Seth Rudetsky deconstructs WICKED IDINA MENZEL's sassafrass!

[ascherlj1]

I ALWAYS wondered about that L!!!

[Cmil619]

1:18 She's singing two notes in less than a second; middle E + F-sharp.

[agators212]

haha when we met you were less than a dirty whore...hahaha

[earrelevantmusic]

I'd rather watch you be obsessed than the original show sometimes...Wonderful

[guynise]

somewhere over the rainbow! WOW

[Lsb412]

Question: Does he actually have vocal damage or was he saying that because that's what it sounded like?

[chuckle2010]

You are non-stop fun!! I love the passion when people really love a subject - they make the best teachers. SO SETH!!

[ShelfDustProductions]

I just love you interjecting "foreshadowing." xDD

[dancydancer1019]

you are my favorite person ever

[riiikkkkaj]

"Somewhere over ...... THERAINBOW!" haha so funny :D

[bookwormpianist]

can you maybe desconstruct adam pascal..you should see him do seasons of love..he does a high note thats amazing..love you vids seth

[bookwormpianist]

where would i get teh soundtrack to wild party?

[DonPepeelToro]

I feel like I'm in Broadway musical theory class... I love it!!! Extremely insightful and educational! :D

[Lukee1812]

Also, I don't think the "And I" is an L.

I think it's more she doesn't put the D on And,

So it's like "an-aaaiiii"

But that's just me..

[ThexImperfectionist]

@Lukee1812 I can't say for sure either, but he's actually had the opportunity to ask her face to face so I'm trusting him on it. But see for yourself. Watch the proshots on here from the Wizard and I. You can see her tongue enunciating the L.

[jkk6810]

@Lukee1812

Yes! Oh yes!

[Lukee1812]

Laughing so hard at your "Ohhh Miss Elphaba",

You're awesome xD

[gordijntje]

"Straight tone, vibrato and then crazy riff" Can't get this out of my head :)

[milesadrift]

Now everytime I hear The Wizard and I and I will always notice the L!

[milesadrift]

Haha you are the best. I'm obsessed with this song as well. I hope she sings it at her concert I'm going to!

[legitpanda39651]

"ignore the britney spears vocal damage". AHHHH <3

p.s. anyone know what the second song he deconstructed was? and that amazing acapella amazing choral thing ah.

[carlybelle11]

@legitpanda39651 the juggernaut!

[legitpanda39651]

@carlybelle11 thank you!

[eventsid]

WHAT A DIRTY TRUMPET!!! bahahaha

love love love both idina and this video

amahzing!

[ninskimig123]

omg I love you! You are SO amazingly funny xD We could be BFF's

[DSTcenterpOiNtE]

OMG. I just discovered you. You are the new love of my life!! LOL. You're amazing!!

[naruto231000]

Idina is sassy fuckin awesome

[msscott73]

That woman can SANG HER ASS OFF!!!

[RentHead711]

i.love.you.

hahaha

[AlexRiderRocks]

straight tone, vibrato, then crazy riff! lol love it!

[wgmhottie11551]

Its called an Idina note! duhhh ;P

[ovrthemoon101]

Seth, this is mind blowing! Thanks for sharing!

[jazzykayonbroadway]

forshadowing!!!

[sup9412]

Seth, this is what I do at home. Thank you for justifying my craziness.

[aseretkavon]

I would've NEVER noticed the Wizard and "Li" if you didn't point that out to me! But that's actually very creative if you don't want the glottle! Personally, I would've done a silent h, because that, I think, would be even less noticeable. But I'm not an expert musician... at least if you only consider a college degree as that and not spending a vast majority of my life practicing and singing... and isn't old enough yet to GET a college degree... :)

[wickedObsessed22]

Omg the "L" befor the end of theneozard and I is sooooo werid!!! Now u have gotten me even more obsessed and I didn't think you could get much father then memorsing the whole play! How did you get to talk with Stephen?!?!? He Is so amasing! And so is the whole wicked crew! Keep the videos comming :)

[sonson226]

Thanks for the somewhere over the rainbow hide....very cool.

[sonson226]

Bravah!

[sonson226]

God love you Seth....it is so fun to listen to these guys with you!

[ZanderMyLove]

I love to learn things from you Seth I wish you would do decon/ for Next to Normal

[autopolydidact]

I've watched about five of these tonight, they're simply brilliant! I know I'm going to pay a hell of a lot more attention to songs now.

[janelovesdrama]

Seth. I love you. Marry me?

