Search - Adam Guettel, Christopher Innvar, Jason Danieley :: Floyd Collins (1996 Original Off-Broadway Cast)

Euphoric, Addictive, Important

Christopher | New York, NY | 12/14/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Much has been written about Adam Guettel's place in the future of musical theatre -- however, FLOYD COLLINS is an important piece of composition for any serious music lover. Mr. Guettel bursts beyond current style and form to develop a musical architecture all his own; many Guettel fans have said that no composer -- theatre composer or otherwise -- has ever affected them so deeply. I'd recommend FLOYD COLLINS to not only Sondheim fans, but to anyone who enjoys the composition of Copland, Stravinsky, William Bolcom, John Addams, or Kurt Weill.I've met many musicians who've been injected with Guettel euphoria -- once this music gets under your skin, it refuses to leave. The coolest thing: the drug never wears off. Like all good composition, FLOYD COLLINS appreciates with time. It's rich in detail and meaning; even two years later, I still notice something new each time I hear it. This is an ideal Christmas gift for any modern classical, or contemporary musical theatre listener!"

A diamond in the rough (yay for dumb mining jokes...)

The Cosmoknot | Scarsdale, NY United States | 08/16/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Sometimes you can go to your local music store (or amazon.com, if that tickles your fancy), buy a soundtrack to a show you have never seen before, listen to it, and immediately fall in love with the show and really dont care that you havent actually seen a production of it. Unfortunately, Floyd Collins does not happen to be one of those shows. I have found that people who see the show and run out and purchase the soundtrack are much happier than those who pick up the CD without having see the show. I was one of the people who never saw Floyd Collins, but heard about Adam Guettel in a roundabout fashion and emptied my piggy bank to risk it on this CD. The results were mixed.



When you first listen to Floyd Collins, a few things make themselves immediately clear. First is that their accents are dumb. There is no way getting around the fact that some music and lyrics that had the potential to be timeless are dragged down by silly Southern backwater twangs. While it may have given the show some sort of realism, it does nothing but hamper the recording. Next. There are no "tunes". By that I mean that there are no clear memorable melodies (with the one obvious exception being the ballad of floyd theme that is eerily catchy), and you probably wont suddenly start whistling one of the songs the next day as you are knitting or driving to work or whatever. The songs are made up of notes that dont fall on the beat and dischordant harmonies. It is beautiful, but unconventional, which really sets the tone for the entire show.



The main thing that really took away from the Floyd Collins experience by not having seen the show was matching the songs up with some actual storyline. We all know that the show is about a guy who gets trapped in a cave, but a lot of the songs revolve what is happening above ground versus below ground, and I never really picked up on any of the changes between reality and Floyd's fantasy. I just recently saw an excellent amateur production, and I have a newfound appreciation for the actual storyline which drives the intense songs and plot along. If you ever have a chance to see a production of this show, take it, because it is an invaluable opportunity to making this soundtrack amazing.



Now that I have walked a bit on top of Floyd, some highlights. The one thing that always amazes me, that I can listen to twenty times in a row and still be stunned, is the echo. Floyd Collins must be the only show in which a person sings in three and four part harmony with his own echo, and does so with such beauty... The best example of it is in Part 1: The Call, but throughout the show, Guettel infuses this self harmonization, which is original and, in my personal opinion, genius. Other peaks in the soundtrack include the reprise of the Ballad of Floyd Collins, which is a repeat of the haunting melody, sung with real raw passion, and the Riddle Song, which demonstrates the vocal prowess of the leading men and the ability for Guettel to write complex yet fun music. The rest of the album is filled with strong songs sung by a strong cast (Christopher Innvar really stands above the rest as a spectacular singer). As a side note, all of Adam Guettel's productions come packed exceptionally well, and I was very impressed Floyd Collins' large accompanying booklet thing. Just for people who care about those sorts of things. Anyway.



Hopefully, now that The Light in the Piaza (or however you spell it) is getting so much acclaim, people with revisit Floyd Collins and find something new and exciting. And while Floyd has its flaws, it really is a remarkable album that I highly suggest people purchase."

Guettel - the future of the musical form

The Cosmoknot | 12/04/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Floyd Collins is a wonderfully passionate, innovative and inspiring score. One of the things that delights me greatly, is Guettel's complete lack of predictabilty - take "It Moves" in this song, the melody takes twists and turns so taht the listener never knows where it is going. Guettel is truely a great melodist, along with all the other qualities that make him a great composer of musical theatre. There are momenst of biting humour in this score - as in "Is That Remarkable" - a song sung by the press coming to "cash in" on Floyd's situation. There are moments of anger, and biting disonance - as in "Git Comfortable", and there are moments which are truly touching and spine chilling - as in "How Glory Goes" where Floyd finally accepts his death (this scene inparticular was wonderful to see on stage.)Stephen Sondheim has said that Guettel is the future if the modern musical and I, in turn, would agree with him. Adam Guettel gives me hope for the future of the modern musical. I have always been disapointed in the past with the so called "new Sondheims", with this one, I am not - and I look forward to hearing very much more of his work."