I don't see it as desirable for an audience to get everything at first hearing/seeing. If they do, there (to use an appropriate phrase)there isn't much underneath. It is superficial and trivial. Anything any good requires revisiting. I expect that many of the sales of original cast albums are to people who've seen or going to see the show. With Night Music, at first hearing it is enough to know that Frederick is sophisticated and a bit of a stuff-shirt and Anne is young and naive.
No one gets all of Gilbert's patter in the pattersongs, that's the fun of it. If it won't stand revisiting don't go/read/buy it. Loesser said when it's so emotional you can't talk you sing. But notice, when emotion even tops that, it is spoken and, in the following, most importantly. "At last, my arm is complete again." |
