Favorite Company Cast Recording?- Page 2

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 7/1/08 at 11:39pm

I love, and have a great deal of respect for the original, but my heart will always lie with the '06 revival, because that production was how I came to know (and love) Company. It was my first full exposure; my first real exposure to the show was the original recording, but I didn't get it until I saw it for myself.

I also have a soft spot for the 2001 Brazilian recording.

Updated On: 7/1/08 at 11:39 PM

[chip08ME]

Posted: 7/1/08 at 11:44pm

THe OBCR is hands down the best recording. Dean Jones' Bobby is so real, even on recording, in a way that no one else can ever get close to. And Stritch is perfection.

But I do enjoy Lester on the London recording, if only for his rendition of 'Marry Me a Little.'

But the OBCR has Jones, Stritch, 'Tick Tock', Pamela Myers' definite performance of 'Another Hundred People', it's just so perfect.

Though, I do enjoy the dialogue in the 2006 revival recording.

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 7/1/08 at 11:50pm

OBC. I listened to it in anticipation for the revival and it stuck with me.

I hate the dialogue on the '06 revival.

[MrSweetNAwful]

Posted: 7/2/08 at 12:02am

1. OBCR
2. Doyle Revival
3. London Revial
4. Roundabout Revival

I can't listen to Roundabout that often, the truncated orchestrations are just pathetic.

Raul's my fav Bobby followed closely by Dean whereas Elaine's my fav Joanne followed closely by Barbara.
Heather Laws nailed Getting Married Today in Doyle's production, Pamela Myers in the original gives my favorite delivery of Another Hundred People.

[jv92]

Posted: 7/2/08 at 12:26am

But Raul is SOOO self indulgent. Dean Jones and (even if he sings it a little bith like a lounge singer) Larry Kert are so much better. I don't get this Raul-love. Jones makes me weap. Esparza makes me cringe.

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 7/2/08 at 12:49am

JV2-
I agree. Esparza left me colder than the ice blocks they stood on. I never felt anything for any character. Jones and Kert were terrific.

[jewishboy]

Posted: 7/2/08 at 1:54am

I have many different preferences when it comes to "Company." If I had to listen to a Company recording in its entirety, there is no doubt that the Original Broadway Cast Recording is the only one I would choose. For me, there is nothing, NOTHING redeemable about the Roundabout Revival cast. I find Ms. Cox to be boring (I do usually enjoy her) and Boyd Gaines is just OK. As for the Doyle revival, I was in awe with Raul Esparza’s interpretation of Bobby at the theater, but on the recording it is on the cold side (though his rendition of "Being Alive" does rank up there with the best). The rest of the cast, with the exception of Ms. Walsh, is absolutely dreadful (even more so than the Roundabout's company).

I thouroughly enjoy Sam Mendes's London Revival Recording and find the title song on that CD to be the best. Adrian Lester's voice is on the "Kermit" side, but his sympathetic, vulnerable, and somewhat foolish version of "Marry Me A Little" is just brilliant! But, the best part about the London recording is Sophie Thompson's "Not Getting Married Today." Yes, the New York accent is too heavy, but the mental unstabibility she brought to the manic Amy comes through well on the recording (without being over-the-top).

Now honestly, does anything really compare to the McKechnie, Browning, Myers trio? Or, the original "Sorry-Grateful" trio for that matter? And how about the perfect combination of orchestration and voice in Pamela Myers "Another Hundred People"? I do agree with others about the raw and emotional quality Jones brings to his numbers (his "Barcelona" duet with Browning is just unmatched). His “Someone Is Waiting” and “Being Alive” truly have not been surpassed (well I might make an exception for LuPone’s version of “Being Alive”).

Alright I'll be the first, and only, person to say it... I like Barbara Walsh's "The Ladies Who Lunch" over Strich's. So sue me.

Updated On: 7/2/08 at 01:54 AM

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 7/2/08 at 2:38am

I like Barbara Walsh's "The Ladies Who Lunch" over Strich's. So sue me.

Jewishboy, you will be hearing from my lawyer soon :-p
That statement added to the "boring Veanne Cox" statement just killed me! You know I'm just playing with you, but still! To be fair though, I did adore Walsh in the theatre (thought she stole the show from the hammy Esparza), but when it comes to listening to "The Ladies Who Lunch" I'm all about LaStritch.
I disagree about Cox as well, I find her to be just thrilling. Her comedic shops just work so well for Amy. What do you find boring about her performance in the recording?

The rest of the cast, with the exception of Ms. Walsh, is absolutely dreadful (even more so than the Roundabout's company).

I completely agree with you on this, although my favorite "Side By Side/What Would We Do Without You" comes from the '06 revival, if only because of Heather Laws wonderful "he's my best friend...second best."