Hah, just kidding there. But on a real note, I listen to you all the time on Sirius and I'm so surprised that I just found your youtube channel. Idina Menzel is my favorite favorite favorite, I just can't get over it. This video is the best.

I'm just offering my enormous thanks.

[clarld92]

its not only in The Wizard and I that she puts a letter L..ive noticed it in Defying Gravity too in the part

"there's no fight we cannot win just you and Lie..defying gravity with you and Lie defying gravity.." yeah ,there's a letter L in there..and also in Take me or Leave me from RENT.. it goes "take me for what i am. who i was meant to be. and Lif you give a damn, take me baby or leave me"..its amazing and weird when she does that..LOL

[GreenGrl095]

The "So I'll be back for good someday, to make my life and make my way" part of One Short Day is the tune from Merry Ole Land of Oz. :)

[Theory993]

shes just using her vibrato before she hits the next note :) <--life of the party

[eLust]

obsessed.

[grzabela]

Um, as a Canadian Musical Theatre performer who is starved for this New Yorkian analysis... from one proud M.O.T. to another..Thank you!

[cabsmellokub79]

I can't get past Idina's breathing, so much tension when she inhales. :(

[silenthillmaster755]

the wizard and lie i NEVER noticed that and ive listened to the cd like a million times!!!

[maryalicechampignon]

"Where's my Stage Manager?" Best part!

[haleylenore]

i love your deconstructions!! I don't want you to deconstruct my glee audition because you might rip it apart but everyone else should check it out and vote!!

go to my page for the link!

[SirSammichbatch]

i fucking love this video! KUDOS

[gluztavelle]

I found another "LIE" in Defying Gravity...

Just you and I, defying gravity

Just you and LIE, defyyyyyying gravity

[gcampbell03]

"britney spears vocal damage" LOVE YOU SETH.

[poetscreaming04]

I never noticed the "Over the Rainbow" nod! *slaps myself* That's fan-freakin-tastic! I did, however, catch "The Wizard and Lie", though....I always wondered about that....

[beautexinterieur]

LOL "That's an L!"

[janeykins5]

You were amazing at Theatrefest. :D

[InsaneLemons19]

OMG!! I saw him at theatre fest! Seth you are AHMAZING! I laughed really hard! My friend vicky is obsessed with you(prolly didn't wanna know that) :)

[ItsKahlaYo]

wow! thats crazy! and im not just saying this, but you were my favorite! seriously! what hs are you from?

[sarahjo3]

I saw him at Theatre Fest too! My friends and I quote him all the time now. :) We got a picture with him after his workshop too it was the best thing ever! Love him!

[Oddnessxtreme]

Saw you at theatrefest. :D

I was the one who shouted "I LOVE YOU." And laughed at the Brooklyn reference.

And yes, I agree!!! that "calls it quits" riff Idina does is AHMAZING. :)

[dux14]

ITF!! oh my goodness so AH-MAZING

I love it love it.

[ItsKahlaYo]

i just saw this guy at the Illinois High School Theatre Festival and i went to his master class. i cannot begin to tell you how much more entertaining he is LIVE!

[MademoiselleElcair]

I saw him there too! I LOVE HIM. HE IS AH-MAZING.

[bosniaboi]

I was actually one of the boys who sang. I did Maria at the workshop It was sooo nervous!!!!

[bosniaboi]

@ItsKahlaYo I was one of the singers that worked with him. I sang Maria, and I was sooo nervous...lol

[LadyRacheltheGhetto]

I find this hilarious, because this is like exactly what I do my whole life! maybe one day you'll deconstruct my voice one day. meantime, I love it, I'm addicted.

[sugar4585]

My brother has always asked me, "Emma, why does Elphie say lie at the end?"

[showersinger34]

i LOVE when you have that little jewish moment "it goes sephardic!"

[richiebabay]

god i love you! such a big help with the "what was that?" that i am always saying to myself.

[broadwaytrekkie]

this is my favorite of your vids! hilarious!

<3

[sacredlunatic]

as a composer and musical director I don't like the added L, but I do love Idina

oh and btw, Seth, that crazy 7 vocal thing in that other song may be pretty out there, but the horns entrance at the end of it is pure Rock and Roll

[tisgemuh]

I would kill someone to have you as my trainer. :(

[mplsjockboy]

actually, i would posit that it's 6/4. 6/4, 3/4. 3/4...

