Favorite Sondheim song interpretations and performances

[broadwaysfguy]

Posted: 3/7/15 at 5:16pm

hi all

I love different peoples interpretations of Stephen Sondheim's songs ( ie. not from the original cast album )

Especially love in concert recordings, artist recordings from albums, and revival casts that vary from the OBC.

I'm ALWAYS looking for fantastic interpretations and recordings of Sondheim.


A few performances that opened up songs to me in new ways vs the original cast recordings include:

Moments in the Woods- Audra McDonald Youtube in concert
Not a Day Goes By- Bernadette Peters- Sondheim etc
Children Will Listen-Bernadette Peters-Sondheim etc
I am unworthy of your love-John Barrowman & Ruthie Henshell youtube
We're gonna be alright-Emily Skinner do i hear a waltz live


Who has favorite performances of favorite Sondheim songs they would like to share and discuss?

[Charley Kringas Inc]

Posted: 3/7/15 at 5:22pm

I've always enjoyed Harry Nilsson's mellow version of Marry Me A Little: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5CWyZhlheM

[Fantod]

Posted: 3/7/15 at 5:39pm

Mandy Patinkin singing Sunday with just the piano on his Sondheim album. Fabulous.

[morosco]

Posted: 3/7/15 at 6:01pm

Lately I've fallen in love all over again with Cleo Laine singing...
I Remember

[icecreambenjamin]

Posted: 3/7/15 at 6:17pm

Judy Kuhn is absolutely beautiful as Fosca on the 2013 cast recording of Passion.
Mandy Patinkin and Bernadette Peters recorded Evening Primrose on Patinkin's "Dress Casual" album and I think that it's probably the best recording of that score.
I also love the 2011 Revival recording of Follies due to it's clear quality and completeness.

[adam.peterson44]

Posted: 3/7/15 at 6:24pm

I love Kelli O'Hara's version of "What More Do I Need?" from her Always album- gorgeous singing. Brian Stokes Mitchell has an interesting international samba-rhythm version of Something's Coming on his eponymous album.

Updated On: 3/7/15 at 06:24 PM

[wonkit]

Posted: 3/7/15 at 6:52pm

Raul Esparza singing "What Can You Lose" from DICK TRACEY, with Mary-Mitchell Campbell on the piano - at his American Songbook recital a few years back. Takes my breath away.

[humbugfoto]

Posted: 3/7/15 at 7:25pm

David Kernan singing "Could I Leave You?" on the Side by Side by Sondheim album.

[madbrian]

Posted: 3/7/15 at 7:38pm

Loudon's medley


Loudon

[Hest882]

Posted: 3/7/15 at 8:28pm

Bernadette Peters' Johanna. I first saw her sing it live twenty years ago and it's still my favorite rendition of that song.

[Cupid Boy2]

Posted: 3/7/15 at 8:44pm

Bernadette Peter's Send In The Clowns; Laura Benanti's So Many People; Patti LuPone's Being Alive

[GlindatheGood22]

Posted: 3/7/15 at 9:10pm

Marin Mazzie's Losing My Mind might be the best performance of any song I've ever seen, period.
Watch it Here.

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 3/7/15 at 9:12pm

Morosco, for some reason that Cleo sings Sondheim video special used to pop up a lot on the Women's channel (a Canadian basic cable station,) in the 90s. I LOVE her interpretations--but the videos verge, in a good way, on camp. I love the oh-so-literal take on Losing My Mind. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jALrRhRCqt0

[pc1145N2]

Posted: 3/7/15 at 9:15pm

Patti Lupone's Being Alive from her Live album

[Showface]

Posted: 3/7/15 at 11:34pm

-Meryl Streep- Last Midnight, Stay With Me, and Witch's Rap

-Julie Andrews- Could I Leave You

-Bernadette Peters- You Could Drive a Person Crazy, Broadway Baby and Not a Day Goes By

-Patti LuPone- Ladies Who Lunch

[PalJoey]

Posted: 3/7/15 at 11:54pm

Unfortunately there's no video, but I think my single-most-favorite Sondheim performance is Nancy Walker's rueful and introspective rendition of "I'm Still Here," from the very first Sondheim tribute event in 1972. Here's the recording of her from what came to be known as "the Scrabble album":

http://youtu.be/l3CwCpwrV8M



I actually prefer her version of the song to that of Yvonne De Carlo, for whom Sondheim wrote the song.

It may have been done as well or differently since, but never better.

[broadwayboy223]

Posted: 3/8/15 at 12:20am

Man what I wouldn't give to see a Into the Woods Revival with Audra as Bakers wife and Patti lupone as the Witch. That would be an amazing show.

[beilis32]

Posted: 3/8/15 at 12:29am

I don't Know if this is what you'd like because it was in an actual performance of the show but in the New York City Opera version of A Lititle Night Music, Maureen Moore does an absolutely genius Every Day A Little Death. Also seconding Marin Mazzie's Losing My Mind, plus there's a version of Pretty Lady from Pacific Overtures which through the magic of sound engineering has Mandy Patinkin singing all the parts. I found it all on Youtube. I love this thread!

[binau]

Posted: 3/8/15 at 12:48am

Bernadette Peters - In Buddy's Eyes

Bernadette Peters - Send in the Clowns

Bernadette Peters - No One is Alone

Bernadette Peters - Anyone Can Whistle

Bernadette Peters - Goodbye for Now

Bernadette Peters - Take me to the World

Donna Murphy - Losing My Mind

[broadwaysfguy]

Posted: 3/8/15 at 1:15am

found a cool link on buzzfeed to 15 fav video performances of sondheim songs by various artists, including a number mentioned on this feed

http://www.buzzfeed.com/louispeitzman/unforgettable-stephen-sondheim-songs#.aimpqbBdND



Updated On: 3/8/15 at 01:15 AM

[broadwaybabywannabe2]

Posted: 3/8/15 at 2:27pm

is it such a crime to love everything Barbra sings from the SONDHEIM song book?...so I do!

personal favorites are...
EVERYBODY SAYS DONT
THERE WONT BE TRUMPETS with the sublime A QUIET THING from FLORA THE RED MENACE...(which is not SONDHEIM but KANDER & EBB...who I also adore)
SEND IN THE CLOWNS
MOVE ON
PUTTING IT TOGETHER




Updated On: 3/8/15 at 02:27 PM

[ekline1]

Posted: 3/8/15 at 2:47pm

Audra's "Glamorous Life" really hits me. Then again, so does anything Sondheim!

[imeldasturn]

Posted: 3/8/15 at 3:20pm

Elaine Stritch's I'm still here! She sang it so many times that it's hard to remember she never played Carlotta!

[#1CarrieFan]

Posted: 3/8/15 at 4:09pm

One of my favorite renditions of Being Alive is from Ute Lemper. Sorry, I don't immediately recall that solo album's title, but I highly recommend it.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 3/8/15 at 4:49pm

Cleo Laine's "Sondheim Album" is one of the best.