Always worth noting that Jonathan Tunick has always been a large part in the Sondheim "sound"! The harmonic language used by Sondheim seems to be inspired by early twentieth-century French music. Ravel's chord clusters and complex harmony are hugely apparent in his work. Some French Sonheim-esque classical music includes Ravel's Piano Concerto for the Left Hand (it looks like he directly quoted the theme around the eight and a half minute mark for Into the Woods), Ravel's Valses nobles et sentimentals and his Menuet Antique (especially the orchestral version), Lili Boulanger's D'un jardin clair and Milhaud's Cello Concerto. Sondheim's music also has clear links to Russian music of the same period - see Stravinsky's Three Moments From Petrushka and Rachmaninoff's Cello Sonata 4th movement.
sondheim wrote “look at all the things you’ve done for me” in sunday in the park, and now i say the same thing back to him. i miss him everyday.
Always worth noting that Jonathan Tunick has always been a large part in the Sondheim "sound"!
The harmonic language used by Sondheim seems to be inspired by early twentieth-century French music. Ravel's chord clusters and complex harmony are hugely apparent in his work. Some French Sonheim-esque classical music includes Ravel's Piano Concerto for the Left Hand (it looks like he directly quoted the theme around the eight and a half minute mark for Into the Woods), Ravel's Valses nobles et sentimentals and his Menuet Antique (especially the orchestral version), Lili Boulanger's D'un jardin clair and Milhaud's Cello Concerto. Sondheim's music also has clear links to Russian music of the same period - see Stravinsky's Three Moments From Petrushka and Rachmaninoff's Cello Sonata 4th movement.