Angela Lansbury - Gypsy - Original London Recording

[RetroBoy]

Posted: 5/5/08 at 12:37pm

i feel like an "also-ran" as far as this topic is concerned.

i've heard great things about this recording and the revival, but i'd never heard the recording...that is until today!

wow, lansbury really shines as "mama rose" and zan charisse sounds amazing as "gypsy/louise" in the "let me entertain you/strip".

can't believe i didn't have this in my collection until now. i guess i'll make up for it by listening to it a couple of hundred more times.

looking forward to the lupone recording from time/life.

[WickedBoy2]

Posted: 5/5/08 at 12:51pm

Its many peoples favorite including myself.
Its orchestrations are brilliant.

Updated On: 5/5/08 at 12:51 PM

[ljay889]

Posted: 5/5/08 at 1:13pm

The orchestrations are the same as the original. The GYPSY orchestrations have never changed. They are too iconic.

The orchestra sounds pretty terrible on some points of this recording. Some bad notes here and there.

[philcrosby]

Posted: 5/5/08 at 1:17pm

I was lucky enough to Lansbury twice. She was funny, sexy, conniving, manipulative, and monstrous in the role.

And she sang the score better than any of the Rose's since, except perhaps for LuPone. (Based on the extant legit recordings only ... no flames about performances, please.)

[BigFatBlonde]

Posted: 5/5/08 at 1:18pm

The newsboy's accents always give me a chuckle.

They sound like they are recycled from Oliver.

Updated On: 5/5/08 at 01:18 PM

[best12bars]

Posted: 5/5/08 at 1:33pm

"I was lucky enough to Lansbury twice."

I just love it when she's used as a verb.

I Lansbury as often as possible myself!

[verynewyorkcurious]

Posted: 5/5/08 at 1:34pm

I've yet to Lansbury, which is unfortunate. I've recently Luponed a couple of times though.

[WickedBoy2]

Posted: 5/5/08 at 1:46pm

I didn't say they were different in anyway way! I simply said they were brilliant!
The 2 recordings sound very different - there was a gap of 15 years between recordings being released.

Updated On: 5/5/08 at 01:46 PM

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 5/5/08 at 1:47pm

Besty, you are so fabulous!

I wish a recording of the Broadway revival had been made if only to get the chance to hear Mary-Louise Wilson in "You Gotta Get a Gimmick."

[frontrowcentre2]

Posted: 5/5/08 at 3:21pm

The orchestra spoils it for me... small, tinny and way too many bad notes. (Did they only do one take of the Overture?) I also dislike the way they re-arranged "Baby June & her Newsboys" and "Dainty June and her Farm boys" for the album into a medley. Every other album has each routine in its own track.

On the plus side, Zan Charisse is my favourite recorded Louise/Gypsy, and Lansbury adds many subtle types of shading to the role of Madame Rose. Because the score was not tailored to her voice, however, you can hear her straining with the high notes.

Merman remains, for me, the best of all recorded Roses because the songs were written around her unique voice, plus she brings a ferocity to the role that none of the other actresses even approach.

[devonian.t]

Posted: 5/5/08 at 4:06pm

Oh, I misread philcrosby's original post.

I thought there was a discreet omission of the actual verb enacted upon the object, (Lansbury).

Now I fully understand, thanks to best12, I can also confirm that I Lansbury, but only at the weekends. Through the week I can often be found Channing.

[choitoy]

Posted: 5/5/08 at 11:43pm

I like it, but the main thing that bugs me about it is that the orchestra sounds a little too "cartoony" at certain sections.

For example, in "Rose's Turn", right after the "Ready or not/Here comes mamma" line, there is that big drum "boing" sound, where it makes it sound more comedic than it should be. I do like Angie's "mamma...mamma..." delivery though.

[zooxanthellae]

Posted: 5/5/08 at 11:51pm

I love love love this recording. I wish it moved a little faster though. Some People feels so slow on it. And besides from Lansbury, the rest of the cast is very weak, in my opinion.

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 5/5/08 at 11:56pm

I think the recording is alright. Lansbury and Zan Charisse are terrific, but the rest of the cast doesn't thrill me and I'm not wild about the orchestrations either. I actually do love the overture on this CD, if only for the trumpet solo.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 5/6/08 at 12:26am

I Lansburied only once, but I will remember it as long as I live.

[jewishboy]

Posted: 5/6/08 at 12:44am

I find Lansbury intense and interesting, but I'm not blown away by her on this recording. However, Zan Charisse is my favorite recorded Louise (that will unfortunately/fortunately change when we get Benanti on record).

[MTVMANN]

Posted: 5/6/08 at 12:59am

This is my favorite Gypsy Recording! Although, I didn't see ANY on Broadway (though I WILL see the current revival), from a recording perspective, I think this is the best!

Listen to her sing "For Me" in 'Rose's Turn', it is AMAZING. You really get that she is staying that SHE wants to be in the spotlight for once in her life! AMAZING!

However, I do wish that they would have recording her Broadway Cast, rather than her London Cast. She had more time in the role and it would have been great to hear Mary Louise Wilson and Maureen Moore!

[Unknown User]

Posted: 5/6/08 at 6:53am

i ***LOVE*** the cartoony sound of the orchestra!!!
that is honestly what grabbed me & pulled me in first!
it sounds like they are being conducted by Carl Stalling & i just love it!!!

it makes me wanna sing:

overture!
curtains, lights!
this is is it!
we'll hit the heights!
& OH what heights we'll hit!
on with the show, this is it!

[philcrosby]

Posted: 5/6/08 at 9:10am

Many thanks to 12BB for taking my typo and turning it into something delightful!

I try to Lansbury as often as possible.

To err is human, to Channing divine.

But I never, ever Menzel.

[devonian.t]

Posted: 5/6/08 at 10:39am

And your good taste is to be admired!

Right now I'm Stockard-Channing. It's a fantastic hobby.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 5/6/08 at 10:58am

I tried to Orfeh but all I got was gas.

[best12bars]

Posted: 5/6/08 at 11:06am

I try not to Menzel in other people's business. Only when I can Chenoweth with it.

But I have been caught Butzing once or twice...


EDIT: Norn---I love your description of the "Carl Stalling" orchestra! Too funny!

Updated On: 5/6/08 at 11:06 AM

[philcrosby]

Posted: 5/6/08 at 11:13am

I Butzed once, but I got a Rashad.

[best12bars]

Posted: 5/6/08 at 11:14am

LOL!

[doodlenyc]

Posted: 5/6/08 at 11:20am

Try Streisanding...very smoothing.