A Little Night Music - Judi Dench revival cast recording

[lvpblues]

Posted: 9/22/05 at 12:55am

I was talking about this show today with a friend of mine and she asked me if I had the cast recording of this particular production. I don't have it and was wondering what other people's thoughts were on the disc (re: the performances, the recording quality, etc) and if it's available anywhere for sale (I know it's out of print, but you never know...). Thanks for any insight you can give.

~Kev

[Broadway Bob*]

Posted: 9/22/05 at 4:05am

This recording is AMAZING! I rank it absolutely tied for best revording of the show along with the original Broadway Cast. The mixing of the original Glamorous Life and he film version of the song is wonderful. The performances are all spot on, especially Dame Judy Dench. If you can find this one - grab it. It is sometimes on eBay, but usually sells for a LOT of mula!

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 9/22/05 at 6:24am

Terrific recording of a terrific production. It appears on eBay and Half.com from time to time, but usually costs a pretty penny.

[Plum]

Posted: 9/22/05 at 7:07am

I once saw a used copy on sale at amazon.co.uk, but it cost about $200, so good luck with that. :)

[magruder]

Posted: 9/22/05 at 8:36am

I played it once and put it away, and have never returned to it. Especially for that mish-mash of "Glamorous Life" that they came up with, that makes a nonsense out of both versions of the song. If you are feeling adventurous, sure, get it, why not. But nothing comes close to the original Broadway cast recording, in sonics, or performance, especially in the remastered version that came out not too long ago.

[kgee30]

Posted: 9/22/05 at 9:31am

I agree. It's interesting, and Judi Dench is never less than brilliant, but it isn't worth $200, and certainly not when the original is absolute perfection.

I did see a sort of biography special on Judi Dench about five years ago (on Bravo, I think), which showed quite a bit of the rehearsals for the "You Must Meet My Wife" scene (the sandwich bit), and then most of the "Send in the Clowns" scene, including the song -- that was fabulous. She played it very angry and bitter, but she had tears running down her cheeks through the whole thing. Quite affecting.

[magruder]

Posted: 9/22/05 at 10:14am

I know people loved Judi Dench's performance. I just had the recording to go with, and was wondering why her delivery for "Send in the Clowns" sounded so hostile and angry. She's practically spitting out the lyrics. I always felt the song was a bit of self-deprecation, mixed with regret, and I've always admired Glynnis Johns' sly, subtle take on it.

Updated On: 9/22/05 at 10:14 AM

[SorryGrateful]

Posted: 9/22/05 at 10:20am

Who was the rest of the cast? Not that HRH Judi Dench isn't enough.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 9/22/05 at 10:25am

Sian Phillips was Mdme. Armfeldt
Laurence Guittard was Fredrik
Claire Cox was Fredrika
Joanna Riding was Anne
Patricia Hodge was Charlotte
Brendan O'Hea was Henrik
Lambert Wilson was Carl-Magnus

Updated On: 9/22/05 at 10:25 AM

[robbiej]

Posted: 9/22/05 at 10:44am

I must say that I adored the conducting on this recording. The tempi were thrilling.

But vocally, it can't compare to the original cast recording. I've seen and heard a whole lotta SEND IN THE CLOWNS in my life...and no one compares to Glynis Johns. She just got it in a way no one else has. Perhaps because it was written expressly for her.

[magruder]

Posted: 9/22/05 at 11:06am

Yeah, it's brisk. But the orchestra is also overmiked and too intrusive. There's a delicacy to what Goddard Lieberson did with the original recording. I must sound like the ultimate Original Cast Recording purist on this one, but each time I listen to another version of Night Music, it always makes me yearn for the original.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 9/22/05 at 11:42am

Its a good recording, though I personally dislike all the tinkering they did with the score. But the performances are vibrant, and I do think Dench is extraordinary.

That said, I gladly sold my copy on ebay a couple of years ago for about 180 bucks. Who needs a cd when you have itunes...

[Plum]

Posted: 9/22/05 at 11:51am

Just be sure to back up your files.

