Collecting original cast albums?- Page 2
Collecting original cast albums?
#25re: Collecting original cast albums?
Posted: 4/17/05 at 1:59am
Riv mentioned the recent reissues of the old Decca studio cast operettas, and yes that genre is ignored. Fans of PHANTOM OF THE OPERA would do well to explore shows like THE DESERT SONG and THE NEW MOON. My favourite of the reissues was BABES IN TOYLAND because my old 10" LP was so worn.
I regret that EMI dropped plans to reissue the 9 Gordon MacRae 10" Lps of RED MILL, NAUGHTY MARIETTA, STUDENT PRINCE, MERRY WIDOW, VAGABOND KING, NEW MOON, STUDENT PRINCE and DESERT SONG and KISS ME KATE. Would have made a great 3 CD set!
I am amazed at how many show albums have been reissued on CD... some I NEVER thought would come out: HAPPIEST GIRL IN THE WORLD, JUNO,BRAVO GIOVANNI, OH CAPTAIN! The new collectors have a great time now to get into collecting!
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
riv
Leading Actor Joined: 3/6/05
#26re: Collecting original cast albums?
Posted: 4/17/05 at 10:00am
I have to say I found the Alfred Drake studio cast of The Vagabond King to be most entertaining. Coupled with Drake in Kern's Roberta made for a terrific CD. I believe Vagabond King often gets overlooked or overshadowed, probably because it wasn't written by Sigmund Romberg. If Romberg had written it, his big three (The Student Prince, The Desert Song, The New Moon) might be considered a big four.
FrontRow, you're absolutely correct in that these past few years have been a collector's delight. I only hope the youngsters out there realize this and get some of this great stuff, as well as the ones you mentioned. A lot of them probably think of these shows as "old," but they're new if one hasn't heard them before. Many of them may not be available forever and they're relatively inexpensive.
bwaymyway
Understudy Joined: 5/8/04
#27re: Collecting original cast albums?
Posted: 4/17/05 at 10:17amI buy everything. I'll look up obscure musicals on amazon.com and listen to the sound bits...If they sound interesting, I'll buy them. I have like 200 of them stored in my clost, because I had no other place for them, haha. I'm a little bit obsessive.
but most of all i yearn to be astonishing...
fetzles1490
Featured Actor Joined: 4/16/05
#28re: Collecting original cast albums?
Posted: 4/17/05 at 10:35am
i guess i'd say a TINY bit a, but mostly b and d. I'll buy OCRs for shows that i havent seen or been in; avenue q. i havent seen it but i LOVE the music, so i have the OCR. but then take wicked. ive seen it twice. i LOOOOOOOVE it. so obviously, i have the OCR. i have a ton of them though. heres a small section of the ones i have:
-wicked
-avenue q
-a chorus line
-west side story
-man of la mancha
-once on this island
-seussical
theres more. but those are my favorites.
#29re: Collecting original cast albums?
Posted: 4/17/05 at 2:19pmI buy what i like, if i hear good things about it than maybe i'll try it, most of the time i download a couple songs from the musical before i buy it.
playbill_signer_05
Leading Actor Joined: 1/23/05
#31re: Collecting original cast albums?
Posted: 4/17/05 at 2:38pm
I'm a D, but I'd absolutely be an A if I could afford it. 
worrell4077
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/11/04
#32re: Collecting original cast albums?
Posted: 4/17/05 at 3:32pm
I'm a B and C because I own the ablums to the shows I have seen(LSOH, TBFO, The Producers, Avenue Q, Wicked, The Frogs, Chicago), and then there's the two for the performers( Assassins for Neil Patrick Harris and Urinetown for Hunter). I also have SPAM on order, and I will purchase DRS and Little Women.
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