Best Album of Sondheim's Show- Page 2

Posted: 12/29/06 at 10:49am

how about a comparison/contrast of all the GYPSYs?

[ljay889]

Posted: 12/29/06 at 10:54am

Regarding the FOLLIES OBCR. I say you need to get it just because it has Collins, Smith, McMartin, and Nelson.. and don't forget Yvonne DeCarlo and Ethel Shutta. It's also pretty cheap in any store, and online. The original 4 will forever own those roles, and were without a doubt the best ever for the roles. BUT I don't think they were the best sung. Collins I would say was the best sung Sally ever. But Smith, Nelson, and McMartin all had pretty weak voices on the cast recording. Nelson and Smith sounded better live, imo. Critics also noted in their original reviews that McMartin had quite a weak voice.
Updated On: 12/29/06 at 10:54 AM

[ashbash1990]

Posted: 12/29/06 at 11:16am

I personally really like the original broadway cast of company...

[AngusN]

Posted: 12/29/06 at 11:24am

If you're going to buy Into the Woods, it has to be the OBC. Julia McKenzie is dreadful as the witch. She lacks power, tuneful singing, emotion and the vulnerability the witch exposes in the latter half of the show. Bernadette's portrayal of the witch is unsurpassable. Buy it today!

[theaterkid1015]

Posted: 12/29/06 at 11:25am

I actually have all but I think one of the major recordings of "Gypsy." I'm only missing Rosalind Russel.

My fave: Angela Lansbury alllll the way. It's so guttural and I love it! However, I have a fondness for Bernadette Peters since it was the first Broadway show I ever saw.

[BroadwayBound062]

Posted: 12/29/06 at 3:07pm

man you all know your Sondheim....

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 12/29/06 at 3:12pm

Passion OBC

I like the ORC for Into the Woods because of Laura Benanti as Cinderella.

[WickedGeek28]

Posted: 12/29/06 at 3:25pm

Assassins (2004) - A wonderful show and a complete recording.

[bob8rich]

Posted: 12/29/06 at 3:38pm

I actually have all but I think one of the major recordings of "Gypsy." I'm only missing Rosalind Russel.


Actually, Miss Russell's vocals were dubbed on the soundtrack by Lisa Kirk.

[musicaltheater1]

Posted: 12/29/06 at 3:49pm

Passion!

[SahDu]

Posted: 12/29/06 at 4:13pm

If I might ask...what would you all recommend for a version of Merrily We Roll Along...I'm having issues trying to decide what to buy. As far as I can tell the OBC is very expensive. Is it worth it? How about A Little Night Music?

As for Passion, I just recently got it and love it. Really great music...It slightly reminds me of Into the Woods at times.

Thanks!


Updated On: 2/15/14 at 04:13 PM

[ljay889]

Posted: 12/29/06 at 4:14pm

Actually, Miss Russell's vocals were dubbed on the soundtrack by Lisa Kirk.

- Yes. but in the film ROSE'S TURN is a mix of Kirk and Russell, and it's quite a good version. Plus Roz sings MR. GOLDSTONE, and SMALL WORLD (reprise) in the film.

[theaterkid1015]

Posted: 12/29/06 at 4:52pm

"Actually, Miss Russell's vocals were dubbed on the soundtrack by Lisa Kirk. " Thank you very much, I was unaware.

[nobodyhome]

Posted: 12/29/06 at 5:19pm

In addition, the current CD issue of the Gypsy soundtrack has bonus tracks of Russell's unused recordings.

What's also odd—apart from the fact that in the film and on the soundtrack, you can tell that "Goldstone" was recorded live on the set—is that while in the film "Rose's Turn" was a mix of Kirk and Russell, on the originally issued soundtrack record it was all Kirk. (Perhaps because they felt the switches between Rusell and Kirk would be too obvious when just listening.) The CD has that track, as well as the version heard in the film, but not one that's all Russell.

Re Into the Woods: Unfortunately, I don't think there's any fully satisfactory recording of the score. I'd probably go with the OBCR a bit ahead of the OLCR, but each has its strengths and weaknesses. The revival recording lags behind both but does have its points. I certainly like the recording more than I enjoyed the production in the theatre.

[uncageg]

Posted: 12/29/06 at 5:20pm

My personal favorite is "Merrily We Roll Along". It never comes out of my disc player at home.

[theaterkid1015]

Posted: 12/29/06 at 5:27pm

I have an off-Broadway version of "Merrily We Roll Along" with Michelle Pawk that I like.

(side note: WHY did that show fail? I saw a high school do it and it was one of my favorite shows I've ever seen.)

[JudasIscariot]

Posted: 12/29/06 at 5:30pm

Pick the up Into The Woods OBC, not the London version.

Chip Zien is the man.

[NathanLaneStalker]

Posted: 12/29/06 at 5:30pm

Bounce, The Frogs OBC, The Frogs/Evening Primrose studio cast, Gypsy OBC, Assassins 2004 Revival.

[theaterkid1015]

Posted: 12/29/06 at 5:34pm

I know you asked this a while ago, BroadwayBound, and it's not really a Sondheim recording, but, yes, "Kiss of the Spiderwoman" is worth getting, in my opinion.

[Shiksa Goddess]

Posted: 12/29/06 at 5:36pm

I think that it's a very personal decision which recording you get. I spent hours on Amazon listening to clips of them all to decide what feels right to my ears. Which recording is the best is subjective, so I suggest listening to some clips and decide which voices and orchestrations feel right to you. Besides, why spend money on something just because someone else thinks it’s “the best!” when you may not even like the voice quality of the lead actor? Hope that helps!

