I have been in musical theatre since before I was born. No really, my parents not only met on stage, but my mother was performing a show a few months before I was born. So suffice to say, the sounds and stories of Broadway are almost always playing through my headphones. And among all the soundtracks available, I find myself returning to one composer over and over again. One who I think does not get nearly enough recognition. That composer is named Frank Wildhorn.
Becoming Lost in the Music
There are Broadway names that practically everyone knows. Even those who do not listen to the genre have at least heard of them: Andrew Lloyd Weber, Alan Menken, Stephen Sondheim, Lin Manuel Miranda. All are practically household names. And yet, I find that quite a few of their works sound very similar. Not to say that their work is bad by any means, there is a reason their names are common knowledge and some of their songs are on my own playlist. But the variety is less than noteworthy, at least to me. Now Mr. Wildhorn on the other hand, he is a different story.
The shows he composes for are about as varied as you can get. From the upbeat, Disney esc. songs of Wonderland, to the somber and threatening tunes of Dracula or Jekyll and Hyde. Or even the country melodies from Bonnie and Clyde. Each show he composes has its own flare and unique sound. On top of that, each show has a fantastic mix of songs for every emotion and scene.
There are ballads, songs of dreaming, songs of vengeance, and some of the funniest numbers I have ever heard. One minute you could be listening to the
powerful "Madame Guillotine", and the next, you could be laughing hysterically at "The Creation of Man". Both from the same show: The Scarlet Pimpernel.
A Grand Orchestration
Another one of my favorite genres of music is the "epic orchestration". Often, this means action movie trailers and the like, but in the case of Mr. Wildhorn, it is a bit different. Each of his shows utilizes a full orchestra, and to its maximum extent. Be it soft or strong, almost every instrument has a place. But, when it is a powerful song like "Madame Guillotine" or "Hell to Your Doorstep" from The Count of Monte Cristo, it really brings the house down.
Even when I am listening to these songs by myself, my heart begins race and I feel a strange adrenaline rush, as if I am a part of the show. The emotions flying through the notes are so powerful, and when he has the instruments blaring like they do, I cannot help but become enthralled.
Across the Globe
Mr. Wildhorn has done something that I have not seen many other composers do. He has composed for shows in multiple other languages besides English. German, Korean, Japanese, a few of which I have had the pleasure of finding and listening to. Even though I cannot understand what they are saying, and I need to look up translations, I can still feel the raw power from the music. Artus Excalibur is one of his German shows, and is a regular on my playlist.
His repertoire even includes some musicals that were converted from popular anime. Death Note, Your Lie in April, and recently, Fist of the North Star. With as popular as these particular shows are, I am even more surprised that not many people have heard of Mr. Wildhorn.
Whose Playing that Song?
So why am I writing this? Well, I just want more people to enjoy these works. Mr. Wildhorn's music truly is something different. Not only is there something for everyone, but the music he writes strikes a certain cord. Something I have felt from very few other shows and composers.
For anyone who reads this, I hope who will look up his works and give them a listen. I am sure you will find at least one song or show that really strikes you, I know I did.
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