Wicked: Piano Play-Along Volume 46

E-Z Play Today

by Stephen Schwartz (Composer)

(Piano Play-Along). Your favorite sheet music will come to life with the innovative Piano Play-Along series! With this book with online audio, piano and keyboard players will be able to practice and perform with professional-sounding accompaniments. Containing eight songs, the book features new engravings, with a separate vocal staff, plus guitar frames, so players and their friends can sing or strum along. The audio features two tracks for each a full performance for listening, and a separate backing track that lets players take the lead on keyboard. The high-quality, sound-alike accompaniments exactly match the printed music. 8 songs, Dancing Through Life * Defying Gravity * For Good * I Couldn't Be Happier * I'm Not That Girl * Popular * What Is This Feeling? * The Wizard and I. The audio is accessed online using the unique code inside each book and can be streamed or downloaded. The audio files include PLAYBACK+, a multi-functional audio player that allows you to slow down audio without changing pitch, set loop points, change keys, and pan left or right.

Genres: Music, Plays, Musicals, Fantasy, Fiction, Theatre, Romance

72 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2004

About the author

Stephen Schwartz was born in New York City on March 6, 1948. He studied piano and composition at the Juilliard School of Music while in high school and graduated from Carnegie Mellon University in 1968 with a B.F.A. in Drama. Upon coming back to live in New York City, he went to work as a producer for RCA Records, but shortly thereafter began to work in the Broadway theatre.

His first major credit was the title song for the play BUTTERFLIES ARE FREE; the song was eventually used in the movie version as well.

In 1971, he wrote the music and new lyrics for GODSPELL, for which he won several awards including two Grammys. This was followed by the English texts, in collaboration with Leonard Bernstein, for Bernstein's MASS, which opened the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. The following year, he wrote the music and lyrics for PIPPIN and two years later, THE MAGIC SHOW. At one point, GODSPELL, PIPPIN, and THE MAGIC SHOW were all running on Broadway simultaneously.

He next wrote the music and lyrics for THE BAKER'S WIFE, followed by a musical version of Studs Terkel's WORKING, to which he contributed four songs, and which he also adapted and directed, winning the Drama Desk Award as best director. He also co-directed the television production, which was presented as part of the PBS "American Playhouse" series.

Next came songs for a one-act musical for children, CAPTAIN LOUIE, and a children's book, THE PERFECT PEACH. He then wrote music for three of the songs in the Off-Broadway revue, PERSONALS, lyrics to Charles Strouse's music for RAGS, and music and lyrics for CHILDREN OF EDEN.

He then began working in film, collaborating with composer Alan Menken on the scores for the Disney animated features POCAHONTAS, for which he received two Academy Awards and another Grammy, and THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME. He also provided songs for DreamWorks' first animated feature, THE PRINCE OF EGYPT, for which he won another Academy Award for the song "When You Believe".

Mr. Schwartz provided music and lyrics for the original television musical, GEPPETTO, seen on The Wonderful World of Disney. Recently, he released two CDs on which he sings new songs, entitled RELUCTANT PILGRIM and UNCHARTED TERRITORY.

Mr. Schwartz's most recent musical, WICKED, opened in the fall of 2003 and is currently running on Broadway.

Under the auspices of the ASCAP Foundation, he runs musical theatre workshops in New York and Los Angeles, and serves on the ASCAP board; he is also a member of the Council of the Dramatists' Guild.

Reviews

[Arezoo Alipanah · Rating 5 out of 5]

The trouble with schools is
They always try to teach the wrong lesson
Believe me, I've been kicked out of enough of them to know
They want you to become less callow, less shallow
But I say, why invite stress in?
Stop studying strife
And learn to live "the unexamined life"

Dancing through life
Skimming the surface
Gliding where turf is smooth
Life's more painless
For the brainless
Why think too hard?
When it's so soothing
Dancing through life
No need to tough it
When you can slough it off as I do
Nothing matters
But knowing nothing matters
It's just life
So keep dancing through

*Those who don't try
Never look foolish*

[R Fuentes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Had always wanted to read the story behind the musical. It was a beautiful telling of the growth and coming of age of 2 individuals. While some parts got a bit long and I felt took me away from the route/root of the story, the overall destination was worth the winding ride.

[Teresea · Rating 5 out of 5]

I finished this book in 2 days! I loved it.

[Veronica · Rating 5 out of 5]

This musical is second only to Phantom of the Opera in my opinion. Absolute genius music, witty lyrics and breathtaking talent. I love this music!

[10-12 Jaycie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I also saw this on brodway you may think the witch is evil from the story you have herd think again! It turns out the witch and Galinda are actully best friends and the witch is dead think againnn! If you read this book you will be very enter tained!

[Lillian]

Who doesn't want to belt out some Wicked, people?

