Solos Effective
The solos are used effectively
throughout. Mary Magdalene sings a
beautifully simple tune about Jesus'
effect on her: "I don't know how
to love him . . . I don't see why he
moves me." Later Judas sings the
exact same passage. The tenderness
of both the male and the female
voices is transmitted to the listener
so he, too, feels Jesus' charisma.
Herod's mocking ragtime song
to Jesus shows his disdain for 'Mr.
Wonderful Christ" and at the same
time brings out some guilt-feelings
about some well-worn jokes about
Christ. The parts assigned to Pilate,
however, show the torture of his
role as having to sentence Jesus
there is quiet guitar and voice in his
'Dream Song' and a frustrated
screaming when he washes his
hands of the 'innocent puppet."
Judas' songs range from
confident rock in the beginning to
grief-stricken wailing before his
suicide. His betrayal is sung to
Indian music to give it an unreal
quality, perhaps to show that he
was not himself at the time.
Jesus' lyrics and music move
between rage and resignation - and
often in the same song. For
instance, when he kicks the
moneylenders out of the temple he
changes from a high-pitched soul
scream to a trembling tenor. One of
Christ's most difficult sections to
sing is his prayer in the Garden. He
has to change style and mood every
two or three lines and break from
and electric wall back to a soft
hymn.
