The Composer Is Dead, by Lemony Snicket

[Dante]

Note: I'm unstickying this on the assumption that it'll be a while before any new information on this comes out, and once it does, it's likely there'll be a proper new thread for it in the format of the threads for the other books.

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San Francisco Symphony to Perform and Record Work by Lemony Snicket

The San Francisco Symphony Orchestra will give the world premiere of a new work by Lemony Snicket, the pseudonymous author of the Series of Unfortunate Events children's books, and composer Nathaniel Stookey on July 8 at 2 p.m., the orchestra announced.

The orchestra will also record the work, titled The Composer Is Dead, for a CD to accompany Snicket's forthcoming book of the same name. Snicket, who is allegedly the same person as San Francisco writer and musician Daniel Handler, will narrate the work at the summer family concert at Davies Symphony Hall and on the recording. SFSO resident conductor Edwin Outwater will conduct.

The Composer Is Dead was commissioned by the SFSO as part of its outreach and education efforts. The commission's goal, a press release said, "is to build upon the wild popularity of Mr. Snicket's inventive humor … to introduce the orchestra to young listeners in an original and entertaining way."

The work tells the story of a murder mystery while introducing young listeners to the instruments of the orchestra.

"Ever since I was a boy, classical music has made me weep uncontrollably," Snicket said. "I hope The Composer is Dead does the same for a new generation. It’s certainly either alarmingly original or originally alarming."

www.sfsymphony.org/templates/event_info.asp?nodeid=250&callid=77&eventid=1131

www.contracostatimes.com/mld/cctimes/entertainment/music/14928165.htm?source=rss&channel=cctimes_music

This .pdf file confirms that the book will be published by HarperCollins, with the audio recording included in every book, and it confirms that a release date has yet to be announced.
www.sfsymphony.org/pdfs/releases/ComposerDead.pdf

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The performance happened a while ago now, and here's an article about the whole thing, with a few quotations and some information about the whole thing - it sounds most amusing.

www.contracostatimes.com/mld/cctimes/entertainment/15000148.htm?source=rss&channel=cctimes_entertainment

It's a wildly cheering audience that leaps to its feet at the close of Saturday's premiere, and the rest of the world will hear the irreverent work soon. Recording sessions start Monday and the whole "Composer is Dead" package -- new Snicket book and San Francisco Symphony CD -- will be published by HarperCollins later this year or next.

If it's anything like Snicket's books about the Baudelaire orphans or the Symphony's recording track record, the result may be the rarest of hat tricks -- bestsellerdom, Billboard fame and another Grammy. Or better yet, beloved "dead composer" status with 22nd century audiences too.

So that gives us a very rough estimate of a release date.

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New article, with new info, with quotes and some plot details, including the information that Snicket is apparently "impersonating the inspector."

home.ease.lsoft.com/scripts/wa.exe?A2=ind0607&L=classical&P=1195

[Gigi]

That sounds very interesting. I find it intriguing that the book and CD are by Lemony Snicket, not Daniel Handler. So it seems he already is carrying on as LS beyond the ASOUE books.

No release date, though.

[Antenora]

This ought to be quite interesting; if anyone manages to see the show, I'd like to hear about it, and I'll certainly be getting the book when it comes out. Seeing more books written in Snicket's style--and possibly alluding to ASoUE--would certainly be fun. Hmm, Snicket could even imply that this was the "life's work" he mentioned giving up to work on the Baudelaire case.

[Dante]

I suspect that this month's AuthorTracker might concern The Composer Is Dead (which might mirror the method they had for the cover, releasing it in plain press a little before covering it in AuthorTracker). If so, a release date for the book version would be expected. I could be completely wrong on that, though; it's just that the average AuthorTracker, unless there's an event to be marked, usually comes about on the 16th, and we're past that by now, so I thought maybe there was something important they were waiting for. However, I might expect the book version to be perhaps longer than the narration for the orchestra piece, so Handler might not be completely done with it yet. Still, it's odd that Handler's kept rather quiet on this given that he's not so long ago been pretty equivocal on whether he'll continue writing as Snicket not; maybe he considers it a side-project such as The Lump of Coal and The Baby In The Manger rather than a full novel.

[Gigi]

The San Francisco Symphony web site has some interesting publicity photos of The Composer is Dead. I rather like the expressions on LS's face, especially this one. He seems to be thinking something along the lines of "Please remove your hand from my buttocks."

[s]

This is exciting news.

Does anyone live in the area who might actually get to see it? That would be cool.

I, however, shall simply look forward to the release of the book / CD.

[Sixteen]

ffwf said:

The Composer Is Dead was commissioned by the SFSO as part of its outreach and education efforts. The commission's goal, a press release said, "is to build upon the wild popularity of Mr. Snicket's inventive humor … to introduce the orchestra to young listeners in an original and entertaining way."

The work tells the story of a murder mystery while introducing young listeners to the instruments of the orchestra.

I have enough faith in Hnadler to hope that this won't be like one of those incredibly annoying school videos they show.
"This is a violin. The violinist plays the violin. The violin sounds like this...."
But TCID looks better than those. Hopefully it will be because I am definitely buying it.

[SnicketFires]

This is very interesting and exciting! I'm definitely buying this.

Out of curiosity, does anyone know what the book will be about? Did it say and I missed it?

[Gigi]

I thought it said the symphony piece is based on his book by the same name. I assume he wrote the book and then they wrote the music for it and revised the book into narration for the music.

I suppose that means buying both the CD and the book. A set would be nice.

[negativenine]

Wow! It'll be like an insanely twisted a weird version of "Peter and the Wolf!"

Orchestral music + Lemony Snicket = wow... all we need is some great illustrations and my life is complete!

[Dante]

Update. Well, of sorts.

This article contains more information about the project's origins and content:
www.contracostatimes.com/mld/cctimes/entertainment/music/14928165.htm?source=rss&channel=cctimes_music

And this .pdf file confirms that the book will be published by HarperCollins, with the audio recording included in every book, and it confirms that a release date has yet to be announced.
www.sfsymphony.org/pdfs/releases/ComposerDead.pdf

[Gigi]

Come on, HarperCollins! Give us a date already! (Since they're aren't even recording it until sometime in July, I suspect the release will be after The End.)

[Dear Dairy]

OK, Gigi, use your connections! Email your HC guy and get the date, or at least an estimate!

[Jack]

Oooo I cant wait!

[Dante]

The performance was yesterday, and here's an article about the whole thing, with a few quotations and some information about the whole thing - it sounds most amusing.

www.contracostatimes.com/mld/cctimes/entertainment/15000148.htm?source=rss&channel=cctimes_entertainment

It's a wildly cheering audience that leaps to its feet at the close of Saturday's premiere, and the rest of the world will hear the irreverent work soon. Recording sessions start Monday and the whole "Composer is Dead" package -- new Snicket book and San Francisco Symphony CD -- will be published by HarperCollins later this year or next.

If it's anything like Snicket's books about the Baudelaire orphans or the Symphony's recording track record, the result may be the rarest of hat tricks -- bestsellerdom, Billboard fame and another Grammy. Or better yet, beloved "dead composer" status with 22nd century audiences too.

So that gives us a very rough estimate of a release date.