It's been a long time since I really watched TV on a TV. I've watched things on YouTube that were previously on TV, but not on the TV itself.
This Beauty & the Beast thing with Josh Groban I made an exception for.
I'm having trouble with processing this. There was a lot going on.
- Historical discussion about the evolution of this show
- Clips from the original animated movie
- Sketches from the people who were developing the original movie
- People on stage performing now or recently
- Recent live audience
- Dancers
I don't think there was anything from the recent live action version -- tho I could be wrong.
Sometimes the sketches became backdrops for the stage.
There was an announcer who described visual sequences that didn't have words. I'm assuming that this was an accommodation for visually impaired people. I'm not sure how it helps them to hear "purple and orange sky," but whatever. I liked that, because if I got up and went to the kitchen, I didn't necessarily miss stuff.
Also, it was interesting hearing the announcer describe the dancing. I don't necessarily know how to describe dancing. I would have to think about it. The announcer gave succinct summaries.
The dancers that were depicting the wilting, magic rose were especially interesting.
I didn't know what to expect from the various celebrity singers who were booked for this.
I was particularly concerned that H.E.R. uses a fair amount of melisma in her own stuff and I didn't particularly want to hear that with the show songs from this show. I was relieved that she sang the stuff fairly straight -- except that she has an unusually deep, rich voice for a woman, so it did sound sound somewhat different from what I might have expected, tho still very much within the expected character.
It was very cool to hear two singers singing in the bass range -- both Joshes did. Josh Groban played the beast and Joshua Henry sang Gaston. We used to think of Josh Groban as a barytenor, but I don't think that describes his voice now. He can really project very deep notes that he didn't used to be able to do.
There's been so much emphasis on tenors in popular music of late -- or even baritones singing falsetto -- that we don't often hear deep, rich bass notes. This was a real treat.
I really listened attentively to Shania Twain singing "Beauty and the Beast." I used to have no real understanding about why certain singers were considered better than others in popular music. I still sometimes have trouble with that. Some of the rough sounds that are very fashionable just really irritate me. But here was Disney choosing this singer, out of all the singers they might have had, to sing the most iconic song in one of their most iconic shows -- so I wanted to hear what they chose.
She was certainly expressive. There was a lot of variation in tone -- not just one type of sound. It was either belted or whispery -- never legit. She definitely sounded good.
When Josh sang "Evermore" it was interesting, because I felt that he had more dynamic range and much richer bass notes than before. It was frustrating, tho, because I was listening to it on a small TV and the background music just sounded really tinny and distracting from his singing. I do have Disney Plus right now. I'll have to listen to that again.
Josh then sang in a somewhat higher register when he stopped being the beast.
Still, the witch, when she cast her spell said something about him being 21 when the spell would end and Josh just doesn't cut it as 21 at this point. His voice was substantially higher when he was 21.
As usual, I am likely to amend this later.
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I went and bought the album from the itunes store. I have resolutely refused to buy a monthly account.
I'm now sitting and comparing the new recording of Evermore with the 2017 recording that Josh did at the time the live action movie was coming out. The new recording benefits from the techniques that Josh learned when performing in Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812. He brings in some talking and growly tones, where the prior version was sung entirely musically. The new version brings out more emotion.
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Josh just put out the final number, with him and H.E.R. singing "Beauty and the Beast." It occurs to me that Josh's hair didn't just grow so long -- that he must be wearing a wig.
I'm sure Josh admires H.E.R. He generally does admire fellow artists. Still, this particular scene doesn't show much chemistry. They seem distant and professional -- not as if they had just declared their unending love.
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I was looking at the Evermore video -- without the commentary, which apparently ABC inserts to accommodate blind people -- and was much more struck with the dancers representing the rose petals. This really was a brilliant interpretation.
One of my friends commented that he hated the beast costume. It is true that Josh isn't that great a mover. The beast costume was a tricky thing to make work. I wonder if a better mover could have taken better advantage of it. I didn't think too much about it -- because it was only shown briefly.
Josh said that he liked the costume, tho my friend felt he had to say that to appease viewers.
I notice that when Josh sang Evermore they didn't have the costume on him. When I was looking at his costume, I really noticed his barrel chest, expanded from so much singing all his life, contrasted with his otherwise slight build. That's something that might be addressed with shoulder pads, I think.