[anyanka1933]

Posted: 12/29/06 at 6:40pm

Follies: OBC
-As much as I enjoy hearing "I'm Still Here" by anyone willing to try it, Yvonne DeCarlo is the definitive Carlotta.
-Barbara Cook is wonderful as Sally but I still prefer Dorothy Collins' "Losing My Mind."
-and Ethel Shutta almost swings "Broadway Baby" and to me that's a good thing!

Gypsy: OBC with the 1989 Revival a distant second.
-Ethel Merman just owns Mama Rose. If you prefer a more dramatic actor driven performance than I would go with Tyne Daly's Rose. But be aware that even though Ms. Daly will break your heart with her pathos she fared much better onstage than in the recording studio.

Anyone Can Whistle: OBC
-For me this show has always needed a strong Cora. When Angela Lansbury sings "Me and My Town" and "I've Got You To Lean On" you know she's in charge. She may be going down but not without a fight.

Do I hear A Waltz: OBC and Pasadena Playhouse
-You cannot go wrong with either of these recordings. The OBC is a bit darker.

Company: OBC
-I have all the recordings and this is it. I rarely play the Circle in The Square or the London revivals. This one is the one.
Updated On: 12/29/06 at 06:40 PM

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 12/29/06 at 6:48pm

Company & Do I Hear A Waltz?

OBC of Follies would have taken the honors had it not been chopped up

[BroadwayBound062]

Posted: 12/29/06 at 9:37pm

A Little Night Music OBC is one of my favorites but the Studio recording is great also....

[frontrowcentre2]

Posted: 12/29/06 at 10:42pm

Sondheim shows are almost always best represented by the original casts, coached by the composer and in several cases written for the specific vocal strengths of the original stars.

WEST SIDE STORY, GYPSY and DO I HEAR A WALTZ? are all well represented by the OCR's - all available on CD from Sony.

FORUM has two decent cast albums. The original has the unbeatable original cast. The Nathan Lane revival is very good as well but suffers slightly from a reduced orchestra and a few trims here and there.

ANYONE CAN WHISTLE - While the concert cast provides some insight into some brief sections left off the OCR is under rehearsed. The OCR is so slick that those who hear it wonder why the show failed (until they read the synopsis.)

COMPANY - Sony’s remamster of the OBC is about as good as you'll ever get. The London version, which had Larry Kert overdub Dean Jones vocals, is not a satisfactory mix. Weak voices sabotage the 1995 Broadway and 1996 London revivals.

FOLLIES - Despite the maddening cuts, EMI's OBC is essential for what it does preserve. Piece together the missing segments from the Papermill Playhouse cast or the Lincoln Center Concert cast. Avoid at all costs the 1987 London revival.

A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC - OBC is the hands down winner and virtually note complete.

PACIFIC OVERTURES - The OBC is in need of a sonic upgrade - it was one of the first CD issues and we've come a long way in remastering since 1986. The recent revival cast is interesting but the original performances are more polished. If you really like the show TER's 2 CD set of the entire show (with all dialogue) is a must.

SWEENEY TODD - Nothing touches the original. Both the Concert cast and Broadway revival feature Patti LuPone and offer interesting alternates.

MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG - The problem here is that the show was rewritten and altered after the Broadway cast album was done. It presents a brassy Broadway sound that serves that material well. Of the two later recordings the 2-disc Jay/TER release includes the complete score as well as quite a bit of dialogue. (The RCA OBC is out of print. It is slated for reissue but it keeps getting delayed. It will be worth waiting for as it is said to include additional material left off the original issue.)

SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE - The OBC was a masterpiece of cast album production and an essential disc. The recent London cast has more dialogue and records some sections in the way they are performed on stage, while the RCA cast album made alterations for the home listener. (Ie. "The One on the Left" is included in "The Day off" instead of after "Everybody Loves Louis.")

INTO THE WOODS - Nothing beats the OCR. The London cast is a rough listen. The 2002 revival has its moments but is not nearly as enjoyable as the original.

ASSASSINS - the original off-Broadway cast give the best recorded performance but the revival cast includes "Something Just Broke" write for the London production and now an essential part of any ASSASSINS production.

PASSION - Angel's OBC weaves together dialogue and music into a beautiful 60 minute distillation of the show. The London cast is about 15 min longer and has a stronger Giorgio in Michael Ball but the female leads are miles behind their American counterparts.

BOUNCE - Still a work in progress but the Washington cast album reveals a lot of strong material in the score.

[KJisgroovy]

Posted: 12/30/06 at 3:14am

"Nelson and Smith sounded better live, imo."

How can you have an opinion about how they sounded live? Your profile says you are a teen male... um... what? Even if you have live recording... you should specify... hearing a live recording and actually hearing and seeing something live are entirely different experiences.

"Avoid at all costs the 1987 (Follies)London revival"

This is bizarre to me... Dolores Grey... Julia Mckenzie... Diana Rigg? Avoid at all costs? I don't understand this thinking... The complete London Recording of Follies is interesting not only because it preserves those performances but also because it gives an insight into the creative process and evolution of that show... the added and changed material is of interest to any real Sondheim fan... and how can you dislike "Ah, But Underneath"? Granted it is also on the Papermill cast... but... c'mon.

"The (Into the Woods) London cast is a rough listen. The 2002 revival has its moments but is not nearly as enjoyable as the original."

I just don't get this opinion... I think all three are different and interesting interpretations of the material that take the show in different directions... the London version being more harsh... and maybe a little scary... the Revival... kinda Disney-ish... I think all three have really magical moments that don't overlap... so I think all three are pretty important...


Which cast recording you like is totally a matter of opinion. Obviously.


kmc