Favorite Pit Band Lead Books

Mr. Bubbles · Regular Member Joined: 04 Oct 2019 Posts: 25

What are your favorite musicals to play and why? Mine is probably Legally Blonde because 1st of all the vamp at the beginning of "Omigod You Guys" is totally awesome and also it's a really challenging lead book.

cheiden · Posted: Thu Jan 09, 2020 11:37 am Post subject:

There are a lot of fun books.

Beauty and the Beast is brilliant by every metric.

Little Women has surprisingly good orchestration making it particularly satisfying.

The Drowsy Chaperone is a riot.

Can't overlook Guys and Dolls.
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Ferg825 · Posted: Thu Jan 09, 2020 11:52 am Post subject:

The book for "Anything Goes" is pretty good overall, but "Blow, Gabriel, Blow" is especially great tune for the the lead book!
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adagiotrumpet · Heavyweight Member Joined: 31 May 2006 Posts: 903

In the Heights and Drowsy Chaperone

patdublc · Posted: Thu Jan 09, 2020 12:36 pm Post subject:

All Shook Up is a great book to play. I also really like City of Angels and classics like South Pacific. I would even sit through the entire Chitty Chitty Bang Bang book again just to play Bombie Samba in the second act.
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John Mohan · Posted: Thu Jan 09, 2020 3:16 pm Post subject:

Cats, West Side Story, Phantom and Evita.

Craig Swartz · Posted: Thu Jan 09, 2020 3:52 pm Post subject:

Always liked WWS and Guys and Dolls. Did Guys... a few years back, was the only trumpet. Had to double up on the solos in several tunes, good thing both parts were in the same book on seperate lines.

Got to play a run of Drowsy Chaperone last summer- thought it crap at first. It was a great book and we had an outstanding bunch of WWs and trombone- it was a great experience and a lot of good, tight and exposed playing. I recomend the book- not much on the overall story but masterfiulluy written/scored for the small band.

bach_again · Posted: Thu Jan 09, 2020 4:22 pm Post subject:

The original Sweeney Todd score is amazing (not the dumbed down BS movie version). Good pad for tpt - more subtle and nuanced than most. It is probably my favourite musical score. I have played more "fun" trumpet parts, certainly more challenging ones, but I think the nuance and subtlety make this much more difficult than it superficially may seem. I think there are few scores as good tbh. A perfect marriage of libretto and score.
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Tpt_Guy · Posted: Thu Jan 09, 2020 8:29 pm Post subject:

The most fun I've had playing shows were when the cast really got into it.

#1 on that list was Sweeney Todd. Not the most engaging book for me to play, but the whole show is amazing. The cast sold it, and the audience devoured every minute of its dark humor. My wife attended a performance and told me after she felt as if she were a part of the show.

After that, I'd say Guys & Dolls, and Chicago. Lots of energetic music in those shows.

The Full Monty also has great brass work, and the show has plenty of humor.

I also enjoyed Fiddler on the Roof, especially the wedding scene and accompanying music.

I've played others, but none of them stand out in my mine like these.
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Gregory Gilmore · Veteran Member Joined: 20 Oct 2005 Posts: 128

"Kiss of The Spider Woman"
"West Side Story"
"42nd Street"
"Gypsy"
"Crazy For You"
"Grand Hotel"
"City of Angels"

Denny Schreffler · Posted: Fri Jan 10, 2020 12:14 am Post subject:

Probably unheard of by many … The 1940's Radio Hour. Of course its nostalgia wasn’t nearly as nostalgic 40 years ago. Full big band on stage.

Also, a good production of Sweet Charity – with a good band and good MD – is a ton of fun.

-Denny

qcm · Posted: Fri Jan 10, 2020 12:20 am Post subject:

Guys and Dolls and How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.

-Dave
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trpthrld · Heavyweight Member Joined: 09 Mar 2007 Posts: 4808

I'd agree with most of the suggestions above and add that, as far as a book (IMO) written for a "Lead" Trumpet approach to playing it vs a "1st" Trumpet book, would be Irving Berlin's "White Christmas." Larry Blank is the orchestrator.

Sadly it's a show not done often enough. Personally I think that show would sell for staging any time of the year but it has the stigma of being a purely Christmas-time only show.

It has a terrific story (basically a copy of the movie story line), it has several extended song & dance numbers & costumes (kinda what musical theatre is all about), and a whole buncha great Irving Berlin tunes.

So what's not to like, eh?

Surprised that "A Chorus Line" hasn't been mentioned previously. For sure it needs to be on this list.
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patdublc · Posted: Fri Jan 10, 2020 5:48 am Post subject:

trane1959 · Veteran Member Joined: 14 Nov 2011 Posts: 156

Gypsy, WSS, Smile, TMM, Singin in the Rain, Ragtime, Cabaret.
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