Cast Recording Preferences

[jonartdesigns]

Posted: 2/21/05 at 1:03am

Am I the only one on this board that when faced with purchasing a cast recording of the obc or a revival cast almost universally picks the revival?. For me it has to do heavily with the voice qualities, the older recordings seem to have a far more stiff "i'm singing very properly" aspect to them in comparison to newer voices. Take for example the 2 recordings of into the woods, specifically the "hello little girl" track- Gregg Edelman sounds far more lively than the original. Is this just a me thing or do others share this view?

[matthius202]

Posted: 2/21/05 at 1:04am

umm...mostly i understand what you're saying. but with Into the Woods...I take OCR FOREVER. i disliked the revival...immensely. i dunno..it just depends on the show

[Jwei123]

Posted: 2/21/05 at 1:12am

Based on what I've heard, I choose either the OBC, or revival cast...it really changes for each recording...

[apdarcey]

Posted: 2/21/05 at 1:14am

i usually buy the newest, because i prefer good quality, rather than the original performances. however legendary they might be.

Posted: 2/21/05 at 1:14am

I feel OBC always sounds better like if they redid Wicked with the current cast, I would still stick to Idina and Kristin over Sho and JLT althought I would prolly like it anyway.

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 2/21/05 at 1:16am

I'd prefer JLT and Idina...

But I like the Revival of fiddler better - but I like Zero more than Al...I wish they put more onto the OBC Fiddler...

[apdarcey]

Posted: 2/21/05 at 1:23am

i think the question was aimed at old musicals being revived today, not wicked or other new musicals. it's like would you buy the rosiland russel wonderful town or the donna murphy? the joel gray cabaret or the alan cumming? i think that's the point.

[Marquise]

Posted: 2/21/05 at 1:26am

don't bother apdarcey, they'll do anything to bring "wicked" into the conversation. Updated On: 2/21/05 at 01:26 AM

[EponineThenardier]

Posted: 2/21/05 at 1:37am

Usually I pick the revival. I guess it's because I'm more familair with the performers and possibly more liekly to perform in that rendition of the show.

But to be honest I've never thought about it that much.

[apdarcey]

Posted: 2/21/05 at 1:44am

a boy can hope, can't he marquise?

[wildcat]

Posted: 2/21/05 at 8:00am

I tend to go with BSoBw2's point: while I'll always go for the OBC recording because the show was created on those artists by the authors, the revival cast recordings tend to have more material on them. Although now with more OBCs being reissued on CD, a lot of bonus material is being dug up. For instance, I just bought the original Carol Burnett version of ONCE UPON A MATTRESS today on CD, largely because the leading lady is irreplaceable but to my delight there were three unreleased tracks I'd never heard.

[baddadnpa]

Posted: 2/21/05 at 9:27am

I always buy both.

[Aaron27]

Posted: 2/21/05 at 9:45am

I generally buy the Revival recording first and then either get the OBC later or buy other recordings on the artist. I think I like the revival recordings better because I'm familiar more with the artists and the quality is always better and the arrangements seem to be a little more contemporary. I have all the Gypsy recrods available, and it's cool to hear the subtle differences in each of them.

[My Fair Lady]

Posted: 2/21/05 at 10:08am

I buy the revival first, most of the time. I bought the Into the Woods OBCR better because I like it more. However, most of my cast recordings are revivals.

[CostumeMistress]

Posted: 2/21/05 at 10:09am

Updated On: 2/7/06 at 10:09 AM

[chess12]

Posted: 2/21/05 at 11:14am

I try to purchase one based on the production I've seen, e.g., CAROUSEL Lincoln Center over the original. If I'm lucky enough to see the original, e.g., INTO THE WOODS, then I don't bother with purchasing the revival unless I see it, too.

[broadway geek]

Posted: 2/21/05 at 1:47pm

I guess I'm in the minority. I prefer the Originals rather than the revivals, although I usually end up getting both. I prefer the original Cabaret over the new one, but mostly because of material, not performances.

I'll usually buy the revial if there is a performance that I want to hear on it, and that's how I end up with three recordings of Fiddler and Chicago.

If its something new that I've never heard before and there are two recordings I usually go for the original.

[apdarcey]

Posted: 2/21/05 at 1:53pm

i think it's funny that most revival-buyers have the original into the woods (including myself!). i guess you can't beat bernadette and chip and joanna.

[keatonbynumbers]

Posted: 2/21/05 at 1:55pm

I'm poor, too, so a lot of times I do go for the cheaper one, but I prefer OC's because they always seem to me to be the "definitive" recording. As for revivals, if I own a revival and not an original it might have something to do with having SEEN the revival and not having seen the original, which is also the case sometimes. I will tend to own the one I've actually seen.

But for most stuff, I'm a bit of a completist. I tend to buy any and all recordings of Sondheim, because... obviously. And I own every recording of Gypsy and Anything Goes, because they're my favorite shows.

[jonartdesigns]

Posted: 2/21/05 at 2:54pm

hmm i guess i'll be buying the original into the woods after all, even tho (*ducks and covers*)i like parts of vanessa williams' witch performance (specifically the line- "your family tree will always be a barren one"beacuse she sounds meaner) better

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 2/21/05 at 2:57pm

For me, it all depends. I prefer the revival cast of NINE to the original. I like the original INTO THE WOODS better, even though I'm a big fan of the revival. I always buy both.

Posted: 2/21/05 at 3:01pm

I am a cast recording whore sometimes so I buy them all!!!

Like Blood Brothers for instance:

Barbara Dickson version
Kiki Dee version
Stephanie Lawrence version
and the Petula Clark version are all on my shelf

(and the New Zealand and the Swedish/Danish versions too!)

[eslgr8]

Posted: 2/21/05 at 3:05pm

So many OBC recordings from the 60s/70s/80s are somewhat incomplete compared to the revival cast albums. Many revival recordings seem to do their best to fill as much of the 80 minute CD capacity as possible, whereas OBC recordings are often under 45 minutes because of their vinyl origins. I like the extra songs/instrumentals/dialog bits that are often part of revival recordings. Sound quality is usually much better too. Pre-stereo recordings are the most problematic for me. No matter how good the performances, monaural recordings are too flat to be really enjoyable. All that being said, there are OBC recordings whose performances make them preferable to the revival. One example, off hand, would be Carol Burnett over Sarah Jessica Parker in the original Once Upon a Mattress.

[TGIF]

Posted: 2/21/05 at 3:11pm

It really depends on the show. If I see a show on Broadway and I like it, I'll get the CR when (if) it comes out.

If I haven't seen the OBC or the revival I'll ask around which is the better.

[B.B. Wolf]

Posted: 2/21/05 at 3:30pm

I'm with eslgr8, I always buy the more complete recording. If that means the revival, so be it. If it's OBC, okay. If it's a concept recording, it's mine. But, all of this is filtered through who's actually doing the roles.
If John Raitt recorded it, I bought that version. Anyone else think the revival cast recording of Carousel was ****e? Blech.