Best Broadway Overtures (HELP NEEDED)

[ColorTheHours048]

Best Broadway Overtures (HELP NEEDED)#1

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]

Best Broadway Overtures (HELP NEEDED)#2

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

Not having Candide or the Carousel Waltz seems criminal

Hi, Shirley Temple Pudding.

[bk]

Best Broadway Overtures (HELP NEEDED)#2

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]

Best Broadway Overtures (HELP NEEDED)#3

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]

Best Broadway Overtures (HELP NEEDED)#4

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]

Best Broadway Overtures (HELP NEEDED)#5

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.

Cheyenne Jackson tickled me. AFTER ordering SoMMS a drink but NOT tickling him, and hanging out with Girly in his dressing room (where he DIDN'T tickle her) but BEFORE we got married. To others. And then he tweeted Boobs. He also tweeted he's good friends with some chick on "The Voice" who just happens to be good friends with Tink's ex. And I'm still married. Oh, and this just in: "Pettiness, spite, malice ....Such ugly emotions... So sad." - After Eight, talking about MEEEEEEEE!!! I'm so honored! :-)

[bwayfan7000]

Best Broadway Overtures (HELP NEEDED)#6

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

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

"Art, in itself, is an attempt to bring order out of chaos."-Stephen Sondheim

[perfectlymarvelous]

Best Broadway Overtures (HELP NEEDED)#7

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]

Best Broadway Overtures (HELP NEEDED)#8

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.

Nothing matters but knowing nothing matters. ~ Wicked
Everything in life is only for now. ~ Avenue Q
There is no future, there is no past. I live this moment as my last. ~ Rent

"He's a tramp, but I love him."

[Mister Matt]

Best Broadway Overtures (HELP NEEDED)#9

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)

"What can you expect from a bunch of seitan worshippers?" - Reginald Tresilian

[HeyMrMusic]

Best Broadway Overtures (HELP NEEDED)#10

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]

Best Broadway Overtures (HELP NEEDED)#11

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

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

[James885]

Best Broadway Overtures (HELP NEEDED)#12

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.

"You drank a charm to kill John Proctor's wife! You drank a charm to kill Goody Proctor!" - Betty Parris to Abigail Williams in Arthur Miller's The Crucible

[[tos]fan999]

Best Broadway Overtures (HELP NEEDED)#13

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.

<-----Bernadette Peters and Alexander Hanson in A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC.

Send in the clowns...Send in the crowds!

"I prefer neurotic people. I like to hear rumblings beneath the surface."-Stephen Sondheim

[Pianolin717]

Best Broadway Overtures (HELP NEEDED)#14

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

Finian's Rainbow Revival

[husk_charmer]

Best Broadway Overtures (HELP NEEDED)#15

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

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

http://www.youtube.com/huskcharmer

[CurtainPullDowner]

Best Broadway Overtures (HELP NEEDED)#16

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]

Best Broadway Overtures (HELP NEEDED)#17

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

Woman of the Year
42nd Street

[ColorTheHours048]

Best Broadway Overtures (HELP NEEDED)#18

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]

Best Broadway Overtures (HELP NEEDED)#19

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

Dear World.

"There are only two worthwhile things to leave behind when we depart this world of ours: children and art." -Sunday In The Park With George

[Mr Roxy]

Best Broadway Overtures (HELP NEEDED)#20

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

Ditto Dear World
Any Jerry Herman Overture
Any Jule Styne Overture

Poster Emeritus

[Dollypop]

Best Broadway Overtures (HELP NEEDED)#21

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

MAN OF LA MANCHA

"Long live God!" (GODSPELL)

[morosco]

Best Broadway Overtures (HELP NEEDED)#22

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

Mack and Mable

[CockeyedOptimist2]

Best Broadway Overtures (HELP NEEDED)#23

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

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

[philly03]

Best Broadway Overtures (HELP NEEDED)#24

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