Without giving too much away, picking out those crunchy moments & feeling uncomfortable about them is the correct reaction. Like Hermes said at the beginning of the story (during Road to Hell)..."it's a sad song."
The notes that hurt are a symbol for what they keep saying "the world got out of tune" and the song that Orpheus is working on is supposed to "bring the world back into tune"..
The composer, Anais Mitchell, uses guitar as her primary instrument. She joked that as a female singer using a guitar she didn't realize/notice she wrote Orpheus' part at the upper limits of the tenor voice and Hades at the bottom of the bass range. These stark differences may have been more apparent if she was on the piano.
Reeve Carney has some of my favorite falsetto ever, it’s the kind of voice where you totally understand why he was cast as someone who canonically has divine vocals
Others here have mentioned that some of those subtle dissonance notes you hear throughout is a little reminder that this musical is a tragedy. Also this musical is not just jazz inspired but also a lot of folk music is ingrained in the musical thanks to Anais' background as a folk singer. For context with "All I've Ever Known", during the stage performance Orpheus and Eurydice are affirming their relationship not just verbally through the text but also physically (told through dance of course). It's a beautiful moment in a musical that's filled to the brim with moving and powerful moments. Loving your reactions with Hadestown and I can't wait to see how you respond to Chant and the majority of Act 2!
Small thing I’d like to note about staging that makes a difference to how the show feels. When Orpheus gives his ‘blessing’. The first part ‘to the world we dream about’ is directed to the actors on stage. The second part ‘and the one we live in now’ is directed to the audience. With everyone on stage turning their cups and heads out and breaking that 4th wall.
Amber Gray is Persephone in this recording. If you’re liking HADESTOWN, I highly recommend listening to NATASHA, PIERRE AND THE GREAT COMET OF 1812. Amber Gray is also in that as Hélène.
Oh, to clarify some things or at least try to: 1. This Orpheus (interpreted by Reeve Carney) is meant to be neurodivergent if I remember correctly, so his performance can be perceived as awkward sometimes, and he also reflects that on stage! Something I like about Hadestown is that the actors can take a lot of liberties and interpretations for the characters so each one of them is different. So, that may be why Orpheus doesn’t sound super natural when talking (though, granted, it sounds more natural on stage). 2. About the dissonance you mentioned, I totally get it. I don’t know if Anaïs Mitchell (writer of Hadestown) talked about it, but I feel like maybe it has something to do with either her inspiration from folk music, or a signature of hers, or (and I feel this could be the closest) a way to communicate to the audience that, as you said, a feeling of tension, like something’s going to go wrong. And, I mean, this is a tragedy, so feeling like something’s going to go wrong at any moment it’s pretty reasonable. Either way, I’d say it’s pretty intentional. 3. Sadly, you didn’t react to the full version of All I’ve ever known :(. I think for that one it’d be better to listen to a lyrics video! Unlike Epic, this musical doesn’t have as many animatics, or at least they’re not completed oooor not from the broadway cast recording, but from older versions (Off-broadway, for example).
Orpheus almost always is carrying his guitar... and Anaïs Mitchell, the composer of Hadestown is also a guitarist, and probably originally composed most of this on her guitar instead of a keyboard.
Hadestown was originally a concept album (like epic) and then became the musical. It played in london 1st before going to beoadway. Orpheus plays the guitar on stage as well as sings. Its also an amazing musical that allows singers to keep their accents, in the uk our ne Orpheus is Scottish. At musicalcon in london this year we had some of the songs on stage by them as well as a panel. The hermes at the mo is a woman. We also had original hermes Andre de shields there as well, later on in his own pannel he sang the 1st song.
"Is the guitar Orpheus' instrument?" cut to Orphy holding a guitar. Also check the length of the animatic against the track list. Just like Epic, some of them are incomplete.
You talked about the composer writing epic 1 and There’s a concept album where you can listen to the earliest version! The composer is Eurydice in that version!
just you wait until our lady of the underground, which is persephone's (who was played by amber gray in this recording) main solo. it is incredible! also, you're going to be obsessed with patrick page's bass as hades
I saw Hadestown on tour this month and it seemed like Orpheus was neurodivergent. I thought it worked well. I saw it on Broadway last year and didn’t notice this at that time with that production.
