STEVEN L. ROSENHAUS |
* Composer * Lyricist * Arranger * Conductor * Educator * Author * Show Doctor * |
Arrangement Reviews |
Recording Reviews |
Fan Commentary |
| Sächsische Zeitung (Saxon Times), Dresden, Germany, October 8, 2002: Reviewer Peter Zacher writing of the October 6th premiere of the Violin Concerto said that it is "expressive and in a neoromantic sound world....the Finale has a rhythmic swing." He also noted that Mayer played from memory, which is quite unusual for the premiere of a new work! |
| The New Music Connoisseur, End-of-Year 2002 (Vol.10, Nos. 3 & 4): “Violin Concerto by New York-based composer Steven Rosenhaus [premiered at the 16th Dresden Days of Contemporary Music festival] was a three-movement work...utilizing George Perle’s system of ‘twelve-tone tonality’ albeit in an original manner, not imitating Perle’s musical style, the composition with a substantial form and a reserved type of expressivity, at times the mood being vibrantly spirited and at other times, gentle and lyrical.” |
| The New Music Connoisseur, Spring 1999 (Vol.7, No.1): “Steven Rosenhaus’s (sic) near 13-minute long piece for saxophone and piano [The Ides] is an interesting study in contrasts. Early in the piece there is a definite nocturnal mood which later picks up and becomes dancelike. The final section has a nice lilt in the beginning and then softens to end on a quiet note....This is a piece that needs to be heard again....” |
| The New Jersey Herald, May 15, 1998: “Strong percussion moves throughout the triumphant orchestra piece [Sussex Celebration,] written especially for Sussex County Youth Orchestra’s 10th anniversary. It also includes a beautiful French horn part....Titled “Sussex Celebration” the score was written for the Youth Orchestra by noted composer Dr. Steven L. Rosenhaus....” |
| NSOA Bulletin, March, 1994 (Released April, 1994): “This electrifying work [Virginia City Bagatelle for orchestra] originates from Nevada Bagatelles, a suite commissioned by the Nevada Music Educators Association and Nevada Chapter of Asta (1992). Writing in the style of the western film genre, Steven Rosenhaus captures the essence of Nevada in its wilder days....[There are fun] and interesting parts for all sections including percussion.” |
| The Instrumentalist, September, 1995: “Virginia City Bagatelle by Steven L. Rosenhaus is a novelty piece from Nevada Bagatelles for symphony orchestra in which the composer...capture[s] the essence of the old Wild West.... Although the writing is not unduly difficult, the overall sound is quite impressive. The percussion section...[is] used effectively. This is good program material for a music festival.” |
| Back Stage, November 20, 1987: “In Critic, the new Off Off Broadway tuner..., a rather self-important critic gets his chance to learn a bit from the theatre of life. Jay Michaels (book) and Steven L. Rosenhaus’ (music and lyrics) musical takes an old convention - the switching of identities - and gives it a fresh, witty twist....Rosenhaus’ music and lyrics are sprightly, upbeat, and in the ballad repertory, simply lovely. He demonstrates a wide range of musical styles, from a down-home gospel chorus, to rags, to a superbly crafted love duet which really touches during the show’s second act.... ‘Critic,’ a first show for its two creators, demonstrates enormous promise. They could very well become a force to reckon with in the next generation of musical theatre.” |
| The New York Times, Wednesday, May 14, 1986: “Mission Music, a work for solo marimba by Steven L. Rosenhaus, who assembled this year's [American New Music Consortium] festival, proved a clever, deftly constructed and likable composition that eases in and out of tonality, finally ending definitively on a muted middle C.” |
| The Enterprise (Falmouth, MA newspaper), Wednesday, August 21, 1985: “The performance Sunday of the Falmouth Summer Chamber Orchestra, directed by David Briskin, gave the large audience feats to applaud....Steven L. Rosenhaus’ Concerto Grosso (1984) opened the second half of the program, and the ensemble...enjoy[ed] the change of pace which was jazzy and freer [and] wonderfully played.” |
| The International Trumpet Guild (From website, Required Music List): "As the title [Ballad in Blue] indicates, this is a melodic solo with a "blues" sound....It is not technically difficult, but the range does venture up to a g'' twice, though it does not stay there long. It is a delightful and different piece." |
WRITING MUSICAL THEATER |
| FROM AMAZON.COM
April 24, 2006, reviewed by M. G. Huffman "mac-man" (Salem, MA USA) |
