Stephen Schwartz - on Composing Godspell

[@AviatorRider]

Mr. Schwarz, you did pure magic. Almost 50 years later and some of the Godspell songs still bring me to tears. Bravo !!

[@lornafleming7542]

This Musical solidified my life following Jesus all my life. Truly Blessed to have Godspell for 51yrs in my marriage

[@GaryGoldbaugh]

I toured as pianist/conductor of this show across the Midwest for two years...this man is a genius, writes eminently written piano scores that lend themselves to improvisation and lie under the hands perfectly...

[@thephantomoftheparadise5666]

You are a musical genius, Mr. Schwartz.

[@theotherme4120]

God blessed you with a great gift

[@brianbaxter3913]

I saw Godspell in Toronto when I was in high school and even though I was not religious and still not I really enjoyed the stage performance and loved the music even to this day. It was so upbeat you could not help but like it no matter if you are a believer or not.

[@IndieUSA]

So cool to hear this story, love these songs!

[@norarivkis2513]

One of my favorite memories from college: walking home after a late night shift at the computer center with two friends, on dark, empty Chicago streets filled with the pre-dawn mist, and singing By My Side in harmony together. I had never even heard of Stephen Schwartz at that point. I knew Godspell and I knew Pippin, but I didn't know they were written by the same person, let alone what else he'd created. A few years later, a friend of mine took me to a community theater performance of Rags and I fell madly in love and asked, "Who *is* that, and where can I get the score?!? I went looking him up and learned that he'd written a couple of other shows I already knew and loved.

[@Jimmersaunt]

I remember when I was a little girl hearing Day by Day being sung by some other kids. I didn’t know where it came from, but I instantly loved it and was constantly humming it afterward. It was years later I found out it was from Godspell when a friend introduced me to the soundtrack! I then discovered how special the music was and bought both the original Broadway soundtrack and the film soundtrack and also the DVD of the film! This movie is just so spiritually uplifting you just can’t help but feel better about life once you’ve seen it! I hope one day the play will come back to Chicago and I can see it in person.

[@dappylu]

Love the movie & the songs.

[@simongee8928]

A unique musical. Blows Jesus Christ Superstar out of the water.

[@critical-thought-4all561]

Actually, both are equally great, and stand the musical test of time.

[@sharondavidson7412]

They are way too different to compare.

[@Psychol-Snooper]

That's like comparing Sesame Street to Saturday Night Live. I might agree, but that's just an opinion. Totally subjective, and essentially worthless. A third person might say they are both crap and they would be equally correct. XD

[@joshuakohlmann9731]

The cynical tone of JCS as opposed to the evangelical style of Godspell makes this an apples-and-oranges comparison. I love both shows for different reasons, but in my opinion JCS was an example of a composer peaking early: it was Lloyd-Webber's second show, and he's been going downhill ever since.

[@shawnw8717]

JCS is pretty much the Passion Play. John the Baptist is not part of it. The cynical themes come from the fact it's really being told by Judas, and his disappointment in his leader. He believes Jesus should be doing more, especially in rising up against the Romans. Jesus, of course, has other plans...

[@indigojc]

I can't get enough of this interviews.. so great!

[@jerseyforhawks]

Thank you for this musical gift!

[@carloslozada470]

Great stuff man you knocked it out of the park

[@kimbozw1808]

Thanks for DAY BY DAY.

[@martinlaulunen7189]

My favorite Christian oriented song of all time.,✨😉

[@kimbozw1808]

@@martinlaulunen7189 kiitos!

[@onemercilessming1342]

In "Amadeus", Tom Hulce (who played "Mozart") delivers a line that is similar. He's talking about the opera, "Le Nozze de Figaro" and the octet where eight characters are singing at the same time. He says that, in a recitative or a narrative, everyone talking at once is just noise. But, with music, all eight can "speak" at once and it's comprehensible.

[@peterwhalen377]

A music genius down playing his gift from God. Absolute genius.

[@hippiedadtx2878]

I saw Godspell in Fort Worth at Casa Manana theater. I loved it then and still love it now.

[@martinlaulunen7189]

Pure excellence.,✨😉

[@spideraxis]

Took a gamble, it was a success, and had great music, especially "Day By Day".

[@TheRubberStudiosASMR]

I’m an atheist but the music is phenomenal

[@antikytheramechanism7909]

That toupee is excellent.

[@ClueSign]

In the theater we call them sky-pieces.

[@ajdc88]

why do guys think they can get away with toupees that essentially as thick as a 16 year olds head of hair? and that don't match the color of the actual real hair?