Favorite Overtures- Page 2

[rjjn]

Posted: 8/26/10 at 3:40pm

Gypsy
South Pacific
Chicago
West Side Story

[frontrowcentre2]

Posted: 8/26/10 at 4:16pm

GYPSY an CANDIDE are obvious choices but would still top my list.

Actually for me, just about ANY Jule Styne Overture (GENTLEMEN PREFER BLONDES, PETER PAN, BELLS ARE RINGING, SUBWAYS ARE FOR SLEEPING, DO RE I, FUNNY GIRL...) captures the brassy sound of Broadway at its best. There is an excellent collection of Jule Styne Overtures available:

http://castalbums.org/recordings/Everythings_Coming_up_Roses_The_Overtures_Of_Jule_Styne_Vol_1_Jack_Everly_and_the_RCA_Victor_Symphony_Orchestra/5086

Jerry Herman's MAME and MACK AND MABEL fit into the same category, and his DEAR WORLD is wonderful too.

The version of the Overture used at the start of the movie WEST SIDE STORY is terribly exciting. I also like the overture to WONDERFUL TOWN and the (apparently unused) overture to ON THE TOWN.

Technically "The Carousel Waltz" is not an Overture but on its own I rank it as one of the greatest concert music pieces of the 20th century. Rodgers' Overtures are all beautiful, especially SOUTH PACIFIC, and THE KING AND I. The Rodgers & Hart Overtures are not as well known but the ones for BABES IN ARMS, ON YOUR TOES and PAL JOEY are all great.

COMPANY doesn't have an Overture, but if you Arthur Fiedler's Fabulous Broadway to Hollywood CD you will hear a terrific 8 minute medley taken from the score of COMPANY that could very well serve as an Overture. The Overture from MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG is another favourite.

After seeing and hearing the recent revival I would have to include FINIAN'S RAINBOW: one great tune after another.

One other collection well wort checking out is taken from an Lp Lehman Engle conducted in the 1950s called Curtain Going Up. It preserves 10 classic overtures from BLOOMER GIRL, CALL ME MADAM, KISS ME KATE, ON THE TOWN, BELLS ARE RINGING, GENTLEMEN PREFER BLONDES, CAN-CAN, SILK STOCKINGS, WONDERFUL TOWN, and FINIAN'S RAINBOW. (The CD adds two bonus tracks of LI'L ABNER and GOLDILOCKS.) It is out of print now but turns up frequently in used CD stores and on E-Bay.

http://castalbums.org/recordings/Curtain_Going_Up_Overtures_of_Broadway_Hit_Shows_1958_Broadway_Overtures/6797

[bryan2]

Posted: 8/26/10 at 4:53pm

Mack and Mable#1
Funny Girl
Gypsy
Annie
Dear World
oh I love all good overtures
And I HATE when people talk during them

[tazber]

Posted: 8/26/10 at 4:54pm

1 - Gypsy 5'20'
2 - Sweet Charity 3'36'
3 - Seven Brides For Seven Brothers 3'39'
4 - Guys And Dolls 4'14'
5 - The King And I 5'57'
6 - The Unsinkable Molly Brown 4'52'
7 - Gigi 4'27'
8 - On Your Toes 4'12'
9 - Kiss Me, Kate 6'56'
10- The Music Man 3'29'

1 - My Fair Lady 3'29'
2 - Carmen Jones 2'18'
3 - The Phantom Of The Opera 2'12'
4 - Silk Stockings 5'42'
5 - Oklahoma 5'44'
6 - Gentlemen Prefer Blondes 5'02'
7 - Candide 4'27'
8 - Singin' In The Rain 3'34'
9 - South Pacific 6'56'
10- Funny Girl 5'40'

1 - The Pajama Game 5'05'
2 - Annie Get You Gun 4'12'
3 - Paint Your Wagon 5'07'
4 - High Button Shoes 5'01'
5 - Flower Drum Song 5'06'
6 - On The Town 4'28'
7 - Cats 2'41'
8 - Bells Are Ringing 4'56'
9 - Pal Joey 4'23'
10- West Side Story 5'15'
Another fantastic compilation (3cd set)

Updated On: 8/26/10 at 04:54 PM

[artscallion]

Posted: 8/26/10 at 5:02pm

I have that Taz!

