Stephen Schwartz Performs "Corner of the Sky"

Stephen Schwartz Performs "Corner of the Sky" from the musical pippin.

[@briansounalath]

The way he plays piano is magical

[@hayleycomet8029]

So true!

[@shiraflowersnewman]

Can't stop from crying watching this. This song was so hugely influential in my adolescence. Made me want to be a singer and actress. Mirrored completely what I felt as a thirteen year old girl with my whole life ahead of me.

[@fairbornroots]

I've met Stephen schwartz in the town where I live, and he is just fantastic. Kind, considerate, and passionate about his work and such a cool guy to talk to. Super happy I stumbled across this lol

[@lillianward2810]

I went to a phenomenal tribute concert this week where so many phenomenal performers sang great song after great song. Halfway through, Stephen himself comes out and performs this one and I have been thinking about it for almost three solid days.

[@myreasonablevoice2]

When I feel crushed, devoid of hope or starving for inspiration and elan, I listen to this!

[@lisagrad8734]

Pippin was magical for me when I saw it as a kid. Now I appreciate this man behind the music! Awesome writer and musician.

[@Walter.Willison]

I remember the first time I heard Steve sings this song--38 years ago! What a thrill it was to discover this wonderful video and hear him sing it again, just as heartfelt and beautiful and filled with hope and optimism now as then.

[@TheCynedd]

This is one of my all time favourite songs. It is also great to hear a composer sing his own work.

[@emelinabombarda7201]

So very proud to see him in his parents' home.He sang when I requested him to sing his own composed wonderful song. What a nice composer/singer with a very soft heart who took care of his parents(my employer).I wish I could see and hear him sing again in chorus with his parents...Miss you guys...

[@davidkyle5017]

I took the train into the city from Long Island with my brother to see this play in the mid '70s, it was one of the first times doing that without my parents. Such a great time and this song is the one I remember the most.

[@JAHinHK]

Jesus, he is so amazingly talented it makes me sad. Pippin, Godspell, Wicked - three of my favorite shows. There was a cruise a year or so ago where you could meet him. I was so tempted, but it was US$5k. I live in HK now and I keep praying I meet him on the street one day. A man can dream.

[@peterdaniel66]

if you listen carefully both Wicked and Pippin, you will hear very similar Schwartz musical cues.. Same kind of horns and piano.. its wonderful.. the sounds of certain horns and strings makes my heart flutter..

[@IlaughedIcried]

Yup -- there's musical phrases in "Corner of the Sky" that turn up in "The Wizard and I," and phrases in "Just No Time At All" that turn up in "Popular" -- those come to mind immediately, and I'm sure there's more.

[@lillianward2810]

Children of Eden too. There are definitely chords that I think his hands just fall into. And I’m a sucker for them every time.

[@broadwayboundguy]

There is something sort of magical about it. Seeing someone perform their own work. So glad you got to meet him!

[@RedPygmypuff]

This is so amazing! Seeing him perform his work... a lot of composers never do.

[@Ktwillows]

Doesn't get any better than this magic man. How wonderful to be such a generous giver of gifts.

[@oatmealboy6]

This genius has no Tony awards. Andrew Lloyd Webber has three. How is this possible?

[@WestWinFarms]

This man is amazing! How is that! And what a pianist!

[@saul555-Dan]

‘Cause both men are incredibly talented - duh!

[@laurafanning6035]

Not news but, it ain't a fair world

[@MyanCyanAria]

Stephen, I like your lyrical offerings … they fly like the birds!👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@wysteriaqueenfaerie]

i love the melody. esp the beggining part.

[@Morikumo]

OH MY GOSH!!!!!!!! I am so excited to have found this, I can't even say. This is undescribably cool. :) Thank you so much!

[@Roots567]

Love this. Thank you for posting.

[@karissa3729]

totally met him.. he is amazing.

[@christinec.6685]

This is a fantastic song.

[@judilake3646]

Bravo! Love this song!

[@sondheimfan1]

great song... great show... a lot of wicked has this same feeling to it but nothing beats the classic stephen schwartz

[@maxwellzhao3099]

Love this song. Thumbs up if you do too!

[@kathrynyuschenkoff8645]

You are brilliant.