| This book was recommended to me, and I have been quite pleased with the depth and structure with which the book gradually leads the reader through the complexity of first understanding what makes musical theater tick, and then in Part II, takes us on a journey of how to shape an idea into the reality of a full blown musical show. This book is filled with excellent references, and examples, in clear, easy to understand forms, and takes the reader through the benefit of many years of obvious on-the-job development from both the authors. Drs. Cohen and Rosenhaus have definitely hit a chord with this book. On to Book 2 gentlemen! I hope this becomes a staple of every Musical Theatre Program across the country, as it's an excellent, comprehensive guide to understanding how musical theater works, and why. From students experiencing their first musical to professionals in the field starting into the journey of writing a musical, this a book they do not want to be without. If a student listened to each reference song in Part I of this book alone, they'd have a thorough schooling in the history of musical theater. I recommend this book to anyone looking to understand how to write, what to write, and the context that the writing needs to address in the broad spectrum of Musical Theater today. |
| April 23, 2006, reviewed by John Matlock "Gunny" (Winnemucca, NV) Title: Informative and a Delight to Read Even if you just Watch the Show This is an amazing book for anyone interested in musical theater. It consists of two main parts: First is an analysis of the musical. The show is broken down into its basic component parts, then each part is broken down individually and discussed. The main parts are the libretto, characters, lyrics, and of course the music. The discussion explains how each part is needed to make a successful story, and is illustrated with specific examples from shows. Second is a tutorial that leads you step by step through the first stages of creating a musical based on the principles discussed in the first part. An interesting technique here is the use of two musical projects that were created for this purpose. A third part of the book consists of the four appendicies that give some history of the musical, recommended reading and listening. The whole book though has an overtone of extreme knowledge on the part of the authors. They show this by their selection of the parts of shows that exactly illustrate what they are discussing. I'm not planning to write a musical, just to go to them, This has greatly improved my enjoyment of the couple of shows that I've seen since I read it. |
| March 31, 2006, reviewed by Walter J. Stutzman (Madison, CT) Title: Bravo! No matter what motivates your interest in musical theater, you should own this book. Each of the authors is a rare blend: a successful artist who can teach effectively about his craft. One way to think of this book is "the theory and practice of musical theater." The first ("theory") part of the book describes the elements comprising musical theater: staging, stories and music. It also provides a history of American musical theater, showing how these elements evolved to their present state. Every important point is illustrated with an example. More importantly, each example is accompanied with a well-reasoned explanation of why it illustrates the topic under discussion. Nothing drags in this section: the years of teaching experience allow the authors to know exactly the right amount of detail to present. What makes "Writing Musical Theater" unique is the "practice" section, in which two stories are adapted into the musical theater form. The reader can follow the authors' creative efforts, from selecting a story to matching words with music. Even if you have no aspirations to write your own musical, this section will increase your appreciation for any works in this genre (old or new). Let me emphasize that this section is accessible to both musician and non-musician. A substantial and well-commented bibliography allows the reader to delve into any of the topics to any desired level of detail. And for aspiring creators, there are many practical suggestions about taking a completed work to its first production. If this were a musical instead of a book, the ads would read "Two great teachers show you how good musical theater is created...don't miss it." I'm sure "Writing Musical Theater" will have a long run. |
American Record Guide, March/April, 1995:
“All of the composers on “New Sounds from the Village” [Capstone CPS 8616] are or have been associated with New York University....Steven L. Rosenhaus’s [sic] Kol Nidrei [sic] Prelude for viola and cello is a meditation on the ancient prayer associated with Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement....full of feeling and reverence.”
The New Music Connoiseur, Fall 1994 (Vol.2, No.4):
“Passionate religiosity is also prominent in Mr. Rosenhaus’ Kol Nidre Prelude [for viola and cello]....”
Watch this space.
"Wonderful voice, nice vibe!"-- Lynn M. Wilson (musician)