The Anatomy of a Song (Working In The Theatre

[@thedarkness97]

Menkens work on Hunchback of Notre Dame is outstanding!

[@VFXCommander]

thedarkness97 couldn't agree more, brother!

[@VFXCommander]

thedarkness97 The choir was absolute madness!!!

[@TheHManShow]

thedarkness97 and he said that was one of his favorite works

[@kandyappleview]

It’s absolutely stunning!

[@Peechiness]

I love that Alan has a style of composing. It's his signature

[@CongressAdmin]

It's just unbelievable that all that music is in his head and ready to play at a moment's notice--Every song, every lyric. So impressive!

[@filigree4103]

That song they wrote for crutchie here is now being used in the touring show and it's preformed so movingly.

[@lttrbox]

- "Hey Allen, would you like to finish a sentence?" - "Yes, thank you, I would actually"- -"Great. So can you tell us some more about something else entirely?"

[@lttrbox]

-"One more thing, Allen. I'm going to pretend to ask you a question, but I actually ask you three in rapid succession, because I don't know what I want and I don't care if you'll be able to reply, because I'll just interrupt you again."

[@filipeesantos]

I mean, we also gotta remember he's there alone trying to interview two people at once and they have a set time to do it, so he seems to be squeezing everything to fit in one go.

[@MattVargas]

That really felt like 58 minutes of exactly what the video's entitled. Thankyou so much for sharing this, I've seen dozens and dozens of Alan Menken interviews and somehow 70% was new deep analytical discussion about musical theater.

[@MujakiKid]

Alan's by far my favorite composer for musicals, I hope so much he does another Disney musical soon! I really prefer his style over the Frozen songs. Thank you so much for uploading this, it was amazing to see his process.

[@mattbabineau197]

I love that we get to see where Letter from the Refuge came from.

[@VFXCommander]

Two Words: PURE LEGEND!!!

[@aimsical285]

Love the theme at 15:03. I can never get over how beautiful it is.

[@christinakakoulli]

I wouldn't be the same person without this man

[@maurymtana5899]

Thanks for the program for bringing my idol to the studio

[@melischang]

Good lord, them just riffing on a hypothetical number for Crutchie MAKES ME WANT IT SO BADLY. ALAN MENKEN/JOHN FELDMAN YOU GENIUSES.

[@pandabearinconcert]

the beginnings of "letter from the refuge"! ^^

[@Gsjweihieijsswom]

Timestamp?

[@alextw13jf]

This is priceless. I just can't stop listening such a genius talking about the process of creation, it is something that enriches and inspires me and eventually makes me feel fine. Thanks a lot for posting.

[@JscoMusic]

So glad that they ended up eventually putting that song with Crutchie into the musical. I tear up everytime

[@leilanecozzi]

Menken is a genius..... enough said.

[@halos.1]

This is so fascinating. It's amazing to see into his mind and how he's able to take any scenario place or time and write a musical piece that suits it perfectly.

[@krystenindisguise]

"Where's the recorder?? Oh wait I turned my phone off..." - I can relate

[@JustinHenderson0]

Thomas Shumacher... HUSH!

[@cinimod621]

He is soooo great!!

[@ughhh]

The interviewer kept interrupting Alan in every mid sentences.

[@bookwoman53]

It’s unfortunate but he wants to ask his question before he forgets what he wants to say. He could have written it down but most people don’t do that.

[@kablessed4720]

Very noticeable! Either he adores him (starstruck) or he thinks he knows everything about him or he secretly doesn't think there's all that

[@NeekoFreeman]

This is a great video. Thank you for uploading. Alan Menen and Jack are two great artist. As a composer, playwright and lyricist, this video is so inspiring to me. Thank you, again

[@mistressofgotham942]

I love him so much!😍😍😍

[@mustuploadtoo7543]

this series is epic you need to get alan menken back on :)

[@troyjohnson5067]

Lol why is everybody cutting each other off? Hahaha

[@helenchelmicka3028]

thats so great he's so psyched to get a Razzie!! haha.

[@jordanbriskin238]

Well, ya can't be in show biz without a sense of humor, ya know.

[@StarSnowGhost]

Like many others here I just wish Tom would shut up and let Menken talk. He wants to rush him from one topic to another. More than that though, I'm surprised Shumacker and Menken even want to acknowledge "Home on the Range." I assumed they meant the word "classic" ironically when they first mentioned it. Terrible film, but Menken's music still shines through I suppose.