I'm also a big fan of "On the twentieth Century" and I really love "She Loves Me"

[ClapYo'Hands]

Posted: 8/26/10 at 5:12pm

I do get dissapointed by the constant lack of overture...so much so that I was surprised when going to see Sweet Charity the other day that there WAS an overture. I probably haven't seen a show with an overture for a very long time.

I also hate it when productions cut overtures. I saw the 50th Anniversary Production of West Side Story. And whilst being a flawless production, they just didn't play the overture!

[tazber]

Posted: 8/26/10 at 5:19pm

I miss them too, but I think they are gone for good.

[morosco]

Posted: 8/26/10 at 5:23pm

Woman of the Year has a nice overture

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 8/26/10 at 5:24pm

"I also hate it when productions cut overtures. I saw the 50th Anniversary Production of West Side Story. And whilst being a flawless production, they just didn't play the overture!"

West Side Story was not written with an Overture. That was added for the movie. The stage score begins with the Prologue.

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 8/26/10 at 5:30pm

And I agree with frontrowcentre about pretty much any Jule Styne overture (besides Gypsy I favor Fade Out, Fade In from his shows).

And, again agreeing with frontrowcentre, the overture to Candide is amazing. I would rank it right up against the overtures to Carmen and Le Nozze di Figaro amongst some of the tops ever written.

[ClapYo'Hands]

Posted: 8/26/10 at 5:31pm

Fair enough, but I much prefer it with an overture. Oddly, that is the only production out of the 5 (?) i've seen that didn't have an overture.

[twinbelters]

Posted: 8/26/10 at 5:44pm

Gypsy and Candide, natch.

But I love the overtures to:

Li'l Abner
110 In The Shade (OBC, mistakes and all)
Juno
Donnybrook!
Subways Are For Sleeping
The Golden Apple
Promises, Promises
Anyone Can Whistle (which, oddly, one time I heard emanating from one of those rube-goldberg type gum dispensing machines in Navy Pier Chicago)

[garyl]

Posted: 8/26/10 at 8:20pm

Merrily We roll Along
Little Me
No Strings
All American
Bye Bye Birdie

[christian_drake]

Posted: 9/7/10 at 2:22am

Annie
Les Miserables
Crazy For You

Those are a few that come to mind.

[dramarama3]

Posted: 9/7/10 at 2:37am

All things considered, I think The Producers has an excellent overture. I also love Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and Guys and Dolls (Overture and Runyonland)

[mormonophobic]

Posted: 9/7/10 at 2:53am

Gypsy and Candide are my two favorites.

Edited to add: I didn't realize these were such popular choices. I'll also throw in Ben Franklin in Paris. Truly marvelous! Updated On: 9/7/10 at 02:53 AM

[Inigomontoya]

Posted: 9/7/10 at 4:44am

Merrily we roll along is my favorite
Gypsy, and funny girl are also wonderful

[defygravity24]

Posted: 9/7/10 at 9:44am

I loved the Promises, Promises overture.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 9/7/10 at 11:14am

A few of my favorites that haven't been mentioned:

Goldilocks (one of the top ten, in my opinion)
First Impressions
Urinetown

[twinbelters]

Posted: 9/7/10 at 11:32am

Oh yeah, Goldilocks has an amazing overture, and is among my favorite cast albums ever. I was listening to The Grand Tour over the weekend and that has a great overture. Still my favorite Herman score, I think.

[fitzykatebaldwinfan]

Posted: 9/7/10 at 11:38am

Finian's Rainbow
Gypsy
Curtains
The Drowsy Chaperone

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 9/17/10 at 12:54am

Miss Saigon with the sound of the helicopter rotter fading into the music.

[MadameLibrarian212]

Posted: 9/17/10 at 6:10pm

carosuel waltz (it may not be an overture, but its gorgeous)
the little mermaid
south pacific
light in the piazza
the pajama game
phantom of the opera

[JOak]

Posted: 9/17/10 at 6:30pm

Follies
The Grand Tour
Nine
Gypsy
Mame
Dear World

[uncageg]

Posted: 9/19/10 at 1:04pm

AccuRadio has a station dedicated to overtures. Scroll down, it is to the right of the "Broadway Cares" station with the "Hairspray" logo. I am listening to it now:

http://www.accuradio.com/broadway/