Quote

I get some flak for and some resistance from colleagues for because I'm interested in storytelling. I mean what I like about songwriting is songs used to tell a story.

Stephen Sondheim

Change background

T
T
T

Change font

TAGS & TOPICS

Stephen Sondheim
Age: 94
Born: 1930
Born: March 22
Author
Composer
Dramaturge
Librettist
Lyricist
Musician
Poet
Screenwriter
Songwriter
New York City
New York
Stephen Joshua Sondheim
Songs
Like
Interested
Story
Song
Tell
Flak
Stories
Colleagues
Used
Resistance
Mean

More quotes by Stephen Sondheim

Image
TODD: The history of the world, my love -- LOVETT: Save a lot of graves, Do a lot of relatives favors! TODD: Is those below serving those up above! LOVETT: Ev'rybody shaves, So there should be plenty of flavors! TODD: How gratifying for once to know BOTH: That those above will serve those down below!
Stephen Sondheim
Image
Over a period of time it's been driven home to me that I'm not going to be the most popular writer in the world, so I'm always happy when anything in any way is accepted.
Stephen Sondheim
Image
There's something inimical about the camera and song.
Stephen Sondheim
Image
Math and music are intimately related. Not necessarily on a conscious level, but sure.
Stephen Sondheim
Image
The truth is that I don't like rehearsals. I get embarrassed hearing my own work. I assume that the cast is embarrassed to sing the stuff.
Stephen Sondheim
Image
It's pleasanter to work in the country, where you can wander out among the trees. But I don't get as much work done. In the city you don't want to leave the room because there's all that chaos going on.
Stephen Sondheim
Image
For me it's more fun to find an unexpected moment for a character to sing when you don't expect them to.
Stephen Sondheim
Image
There's a hole in the world Like a great black pit And the vermin of the world Inhabit it ... And it goes by the name of London.
Stephen Sondheim
Image
Nowadays, there are sometimes more producers than there are people in the cast, because it takes that much money to put a show on.
Stephen Sondheim
Image
I've always liked puzzles, since I was a kid. I like party games, silly games. I loved chess. I enjoy jigsaw puzzles, but I'm not particularly visual.
Stephen Sondheim
Image
Sometimes colleagues in performance are absolutely astonishing.
Stephen Sondheim
Image
I like murder mysteries, the Agatha Christie kinds of things where you know that it's all going to be neatly wound up at the end.
Stephen Sondheim
Image
The more you cling to things, The more you love them, The more the pain you suffer, When they're taken from you.
Stephen Sondheim
Image
I like songs that are part of a dramatic texture, and therefore I like the scenes to be active. I wanna follow the story and that means you lean on the actors.
Stephen Sondheim
Image
I've always preferred actors who sing to singers who act in all the shows I've done.
Stephen Sondheim
Image
To wish and wait From day to day Will never keep The wolves away.
Stephen Sondheim
Image
Anything you do, let it come from you. Then it will be new.
Stephen Sondheim
Image
You get used to the exact amount of space between lines. You write a word and then you write an alternate word over it. You want enough room so you can read it, so the lines can't be too close.
Stephen Sondheim
Image
Art is craft, not inspiration.
Stephen Sondheim
Image
One difference between poetry and lyrics is that lyrics sort of fade into the background. They fade on the page and live on the stage when set to music.
Stephen Sondheim