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Much love for this show and score

[Carol Jones-Campbell · Rating 5 out of 5]

To be able to read the book that the musical of Wicked is drawn from and to be able to enjoy the telling of the story though kind of rough is in many ways quite enjoyable. This is a coming of age story of two individuals. I loved the musical as well as the book. I thought they were both done with absolute perfection. This story is about the "Wicked Witch of the West" and the "Good Witch" from the familiar Story, The Wizard of Oz. The Book highlights the journey of the two women before they got their titles, and looks at Elphaba, the Wicked Witch's side of the Tale...so well done.

The music in this musical is amazing. I love the masterful use of the refrains throughout. It is so inspiring and epic it makes your hairs stand on end. Highly recommend. If you are having difficulties finding a copy, you might check your public library. They often have the music as well as the written word. It was SOOOOOO worth it.

[Mara Rhodes · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is about the "Wicked Witch of the West" and the "Good Witch" from the familiar story, The Wizard of Oz. The book highlights the journey of the two women before they got their titles, and looks at Elphaba, the Wicked Witch's, side of the tale.

3 topic ideas:
Point of View
Bullying
Genre - Science Fiction
Compare and Contrast

[Tara · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite book

[Kisoh Horie · Rating 5 out of 5]

it was awesome story. the storyline was perfect. my favorite character is elphaba. in this story she is villan and hero. that makes this story deeply. and Glinda was a good character.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a place holder for perusing "Snapshots"!

[Robyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

While the book on which it is based is seriously flawed, Wicked, the Musical is truly great. To get into a discussion of why is beyond the scope of the review of the piano/vocal score. Broadly, the musical is lyrical, fresh, appealing, singable, and full of life. There are actually two books of music available - the piano/vocal selections and the piano/vocal arrangement. Not knowing which would have the more complete music, I bought both. I compared them side-by-side. I could not detect a difference.
Wicked is a musical about women, and all mezzo-sopranos should add some of the songs to their repertoires, even if only for being the star of your own car.

[Random · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is so beautifully written that it takes one a while to realize not a whole lot happens for long stretches of the book. At times it may get confusing as to what is actually going on. But, the language is so good you almost don't care. I read this book as I was simultaneously reading The Da Vinci Code. And honestly, I had no idea at the time that these two books work so perfectly together. While this book has beautiful language, but the plot is spotty and at points nonexistent, The Da Vinci Code has pretty lousy writing but a great action filled exciting plot. They worked to balance each other perfectly.

[Briana · Rating 5 out of 5]

TOO MUCH FUN!!! From loud and crazy, to gentle and reflective...yeah, I could probably play all day with this one...and I'm an accompanist at heart, so it makes me happy to play for singers...

I don't know how to explain it, but somehow the Wicked vocal accompaniment has the perfect balance between melody line and accompaniment for me. And it's not so hard that it gets frustrating, but not so easy that it's boring.

[FlibBityFLooB · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed that this easy piano book had arrangements that stayed true to the sound of the musical. For example, Defying Gravity was a great arrangement. I sat down this evening and played through the entire book. I'm not crazy about a couple of the songs in the musical, but those that I like were definitely done well in this book, especially for being 'easy' arrangements :)

[Harry Boyd · Rating 5 out of 5]

The music in this musical is just great, I love the masterful use of refrains throughout, it's so inspiring and epic it makes the hairs on your arms stand up. I like the musical but it is the music that makes it so brilliant. It isn't overly challenging as piano music either, no problem for an experienced pianist, a tad tricky every now and then for the more amateur. Overall, wonderful music I could listen to for days.

[Rachel Vl · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love Wicked. I love the music and vocals of the production itself. This book is pretty good with following the production but on some of the songs there was different lyrics, missing some of the song and the melody was sometimes different but all in all I liked this the way this song book was arranged.

[Sara Mccandless · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved the story line, the characters interesting attributes... I haven't finished it because of the words that is used in an Renaissance Era. Some of the objects and mystical characters I'm not familiar with so I get stuck in the story.

[Patty · Rating 2 out of 5]

A difficult read. I wanted to like her but through all those pages, I was never able to connect.

[Paula · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this book!

[Heidi-Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love that I can play one of my favorite musicals! Ok, well, that I have the music available to work on and keep practicing so that someday I CAN play them well.

[Brandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I borrowed this book from my friend Heidi. Some of the arrangements are quite lovely, others are a bit complicated, but on the whole it is a great work...true to the musical.

[Matthew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excelent orchestra to piano switchover. SO many notes! Not plain simple acc. but it feels like the whole score instead

[Kristy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it. I want to see the play! Fun read.

[Catherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love playing these songs! Some really beautiful arrangements!!

[Alexandra]

I love Wicked and have sang out of this Vocal Arrangement book many times. A great book for a wicked lover and a singer.

[Amanda Yannes · Rating 1 out of 5]

oops. I didn't read this music. I read the book.

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

loved it

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it!!!