Best Gypsy Cast Recording?

[Lovinbroadway2]

Posted: 3/26/15 at 7:22am

What do you think is the best Gypsy recording?

Updated On: 3/26/15 at 07:22 AM

[chewy5000]

Posted: 3/26/15 at 7:24am

You need all of them.

[Demitri2]

Posted: 3/26/15 at 1:10pm

By far the most entertaining is the London studio cast album starring the unbelievable Kay Medford. After hearing FUNNY GIRL's mama sing Rose, the score will never sound quite the same.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 3/26/15 at 1:11pm

You need all of them except the Kay Medford.

[imeldasturn]

Posted: 3/26/15 at 1:18pm

All of them, really. Every Rose brought something new and different (btw, 2003 BCR has the best orchestra). And apparently we're getting a new one in a couple of weeks!
https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/New-West-End-GYPSY-Cast-Album-Featuring-Imelda-Staunton-Gets-Release-Date-20150325

Updated On: 3/26/15 at 01:18 PM

[Gothampc]

Posted: 3/26/15 at 1:28pm

You need Merman and Lansbury. Every other recording is flawed.

[tazber]

Posted: 3/26/15 at 1:30pm

^^^^
In what way?

[Fantod]

Posted: 3/26/15 at 1:31pm

Merman's is the best

[Gothampc]

Posted: 3/26/15 at 1:35pm

"In what way?"

Tyne Daly - voice trouble (says she was sick when she recorded it)

Bernadette Peters - whiny and self-indulgent, scratchy voice

Patti LuPone - zero subtlety, plays the Mama Rose Monster

Bette Midler - don't know what happened here but she just doesn't light on fire

Updated On: 3/26/15 at 01:35 PM

[tazber]

Posted: 3/26/15 at 1:41pm

I agree with Tyne, hers is the one I like least.

And also Peters is less than her best (I never considered her whiny, but I do hear the scratchy voice).

I like LuPone and Midler though.

I'm with Fanotd however in that I think Merman is still the gold standard.

[wickedfan]

Posted: 3/26/15 at 1:52pm

The best recording is the video of the full Tyne Daly production that's online. Full score, best supporting cast, Daly's voice is in better shape than on the cast recording (which I still love despite that), and the orchestra under Eric Stern is otherworldly.

If you've got 2 1/2 hours to spare, sit and watch. It's riveting.

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 3/26/15 at 1:54pm

The LuPone Gypsy cast recording has several songs that were cut, though, which I think are worth having. (The "Small World/Mama's Talkin' Soft" counterpoint is a personal favorite.)

[Reginald Tresilian]

Posted: 3/26/15 at 2:19pm

They're all of worth, but the LuPone is the only one I actually listen to.

[Mr. Nowack]

Posted: 3/26/15 at 2:36pm

Stick to the OBC. Sure there are minor cuts but I find it to be the most enjoyable listen to.

Though in realty I listen to a GYPSY recording in its entirety pretty rarely.

[Reginald Tresilian]

Posted: 3/26/15 at 2:40pm

It really comes down to what you enjoy the most, I think. And it's easy enough to sample the various recordings to see which you respond to.

[gavyj]

Posted: 3/26/15 at 2:40pm

LuPone's recording is the only one I listen to. I especially love the additional songs. "Who Needs Him" is really worth buying the whole album, in my opinion. However, I am very interested in the Imelda Staunton recording. The clips of I've seen of that production look amazing.

[Demitri2]

Posted: 3/26/15 at 2:40pm

What I wouldn't give to hear Ann Sothern sing ROSES'S TURN again. She performed it unlike any other of the Roses I've heard in the past. If anyone knows of its existence please let me know. And to the OP, I was only kidding about Kay Medford's recording. It's beyond bad. For me the Merm's version is the definitive one with Lansbury and Peters next. I would also recommend passing on Midler's which I had had high hopes for.

[ljay889]

Posted: 3/26/15 at 2:45pm

I find Daly's voice unpleasant and grating on both the cast recording and video, no sublty and no vibrato. LOVE her acting though.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 3/26/15 at 3:38pm

Did Kaye Ballard every play Rose? I know Joanne Worley did a production in LA years ago.

[Mr. Nowack]

Posted: 3/26/15 at 4:06pm

^^^^^^
There's supposedly an audio bootleg of Ballard as Rose out there. It's the holy grail for my one friend.

[Claudia Draper]

Posted: 3/26/15 at 4:24pm

We all know that BARBRA's STUDIO recording of the score will be the new standard. Even if we wont get it until she is 75 !! Of course, there are rumors that she recorded the score in the 80's .. i don't believe that but it is BARBRA, after all.. nothings impossible

Updated On: 3/26/15 at 04:24 PM

[Gothampc]

Posted: 3/26/15 at 4:52pm

"There's supposedly an audio bootleg of Ballard as Rose out there."

I just see her as someone who could have played Rose and given a good performance.

[Peter2]

Posted: 3/26/15 at 4:56pm

I agree that Tyne Daly's recording is disappointing, but she, and that whole production, was sensational on stage. I never expect to see better. (I saw it early, before her voice started to go, apparently.)

[binau]

Posted: 3/26/15 at 4:59pm

They're all flawed.

Tyne's voice is horrible.

Lansbury's orchestra is horrible (that 'bounce'-like drum in Rose's Turn makes it sound like a comedy sketch), and I don't think her Everything's Coming Up Roses is very ferocious (cf. Brantley's description of Bernadette: "what may be the angriest, most disturbing version ever of 'Everything's Coming Up Roses.'", or LuPone's version, where she sounds like she is going to rip your head off).

Not much sense of acting to me in Merman's.

LuPone is a bit self-indulgent (but I love it).

Bernadette sounds like she is trying very hard to sing the songs (but I also love it).

Overall, I'd rank the recordings LuPone>Peters>Lansbury>Merman>Tyne.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 3/26/15 at 5:02pm

"I don't think her Everything's Coming Up Roses is very ferocious"

But didn't Lansbury choose to make Rose more loopy and not the ferocious monster that Merman had portrayed?