First listen HELLO, DOLLY!- Page 2

[DAME]

Posted: 5/8/17 at 4:58pm

Dollypop said: "Dame, I have a very good Bose sound system. That's not the problem here: it's the lack of energy. It lacks the "Broadway sound". In fact, the orchestra could be mistaken for something out of vintage Hollywood. Precise but relaxed.

 

"

I have the same sound system.  Well I am so glad we have different Dolly recordings now to enjoy.  I am loving this one and I treasure the other ones as well.   I think that it is worth repeating that I wish they would have done a live cast album recording.  I think what is going on in the Shubert should be captured.  Not just because the affair she is having with the audience is so special.. but because it is happening today when it has been years since a broadway show felt this way. 

[JohnBoy2]

Posted: 5/8/17 at 5:24pm

Rather underwhelming, when compared to the Original Cast Recording, which is so full-bodied in its orchestrations. 

[Stage Door Sally]

Posted: 5/8/17 at 5:32pm

First listen, Bette is very good, Kate is WONDERFUL. David does a nice job with Penny In My Pocket. Overall, it's good. But it needs more dialogue between the songs. That would have perked it up a lot. 

It needs a punch.

Updated On: 5/8/17 at 05:32 PM

[binau]

Posted: 5/8/17 at 6:16pm

The stream (hopefully the stream only) doesn't appear to be the best quality and there is some distortion that is particularly obvious when the full ensemble is singing. Hopefully the actual recording will feel a bit more lively in those moments when the quality is higher (but I do wonder if there are external factors influencing the perception of liveliness too - it just is a slightly different experience being in a full theatre that is going crazy for everything they see on stage; and (in the case of Sunday clothes) seeing all the costumes. train, hearing it live etc. that is hard to replicate on an audio recording. 

Even the audience can change it from night to night I think - I saw the show twice a few nights before opening night and straight after opening night. The energy levels of the audience were very different and it does slightly change the experience. 

[Dollypop]

Posted: 5/8/17 at 6:19pm

...and a brisker tempo, although I do love the way the banjo plays against the strings and gives the orchestrations a nice turn of the century feel.

[theatreguy12]

Posted: 5/8/17 at 7:37pm

I think she sounds wonderful.  I haven't seen the show and I'm sure she does flash it up a bit on stage, but I like the restraint, and the classical way she delivers the songs.  

[Steve C.]

Posted: 5/8/17 at 8:05pm

As meticulous at Bette is, I'd have to hear this before commenting. Anyone listen to download v. actual cd ?

I can't believe it would be a slapped together "get it out" recording.

[Steve C.]

Posted: 5/8/17 at 8:13pm

I just found it on NPR First Listen

http://www.npr.org/2017/05/08/527191829/first-listen-hello-dolly-new-broadway-cast-recording

 
sorry if it's been posted already ; oops


(Only 54 minutes ...that's puzzling)

Updated On: 5/8/17 at 08:13 PM

[bk]

Posted: 5/8/17 at 8:15pm

I do think it's important to wait to hear the actual CD - we don't know what quality these clips are.  I know what I think already, and I've been doing this for a long time and my caveat is, of course, that I produced the 1994 recording, but just listening to the obviously low-quality clips I can say that, for ME, it suffers from what all cast albums today suffer from: a too dry sound and the inability to mix the vocals well (don't know why).  There simply needs to be more air (reverb) because whatever studio they used (and there are only a couple these days), the room was dead as a doornail - they've added some verb but it's not the right verb - there's a reason why Goddard Lieberson's albums sound amazing even today - it's the sense of space and air - we always tried to approximate that sound with our better technology because that sound IS the sound of a B'way cast album.  But I like Bette and some of the other voices - but the mix and sound are doing them no favors.  I'll have the CD on Friday.

[Steve C.]

Posted: 5/8/17 at 8:17pm

I wonder now if they're going to do a "Special Deluxe" edition with more, dialogue, dance music....2 cds ?  (More $$$$$ that way...)

[MichelleCraig]

Posted: 5/8/17 at 8:20pm

^^ I agree with you, bk. I'm waiting for the actual CD to arrive on Friday. I'm a little let down so far...love Goddard's albums as well as Thomas Z's, too. 'Til Friday!!

Updated On: 5/8/17 at 08:20 PM

[binau]

Posted: 5/8/17 at 8:21pm

bk, you raise a good point and it's so ubiquitous that we don't even really talk about it anymore (even though it has been brought up many times here) but as we came into the 90s and particularly into the 2000s cast recordings in general seem to always have exactly the issues you describe - it is like everyone is standing 5cm away from a Microphone and every sound is carefully recorded separately and joined together in a way that just doesn't happen when we perceive sound in real life. It feels like there is no space and also I often feel that the contrasts you hear between loud and soft singing gets lost on the recording. 

