Listen to Orchestral Arrangement of Sondheim Song Cut from Assassins | Playbill

News Listen to Orchestral Arrangement of Sondheim Song Cut from Assassins Raúl Esparza sings “The Flag Song.”
Raúl Esparza Monica Simoes

Arranger Charlie Rosen has made public a sound file of his arrangement of “The Flag Song,” a number cut from the 1991 musical Assassins by Stephen Sondheim.

Four-time Tony Award nominee Raúl Esparza provides vocals over a 12-piece orchestra in the arrangement of the march, which was performed at the November 7 Dramatists Guild Fund gala. Rosen posted the recording to Soundcloud.

LISTEN TO THE RECORDING HERE.

Rosen posted on his Facebook page, “After some positive feed back from the man [Sondheim] himself, I decided to commemorate this moment in theater history by recording the song for the archives, and in my never ending desire to go big or go home, I expanded the arrangement for full symphony orchestra so that it may get the dramatic weight I feel the importance of this message deserves with Raúl Esparza at the helm giving it life, and a fab orchestra of some amazing musicians and friends.”

Rosen added, “To me the lyrical arc of this song, in which we get a glimpse into the thought process of someone who has become disillusioned with the entire notion of government and politics, is particularly important in this climate. These lyrics have stuck with me because at the end of the journey, our character has realized that he feels empowered by being a part of an organization of human beings in which the sum is greater than the parts, and that is a feat of humanity in it of itself. No matter what is going on, we as an organized society do have a voice, and can change ourselves, which we must remember as that flag goes by.”

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