Encores CDs - Follies vs. Face the Music

[Fenchurch]

Posted: 7/7/07 at 1:21am

I just don't understand. Didn't SJS say during the Follies Q&A that there was no money to create a recording, and the general consensus was that there wasn't a market for it.

But I can't imagine the demand for a Face the Music CD being greater than the demand for a Follies CD with those names attached to it.


doesn;'t make sense to me.

[Boq101]

Posted: 7/7/07 at 1:39am

In terms of posterity, there are three other Follies recordings out already, Face The Music is saved as judiciously on cd and therefore I guess the demand for the music is higher. high enough to have a recording, I don't personally think so.

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 7/7/07 at 4:21am

I wondered this when the FACE THE MUSIC cast recording was announced. I just figured that audiences have the chance to get a number of FOLLIES cast recordings if they want to, however, since there is not a FACE THE MUSIC cast recording it is great that someone decided the score should be preserved for posterity and the cast is top-notch as well.

Updated On: 7/7/07 at 04:21 AM

[folkyboy]

Posted: 7/7/07 at 10:03am

right. it's better to record a show that has NEVER been recorded than to re-record one that's been recorded many times

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 7/7/07 at 11:27am

Have you heard Face the Music? I just got it and it is quite wonderful. We have 4 Follies discs already, plus, it would probably have to be 2 discs.

Perhaps the Irving Berlin and/or the Moss Hart estate paid for the recording.

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 7/7/07 at 11:33am

I'd also like to say (as this thread is pissing me off): rarely do record labels pay the entire cost of a cast recording. Perhaps Encores, Sondheim, etc didn't want to fork out the dough it would cost for another disc.

[Fenchurch]

Posted: 7/7/07 at 11:39am

Why would this thread piss anyone off?

Its just a question, and I still don't understand. Then who shelled out the money for this recording? I guarantee it's not going to sell well.

[Born To Reign]

Posted: 7/7/07 at 11:39am

Is it really pissing you off? Man, you've got a short fuse.

But I guess cast recordings, the music business, and the theatre business are just SO much better across the pond, huh? You can't stand us stupid Americans.

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 7/7/07 at 11:45am

Well I'm not slamming my head against my computer or anything. Pissed off was the wrong word.

I think we need to understand what goes into cast recordings before we get upset one thing got recorded over another.

As I said, Irving Berlin and the Moss Hart estates could have put up most of the cash.

I'm sure, in its early days, Encores paid for Call Me Madam, Pal Joey, Out of this World, and when those shows sold poorly, they backed off or Drg did as well.

This is just a case of money, and who has it. I'm sure this only put a little dent in the pockets of the Berlin/Hart estates.

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 7/7/07 at 11:52am

Why would this thread upset you?
I think Fenchurn poses a valid question. How many people are going to get this cast recording? Ten? The cast is great but who buys an album because of Walter Bobbie or Randy Graff? They'll most likely capitalized on the fact that it's an Irving Berlin score that hadn't been recorded before. Still, a cast recording from a Sondheim show that got rave reviews that would feature Victoria Clark, Victor Garber, Christine Baranski, and Donna Murphy would probably fare better (and still make no money).
I'm quite glad that the FACE THE MUSIC score got its own cast recording and I understand why FOLLIES didn't get recorded but I don't think what is being asked in this thread is outrageous or "wrong."

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 7/7/07 at 12:04pm

Oh, I'm not upset, PLEASE!

Have you heard or seen Face the Music> I listened to it with delight over those big, beautiful orchestrations, wonderful performances, and fantastic score I wouldn't have had a chance to hear.



I'd love Follies on disc again, but that too, probably wouldn't sell well (outside of us theatre junkies).

[BroadwayDoc]

Posted: 7/7/07 at 12:15pm

Bobby is right. The entire production costs for the CD was put up by the Estate of Irving Berlin and then they liscensed it to DRG to release it.

So, instead of being pissed off. Just raise the 100+ Grand and make sure things get recorded.

[Smaxie]

Posted: 7/7/07 at 12:16pm

I believe part of the deal with the Paper Mill Follies recording is that no other recording of the score can be made within a 10 year period of that recording's release. I didn't feel the Encores production was begging to be recorded, but I guess I'm in the minority. I'd much rather have Face the Music.

[Fenchurch]

Posted: 7/7/07 at 12:20pm

I'm glad they recorded Face the Music, but I always wish they had recorded Purlie and On a Clear Day

[Smaxie]

Posted: 7/7/07 at 12:26pm

Only Lilias White's performance of "He Can Do It" stood out in the Encores Purlie. Everything else is better performed on the Original Broadway Cast Recording.

I'd have welcomed a new version of On a Clear Day though, since the original recording is so distorted in spots. And I also enjoyed hearing the Overture and the Entr'acte as two separate entities, instead of the way they are combined on the OBCR.

Updated On: 7/7/07 at 12:26 PM

[AC126748]

Posted: 7/7/07 at 12:29pm

If any recent Encores production should have been recorded, my vote would go to the superb 2004 staging of the highly underrated PARDON MY ENGLISH.

[commasplice]

Posted: 7/7/07 at 1:24pm

I too would have loved a Pardon My English recording, or one of Of Thee I Sing, as the concert recording with Larry Kert is out of print and the 1952 album leaves something to be desired (for me, at least).

I'm still looking forward to buying Face the Music, though, since I loves me some Judy Kaye.

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 7/7/07 at 1:45pm

Anyone know if the Nonesuch Pardon My English is any good? I've been thinking about buying a copy.

[FranklinShepard-Inc.]

Posted: 7/7/07 at 3:54pm

Pardon my English is okay, it's the same standard as they did with Strike up th Band, Lady be good, Oh Kay! and Girl Crazy. I sometimes think the orchestrations are too tame, then again, they're the historically original ones. So fair enough.

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 7/7/07 at 4:10pm

Thanks FS-Inc.

[frontrowcentre2]

Posted: 7/7/07 at 4:38pm

Yes, the PARDON MY ENGLISH is well worth having. Actually all five of the Nonesuch series of Gershwin shows are excellent aural re-creations of what those shows would have sounded like when new. The LADY BE GOOD (with Lara Teeter, Ann Morrison and Jason Alexander) has sparkle to spare.

[AC126748]

Posted: 7/7/07 at 4:40pm

Bobby, the Nonesuch recording of PARDON MY ENGLISH is good, but nothing out of this world. The cast, other than John Cullum, leaves a bit to be desired. The recording is now out of print. It's great to have if you're a collector, but I don't think it's worth spending a lot of money. It's such a shame that no one could put up the money for a recording of the Encores production--Brian d'Arcy James and Emily Skinner turned in two of the most finely tuned musical comedy performances I've ever seen.

I do agree with FrontRowCentre: The LADY BE GOOD recording is definitely worth buying.

Updated On: 7/7/07 at 04:40 PM

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 7/7/07 at 4:44pm

Whaaa! But it's so expensive! I'll have to save my lunch money!

[AC126748]

Posted: 7/7/07 at 4:46pm

The LADY BE GOOD recording is $18 on Amazon, with used copies starting at $6.
http://www.amazon.com/Lady-Good-1992-Studio-Recording/dp/B000005J1V/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/102-9173762-7715345?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1183841111&sr=1-1

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 7/7/07 at 4:48pm

I just have Oh, Kay! from that series. I'll def check the others out. Thanks my cast album friends!