[LadyRosecoe]

Posted: 7/2/08 at 3:13am

The bombastic, dynamic 70s orchestrations will always be ingrained in the soul of Company for me. The OBC is one of my top five favorite cast recordings of all time; I get so excited listening all the way through the cd and rarely skip a song which is a rarity for me. I think Dean Jones is the best Bobby I've ever heard, but nothing can beat the rendition Boyd gives on "Marry Me A Little." I wish Dean got to perform that on disc at some point down the line, I'm sure he would've lent his special quality to it.

When not talking about the original cast, I think that Veanne gives the most panic-induced, yet collected take on it similar to Madeleine Kahn. The clarity of her wording is also rather unmatched in my opinion which I'm sure Sondheim must have been pleased about. The 95 cast also does have the vocal parts distinctly stand out while making up the whole as somebody pointed out already, each line comes through much more clean than the original does.

I enjoy that dialogue from the show is preserved on the newer recording, but just for the sake of having it rather than what I'd intend on listening to. It's also probably got my favorite "Poor Baby" on it, the female voices are killer and I'm not fond of the song normally so the orchestration doesn't bother me much.
Updated On: 7/6/08 at 03:13 AM

[jaso937]

Posted: 7/2/08 at 11:00am

When I did the production we used the 95 recording simply because the sound quality was better according to the music director. I preferred Dean Jones over Boyd Gaines and LOVE both La Chanze and the originals "Another Hundred People". I hate what they did with that song and "Drive Person Crazy" in the 2006 production and Paul's voice in that production (i liked the kind of operatic baritone in the 95 recording). I personally love the 2006 recording though, if nothing but for Raul and Barbra Walsh

[fosca3]

Posted: 7/2/08 at 11:55am

I have the OBC and London, but the one I keep coming back to is the London

I don't think Lester is perfect as Bobby (I prefer Esparza really), but he's fine, and I think the rest of the London cast is flawless

I wonder if it depends on which one you listen to (repeatedly) FIRST?

The London was the first one I bought and listened to, so maybe that is why

Otherwise, I'm in the minority here....

[viola13]

Posted: 7/2/08 at 12:03pm

While it's not my favorite (I have a fondness for both the 2006 revival and OBC, depending on the song) I have this odd fascination with the German cast recording, especially with "Company." I listened to it for hours on repeat when I first got it.

[misschung]

Posted: 7/2/08 at 12:17pm

I think it's a tie between the original recording and the Doyle revival. Mary Mitchell Campbell's orchestrations are superb and intricate, and my only criticism is the dialog that interrupts it.

And as for the original, there are just defining moments, like the opening to "Another Hundred People."

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 7/2/08 at 12:18pm

Oooh I want to hear this German recording.

[sondheimfan2]

Posted: 7/2/08 at 12:34pm

Here's another vote for the OBC.

[Scripps2]

Posted: 7/2/08 at 2:12pm

And another.

The real debate is which comes second; I don't know which I'd choose and it would probably depend on which side of the bed I got out of, but whichever it was it would be way a long way behind the first.

[monestere]

Posted: 7/6/08 at 5:59am

I saw Company in London in the 1970's starring Larry Kert. It featured the majority of the Broadway Cast and it was an evening of theater I will never forget. Kert was fantastic as Bobby and my favorite recording is the Original Cast Recording with Kert's vocals instead of Dean Jones that was released by CBS as the London Cast recording in the 1970's. I have heard every recording of Company since and none even come close to the level of brilliance Larry Kert brings to the role. He is simply the best Bobby ever as far as I am concerned. This recording is the hardest to find but the most rewarding of all Company cast albums and even if you personally prefer other recordings it is still worth hearing.

[Weez]

Posted: 7/6/08 at 6:04am

I listened to the OBC first. It took about six months for the show to grow on me. (For comparison: 'Into The Woods' took closer to two years, while I clicked with 'Assassins' and 'Sweeney Todd' straight away. I'm still waiting to click with most of 'Follies'.)

I only allow myself to have one recording of a show on my iPod. (I had some 'Cabaret'/'Dreamgirls' overexposure issues recently, thanks to Shuffle not shuffling well enough.) And the 'Company' recording I have on there is the Doyle revival. Hey, you wanted favourite, as in personally preferred, and not best, right? Well there we are. I do love the OBCR, but it's not the one I carry around with me, ready to switch on at a second's notice. :3

[chino]

Posted: 7/6/08 at 12:03pm

I really like the one with Esparza.

[Ryan4]

Posted: 7/6/08 at 12:34pm

By far, 2007 Doyle revival. The orchestrations on the original sound sooo dated now and the signing is pretty lousy on the revival from the mid-90s with Boyd Gaines.

Of course, you can't beat Elaine Stritch's "Ladies who Lunch" from the original, but as for the rest of the album, I like pretty much every other track from the latest revival better than the two previous productions. Esparza's "Being Alive" is by far the best recording of that song.