Any CHESS Fans?- Page 3

[pianojohn]

Posted: 10/22/07 at 12:25pm

I prefer the complete recording to the single disc Broadway one. Also, there is a live recording which I have from 1994:

Chess In Concert (1994 Swedish Concert Cast) by Lena Ericsson, Bjorn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson, Karin Glenmark, and Tommy Korberg (Audio CD - 1996)

Available at http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw/102-4046430-2977726?initialSearch=1&url=search-alias%3Dpopular&field-keywords=chess&x=15&y=12

And I was lucky enough to see the 1992 production at Paper Mill Playhouse. Beautiful, very well sung, and it combined the best of the London and NY productions.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 10/22/07 at 2:55pm

I felt that the Danish Freddie had the "raw" qualities that Adam has, but executed them in a much better way.

He just has these hard nasally vowels that grate my nerves.

"...and my game is a big sensa-SHAAAA-AAAAAAAA-AAAAANNN!!!"

[sparkleplenty]

Posted: 10/22/07 at 3:02pm

I saw a production of this at the Terrace Theatre in Long Beach, CA with Jodi Benson. The show was great and so was she. So many intense numbers. I thought it was better than what I was lead to expect.

[starlyricist]

Posted: 10/22/07 at 3:07pm

I felt it worked for him, but yeah, it's not the prettiest sound to come out of a man's mouth.

[sweetestsiren]

Posted: 10/22/07 at 8:10pm

It's funny, because I have every recording as well, and I think that Adam's Freddie is probably the best-sung I've heard. I guess a lot of it has to do with preferred vocal styles. Murray Head is great on the concept album, but sounds terribly strained in any of the live versions I've heard of the original London cast. Varla's probably my second-favorite Freddie, with the Danish tour cast being overall enjoyable. I think that the orchestrations are a major strength of that recording, so I'm surprised that some people dislike them so much.

Now, as for Anatoly? To my mind, no one has come close to topping Tommy Körberg.

[EponineAmneris]

Posted: 10/22/07 at 9:45pm

I adore CHESS. Very much.

Josh Groban as Anatoly, Judy Kuhn as Florence and Adam Pascal as Freddy *swoon*