 The twelve @-@ minute " bench scene " , in which Billy and Julie get to know each other and which culminates with " If I Loved You " , according to Hischak , " is considered the most completely integrated piece of music @-@ drama in the American musical theatre " . The scene is almost entirely drawn from Molnár and is one extended musical piece ; Stephen Sondheim described it as " probably the single most important moment in the revolution of contemporary musicals " . " If I Loved You " has been recorded many times , by such diverse artists as Frank Sinatra , Barbra Streisand , Sammy Davis Jr . , Mario Lanza and Chad and Jeremy . The D @-@ flat major theme that dominates the music for the second act ballet seems like a new melody to many audience members . It is , however , a greatly expanded development of a theme heard during " Soliloquy " at the line " I guess he 'll call me ' The old man ' " . 
