What are some instruments overwhelmingly associated with a single musical- or perhaps used EXCLUSIVELY in that one musical? I'm playing around with writing and orchestrating some music, so the idea is kind of stuck in my head.
Les Miserables- the Yamaha DX-7 (especially the "crummy piano" sound)
Applause- electric trumpet
Company (original)- the RocksiChord electric piano (rock opera fans and prog-rockers know this one as the "Genesis" electric piano from "The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway")
What's that psychadelic "DEWWWEEEOOOWOOOUOFUOWOOWWWOOOOOOO" sound near the beginning of some versions of the Jesus Christ Superstar overture? Theramin?
I just did a production that used a sitar there, but the psychedelic sound you hear at the beginning of some versions of JCS is, typically, a chord played on the bass guitar, with heavy reverb and some tremolo.
I thought of some more, but they're all keyboard-based.
Cirque du Soleil shows from their early classic era- the Fairlight CMI
Smile- the E-Mu Emulator II (aka the really fat, warm, cheesy synthesizer you hear on the "cast recording")
With the eBow on Wicked, what songs can you hear it being clearly used cause I've never noticed it before. Nevertheless, Wicked has some of the best orchestrations ever in my opinion. It didn't even win Orchestrations either... (Sondheim score lol)
Ukuleles in No, No, Nanette. Prominent in the the 1970's revival orchestrated by Ralph Burns during I Want To Be Happy. I'd enjoy hearing about any other show in which they've been used.
I think I read here or elsewhere there is a zither in The Visit. (I have yet to see or hear The Visit. My bad, as I love Kander and Ebb.) Any other shows? Again, maybe Weill somewhere?
Horsetears: that Superstar sound is just a very old, 1960s era synthesizer. It was somewhat out of date even by the time of the film.
MattPorter: the seek wah sound is kind of all throughout Wicked- the rhythm guitar part kind of "bubbles" is the best way to describe it. Listen to the bridge in "The Wizard and I." During the "unlimited" section, the rhythm guitar begins to bubble and at one point just devolves into this pitched but undulating mass of sound. As for the Ebow, listen to "Defying Gravity." That eerie, theremin-type sound under "hurt your cause forever, I hope you think it's clever" is the Ebow on the rhythm guitar. When the song proper begins, at "something has changed within me," the Ebow gets a lead. It's a long, fluid sound that is recognizably a guitar but sounds nothing like a guitar being played by conventional means. You'll recognize it immediately if you're a Wicked fan- it's a major part of the musical texture of the piece.
The banjo is actually used quite frequently in musical theatre - more often than not, when there is a guitar book, the player also doubles on banjo at some point. A quick perusal of MTI's catalog from the beginning on the alphabet finds banjo used in: Annie, Assassins, Avenue Q, Bonnie and Clyde, The Boy Friend, Bridges/County, Catch Me If You Can, Company, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels... (I think y'all get the point)... and of course it's a staple of the sound and feel of Ragtime.
Cowbell is frequently used as well, though perhaps not prominently featured very often.
"Ukuleles in No, No, Nanette. Prominent in the the 1970's revival orchestrated by Ralph Burns during I Want To Be Happy. I'd enjoy hearing about any other show in which they've been used."
IIRC, in the GODSPELL revival, they use the uke for the beginning of "Learn Your Lessons Well."
Every living soul has got a voice - you've got to give it room and let it sing.
Banjo is extremely common in MT, especially jazz-based MT. The overtures to Mame and Chicago have famous banjo runs in them.
When I music-directed High School Musical 2, a score which has only a vague resemblance to the movie's music, the guitarist had to play electric guitar, acoustic guitar, banjo and ukulele during the same number, switching madly. It was entertaining to watch in the pit.
I always think of A Weekend in the Country when someone mentions the french horn.
As for the banjo, the ultimate number must be Money to Burn from Half a Sixpence. As I understand Tommy Steele was an expert banjo player so they wrote him a specialty number to show off his skills. The number is pure delight on the OBCR.
Marie: Don't be in such a hurry about that pretty little chippy in Frisco.
Tony: Eh, she's a no chip!