Cast Recordings of Into the Woods and 1776

so, I still need to get these two cast recordings and I really don't know much about Into the Woods... I do like Vanessa Williams, so I almost got the revival recording, but I do like Bernadette too, so, before I get both, which one would you recommend to get first?

Also, I need 1776 but have no idea which one to get. So, the OBC or NBC?
Thanks for your help!!

original casts for both Cds.
enjoy!

PLEASE get original "Into The Woods" cast first!

I LOVE the Brent Spiner 1776

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DEFINITELY the OBC for Into The Woods!

But I don't think you can go wrong with either the OBC or the Brent Spiner 1776.

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OBC for INTO THE WOODS hands down.

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The OBC for Into the Woods, without a doubt. I enjoy the revival, but it doesn't hold a flame to the OBC. As for 1776, I'd probably go with the revival. I don't think the casting is quite as good, but the sound quality is so much better. I felt, when I listened to the OBC of 1776, that it felt like the performers were screaming a little bit and the quality was hurt a little bit by that. I think the performances are better on the OBC, but the sound quality doesn't even compare with the revival, which just puts it a little ahead in my mind.

The OBC of both, no question.

And I'll second the acclaim for the London cast of ITW.

1776 - OBC. Period. The women on the revival are lackluster in comparison to Virgina Vestoff and the *divine* Betty Buckley. Brent Spiner does a poor impression of William Daniels, and the only one with a performance worth listening to is Gregg Edelman's "Molasses to Rum."

Into the Woods- I prefer Bernadette, Chip Zien and Joanna Gleason to Vanessa Williams, Stephen deRosa and Kerry O'Malley. I like the orchestra better on the revival. MY vote would go for the London production.

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I would give anything to be in a production of 1776. Too bad it's not performed often. I assume the number of male performers and costume budgets are a bit excessive for most regional and amateur companies.

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I concur with everyone else, go with the OBCs for both.

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Me too, Mister Matt!

Get the OBCs. I prefer Gregg Edelman's "Molasses to Rum" and the London cast "He Plays the Violin." I really can't take Betty Buckley's version of the song - it's so harsh. I mean, girlfriend can obviously belt her face off but I just don't like it on that song. Love the woman on the London recording. But you need to have William Daniels as Adams. Spiner drives me up the wall - "It's a MAHHHstahPEYYYCE!"

I would say the OBC for Into the Woods. Vanessa Williams brought something new and different to the role, but that something didn't transfer to the recording.

The OBC of INTO THE WOODS is superior to the revival. The role was written for Bernadette Peters, which is not to say that no one else could sing it well, as Vanessa Williams does on the revival recording. But as a permanent record of the score for listening at home, the OBC is tops.

The OBC for 1776 is definitely superior to the revival but it lacks the brilliant Howard Da Silva as Benjamin Franklin (Da Silva was recovering from a heart attack and could not participate in the Broadway Cast recording).

The best recording ever of 1776, with one exception, which could be corrected on a CD reissue, is the 1972 film soundtrack which not only has the majority of the Broadway Cast, including William Daniels and Howard Da Silva, but also features superb expanded orchestrations by Eddie Sauter that really enhance the score. The exception is that the soundtrack LP omits the song, “Cool, Cool, Considerate Men”, which was recorded and filmed but cut from the film before its theatrical run; the song was restored to the film for the recent DVD home video release and the missing song is included along with a few other reprises on the briefly available 63 minute CD that I have which came with the Japanese deluxe laserdisc of the restored film. If the soundtrack is finally reissued on CD in the US it would not only be the best but also the most complete recording of 1776.

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