Another "Which recording should I get?" thread, but with a purpose

[mauriposa]

Posted: 10/16/06 at 11:35am

Next semester, I'm taking an English class in which we're studying the postmodern American musical, with special attention to the work of Stephen Sondheim. I'm super-excited and desperately want to start buying the recordings of all the shows I'm going to study. After eliminating the shows that have only one recording and the recordings I already own, I'm left with the following list (and, yes, I know I should be ashamed that I don't have some of them already). Please help me choose which recording of each show I should get.

Gypsy
Company
Follies
Pacific Overtures
Sweeney Todd
Merrily We Roll Along
Sunday in the Park with George
Into the Woods
Assassins

[Kitzarina]

Posted: 10/16/06 at 11:39am

I am SO JEALOUS of you right now! I would KILL to take a class like that!

IMO, I would go with the original cast recordings of all the shows. The casts are phenomenal and they give you a better idea of Sondheim's original vision (with the possible exception of "Sweeney Todd").

[hen88]

Posted: 10/16/06 at 11:49am

My suggestion is to get all the original Broadway cast recordings of all these shows. Unfortunately, most of them are out of print right now because of the shady stuff going on with the re-issues. But if you can't get your hands on the original casts, then get the revivals. The new London Cast Sunday ind the Park with George recording is pretty good, as is the new Sweeney Todd. I'm partial to the original cast recordings of Follies, Into the Woods, Pacific Overtures, Assassins and especially Company.

[enjolrasissex]

Posted: 10/16/06 at 11:52am

I woud reccommend getting the original recordings of all of those shows, with the exception of 'Sweeney'. Personally, with the exception of Angela Lansbury, I find the revival cast to be much stronger.

[Ciaron McCarthy]

Posted: 10/16/06 at 11:56am

"with the exception of 'Sweeney'. Personally, with the exception of Angela Lansbury, I find the revival cast to be much stronger." - Enjolras

Wow. That hurts my soul! Tunicks orchestrations on Sweeney are incredible!! Plus, Len Cariou is the only Sweeney I have ever seen with a soul (Hell look at my avatar =)

[EponineAmneris]

Posted: 10/16/06 at 11:57am

There is some real merritt to all three recordings of INTO THE WOODS, but the OBC is my fave and has the best performances

SWEENEY TODD revival with Patti Lupone and Michael Cerveris.

SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE with Mandy and Bernie

The others are purely up to you IMO Have fun with this

[enjolrasissex]

Posted: 10/16/06 at 12:01pm

Ciaron -

I agree, the orchestrations are amazing. And I do like Len Cariou (I love in ALNM), but on the 'Sweeney' recording...he just seems to overact a little. And, I also enjoy the rest of the OBC, I just feel the revival cast is stronger overall, if that makes any sense.

I'm sure he, and the rest of the cast, were much more impressive live.

[spiderdj82]

Posted: 10/16/06 at 12:02pm

With Sweeney . . . get the concert version with Patti Lupone and George Hern. Not only is there all the songs, but spoken dialogue as well.

Updated On: 10/16/06 at 12:02 PM

[BroadwayGirl107]

Posted: 10/16/06 at 12:10pm

I would strongly advise against the revival recording of Sweeney if you're only going to buy one. I know a lot of people here like it, but the revival is a re-imagination with very stripped-down orchestrations. I think you're much better off getting the OBCR because you hear the score as it was meant to be heard. And personally, I think the OBCR is far superior anyway.

For Assassins, a lot of people seem to like the original recording, which, again, is in it's original form, so it can't hurt. I personally prefer the revival recording with the fuller orchestrations and the various scenes that were recorded. I also prefer some of the performances.

But yeah, you're best bet is probably the original recordings.

[FoscasBohemianDream]

Posted: 10/16/06 at 12:15pm

Gypsy: most people agree that Ethel Merman is the ultimate Momma Rose and every collection of Gypsy *should* start with the OBCR. My favorite Rose on recording is Bernadette Peters from the 2003 revival.
Company: Original Broadway Cast, no question. The revival was mostly miscast and misconceived (i.e Debra Monk as Joanne, "Barcelona" played for the laughs instead of subtext, LaChanze's bland "Another Hundred People") and the London revival cast doesn't match the likes of Elaine Stritch, Dean Jones, Susan Browning, Pam Myers, and Donna McKechnie.
Follies: opinions about a definite recording of this show are mixed. Some believe the original cast can't be matched. Others dislike the OBCR due to the shameless butchering of the songs. The Papermill recording has almost every note written for the show, including most of the cut songs, and overall the cast is good.
Pacific Overtures: I prefer the original Broadway cast.
Sweeney Todd: nothing can beat the original cast recording of Sweeney Todd, especially because it includes the legendary performances of Angela Lansbury and Len Cariou, plus some of the most legendary orchestrations in a Sondheim piece.
Merrily We Roll Along: I particularly prefer the double-disc from the 1993 Leicester production with Maria Friedman.
Sunday in the Park with George: the new recording is more complete and the original recording is out of print, but in my opinion, nothing beats the beautiful print Bernadette Peters, Mandy Patinkin, Dana Ivey and Barbara Byrne leave on their roles in the original cast.
Into the Woods: original cast, no question.
Assassins: a lot of people prefer the revival recording, I like both and can't really choose one over the other. It depends on the performers you like better I suppose.

[FranklinShepard-Inc.]

