FOLLIES Recordings - which one? — Page 2

If you do get the original 1971 cast (on Broadway Angel) it is cheap as are all the reissues in that series ($11.98 on Amazon) - The Lincoln Centre Concert (my favourite version) and the Paper Mill Playhouse (a very close 2nd) are both double Cd's and expensive ($23.98 - $25.9 though worth every penny as far as I am concerned.

The London cast used a much altered script (you'll find a synopsis in Kurt Ganzl's book of the Musical theatre) and was originally issued on 2 short Cd's. teh current "highlights" Cd is missing just one track - not a song really but an introduction to Act II (YES! They put an intermission it it for London!!) that is just orchestral noodling with some lines of dialogue over top. It's not at all important and by eliminating this track they could squeeze the rest onto a single CD. Still it is my least favourite version of the 4.

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The OBCR is the greatest, if abridged, recording. The performances, orchestrations and energy are spot on. Everything else is fine too, but the OCBR is the way to go.

At the end of the day, despites its major faults, I must vote for the Original Broadway Cast recording.

The London version is a little lifeless to me. The Papermill has a lot of razzamatazz...but little of the sadness that makes the show so powerful. The concert version is fun and Barbara Cook is peerless, but, like Papermill, little sense of the underlying ache that gives the show its unique emotional punch.

Updated On: 11/17/05 at 02:38 PM