Is anyone still on the forum? I am not on FB and have no intention of going back, so I have this place to come and share this hard time. I was pretty numb yesterday, and today I just keep crying. Stephen Sondheim affected me deeper than any other artist. I know he was 91, but that does not lessen my grief. I am heartsick here in California. I do hope others show up here to share our feelings. Some of the best times of my life were spent with you guys, in New York, seeing whatever Sondheim show was playing at the time. So today I reminisce about those times. I also reminisce about when I found his work, and just did a cannon ball into it. Learning as much as I could, and just never stopped. Today I am just so sad. A huge part of my life is gone. And I am having a hard time processing that.
Aileen, I love you. You have hit the nail right on the head about how I feel except I'm a few states east. I've been numb for the past 24 hours. Today I've been thinking a lot about the people I've met because of the forum, and also thinking that you guys are about the only people who truly understand what I feel and why I'm feeling it.
Currently listening to Anthony de Mare's Liaisons because I felt it was as good a place to start listening as anything, and because it's an absolutely brilliant album.
I will check that out Kathy. I was numb on Friday, and yesterday I cried a bit, but slept a lot. Today I woke up sobbing. This is fucking hard.
It's so hard. Big hugs to you both :(
Amy I am envious. I can't listen to anything yet. Just sob and sob. Soon though.
Did not think I would be this best since we all knew it was coming. But fuck.
So I will slowly be going back in the water soon. Just not ready yet.
I'm with you, Aileen. I haven't yet listened to/watched any of the many videos, interviews, etc. I can read a few stories a day about personal interactions or how he touched someone's life and then I need to stop. I will eventually get to a new version of "the way it used to be". I'm giving myself the time I need.
Tom and Aileen. I guess my post came off as heartless. I deleted it. I am of course grieving very much but I didn't want to make my first post about Sondheim's death be about me and what I was feeling. I wanted it to be about him and how great he was. In addition to being sad that we lost him, it is very, very fortunate that we had him for so long and we have this large body of work to enjoy forever.
Listening to and thinking about his art comforts me. I hope you two can find the same comfort one day.
I agree with Amy. I've listened to and watched his music more for the last few days than I had in years. I think I'd reached a point of Sondheim burnout before he died but my interest has been revived and, somehow, knowing that these are almost the last new compositions that we'll hear (though certainly not the last recordings) has lent a new excitement to his music, something I haven't felt since Sunday in the Park with George came out in the 80s.
I'm hoping the publicity attendant on his death will spark new interest in his work and maybe some revivals of shows and songs that would not otherwise have happened. I wish he could have lived to see it.
Quote from: AmyG on Dec 04, 2021, 01:25 PMTom and Aileen. I guess my post came off as heartless. I deleted it. I am of course grieving very much but I didn't want to make my first post about Sondheim's death be about me and what I was feeling. I wanted it to be about him and how great he was. In addition to being sad that we lost him, it is very, very fortunate that we had him for so long and we have this large body of work to enjoy forever.
Listening to and thinking about his art comforts me. I hope you two can find the same comfort one day.
Oh Amy! I wasn't offended at all. Grief is different for everyone. We are all just healing the way we need to heal.
I love that you and Chris are listening to his music and healing. ❤️
Amy, I didn't think you were heartless. I understand everyone deals with grief differently. I'm so sorry if I made you feel badly. I will be able to listen to Sondheim again. It is not going to be a years long process for me.
Part of my "problem" right now is that one of our supervisors at work is out sick for 2-3 weeks and I don't have time to deal with my grief at the moment. I've got too much to coordinate at work. The non work part of my time has been occupied with vacation plans. Speaking of work, I've got to head into work. Mom needs me to pick up a prescription and 'right now' is the only time I'll have before I leave for Chicago at 5:30 AM tomorrow.