The Music Man

Well, where to start. This book is amazing. It has all the music from the show. The music isn't too big nor too small (THE PRINT I MEAN). One number from the show, MARIAN THE LIBRARIAN, is tricky during the dance part as well is SHIPOOPI for the piano...

. But is still pretty easy. I'm an advanced player and had it down pat in about two days. The MUSIC MAN VOCAL SCORE is great if you're high school is doing a production of it and you need an audition piece. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK!!!

It takes place in the America that is dreamland, the hick town where plain folks do their best, ladies gossip, men sing in harmony, and the cultured lady librarian longs for love. Then comes Harold Hill, salesman with the gift of the gab who sells the town band instruments the...

local kids who don't know how to play and woos the librarian, all the while thinking it is just another town. But Harold falls in love. The kids learn to play and everyone lives happily ever after espousing motherhood, apple pie and God Bless America. The songs are delightful, and Harold Hill is one of those charismatic musical roles which are a delight to watch a star perform. For once the star role is given to a man, not some Broadway diva. The score is basically simple, but the opening spoken number is a brilliant ploy as the salesmen deliver their patter travelling on the train so that it chimes with the noise of the carriage wheels and the engine pistons.

This is the piano-vocal score of the original Broadway production of The Music Man. It is a soft-cover, well-bound volume, neatly printed in a clear typeface. The spoken dialogue (script) is omitted except for a few entry and exit cues. There are occasional indications of the orchestrations...

in this score but they are sparse and don't clutter the page unnecessarily. One also finds stage directions at times. Pianistically, this is an advanced piece of music and should be attempted only by professional coaches or very advanced students because some of the tempi are quite fast. For singers, stage directors, conductors, dancers or anyone wishing to study the piano-vocal score it is an invaluable reference.