Best Broadway Overtures (HELP NEEDED)

[ColorTheHours048]

Posted: 3/16/10 at 5:14pm

I'm compiling a playlist of musical overtures (got a craving to have one on my iPod while I walked to school today) and was hoping you guys could help me out.

Here's what I have so far:
SOUTH PACIFIC (have the revival, but which version do you think is best?)
GYPSY (same problem as SP, have the most recent revival)
THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA
URINETOWN
THE FANTASTICKS

[jasonf]

Posted: 3/16/10 at 5:23pm

Not having Candide or the Carousel Waltz seems criminal

[bk]

Posted: 3/16/10 at 5:24pm

Funny Girl
Subways Are For Sleeping (can't really go wrong with any Jule Styne overture so add Sugar to the mix).
Promises, Promises

The best Gypsy overture is the original cast recording but NOT the new CD version - get the older one, you know, before Tom Shepherd got his grubby hands on it and decided he was somehow better than Goddard Lieberson. Note to Tom: You're not, and how dare you muck around with history. I'd put a smiley face, but I'm serious :)

I also like the Henry Sweet Henry overture, love the Flower Drum Song overture, and Li'l Abner is fantastic, too.

[HeyMrMusic]

Posted: 3/16/10 at 5:26pm

The revival recordings of the South Pacific and Gypsy overtures are great. The original recording of South Pacific doesn't even contain the full overture.

Here are some good ones also:

Candide
Finian's Rainbow
The Full Monty
Merrily We Roll Along
Nine
West Side Story

In general, you can't go wrong with a Rodgers or Bernstein overture. Nothing like an old-fashioned overture!

~Steven

[lvpblues]

Posted: 3/16/10 at 5:29pm

I'll add On the Twentieth Century, Irma La Douce, and Mame to the list.

A shame too that there's not an official recording of Bernstein's overture to "1600 Pennsylvania Avenue." I really liked that one.

~K

[D2]

Posted: 3/16/10 at 5:30pm

In addition to those mentioned above, MY FAIR LADY - one of the classiest overtures ever. The 1959 London recording.

[bwayfan7000]

Posted: 3/16/10 at 5:41pm

I second Promises, Promises and add The Color Purple and A Little Night Music.

[perfectlymarvelous]

Posted: 3/16/10 at 5:42pm

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels is one of my favorite contemporary overtures...so many shows don't have them anymore but I love that David Yazbek seems to write them for his.

[Yero my Hero]

Posted: 3/16/10 at 5:48pm

HeyMrMusic, when you say WEST SIDE STORY, do you mean the prologue or the overture that was added for the movie?

Either way, a great choice.

I prefer the revival recording of GYPSY just because of the sound quality. I have the original and it's always sounded thin and tinny. Maybe there's a remastered version somewhere that I don't have, though.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 3/16/10 at 5:49pm

Candide, Carousel, and On the Twentieth Century are always at the top of my list.

Also:

Oklahoma (1979 Broadway revival)
Goldilocks
First Impressions
Irma La Douce
Do Re Mi
The Rothschilds
Rags
Crazy For You
Promises, Promises (Original London Cast)
Anything Goes (1987 Broadway revival)
Show Boat (1993 revival)
Sweet Charity (Original Broadway Cast)

[HeyMrMusic]

Posted: 3/16/10 at 6:02pm

Yero, yeah, either or. I think I meant the real Overture, but the Prologue is a phenomenal orchestral piece.

~Steven

[jewishboy]

Posted: 3/16/10 at 6:17pm

Follies
Sweet Charity
Show Boat (try to find the the McGlin version)
No No Nanette

[James885]

Posted: 3/16/10 at 6:23pm

I think that the show as a whole is problematic, but I love the overture to Sunset Boulevard. It sets the tone of the show very well IMO.

The Chicago overture is also very good.

[[tos]fan999]

Posted: 3/16/10 at 6:37pm

I'm going to second the Funny Girl overture. Every time I listen to it I get chills.

[Pianolin717]

Posted: 3/16/10 at 6:39pm

Finian's Rainbow Revival

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 3/16/10 at 6:43pm

Not really a musical, but I love the overture to Judy at the Palace.

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 3/16/10 at 6:49pm

One of my favorite CDs is the collection of Rodgers and Hammarstein's overtures, which also contains the Carousel Waltz.

[morosco]

Posted: 3/16/10 at 7:20pm

Woman of the Year
42nd Street

[ColorTheHours048]

Posted: 3/16/10 at 7:35pm

I assembled my playlist thanks to all of your help. Thanks for all the great suggestions! If I could've gotten all of them, I would have. But I don't want to spend my ENTIRE iTunes gift card on overtures. Haha.

Here's the list:
THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA (Original Broadway Cast Recording)
A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC (Royal National Theatre Recording)
NINE (Movie Soundtrack)
CANDIDE (New York Philharmonic)
THE FANTASTICKS (Original Cast Recording)
PROMISES, PROMISES (Original Broadway Cast Recording)
SOUTH PACIFIC (Carnegie Hall Concert - had to do it for Gemignani)
CAROUSEL ('87 Studio Cast - again, Gemignani)
GYPSY (Original Broadway Cast Recording)
SWEET CHARITY (Original Broadway Cast Recording)
SUNSET BOULEVARD (Original Broadway Cast Recording)
CHICAGO (Original Broadway Cast Recording)
URINETOWN (Original Broadway Cast Recording)
MAME (Original Broadway Cast Recording)

[myshikobit]

Posted: 3/16/10 at 9:14pm

Dear World.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 3/16/10 at 9:16pm

Ditto Dear World
Any Jerry Herman Overture
Any Jule Styne Overture

[Dollypop]

Posted: 3/16/10 at 10:56pm

MAN OF LA MANCHA

[morosco]

Posted: 3/16/10 at 11:14pm

Mack and Mable

[CockeyedOptimist2]

Posted: 3/17/10 at 1:02pm

Keep the Revival of South Pacific. It's beautiful!

[philly03]

Posted: 3/17/10 at 1:08pm

-The Scarlet Pimpernel (Entr'Acte on CD, which is actually the overture for most productions!)
-A TALE of TWO CITIES