# Studying Menken



## Neifion (Nov 28, 2013)

https://soundcloud.com/kekopro/8-minute ... n-all-star

I decided to post this here because it's not an original composition or anything. Rather, besides serving as the backtrack to my wife's vocals, this was for me to study the orchestration and style of Alan Menken, get some ear training, and practice with my orchestral samples. Especially for _A Whole New World_, Menken makes use of a lot of acrobatic string and wind runs, which I really wanted to get more practice with.

Special thanks to VI-C community member Iain Kelso, who helped me out enormously on one particularly difficult run (at 4:13)!

As such, the orchestration sticks to the source material fairly close, with some different decisions and style choices peppered in (obviously we had to come up with the transitions, as well).

While well-known as a Broadway songwriter, I think Alan Menken is somewhat underrated as a score composer. In the end, I think what yields that classic "Disney" sound is a pretty genius combination of Tchaikovsky-style ballet mixed with modern Broadway theater. Together, they provide that distinctive mix of "fairytale" and energy, respectively. Do you agree? What do you think is the "Disney formula?"


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## Enyak (Dec 28, 2013)

As chance would have it, I too just recently gained an appreciation for Menken's Disney work on those films. There's some very engaging music in those scores.

Great work on the medley and orchestration btw!

I really want to give some of the Mermaid themes a shot with Spitfire Sable too. What actually strikes me is how much Sable seems to be a match for the strings used on the score, so I want to see how close one could get.


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## Neifion (Dec 28, 2013)

Enyak @ Sat Dec 28 said:


> As chance would have it, I too just recently gained an appreciation for Menken's Disney work on those films. There's some very engaging music in those scores.
> 
> Great work on the medley and orchestration btw!
> 
> I really want to give some of the Mermaid themes a shot with Spitfire Sable too. What actually strikes me is how much Sable seems to be a match for the strings used on the score, so I want to see how close one could get.



Thank you! 

I want Sable sooo bad. Can't afford it at the moment, unfortunately. I used some Albion in there though, particularly the brass.

I would love to hear your rendition of Mermaid with Sable!


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## dannthr (Dec 28, 2013)

Neifion @ Thu Nov 28 said:


> While well-known as a Broadway songwriter, I think Alan Menken is somewhat underrated as a score composer.



I think a lot of Menken, I even joined an Alan Menken Facebook Fan page--nonetheless, he does wield more Oscar Wins than any other living person, I think he's well praised (even if most of those wins are for songs). 

He can handle colorful and complex Mickey Mouse Flourishes without dropping a beat on thematic material--his underscore is excellent.


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## Neifion (Dec 28, 2013)

dannthr @ Sat Dec 28 said:


> Neifion @ Thu Nov 28 said:
> 
> 
> > While well-known as a Broadway songwriter, I think Alan Menken is somewhat underrated as a score composer.
> ...



Exactly, he's very well known for his songs; not so much for his aptitude with intricate orchestral scoring, at least compared to the "big guys". But certainly, he's not wanting for musical recognition!


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## Moderato Maestoso (Dec 30, 2013)

Isn't Danny Troob one of his main orchestrators? I know he did the orchestrations for the Beauty and the Beast musical.


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## Neifion (Dec 30, 2013)

Moderato Maestoso @ Mon Dec 30 said:


> Isn't Danny Troob one of his main orchestrators? I know he did the orchestrations for the Beauty and the Beast musical.



He is, and he also arranged the versions of the songs in many of the Disney theme park attractions. A lot of that Disney sound can probably be attributed to him!


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## MikeH (Dec 30, 2013)

And let's not forget the fabulous Kevin Kliesch! As far as I know, the process is that Menken just sends his orchestrators a piano mockup done in Digital Performer for all cues and songs. You can see the process during Kevin's interview below:

http://www.vsl.co.at/en/65/71/2536/2186.vsl

I know Kevin has posted here a few times, maybe he'd like to comment?


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## Abdulrahman (Aug 5, 2019)

Thanks for this old post!
What classical composers they studied to come up with these colorful theatrical orchestrations?
Also, would the OP mind updating the link?


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## ChrisSiuMusic (Aug 5, 2019)

Didn’t even know this thread existed! Anyway, I love this man.


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## GingerMaestro (Aug 6, 2019)

Alan Menken is without doubt the finest Disney songwriter of his generation, following in the footsteps of the Sherman Brothers. He obviously writes the songs and much of the underscore for his movies but he has an amazing team of arrangers, orchestrators and co-composers who work with him. The brilliant Michael Kosarin has been his Music Director /Arranger for many years on both Theater and Movie projects and his orchestrators include the aforementioned Danny Troob, Doug Besterman, Kevin Kliesch, James Shearman, Chris Benstead and recently he collaborated with Chris Lennertz on The Sausage Party.


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