Posted: 10/16/06 at 12:23pm

I'm all for the Original casts. Only for Follies you should get three recordings *lol* the OBC, the 85 concert cast and the papermill cast. And if you got money to spare get the 87 London Cast as well as it contains a few newly written songs that are on neither of the three other ones.

For Assassins the original cast is stronger in my opinion, likewise for Pacific Overtures. The Original London casts of Into the Woods and A little Night Music are quite good as well, I'd though get the OBC of these.

Though it is far from complete, I'd get the OBC of Merrily we roll along as none of the other recordings has the energy. And of course the beautiful original orchestrations.

[myManCape]

Posted: 10/16/06 at 1:12pm

Im going to chime in on just two:

Assassins- Go with the "revival" (aka OBC). I think the cast is better and the recording is more "meaty".
Sweeney Todd- Anything other than the Doyle revival. The show was amazing, but get one with the full orchestra.

[uncageg]

Posted: 10/16/06 at 1:22pm

I would suggest the OBCR and Doyle's revival of Sweeney. Also the revival of ASSASSINS. Merrily was really hard for me to find at a decent price so I ended up burning a friend's copy.

[mauriposa]

Posted: 10/16/06 at 2:51pm

Thank you all so much! This really helps.

[jewishboy]

Posted: 10/16/06 at 3:41pm

I am the only one in the world whi thinks this but, I love the revival on Into The Woods more than the OBC. I think that Vanessa Williams' witch is much more powerfull and scary, Laura Benanti's cinderella is the best... period, Gregg Edelman is suprisignly exciting and funny. But, the OBC's Joanna Gleason should not be missed.

THe only one you have to get two of is the Merrily one. You need the original becuase the performers are the right age and have a raw quality to them. But the york theater one is just amazing and it has Malcom Gets and Michelle Pawk, what more do you need.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 10/16/06 at 3:55pm

Gypsy: Sure, Merman's is the first and the best - but for the purpose of studying, I would recommend the Peters revival. It is the most complete and it's just easier to listen to. You can generally find Merman's pretty cheap. So buy both if you can - but if you can only get one - I would say Bernadette.

Company: OBC. The revival recording is enjoyable, but you MUST get the OBC.

Follies: For studying purposes, Papermill. Again, you can usually find the OBC pretty cheap - so buy both if you can - but the Papermill recording is the best.

Pacific Overtures: OBC. The revival recording pales in comparison.

Sweeney Todd: Eventually get both, but start with the original. The orchesrations are unbeatable.

Merrily We Roll Along: OBC. Revival recording is not great.

Sunday in the Park with George: OBC.

Into the Woods: OBC.

Assassins: Revival.

You may have some trouble finding INTO THE WOODS, SUNDAY IN THE PARK, and SWEENEY TODD - as they are all out of print. They are not making them anymore - I suppose they are preparing to release the "remastered" versions - but you will have a hard time finding them.

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 10/16/06 at 4:02pm

It depends what you like. I like getting the newer versions of anything because I like the "newer" sounds rather than the muffled sounding originals, but it's whatever you like. Most of the ones reiussed sound new, so that works as well.

[jewishboy]

Posted: 10/16/06 at 9:16pm

Actually I think the most accessible recording of Gypsy is the TV version with Middler. It really honors Merman but, has the "newer" sound. Personally The Peters' recording, while interesting, pales to Middler, Daly, and especially Merman.

[Caroline-Q-or-TBoo]

Posted: 10/16/06 at 9:23pm

Try and get the London Sunday In The Park With George.

I was a devotee to the OBC for years and, when I got the London recording, I just couldn't look back.

it's far superior, in my opinion.

Not to mention the new orchestrations are simply ravishing

[Gypsy9]

Posted: 10/22/06 at 12:37pm

For GYPSY: The OBCR with Merman, without a doubt. The digitally remastered OBCR sounds great and has a little bit of extended incidental music. But also get the Bernadette Peters GYPSY for the added dialogue here and there and for the extended music for some of the dancing.

For FOLLIES: In addition to others, get the London Cast recording for "A House in the Country" and a few other songs that don't appear in other recordings. The London FOLLIES is the only production that I have seen and I was mesmerized by it.

[McFrenzied]

Posted: 10/22/06 at 1:20pm

Mauriposa,
can you tell us what a "post-modern musical" means exactly? I know that post-modernism is a movement that mixes and borrows from other influences and goes outside the classical conventions of unity, continuity and time. How is that Sondheim? I think it would be used to describe something more like "Spring Awakening". What college offers this class? Sounds fascinating.

[mauriposa]

Posted: 10/22/06 at 5:29pm

McFrenzied,

As far as "postmodern musical," I don't really know yet. That was in the course description. Here's the full description:

This course will focus on the postmodern American musical, with special attention to the work of Stephen Sondheim. The premise of the approach is that musical theater in the United States has traditionally manifested many of the characteristics of what we now call postmodernism: self-referentiality, intertextuality, performativity. These characteristics were deemphasized during the Rodgers and Hammerstein era (1943 to late sixties) in favor of a stylistic realism. In the late sixties, as the R&H aesthetic became exhausted, writers and composers rediscovered the earlier characteristics, now newly charged in the intellectual atmosphere of postmodern culture. Through this frame, we will explore several musicals of the second half of the twentieth century and the first six years of the twenty-first.

It's being offered this Spring at Illinois State University. The official title of the course is "Literature and the Related Arts," so the subject matter changes with the professor.

[Broadway Baby4]

Posted: 10/22/06 at 7:27pm

I think you should get the original recordings of everything, no exceptions.