[mplsjockboy]

mr. lippa may have scored it in 3/4, but the section that starts with "drinks" is heard, to me, as 6/4 compound [4/4 + 2/4] for what would be 3 measures... then back to the 4/4 groove for 2 measures, then back to the 4+2 compound... feedback anyone? seth, yer a-mah-zing

[going2NY]

ok life of the party is my favorite song in the world and it is being deconstructed by my favorite music director in the world!

life is good

you rock seth

amen sister friend!!

[MTwannaB4jesus]

O MY EFFFiiNg gosh!!! i didn't even realize that she was saying 'lie'. i always thought whe was saying "I".

[ElphabasDDX]

OH my god... I think I may have discovered what that amazing note Idina makes up in calls it quits... vibrato on her NY accent maybe?? and she does it in her special magical idina way?

[ngchikk]

It is so fun just to watch how passionate and knowledgable you are. Thanks for sharing.

[Hectorfk]

1:34

Clankyti Clnakity Clank LOL

[SultrySole]

"excuse the Britney Spears vocal damage" Hahahahaha!

[DpianoMan4]

I'm all about dividing one syllable into two! I was yelled at in one show for sining "Pi-rincess" instead of "Princess" but for some dumb reason it was hard to resist. :P

[sugar4585]

Somewheeeeeeeeeeeere- Ovthrainbow!

[714fearless]

@sugar4585 haha he cracks me up when he does that seth is amazing and of course idina is fabulous!

[haleygrace1]

This was awesome! Thank you for recognizing Idina's talents!

[RentandWicked]

amazing1 i love the life of the party Seth you are too funny1

[katiecutie05]

I'm obsessed :)

[musicweirdo12345]

did you buy the first song if so from where and what is it called?

[chries]

it's Life of the Party from LIPPA's The Wild Party

[positivelyemerald101]

OMDEE!!!!! This is great! I will never think of Life of the Party the same! and i completely agree with the Oh Miss Elphaba thing. it kind of spoils the begining of the song.

[AustinLisa]

Idina is AMAZING, and Seth, you are a genius for acknowledging her talent, and you are absolutely hiarious!!

[machinegunvibrato]

omg best thing ever. "ANLLLIIII"

ah but you totally forgot about her beyonce growl in "Look at me Now"

[ambermahoney4321]

I did "life of the party" for my american musical and dramatic academy audition. :)

[masqueplaysoboe]

Ahh I love when composers change meters like that! If you can stand oboe music, check out the Hindemith sonata... going from 3/8 to 5/8 to 3/4. But I love what you're doing with these preformers... they can't get away with anything, :)

[Selendomono]

can you tell what the meter is by hearing? or do you just know cause youve met andrew lippa and (i assume) youve seen the sheet music.

[positivelyemerald101]

if your trained in music theory you can tell what any part of the music is just by hearing it. A guy (i forget who) because the conductor of a major symphony by writing down sheet music note by note while ajudicating.

[dancinj11]

How could you determine that?

No attitude intended

[mermaidopera]

To be fair, I'm using more recordings than those sampled in this video.

"Defying Gravity" - there is an accidental ingressive phonation between "everyone deserves a chance to fly" and "and if I'm flying solo..."

And no singer would ever put a glottal between "and" and "I." Any singer I know would simply elide the final consonant of the former onto the latter. The substitution of the L is indicative of tension in the tongue, which is usually caused by tension of the muscles in the neck.

[Sheherezade27]

So basically what you're saying is that you're too technically minded to actually enjoy anything.

[matthewmaclellan]

for the 'let the drinks pour' - i find the dotted quarter's make it so much trickier.

m.

[Elphaboy]

The Wild Party was Most Definitely her best recording. But on Wicked she sounds so amazing because she was sooo cleaned up...

[Amydixon08]

your hilarious haha

[bcrocker33]

I love WILD PARTY

where the f is it? lol

[jesswantstobewicked]

omg. wild party is Idina's best recording. I love love love wicked, but the wild party shits all over it (idina's performance that is)

[dreamstar0108]

Sad thing is as Seths playing the music I'm doing the exact same facal expressions lip-syncing to the song because there no way I can belt out a not like Idina. So I'll just pretend :)

Love the Videos!

Idina <3

[Selendomono]

ummm.... yeah.... solid "I' sounds are killer to sing so she sang it "Lie".... no hidden references to the son that not only doesnt exist when she is so young, doesnt exist in the musical at all.... silly

[the8thlilpeep]

That's so trippy with somewhere over the rainbow.... shows how awesome and creative and amazing the wicked team is!!! <3

[AtLastOnTheGround]

If you really want to know the riff notes for "Life of the Party," put it in Windows Movie Maker and use the "Slow Down, Half" effect so you can more acutely listen to them.

