Sunday, September 26, 2010

steven's website and in your name


Boy do I have a treat for you! No seriously, I am actually shaking a little bit because I'm so excited to finally introduce this recording to the public. We hadn't let it go public, but it's now up on Steven's website, so it's legit!

So that's number 1. My favorite man on the planet aside from my dad, my fantastic incomparable writing partner, Steven's website is up! www.stevenjamail.com 


-the revamped VOTE! title number as well
-a song from Steven's RBKids show that's in NYMF this year-- go see it!! 
-our amazing Morgana singing Steven's inspired arrangement of O Holy Night (as a side note, I think O Holy Night has some of the best lyrics ever written)
-crowd favorite clean recording of Autumn singing LWS

but ALSO! the world premiere recording of the Act One closer of Nicholas & Alexandra, "In Your Name."

We recorded this back in July in what was truly one of the best moments in my professional artistic life. It was one of those days when you just absolutely know that what you're supposed to do in this life-- and that it is beyond fulfilling. A real gift in my life: Autumn, and West Side Story Tony (hottie with a delightfully bent sense of humor) Jeremy Jordan and John Berno came into the studio with Steven and me and our longterm (forever) engineer, Mr. Jimmy Morgan. And not only did we have such a blast, but we ended up with this track that I am so effffffing proud of. 

I mean, I just sit back and let Steven's 4756396345276 piece orchestra hit me. Timpani for days. When the three of them come in together for that final chorus. Cellestes. Monks, church bells, singing in Russian, and (I'm just gonna say it) a practically orgasmic french horn solo. This is the reason why I DO THIS!

The set up of the song is Alexandra is at her breaking point over the declining health of her son, the future tzar, and has completely placed her trust in questionably motivated (and certainly dirty) Rasputin. In a particularly zealous prayer session, her husband Nicholas walks in to find her kneeling with Rasputin and a fight erupts. I love the scene because there's a lot of layers happening. Nic is worried for his kid, his country, and he's also just a plain old jealous hubby. Then, Rasputin comes back into the scene/song instructing Alexei, the son. It's creepster. It's amazing. The performances. Man.

I am nothing in this world without these people I work with, work for. It is their gifts I keep in my heart when I write. I've never been inspired a day in life without them. I am literally floored every time I think about them. There is not enough room for my gratitude. It's taking over the world. Watch out, it's coming for you. 

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