piano / Strings / SATB Chorus.