One thing i love about the show so much, is that there is a lot of room for very different interpretations of the characters. Lots of chances for actors to make their own choices and create very different characters to other actors
Very first song, Road to Hell... [HERMES] Once upon a time there was a railroad line Don’t ask where, brother, don’t ask when It was a road to Hell-No! It was hard times It was a world of gods and men [HERMES and COMPANY] It’s an old song It’s an old tale from way back when It’s an old song But we’re gonna sing it again [HERMES] Now on the road to Hell there was a railroad line And there were three old women all dressed the same And they was always singin’ in the back of your mind Everybody meet the Fates! Now on the road to Hell there was a railroad station And a man with feathers on his feet Who would help you to your final destination Mr. Hermes - that’s me! [HERMES and COMPANY] It’s a sad song It’s a sad tale, it’s a tragedy It’s a sad song But we sing it anyway [HERMES] Now, on the road to Hell there was a railroad line And a lady steppin' off a train With a suitcase full of summertime Persephone, by name There was a railroad line on the road to Hell There was a young man down on a bended knee And brother, thus begins the tale Of Orpheus and Eurydice! [HERMES and COMPANY] It’s a love song It’s a tale of a love that never dies It’s a love song About someone who tries
![Hunxho - Ball Forever [Official Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/nki9ZTF9Uls/mqdefault.jpg)
"Doubt and concern creeped into my brain" PROPHET. PROPHETTTTTTTT
Doubt creeps in…
Nat 20
Without giving too much away, picking out those crunchy moments & feeling uncomfortable about them is the correct reaction. Like Hermes said at the beginning of the story (during Road to Hell)..."it's a sad song."
The notes that hurt are a symbol for what they keep saying "the world got out of tune" and the song that Orpheus is working on is supposed to "bring the world back into tune"..
The composer, Anais Mitchell, uses guitar as her primary instrument. She joked that as a female singer using a guitar she didn't realize/notice she wrote Orpheus' part at the upper limits of the tenor voice and Hades at the bottom of the bass range. These stark differences may have been more apparent if she was on the piano.
“Orpheus is very awkward.”
Hermes: “you might say the boy was touched…”
Non spoiler trivia- this musical was composed on guitar.
Reeve Carney has some of my favorite falsetto ever, it’s the kind of voice where you totally understand why he was cast as someone who canonically has divine vocals
Regarding the off-notes you picked up on... You're on the money. It does hint at something that they've already told you about this story.
Others here have mentioned that some of those subtle dissonance notes you hear throughout is a little reminder that this musical is a tragedy. Also this musical is not just jazz inspired but also a lot of folk music is ingrained in the musical thanks to Anais' background as a folk singer.
For context with "All I've Ever Known", during the stage performance Orpheus and Eurydice are affirming their relationship not just verbally through the text but also physically (told through dance of course). It's a beautiful moment in a musical that's filled to the brim with moving and powerful moments.
Loving your reactions with Hadestown and I can't wait to see how you respond to Chant and the majority of Act 2!
You missed the last bit of “All I’ve Even Known.” The Aramaic stops to early.
Also the introduction of the song
Small thing I’d like to note about staging that makes a difference to how the show feels. When Orpheus gives his ‘blessing’. The first part ‘to the world we dream about’ is directed to the actors on stage. The second part ‘and the one we live in now’ is directed to the audience. With everyone on stage turning their cups and heads out and breaking that 4th wall.
Him saying it's been so happy all this time while the first song states that this is a tragedy is very funny
I was like, "This guy needs to go back and relisten to the lyrics of Road to Hell. Not just the sound but what they say".
Amber Gray is Persephone in this recording. If you’re liking HADESTOWN, I highly recommend listening to NATASHA, PIERRE AND THE GREAT COMET OF 1812. Amber Gray is also in that as Hélène.
Oh, to clarify some things or at least try to:
1. This Orpheus (interpreted by Reeve Carney) is meant to be neurodivergent if I remember correctly, so his performance can be perceived as awkward sometimes, and he also reflects that on stage! Something I like about Hadestown is that the actors can take a lot of liberties and interpretations for the characters so each one of them is different. So, that may be why Orpheus doesn’t sound super natural when talking (though, granted, it sounds more natural on stage).
