Robert Lamb Fall, 2013 Analytical Studies: Sondheim Dr. J. A.

Kawarsky

Not a Day Goes By

Stephen Sondheim's music is so compelling that we must often consider the person behind the song. With so many songs written in various musical styles, it is difficult to identify the quintessential sound of Sondheim. Merrily We Roll Along is a show about characters of his own era, the second half of the twentieth century, making songs from this show to be good candidates for this time-honored sound. The gorgeous, poignant "Not a Day Goes By" (Furth 109) stands out as one the most representative pieces of the Sondheim collection. Merrily We Roll Along is the story of wealthy successful composer and movie producer Frank Shepard. As the years rewind back over his life, we see how his career and friendships have been corrupted by his success. This musical is based on the play of the same name by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart. In the musical Stephen Sondheim and George Furth retained the overall theme and structure of the play, while making it their own by updating it to span the period of 1957 to 1976. The song "Not a Day Goes By" takes place when Frank's wife, Beth, is divorcing him in a messy publicized trial. His friends urge him to get away, get some rest, and to take a cruise. Beth enters and Frank tries to reason with her, but when he admits to sleeping with another woman Beth tells him it's over, no matter how much she may still love him.

"Not a Day Goes By" is a song of separation and heartbreak, two sentiments that Sondheim is very familiar with. He was born in New York City in 1930 to parents who worked in the garment industry. In 1942 Sondheim's parents divorced after his father abandoned him and his mother for another woman. In his interview with Meryle Secrest (21), Sondheim explained:
I wa s wh at t he y ca ll a n i n st it u tio n al ized c hi ld , m ea ni n g o n e wh o ha s no co n tac t wi t h a n y k i nd o f f a mi l y. Yo u re i n, t ho u g h it s l u x urio u s, yo u re i n a n en v ir o n me n t t hat s up p li es yo u wi t h e v er yt h i n g b ut h u ma n co nta ct. No b ro t her s and s i ster s, no p ar e n t s, and yet p le n t y to ea t, a n d fr ie nd s to p l a y wi t h a n d a wa r m b ed , yo u k no w?

Many of Sondheims shows deal with themes of separation and misfortune and because of his experience with the divorce of his parents; he is able to empathize with his characters to produce songs with both a heart wrenching melody and esoteric harmonies. Sondheim begins the song Not a Day Goes By with a five note motif that he uses nine times throughout this relatively short song. In music a motif is a structural building block that contains thematic material. In this song, the repetition of this opening motif symbolizes the unending emotional turmoil that Beth is going through at the time of her and Franks divorce. She will forever have feelings for her husband, but has accepted the fact that their relationship can no longer continue. This feeling of perpetual heartache is supported by the opening lyrics: Not a day goes by, not a single day, but youre somewhere a part of my life and it looks like youll stay. Sondheim utilizes true rhyme between the words day and stay to enforce the feeling of never ending sadness. Although Beths character goes through many emotional changes throughout the entire musical, Not a Day Goes By is her only song and therefore her only chance to express many
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years of heartache and disappointment. Orchestrated by Jonathan Tunick, this song allows the singer to emotional take the wheel on this song by creating an accompaniment that is independent of the melody while remaining harmonically and structurally supportive. To emphasize the journey of anguish and separation, the singer can therefore expressively shape the phrasing of the music through tempo rubato or rhythmic freedom. In this sense the song is constructed similarly to how an operatic aria would be sung during the romantic period. The song Not a Day Goes By goes through two tonal centers: it begins in B-flat major and then modulates to the key of C major before the second and final verse. Because of the two nearly identical verses, Not a Day Goes By is considered a strophic song, which is a type of form that has the same or similar melody but different lyrics for each stanza. Two of the most notable distinctions that make the second verse different from the first are the changes in which the leading tone of B natural in the melody has been frustrated by not resolving to C or do in the key of C major. This type of melodic frustration is uncommon and implies a feeling of resentment in Beths character. She sings: Not a day goes by, not a blessed day, but youre still somehow part of my life and you wont go away. So theres hell to pay, and until I die, Ill die day after day It is ironic that the first occurrence of this frustrated leading tone is on the first and stressed syllable of the word blessed. Sondheim strategically incorporates the melodic frustration at that point in the song to reveal Beths bitterness towards her husband and the situation that he has forced her into by committing adultery. She still loves him, but has lost all faith in him as both a husband and father. Although it was initially unsuccessful on Broadway, Merrily We Roll Alongs beautiful score lives on through more recent productions and recordings. In the song Not a Day Goes By, Stephen Sondheim utilizes many subtle compositional techniques which showcase the
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complexities of Beths character and the emotions that she goes through. Merrily We Roll Along includes themes of disappointment, separation, and despairelements that were rarely incorporated into musicals before Sondheims era. Through his unique compositional style and his introspective thematic material, he has revolutionized musical theater.

Bibliography
Furth, George and Stephen Sondheim. Merrily We Roll Along. New York: Revelation Music, 1994. Secrest, Meryle. Stephen Sondheim: a life. New York: Knopf, 1998.