American Musical Theater Voice: The Great American Counterpoint Song

(This is the first in a series of video embeds showcasing America’s musical theater).

One of my favorite (and increasingly rare) musical numbers is the “counterpoint” song. For younger TMV readers, watch these examples of a classic song, “You’re Just in Love” by Irving Berlin. The first singer sings one melody. Then the second sings a seemingly totally different one. And then they both sing and melodies merge. These are usually “showstoppers” in stage and movie musicals (and were in old live TV).

Here are two examples of this song. First, my favorite version is on You Tube by UK’s Eric Storm, who uses split photography to do the duet himself. I consider this a near masterpiece. He pulls off a showstopper without an audience and piano accompanyment:

And here is another excellent version — performed to perfection on TV by Kristin Chenoweth and Nathan Lane with an orchestra and wildly enthusiastic audience:

Also (particularly for younger TMV viewers) look at this song composed about 10 years later by Meredith Wilson for “Music Man.” The gossiping ladies sing “Pick a Little Talk a Little” to swindler Harold Hill. Four men ( show up who are looking into Hill and he gets them diverted to sing “Good Night Ladies.” Hill sneaks off as the ladies and men then sing together — the two separate melodies magically merging into a new one, a showstopper in this movie version and a monster show stopper in the Broadway stage version. This is at a lower volume so TURN UP your volume: