Brigadoon Recording

[CockeyedOptimist2]

Posted: 8/17/10 at 7:58pm

I'm craving some Brigadoon and don't have a recording of it. Any suggestions for good ones and what makes them especially good? Thanks in advance!

[Mildred Plotka]

Posted: 8/17/10 at 8:27pm

The studio recording with Brent Barrett, Rebecca Luker, and Judy Kaye and the studio recording with Florence Henderson studio cast are both fantastic. The former has more of the score, and a superb cast. The Henderson is my favorite and many consider it the best (not in terms of completeness, but that's not something I need in a good Brigadoon record).

[nobodyhome]

Posted: 8/17/10 at 8:46pm

"The studio recording with Brent Barrett, Rebecca Luker, and Judy Kaye and the studio recording with Florence Henderson studio cast are both fantastic."

I think you mean Shirley Jones.

For me, nothing matches the OBCR in terms of performances, but it's lacking really major material.

I'm not as much of a fan of the McGlinn recording (with Barrett, Luker, and Kaye) as others are, but it's good to have almost all the music.

I have a fondness for the London revival recording. The Lehman Engel recording (the one with Shirley Jones, Jack Cassidy, and Susan Johnson mentioned by Mildred Plotka) is also very good.

For that matter, the JAY recording is good as well, with an especially well sung Fiona from Janis Kelly. It's too bad that the complete version of that recording (if there really is a complete version) has never been issued.

So I have no real recommendation except to say that they're all good to excellent. I think there's no real clinker among the major recordings of the score.

[Mildred Plotka]

Posted: 8/17/10 at 8:55pm

Oh crap, I do. SS

Aren't they basically the same person?

[best12bars]

Posted: 8/17/10 at 10:21pm

The best overall recording is the Barrett/Luker/Kaye studio version. Absolutely beautiful production all around.

But I do like the Shirley Jones/Jack Casidy studio recording, primarily for the brilliant vocal performance of Susan Johnson as Meg.

[TimesSquareRegular]

Posted: 8/17/10 at 11:13pm

Another vote for the Barret/Luker/Kaye recording ...... 79 minutes of terrific performances!

[darquegk]

Posted: 8/17/10 at 11:46pm

I have to say, I like Brigadoon, but "Almost Like Being In Love" drives me CRAZY, because as a lifelong Rat Pack fan, the song is ingrained in my head as a lightly swingy, jazzy tune. To hear it perpetually sung straight, even slightly operatic just seems "off" to me.