I used it one time to keep track of Betty Buckley's insanely amazing vibrato -- 8 times in 1.25 seconds on "TOOOOUCH ME!"

[fdmipgo]

I think you counted 12, 11 13. *winky face*

[broadwaytrekkie]

OMG UR SOOOOOO FUNNY!!

I love how u notice EVERYTHING such as the "somewhere over the rainbow" thing and "AND L-I!!!!!!"

<3 u seth!!

[sarahnicoleee917]

she's amaHzing.

:)

[ZanderMyLove]

OMG Seth you are funny. I am learning alot from your obsessive weird tutorials. My best gay has a crush on Norm Lewis HA HA

[eventsid]

i <3 seth rudetsky, and idina, and the wild party!!

haha these videos make me so happy

I always have this urge to say a-mah-zing :)

[Selendomono]

i hate the 45 seconds of carole shelly too. she may be a funny actress but her singing in garbage

[WestEndGirl96]

i just got the wild party soundtrack and idina totally steals the show!!! (in a good way)

and also at the end of the juggernaut she cranks it up even more by belting this amazingly huge sequence of riffs and it's classic idina!! kinda reminds me of her first album 'still i can't be still'

this is like one of my favourite vids on youtube because i love idina AND seth... it's like my heaven or something!!!

lol

xoxo

[tipofmytongue1024]

Britney Spears vocal damage..lmao

[wendellgirl101]

i love idina! shes so awesome im so obbessed!

[aussieome]

OMG u came to my school and did ur one man show and master class but i couldnt go to ur show during school cuz i was taking a final and the others i had no money :( but ur aMAHzing!!!!

[Wickedfrk14]

i never thought i'd find someone whos as obsessed with Idina as i am! you rock! idina rocks!

[wendellgirl101]

idina!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!­!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[fasho003216]

I absolutely love you.

[JmB8207]

and OMG shutup with the LIE! I've been trying to figure out FOREVER why that last word in wizard and i sounded weird to me! lmaooo thank you seth!

[JmB8207]

I thought I was the only one fascinated by Idina singing this song! She's amazing!

[JWEponineT]

Ok, so I just randomly came upon this page, and you are like my new favorite person in the world. You like live in my head!

[nyuNYC]

Whats the name of the dirty whore song? lol

[xelphabaxfaex]

the juggernaut

[tipofmytongue1024]

The somewhere over the rainbow part is partially true, it's cool though. But it's not an octave.

Whatever Stephen schwartz can whatever he wants. :P

[Selendomono]

i dunno what music your listening to/looking at but that interval is an octave...

[cxeazn]

Which song from The Wild Party is part that goes to 7/4? Around.. 8:00?

[gordijntje]

The Juggernaut. It's on youtube!

[Alayna1494]

You're adorable

[AlyandtheCity]

I've always thought "Life of the Party" was the ideal example of Idina's fabulosity. When I'm spreading the Idina love to my friends, I always play this song after "The Wizard and I" and preface it with, "But that just scratches the surface of her amazingness. Listen to THIS!"

Thanks for deconstructing!

[nanotechcre8or]

Sassy.

[nikklis]

I never noticed the LIE before.

[usasoftballfan]

me neither! that's so cool! Idina rules!

[veronica896]

hey i noticed the wizard and lie bit lol. Im so impressed bout the somewhere over the rainbow tune being in the unlimited bit. I didn't notice that before. it's so amazing how steven schwarz can do things like that. im singing for good for my ensemble music exam and my music teacher, hu plays piano, finds it difficult to play it on piano. she said that the composer is amazin lol.

[altosingstar]

wooow. now i'll always look out for that l

[dejongc]

Thank you! My 8-year-old son and I were listening to The Wizard & I the other day, and he said, "Mom, what is she saying at the end?". I couldn't come up with the modification she was making.

[SecretsAREbeautifuL]

she's incredible.

her voice is out of this world.

[MiniMissMenzel]

I was listening to The Wizard and I yesterday, and I started cracking up at "the Wizard and Lie!"

[Selendomono]

lol when i first heard it i thought it was "the wizard and DIE" LOL :)

[MangledxImagination]

OMG i thought i was hearing things when Idina said "and l-i----"

glad im not ^^

[MonicaOnBroadway]

Hahaha, "dirty trumpet." XD

[crazeball]

as a Brit I like it when you deconstruct performers I actually know of :) It's really weird to know that someone is noticing all the same little things that I do. The Wild Party is pure absolute genius and so are you!

