A Little Night Music - Judi Dench revival cast recording

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

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

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.

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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.

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

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

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

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.

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Just be sure to back up your files.

Did you try error correction?

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?

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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.

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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

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.

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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.

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