Working on a Song: The Lyrics of Hadestown, by Anaïs Mitchell

[sophia_sol]

I am not quite the right audience for this book, because I'm a big fan of Hadestown, but I'm a fan of the 2010 concept album, not the recent Broadway musical!

This book contains the full lyrics to the musical, and notes from Mitchell about the process that took each song from its beginning to its final form. She talks multiple times about the ongoing need to change poetry into something more clear and concrete for the show, which makes a lot of sense for a musical, but which makes me sad as someone who loves an earlier and more poetic version of the songs.

A full length musical does have specific needs, and all of her discussion of how to shape the music and the story into what it needed to be to succeed was certainly interesting. But it's basically the story of how she took something that was very good at being one specific art form, and turned it into something that's very good at being a different art form. And I just don't have the emotional attachment to the Broadway version to be invested in the direction the edits took her.

(This might change if I ever see the musical live! But I haven't had the opportunity, and I don't know if I ever will)

Comments

[chestnut_pod]

But it's basically the story of how she took something that was very good at being one specific art form, and turned it into something that's very good at being a different art form.

Oh, this sounds extremely interesting! Wow, I don't think I've ever read something like that! I've never heard either the concept album or the musical, so I don't have any preferences or attachment. This just sounds like a fascinating artistic exercise that I'd love to learn more about.

[sophia_sol]

The thing is, I don't think Mitchell necessarily sees it this way herself, it's just what I was reading into the text! My understanding is that from the very start of her work on this project, years before the album came out even, her intentions were to write a musical meant to be performed live on stage, and the album was just one step on the way, to her.

[chestnut_pod]

Even so, I think I'd find the insight into the process interesting, even if it is more of a "stepping stone" approach than a "translation" one.

[sophia_sol]

well then I'm glad I could introduce you to this book!

[luzula]

I also love the concept album, both lyrics and music! And wrote Yuletide fic for it. But as I'm not really a musicals person, I'm not sure I'd be the right audience for this...

[sophia_sol]

yes the concept album is SO great!! And yeah, I don't think this book would hit right for you either, given we're on the same page about the album vs the musical