[@epicbookworm]

I met him at a performance of Seance on a Wet Afternoon (at NYC Opera). Unfortunately, I hadn't seen Wicked or Pippin yet and I didn't really know he was. If I had met him now, I'd probably cry. :')

[@JOHNLUNNSMILES]

Great Song Stephen ! Regards and Smiles JL

[@AustinNebbia]

So happy I'll be seeing him at his alma mater, CMU on Sunday!!!!! (Also this marks the second Broadway Stephen I've been blessed to be in the same room with, the other being Sondheim. So that's exciting.)

[@summergirltx]

More of this interview is available on the Kennedy center's website. Great stuff

[@feigen99]

Thank you Stephen for your inspiration!

[@funny_almost]

He composed and wrote lyrics for "Wicked". The book was written by Gregory Maguire, and it's called "Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West".

[@EHOWATT100]

Love this song.

[@denysstryker3751]

Beautiful

[@billypfan]

i love him and this song

[@sixtocharliechan2364]

Bravo!!!

[@BrendanCurran-f9z]

There is so much John Denver in this song, the chords and lyrics - and this optimism has been maligned but I still long for it and enjoy songs that are driven by it. You can here it in Defyin Gravity too...just more of a protest song

[@lovely0503]

It was perfect!

[@jordanbriskin238]

Mother of Amun-Ra, but he has a wonderful voice!

[@sandrabrown1130]

Love it!

[@CavemenproductionsTV]

Yes and Godspell and more! xD!!!!

[@ScottKerill]

I like it in that key much better! Should have taken advantage of our midi system when I did it :(

[@jerryalicea8897]

I had the great pleasure of doing the Ben Vereen role of Leading Player in a touring company of Pippin. John Cygan played the role of Pippin and was brilliant. His rendition of this song was my favorite part of the show (aside from my singing and dancing Glory). Thank You Steven for a great song and a lasting memory.

[@elissajordan1701]

Why are we comparing Webber and Schwartz. They are two complete different individuals who have both wonderful music and shows! Don't compare people just because they are in the same category (Shows). Just enjoy their music! :)

[@MrSmashmasterk]

+Elissa Jordan Why compare anyone ever. Nice comment friend

[@MegaMelodytime]

Stephen Schwartz is about to be crowned King of Broadway along with Lin Manuel Miranda at the next Tony's. which means Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice will retire.

[@2000andhate]

+Disney Guardian LMFAOOOO Lin Manuel Mirandas is so temporary. He's no new King of Broadway. He's just a trend.

[@MegaMelodytime]

Alice is Online so, who do you think is gonna be the next king?

[@lesliekorshak]

Steve Schwartz, I love you!

[@113vera]

@BroadwayBaby98 yes! it's amaaaaaaaa-zing!!!

[@IDONTFEELNOPAINNOMO]

@kzm2333 Thanks for uploading this.

[@jordanbriskin238]

Doesn't this song remind anyone of "Go the Distance"?

[@Cyberlucy]

It actually reminds me of "Defying Gravity" which he wrote.

[@MacMorrighan]

Wow, he changed the lyrics of the second and third verse from the version of this song that *I* have published in "The Glory of Broadway: Songs of Joy and Inspiration" (Warner Bros. Publications, 1997) as well as from the Cast Recording--and, I must say that I approve. They are MUCH better, IMO!

[@sadem1045]

when and where did he perform this? also, this is one of my most favorite broadway musical songs ever.

[@Cyberlucy]

It was back in the mid 2000s at an evening with Stephen Schwartz at the Kennedy Center in DC. This is one of the most amazing songs written for a Broadway Musical. It perfectly encapsulates the man motivations of the lead character.

[@sadem1045]

@@Cyberlucy At this point in my life I'm not sure it'll ever happen but playing Pippin is still on my theatre bucket list.

[@IDONTFEELNOPAINNOMO]

Stephen is brilliant

[@brycecream007]

Enjoying a song doesn't determine sexual orientation, but asking a question like that does determine intellectual orientation.

[@Pinwormx]

Bravo

[@beng721]

Are you serious??? He's written some of the best (right up there with Webber).

[@dustytheloneranger]

He looks like Mel Brooks and sounds like Steve Martin.

[@MrGabeanator]

hmm

[@jbro267]

I al singing this for honures chorus at my school

[@vivalavieboheme14]

very true!

[@climkiwi707]

sti-CAN to the soul!

[@aSmErAeSmE]

@BroadwayBaby98 i think he cowrote the music and songs for the play wicked. so yeah.

[@JulianHertz]

yupz

[@sean991000]

@kzm2333 Any chance you have a video of SS singing WITH YOU from Pippin?

[@windstorm1000]

yes, read my post above.

[@itsayskeds13]

@BroadwayBaby98 and more, like godspell!

[@sertorrhenclegane]

I knew people were gonna get offended by that. Allow me to rephrase it. Sadly, Mr. Schwartz has yet to win a Tony Award.

[@windstorm1000]

@curtispsf Schwartz pissed Bob Fosse off on the show 'Follies' I think but I don't know the specific reason--and Fosse 'owned' B'way in the 70's.

[@curtispsf]

@windstorm1000 Why was that?

[@randyculpepper4290]

I like The Jackson Five's rendition.

[@Agus3Mundo]

How's that?? more details!

[@Caroliennn]

remebers me of pocahontas ^^

[@ilovecards77]

he reminds me of stephen tyler

[@ucity88]

LOL! Why?

[@windstorm1000]

Did anybody know that Schwartz was 86ed off B'way after Pippin for many years. Apparently he had a falling out with Fosse or another powerful giant and they kept him off the big white way--can you believe it????

[@beardedartisan]

Not true. His musicals "The Magic Show" and "Working" premiered on Broadway the same decade as "Pippin"; in fact "The Magic Show" was up and running the very next year. He didn't get along very well with Fosse during production of "Pippin", that's true, but there was no conspiracy to keep him off Broadway - just a combination of Stephen not enjoying how professional Broadway theatre operated and his later work struggling to find commercial success.

[@windstorm1000]

You all know that he was black balled on broadway for 20 years in 1973 by some malicious people (including other famous composers jealous of him). Just shows you can't keep a talented man down.

[@kobz48]

my dad sang this in off broadway! awesome song! lov e it but why doesent anybody just sing it with crazy power?!? my dad did... sounds crazy better!

[@Niakinhyabusa7]

no - this is in a different key. I checked.

[@TheOddree]

Children Of Eden ftw

[@briansounalath]

is he off pitch?

[@suzettestar4480]

Composers don’t have to be perfect vocal performers. They are geniuses in their own craft.

[@JaredGoerke]

Sadly.

[@regan110]

No it's the same key...........

[@sertorrhenclegane]

Win a Tony. Sadly.

[@rubberbandTV]

The only man who physically can't sing the song incorrectly. :)

[@NYCprincess7]

no?

[@richardb6260]

Didn't know Rick Moranis could sing.

[@sabretooth717]

Just leave it with the Jackson 5....alone

[@jbp60]

John Rubinstein from the original Broadway cast does an excellent performance plus cover versions by Dusty Springfield, Johnny Mathis and others, including Jackson 5.

[@bman342]

I know I'll get spammed for this, but just wish he didn't feel he needed to where the toup

[@sabretooth717]

Wow The jackson 5 sure improved this song.....way better.

[@crawfordfan557]

OK I admit tht this song is epic butI'm a diehard Andrew Lloyd Webberite! TEAM WEBBERS UNITE!!!

[@MANHATTANBEEFMAN]

Anyone who thinks this is great music/lyric writing...has never heard of Stephen Sondheim.

[@moosemush]

Man Hattan they can both be great, just in different ways..

[@MANHATTANBEEFMAN]

@@moosemush - You wouldn't be equating Stephen Sondheim (America's greatest musical composer) w/this...putz - would you?

[@moosemush]

Man Hattan oh, Sondheim is certainly the best. That doesn’t mean Schwartz can’t also be great.

[@MANHATTANBEEFMAN]

@@moosemush -Except that he (Schwartz) isn't' 'great'...he barely registers in the profession Sondheim owns.

[@moosemush]

@@MANHATTANBEEFMAN barely registers? I don't know about that, since he definitely has found success and a loyal fanbase. And if we're talking about "complexity" of music, Schwartz is considered one of the hardest MT composers to play by many accompanists. If you don't like him, fine. But you blindly stating that people who like his work have never heard of Stephen Sondheim is just false. They're both great to many people. Don't act like people are uneducated for liking someone's work.