[robbiej]

Posted: 9/22/05 at 11:53am

I downloaded mine to itunes...only to find the cd is scratched. I woulda sold it too!!!

[Plum]

Posted: 9/22/05 at 11:56am

Did you try error correction?

[robbiej]

Posted: 9/22/05 at 11:58am

What is this? Error correction? I'm so backwards!

Please don't call me a dumbf*ck!

[frontrowcentre2]

Posted: 9/22/05 at 12:10pm

I am surprised no one else has mentioned this but in addition to reworking "The Glamorous Life" to include segments of both the stage and movie versions, the score also incorporates "My Husband the Pig" into "In Praise of Women" giving Charlotte a response to her husband.

The reason this CD is so hard to find is that the label that recorded it (TRING) went out of business. I expect at some point another label will obtain the rights and reissue it.

I agree with Magruder and others that the OBC is still the best but I would rank this version as a close 2nd. Much much better than the 1975 London cast (Jean Simmons) or TER's 1991 studio version (Sian Phillips.)

The movie soundtrack (on Lp only) has lyrics for the "Night Waltz" ("Love takes time") - Has anyone ever used these lyrics on stage?

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 9/22/05 at 12:12pm

A bit unrelated, but wasn't there a new song written for when Fredricka Von Stade played Desiree at the Houston Opera? Or was it just a new verse?

[magruder]

Posted: 9/22/05 at 12:23pm

Yeah, I'm not in love with the inclusion of "My Husband, the Pig". I don't think the show needs to throw so much attention to Charlotte at that point, and "Every Day a Little Death" kinda covers her character for me.

I sorta hate the Sondheim revivals with cut songs creeping back in. "Marry Me A Little" doesn't belong in Company either, especially at the end of Act One. If Bobby is saying, "I'm ready" at the end of Act One, who needs Act Two? It's too self aware.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 9/22/05 at 12:29pm

I'm not a big fan of cut songs being added back to any show. There is always a reason the song was cut in the first place. Putting them back rarely adds anything but length to the show.

[AngusN]

Posted: 9/22/05 at 1:35pm

It is absolutely fantastic. It couldn't have been better cast. I seen it on the stage and instantly fell in love with the show and Joanna Riding. The show was as close to perfection as you will find.
Updated On: 9/22/05 at 01:35 PM

[phantom_tenor]

Posted: 9/23/05 at 1:38am

"I sorta hate the Sondheim revivals with cut songs creeping back in. "Marry Me A Little" doesn't belong in Company either, especially at the end of Act One. If Bobby is saying, "I'm ready" at the end of Act One, who needs Act Two? It's too self aware."


But Marry Me A Little is a really great song with fantastic, witty lyrics. True, it doesn't fit too well with the flow of the show, but it's a wonderful song that didn't deserve to be cut.

[magruder]

Posted: 9/23/05 at 7:09am

I agree that it's a wonderful song, and it's a shame that for the original production, it didn't work out in what eventually became the "Being Alive" slot. But the reasons for why it was cut seem to apply for why it shouldn't be put back in elsewhere. Part of what makes Company so interesting is that Bobby is such a mystery. You can argue endlessly about what's his problem, what's going on in the show, what is happening at the end. A Bobby who sings "Marry Me a Little" says that he's ready for a committment, with all it entails. So then you are left wondering, why is he such a mess if he knows what he wants? I thought in the Roundabout revival, when Bobby sang it at the end of Act One, it was too much knowledge too soon.

[Plum]

Posted: 9/23/05 at 8:00am

I have to disagree a bit- "Marry Me A Little" doesn't eliminate the need for Act II, and it isn't a full-on indication that Bobby is ready for commitment. Sure, he says "I'm ready," but he also says, "Keep a tender distance/ so we'll both be free." If he thinks you can be "a little" married, he still doesn't get it. So this is an appropriate song to have before the ending.

That said, I think the show flows just fine as originally recorded.
Updated On: 9/23/05 at 08:00 AM

[Gothampc]

Posted: 9/23/05 at 10:33am

Sondheim, unfortunately, gets a lot of additions and deletions to his work. I'm still not sure which songs "really" belong in Follies and which ones don't.