2. About the dissonance you mentioned, I totally get it. I don’t know if Anaïs Mitchell (writer of Hadestown) talked about it, but I feel like maybe it has something to do with either her inspiration from folk music, or a signature of hers, or (and I feel this could be the closest) a way to communicate to the audience that, as you said, a feeling of tension, like something’s going to go wrong. And, I mean, this is a tragedy, so feeling like something’s going to go wrong at any moment it’s pretty reasonable. Either way, I’d say it’s pretty intentional.
3. Sadly, you didn’t react to the full version of All I’ve ever known :(. I think for that one it’d be better to listen to a lyrics video! Unlike Epic, this musical doesn’t have as many animatics, or at least they’re not completed oooor not from the broadway cast recording, but from older versions (Off-broadway, for example).
On stage, the trombonist is included in the dance break 🙂
Dont let doubt creep in
” it’s a sad song. It’s a tragedy.” 😢
Orpheus almost always is carrying his guitar... and Anaïs Mitchell, the composer of Hadestown is also a guitarist, and probably originally composed most of this on her guitar instead of a keyboard.
i’m so glad you’re liking the show! It’s one of my favorites and I need someone else to be excited about how good the singers are
The strings at the end sounded like the Fates singing "any way the wind blows"
11:05 Demeter, goddess of the harvest
Hadestown was originally a concept album (like epic) and then became the musical. It played in london 1st before going to beoadway. Orpheus plays the guitar on stage as well as sings. Its also an amazing musical that allows singers to keep their accents, in the uk our ne Orpheus is Scottish. At musicalcon in london this year we had some of the songs on stage by them as well as a panel. The hermes at the mo is a woman. We also had original hermes Andre de shields there as well, later on in his own pannel he sang the 1st song.
"Is the guitar Orpheus' instrument?" cut to Orphy holding a guitar.
Also check the length of the animatic against the track list. Just like Epic, some of them are incomplete.
"Doubt creeps in" 👀
You talked about the composer writing epic 1 and There’s a concept album where you can listen to the earliest version! The composer is Eurydice in that version!
"A at the end is where things get better"
um... yeah... better...
just you wait until our lady of the underground, which is persephone's (who was played by amber gray in this recording) main solo. it is incredible! also, you're going to be obsessed with patrick page's bass as hades
I saw Hadestown on tour this month and it seemed like Orpheus was neurodivergent. I thought it worked well. I saw it on Broadway last year and didn’t notice this at that time with that production.
One thing i love about the show so much, is that there is a lot of room for very different interpretations of the characters. Lots of chances for actors to make their own choices and create very different characters to other actors
Very first song, Road to Hell...
[HERMES]
Once upon a time there was a railroad line
Don’t ask where, brother, don’t ask when
It was a road to Hell-No! It was hard times
It was a world of gods and men
[HERMES and COMPANY]
It’s an old song
It’s an old tale from way back when
It’s an old song
But we’re gonna sing it again
[HERMES]
Now on the road to Hell there was a railroad line
And there were three old women all dressed the same
And they was always singin’ in the back of your mind
Everybody meet the Fates!
Now on the road to Hell there was a railroad station
And a man with feathers on his feet
Who would help you to your final destination
Mr. Hermes - that’s me!
[HERMES and COMPANY]
It’s a sad song
It’s a sad tale, it’s a tragedy
It’s a sad song
But we sing it anyway
[HERMES]
Now, on the road to Hell there was a railroad line
And a lady steppin' off a train
With a suitcase full of summertime
Persephone, by name
There was a railroad line on the road to Hell
There was a young man down on a bended knee
And brother, thus begins the tale
Of Orpheus and Eurydice!
[HERMES and COMPANY]
It’s a love song
It’s a tale of a love that never dies
It’s a love song
About someone who tries
I am new to this musical, reacting with you. but i also can't wait for the reaction to the new epic album
@@no.gender.rooster I appreciate you being a part of both!
Doubt comes in
When are we gonna get more falsettos?
Just clicked it is a theme see if you can pick it up by the end