Written in Stone

"Written in Stone" is a song that was written for Disney's 1998 animated film Mulan, but was cut from the film when its composer left the project. Lea Salonga auditioned for Mulan with "Written in Stone" and recorded a demo during production.

"Written in Stone"
Song
GenreShowtune
Songwriter(s)Stephen Schwartz

"Written in Stone" has "surfaced over the years" in later reworkings of the original film.[1] Mulan's deleted torch song, which "accompan[ied] her transformation into a soldier", was salvaged by the one-act version of the play licensed to grade schools, Mulan Jr[2] in multiple reprises .[3] Meanwhile, Salonga has performed the original demo version live at least once.[4]

Development

Mulan (1998)

Stephen Schwartz was originally signed to the Mulan project as a lyricist and composer. He completed two songs: "China Doll" and "Written in Stone" [5] Partway into the project, Dreamworks also hired Schwartz to compose music for The Prince of Egypt. Disney gave Schwartz an ultimatum to work exclusively on Mulan;[6] he refused and left the project. As a result, Disney removed both "China Doll" and "Written in Stone" from the film.

Scwartz was replaced by Matthew Wilder and David Zippel.[7] [5] "Written in Stone" was essentially replaced by "Reflection",[8] [9] While Written In Stone "focused more on the way Mulan’s path in life was already laid out for her", Reflection would take on a more introspective tone.[5]

Lea Salonga, who played the singing voice of Mulan, auditioned for the film with “Written in Stone”.[10] She also recorded a demo of the song.[11] "Written in Stone" plays when Mulan "gets into soldier's clothing and rides her horse off to join the army".[12] Salonga performed the piece at Moore Theatre for a one night only concert in 2012.[13]

Mulan Jr

The stage musical Mulan Jr. reinstated "Written in Stone"[14][15] As the opening number it "confirms the strict social environment that exists in China" and that "traditions have dictated Chinese behavior for centuries".[16] This sets up the central conflict of the musical whereby Mulan aims to reject her 'Written In Stone" traditions and write her own destiny with the approval of her ancestors.[16] A significant theme of the song is honor of one's family, ancestors, and country, which is reinforced throughout "Written in Stone", Pt. 1, Pt. 2, Pt. 3 and its three reprises.[16]

Later history

Schwartz described 'Written In Stone" as "one of my favorite songs I have ever written for an animated feature",[8] and noted that while he was disappointed to leave the project, he was "very happy with the songs [he] had written for the film thus far".[17]

Critical reception

'Written In Stone" has been described as "absolutely stunning"[1] and "amazing".[13] Disney14 felt it was a "bizarre twist of irony" that the song is currently available in a stage version which companies can hire to produce.[18]

References
  1. "20 Years of Disney on Broadway: 10 Lesser-Done Audition Songs to Consider". Musical Theatre Resources. 2015-07-20. Retrieved 2020-09-22.
  2. Yuill, Bessie (2020-09-16). "Before She Was a Warrior Heroine, Mulan Was Rescued by a White Savior". Slate Magazine. Retrieved 2020-09-22.
  3. "Disney's Mulan Jr. - Broadway Junior | Hal Leonard Online". www.halleonard.com. Retrieved 2020-09-22.
  4. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=td44oOifntY&ab_channel=LaniKitty
  5. MacNaughton, Maeve (2018-12-17). "It's Time to Face the Music". Medium. Retrieved 2020-09-22.
  6. "Musical Theatre and Drama School Audition Songs by Stephen Schwartz". www.actorhub.co.uk. Retrieved 2020-09-22.
  7. Songfacts. "Part of Their World: The Stories and Songs of 13 Disney Princesses : Song Writing". www.songfacts.com. Retrieved 2020-09-22.
  8. "Mulan (1998)". am.animatedviews.com. Retrieved 2020-09-22.
  9. Grady, Constance (2020-09-04). "Why Mulan's "I'll Make a Man Out of You" became a pump-up playlist must-have". Vox. Retrieved 2020-09-22.
  10. Sciences, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and. "Original Mulan Passes the Torch". A.frame. Retrieved 2020-09-22.
  11. News, ABS-CBN (2014-02-06). "Why 'Wicked' composer met with Lea Salonga". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved 2020-09-22.
  12. Irvyne (2014-11-13). "2014: The Year of Disney Project: MULAN (1998)". 2014. Retrieved 2020-09-22.
  13. Irwin, Jay. "BWW Reviews: LEA SALONGA at the Moore Theatre". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 2020-09-22.
  14. "The Index-Journal from Greenwood, South Carolina on March 21, 2011 · Page 4". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2020-09-22.
  15. http://209.160.1.24/admin/uploadfiles/GT%20March%2025%201.pdf
  16. https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/51141331.pdf
  17. Irvyne (2014-11-13). "2014: The Year of Disney Project: MULAN (1998)". 2014. Retrieved 2020-09-22.
  18. Irvyne (2014-11-13). "2014: The Year of Disney Project: MULAN (1998)". 2014. Retrieved 2020-09-22.
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