[@nelihmazen1420]

He called it "classic", cause that's how Disney animated features are called. And more specifically, Walt Disney Animated Classics.

[@StarSnowGhost]

TRIMC95 If that's really how it works, then they really need to re-define their brand name. That makes "Chicken Little" an Animated Classic. -__-

[@nelihmazen1420]

StarSnowGhost As much as this movie is awful, yes, it's basically called Disney Animated Classic... :(

[@tomorobo4472]

56:17 i genuinely thought for a good portion of my childhood that alan wrote mulan. (also the chord i associate with alan would be the sus4. Idk there's just somet about it.)

[@hcpiano]

This is just great! I am very entertained ^^

[@cindyloyd8673]

This was so inspiring, except the interviewer changed the subject every single time they started to answer. It was so frustrating, because I really wanted to hear the answers, and there was almost not a completed thought in the whole interview. For instance, he asked what Elton John meant by Alan Menken chords, and before he could get half a sentence out, changed the subject. I loved the part where they were improvising a new song for Newsies. I'd really like to hear them finish that song.

[@jasonongchaysioco8172]

I love watching this stuff!!! I want to see more!!!

[@naomiandalex]

Great stuff!

[@BobJoeman]

Menken's Musicology background really shines through here

[@pokedot91]

THIS IS AMAZING!!!!!!

[@FedeHepburn]

perfect....if it wasn't for the host that cut alan's musical moments all the time!!

[@KunaiForce]

Can we hear Alan speak, why are we going from one movie to another lol

[@jordanbriskin238]

Jack Feldman and Tom Snow didn't write JUST "One of Us" and "We Are One" for "Simba's Pride", they also wrote "Love Will Find a Way".

[@PS-DLMA]

And the song for crutchie got added

[@sherrylowery7720]

love it

[@EricMontreal22]

This is so great. At the seven minute mark Nenken does a song he writes for the BMI workshop which he says is based on Midnight a Billy Wilder film. I can’t find any Wilder film with that title. Any idea what he means??

[@emmawilcox1534]

The lyrics are just rushing through my head

[@dingothing]

I don't think Alan is particularly fast or slow for that matter, in conversation. He is a smart guy of course, but his speed only really stands out when he composes. The only unusual thing here is how quickly the interviewer cuts him off, just when he gives those rare examples of things he hasn't played in any other interviews! Very frustrating. 5.34 is a good example of this.

[@karsonbollinger8412]

Wait they’re about to write Letter from the Refuge right in front of us!?!?

[@PatrickQT]

What a genius

[@JohnnyNatrium]

What's that song with "Why am I so lonely" around 5:25? I'd love to hear the whole thing

[@Grayfox541]

Which Beethoven's sonata does he play at 2:25??

[@Grayfox541]

2:52, sorry

[@Pianubi]

Grayfox541 pathetique sonata

[@rocknroll20024]

the man is a leagend

[@dingothing]

Fantastic! Wish this lasted two hours. Host Thomas Schumacher is a bit too quick on the trigger when it comes to interrupting the musical examples, but you gotta approve of a guy who apparently has a soft spot for Menken/Rice's great "King David".

[@kpoptimes5826]

Crutchie song origin story

[@Abc-cp6cb]

whats with the 1980s opening

[@IanWagner94]

Omg the interviwer just wont shur up... I want to hear THEM talk. Choose your questions ahead of time and give them what they need to answer. Come on

[@hannesnaumann7101]

Haha, years ago, still now.

[@edwardwatkins6572]

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[@edwardwatkins6572]

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[@ilsaj9489]

this host is so annoying, he won't let Alan speak!!!!!

[@jawhoneytv]

I’m surprised the top comment isn’t about Harvey Weinstein being mentioned

[@rileybrennan3529]

It's actually Harvey Fierstein, who's a huge name on broadway.

[@PS-DLMA]

Its Fierstein.....best known to non musical people as the brother who does the makeup in Mrs Doubtfire.....but to musical fans original Edna Turnblad etc

[@samuellongo9530]

Which Beethoven's sonata does he play at 2:51?

[@Pianubi]

Samuel Longo pathetique sonata

[@samuellongo9530]

@@Pianubi It's not; it is sonata no.9 in E major...

[@Pianubi]

Samuel Longo oh I was wrong then. Thank you for finding the right one.