The Music That Makes Me Dance (from "Funny Girl"): Piano/Vocal/Chords

This folio captures the essence of what made Funny Girl a landmark Broadway show. The updated arrangements reflect the beloved original cast recordings rather than earlier simplified editions, giving singers and pianists access to the authentic theatrical sound they know from Streisand's definitive performances. The collection spans the show's emotional range, from the brass-band humor of "Cornet Man" to the vulnerable intimacy of "The Music That Makes Me Dance," making it genuinely useful for both recital programming and classroom study of American musical theater.

Golden Age Broadway glamour mixed with genuine emotion. These songs swing and soar, filled with the kind of theatrical exuberance that defined 1960s musical theater, yet they also contain moments of real vulnerability and longing. You'll move from comedic character songs to showstopper belters to intimate ballads, all wrapped in Styne's characteristically warm and inventive harmonic language.

Singers preparing audition material, students studying musical theater repertoire, pianists building their accompanying skills, and performers assembling recital programs centered on classic Broadway. The folio works equally well for voice studio instruction and ensemble performance contexts.

• Study the original cast recording before diving into the printed page. Styne's melodies have characteristic phrasing and rhythmic flexibility that the score alone won't fully convey.
• Balance the piano accompaniment carefully in the vocal-line passages. These arrangements are designed to support the singer while maintaining the orchestral color of the original orchestrations.
• Attend to the dynamics and articulation markings in the piano part, particularly in songs like "Don't Rain on My Parade" and "I'm the Greatest Star," where rhythmic precision and character drive the song forward.
• Adjust tempos thoughtfully between songs. The folio moves through contrasting moods, and subtle tempo variations will help shape the arc of a medley or recital set.

Program a single song as a standalone audition piece, or build an entire recital around multiple selections from the folio to showcase the range of Funny Girl's score. For music history courses, these songs illustrate how Broadway composers balanced popular appeal with genuine musical sophistication. The collection also works beautifully as material for singers preparing for musical theater master classes or workshops.

• Interpreting character-driven songs and identifying how melody and harmony reveal emotional subtext
• Managing the musical theater accompaniment style, which requires both rhythmic clarity and flexibility
• Reading and executing articulation and dynamic markings that serve theatrical intent
• Building audition material and understanding song selection for voice type and dramatic range
• Recognizing the harmonic language of Golden Age Broadway and how it differs from contemporary pop music