[JoStockton]

I just loved the 'foreshadow!' comment thrown in there.

[1MaNLan]

I love your videos. You brighten my day! :)

[SamIAm2k7]

I thought she said the wizard in Love when I first heard if forevs ago. I had to instantly look up the lyrics to make sure, I am so glad someone else heard that too!

[idinakristinwicked]

I always heard the L in that song she did that because its a smart thing to do just doing I would hurt but adding an L actually helps the throat.

[heythere87]

ok, i just have to also comment on an amazing idena moment in the song "wild wild party" track 10, i can't be sure, but somewhere near the end, she goes so high and sings the line "wheres my bible" and she sounds soooo amazing over everyone else! you need to listen and relisten at that amazing note she does

[fawn512]

i tried listening to it, but i can't seem to hear idina singing on that song ;(

[MiniMissMenzel]

Hahahaaa, that was great. The Wizard and Li!

[uberdork987]

I still can't get over those INSANE chords under Idina in The Juggernaut!

[xoTossTossxo]

this video makes me laugh, just how into it you are i love it!

I AM A HUUGGEE IDINA MENZEL FAN<3

Live Menzel<3

[sing24601]

Haha, I think I'm obsessed with your deconstructions now! I'm watching all of them and LOVE, so keep 'em coming! :)

[MusicGuru1258]

"im obsessed"

NO MY GOOD SIR. I AM OBSESSED. with you. you are hilarious.

[xoTossTossxo]

awesome video(:

[bcrocker33]

LOL at excuse the britney spears ....

[DefyingGravity95]

:D!!

I love this video!!

haha

[bcrocker33]

"calls it"

[yourwound]

i think that the 3/4 part might actually be 2/4 + 4/4. if you think about it... let the (2/4) drinks pour (4/4) let the (2/4) crowds roar (4/4)... anyone?

one other thing for wicked. i've ALWAYS loved her change in "no good deed" with that beautiful mix of her head and chest voices right around 1:43 in the song. what an amazing technique.

not gonna lie, while wicked is incredibly close to my heart, the wild party is my favorite of idina's work.

[teardropsofhope7]

hahahahaha this is halarious!!! luuuuvv Idina

[MvyMkr]

That was great! There are so many people, - the vast majority - who like or dislike, judge or praise, and they literally don't get all the technicalities of what some of these people do! If you took Idina and compared her even to the Best popstar, there are so many depths she would bring that they simply can't!

Plus...she' awesome!

Bravo :-D

[california2121843]

totally agree with taking out the intro in the wizard and i! i have learned you can start at 47 seconds and miss it

[aspire2nspire1983]

When I was in college, Stephen Schwartz spoke to our class and that was the one little secret he gave us about his nods to Wizard of Oz. He says there are others, but he wouldn't tell us what they are. :P

[tjvids7]

THANK YOU for the note on the Carolle Shelley beginning in The Wizard and I! Haha I have had that same argument with at least 6 people!

[TangoMaureen07]

Thanks for sharing that Stephen added a bit of "somewhere" to The wizard and I. Very cool bit of information right there.

[xnycheartx22]

btw I do the same thing with these songs lol

Idina especially cause her voice is just ridiculous. AMAZING.

[xnycheartx22]

You're awesome!! haha

I love these vids and I LOVE you!!!

[singoutlouder716]

LOVE this ... your deconstructions are amazing!!! u are so lucky to get to work wit ppl like idina with those notes i wish i could belt (my classically trained voice doesn't quite agree with broadway)

btw, andrew lippa is a genius. my chorus-brooklyn youth chorus had a piece commissioned by him and he was so great and fun to work with.

[IdSoonerBuySJB]

wow the somewhere over the rainbow thing is so brilliant. i noticed it before but wasn't completely sure... Stephen Schwartz is BEYOND brilliant. beyond.

...and so is Idina :D

[glenedward]

BRILLIANT! :)

[Frackin64]

I LOVE the Lippa Wild Party--amazing.

[broadwayjonaslover]

THANK u for doing idina menzel! i LOVE HER!!! SHE IS AHMAZING! she is the best bdway person ever!

THANK U!!! LOVE U SETH!

[StarryNight713]

Foreshadow!

[aberhottie99]

10:18

HA

[syncopatedj]

I'm so glad that I'm not the only person who analyzes how she sings so closely. I love it. I can't believe he didn't go over the last riff of juggernaut!