Best Cast Recordings of All Time?- Page 2
Best Cast Recordings of All Time?
#25Best Cast Recordings of All Time?
Posted: 3/25/12 at 5:13pmThe original off-Broadway recording of Little Shop of Horrors is personally one of my favorites, even if the score isn't entirely captured and the voices can be very echo-y. But what's there has yet to be beaten, in my opinion.
Blactor
Understudy Joined: 8/11/11
#26Best Cast Recordings of All Time?
Posted: 3/25/12 at 5:24pm
Oooooh, good question. I have a lot of favorites...
OBCs of Chicago, Ragtime, Sweeney Todd and Hair, off top of my head.
#27Best Cast Recordings of All Time?
Posted: 3/25/12 at 5:44pm
In my opinion,
A Chorus Line, original broadway cast
Ragtime, original broadway cast
and
The Last 5 Years (weird, I know.)
#28Best Cast Recordings of All Time?
Posted: 3/25/12 at 7:08pmI've long wondered why the Little Shop album is so echo-ey--was Phil Ramone trying to give it a "wall of sound" quality? But it's a great recording.
#29Best Cast Recordings of All Time?
Posted: 3/25/12 at 7:41pm
A Chorus Line OBC
Company OBC
and ever since BK retouched Promises, Promises I haven't been able to stop listening- it was always one of my favorite scores but the job Krizterland did on that CD still blows me away!
#30Best Cast Recordings of All Time?
Posted: 3/25/12 at 9:42pmI had just assumed the recording was done on the cheap.
#31Best Cast Recordings of All Time?
Posted: 3/26/12 at 12:13am
It's probably cliche at this point to mention the show, but I believe the Original Canadian Cast Recording of The Phantom of the Opera is absolutely superb. Jeffrey Huard's musical direction gives the orchestrations the most crisp and clear representation of the score, and Rebecca Caine as Christine is a wonder. I am by no means a fan of Colm Wilkinson's interpretationn of the Phantom on the recording. That seems to be a popular opinion. It's over-enunciated (sp?) and awkward, though his live performance is quite likeable.
While not a cast recording per se, I belive both the concept albums for Evita and JCS are incredible.
Not being a great fan of Sondheim, the OCR of Passion is beautiful.
Lastly, a gulity pleasure is the cast album of Blood Brothers with Kiki Dee.
Some great mentions on this thread that I will definitely be checking out.
#32Best Cast Recordings of All Time?
Posted: 3/26/12 at 6:43am
The great thing about the library is that you can listen to a show for free. If you don't like something, just return it, no money lost.
Boy, this post brought back a lot of memories. Back in the 70's, growing up in San Francisco, when a CD was just a way to invest your money, and new cars had 8-track players, I learned so much about Broadway albums by borrowing OBC records from the library. Yeah, some of them were well-worn and scratchy, but the thrill of listening to SOUTH PACIFIC, GYPSY, or MY FAIR LADY for the first time as I pored over the liner notes has stayed with me 40 years later. I saw the recent revival of SOUTH PACIFIC 4 times and every time I had tears in my eyes at the big cymbal crash at the end of the overture. I couldn't figure out why, until I realized that, hearing that cymbal crash instantly brought be back to 1972, listening to the OBC record in my parent's living room, wondering if I would ever visit New York and see a Broadway show in person. Even though I've lived here awhile, the wonderment never ceases.
BTW, while at the library, check out Stanley Green's "The World of Musical Comedy", which served as an amazing tool for guiding me through the history of musicals.
shane54
Swing Joined: 3/7/10
#34Best Cast Recordings of All Time?
Posted: 3/26/12 at 8:08am
Broadway
A Chorus Line (OBCR)
Ain't Misbehavin' (OBCR)
On The Twentieth Century (OBCR)
The King and I (OBCR)
Sweeney Todd (OBCR)
Company (OBCR)
Evita (LuPone)
Into the Woods (OBCR)
Sound of Music (OBCR)
Guys and Dolls (Faith Prince revival)
City of Angels (OBCR)
Parade (OBCR)
The Rink (OBCR)
Off Bway
Grey Gardens (OOBCR)
Little Shop of Horrors (OOBCR)
Closer Than Ever (OOBCR)
March of the Falsettos/Falsettoland (OOBCR)
West End
Les Miserables (OLC)
ChildrenwillListen
Featured Actor Joined: 3/12/12
#35Best Cast Recordings of All Time?
Posted: 3/26/12 at 1:08pmI forgot Into the Woods. Yes I LOVE Into the Woods!
#36Best Cast Recordings of All Time?
Posted: 3/27/12 at 1:12am
BTW, while at the library, check out Stanley Green's "The World of Musical Comedy", which served as an amazing tool for guiding me through the history of musicals.
Excellent suggestion. The last 1/4 of the book give details on each show and includes a discography of available recordings along with brief comments and recommendations. (of SWEENEY TODD he writes "A savory shepherd's pie, lovingly served on two platters." LOVE IT!)
Many of the older operetta recordings (on Capitol and Readers' Digest) are LP's that are hard to track down but again your library may be able to help.
Cast albums are NOT "soundtracks."
Live theatre does not use a "soundtrack." If it did, it wouldn't be live theatre!
I host a weekly one-hour radio program featuring cast album selections as well as songs by cabaret, jazz and theatre artists. The program, FRONT ROW CENTRE is heard Sundays 9 to 10 am and also Saturdays from 8 to 9 am (eastern times) on www.proudfm.com
#37Best Cast Recordings of All Time?
Posted: 3/27/12 at 2:27pmI like the LITTLE SHOP original album as much as anyone, but there are so many cuts and the tempos are taken so slowly, that I can't say it's one of the best.
#38Best Cast Recordings of All Time?
Posted: 3/27/12 at 2:40pmIf only it were more complete, the film soundtrack to Little Shop would be perfect. Ad it is, I still consider it near to definitive.
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