Janos Gereben <[log in to unmask]> writes about "Wonderful Town":

>This is not one of the great Bernstein scores, to be sure.  Large segments
>are "carried" by the Comden-Green lyrics: "Conquering New York," "One
>Hundred Easy Ways to Lose a Man" (establishing Criswell as THE singer
>for "that kind of song"), "Pass the Football" (oy!), some of the others
>are awfully thin, musically.  Of course, on the other hand, there is
>"Christopher Street," "Ohio" (a perfect blend of good music and devilishly
>clever lyrics), "It's Love," etc.

(And don't forget "Wrong Note Rag".)

"Ohio" ought to be good music!  The first six notes of the melody are a
direct lift of the opening of the 3rd movement of Brahms' 2nd Piano Concerto.

Lenny has done rather well with this sort of "lifting"; he turned an
incidental phrase of the slow movement of LvB's Emperor Concerto into
"There's a Place for Us" from West Side Story, too.

(My brother just recommended to me today to check out some of the earlier
Rodgers and Hart musicals - "Babes in Arms", "Pal Joey", and "The Boys
from Syracuse"; much jazzier than RR's work with Hammerstein, and a clear
influence on Bernstein.)

 - seb