classicamericanpopularsong.blogspot.comSend In The Clowns-Memorable Stephan Sondheim song: Stephan Sondheim, composer and lyricist, has been creating innovative musical theatre music since the late 1950's. His first appearance on Broadway came when he provided the lyrics for Leonard Bernstein's music for" West Side Story" and lyrics for Jule Styne's music for " Gypsy." Beginning in 1962, he has written both music and words for an impressive number of innovative musical theatre presentations such as " A funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum" " Company" " Follies" " Merrily We Roll Along" "Pacific Overtures" "Passion" " Anyone Can Whistle" " Sweeney Todd " " Sunday In The Park With George" and " Into The Woods". In 1973, Sondheim introduced " A Little Night Music" to appreciative Broadway audiences. Based on Ingmar Bergman's " Smiles of A Summer Night" it is almost a classic operetta filled with romantic musical interludes throughout the show. Send in the Clowns , was written for the English actress Glynis Johns who is expressing confusion about her feelings for a former lover who has once again resurfaced in her life.
It is the only Sondheim song to became a popular hit , quite independent of the show itself. Frank Sinatra and Judy Collins had great success with this rueful and reflective song and it has achieved the status of a minor "standard" appealing to a more adult and literate audience.
Barbra Streisand performs the song for a live audience exercising the appropriate restraint called for in the music and the lyrics, something she also displays when performing songs by Harold Arlen one of her favourite composers. After repeating the lyrics calling to" Send in The Clowns" several times throughout the song, she concludes on a wistful note by singing " Don't Bother they're Here " , a comment on both leading characters in the show and their muddled emotional dilemma.
LINK: http://youtu.be/ghd5weu5Mpg
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