The 'quality' might be higher in that you can clearly hear every sound, every note, every orchestra member. But it just isn't natural. 

[binau]

Posted: 5/8/17 at 8:25pm

That said, this particular recording is not the worst example of what I describe above. To my ears it sounds much better than some of the cast recordings we got from around 2004-2010 (from one studio in particular I don't want to name and shame because I still do respect them). 

[morosco]

Posted: 5/8/17 at 8:25pm

bk said, " ...it suffers from what all cast albums today suffer from: a too dry sound and the inability to mix the vocals well (don't know why).  There simply needs to be more air (reverb) because whatever studio they used (and there are only a couple these days), the room was dead as a doornail - they've added some verb but it's not the right verb - ..."

I so agree with this.  I'm so tired of the dry sounds of most of today's cast recordings.  No sense of any space at all.

[MichelleCraig]

Posted: 5/8/17 at 8:26pm

^^ Totally agree with qolbinau: Perfectly recorded and empty...no energy or excitement. OK, I'm trying to shut up until CD arrives...

Updated On: 5/8/17 at 08:26 PM

[bk]

Posted: 5/8/17 at 8:27pm

qolbinau said: "bk, you raise a good point and it's so ubiquitous that we don't even really talk about it anymore (even though it has been brought up many times here) but as we came into the 90s and particularly into the 2000s cast recordings in general seem to always have exactly the issues you describe - it is like everyone is standing 5cm away from a Microphone and every sound is carefully recorded separately and joined together in a way that just doesn't happen when we perceive sound in real life. It feels like there is no space and also I often feel that the contrasts you hear between loud and soft singing gets lost on the recording. 

The 'quality' might be higher in that you can clearly hear every sound, every note, every orchestra member. But it just isn't natural. 

 

"

It's only natural if you put the right space around everything, and know how to mix.  It's ALL in the mix.  Listen to the original mix of Follies and then my remix - same recording, same everything, completely different listening experiences.  And I strove for that sound on every cast album I did - to have them sound like the albums I loved when I was growing up.

[fashionguru_23]

Posted: 5/8/17 at 8:35pm

Does anyone else hear Bette stumble over a line in "Put On Your Sunday Clothes"?

I will say that Kate Baldwin takes a song that I always skip over, and made it one of my favourite tracks on the album.

I do feel that out of all the cast recordings, this one actually sounds the most like there is a full steam train coming into my ears throughout "Sunday Clothes".

[BWAY Baby2]

Posted: 5/8/17 at 9:06pm

No one- and I mean no one- can do justice to this score like Barbra Streisand.

[Jarethan]

Posted: 5/8/17 at 9:38pm

BWAY Baby2 said: "No one- and I mean no one- can do justice to this score like Barbra Streisand.

 

Originally, I thought that you were kidding because I thought she was awful in the movie.  But she did do a great job on Just Leave Everything to Me, and I think her So Long Dearie is the best I have heard.  I thought Before the Parade Passes By was flawed...a little too affect for me.  I never liked the movie's version of Hello Dolly, due to the muted vocals, but I also thought she the best thing about the number (of course, along with Louis' cameo).

 

[carnzee]

Posted: 5/8/17 at 9:43pm

10086sunset said: "Perhaps I'm alone on the island with this but I find myself missing the nuisances of Carol Channing. 

 

You are not alone (no one is, if Sondheim is to be believed). I  too miss Channing's idiosyncratic vocal inflections. I miss how Carol's voice cracks on the word "good " at "tomorrow will be brighter than the good old days. " But Bette is good and of course has a prettier voice. 

Updated On: 5/8/17 at 09:43 PM

[Jarethan]

Posted: 5/8/17 at 10:38pm

I have to admit that the first time I heard this earlier today, I was major disappointed.  It simply didn't have the pizazz that the original Carol Channing recording did.  It seems to me that the orchestrations were muted (I HATED the overture) as were the 'cast singing crescendos', especially in the title number.  I severely missed the curtain call medley, again reaching its peak as Sunday Clothes transitions into 'We-ell, We-ell, He-el-lo Dolly', etc.  I don't think that opinion is going to change.  (I also thought that Better Midler sang her part of the title song too quickly).

But there are many pleasures.  First of all, 

David Hyde Pierce is terrific, although I do think he needs to admit that he is paying a little homage to Walter Matthau.  I have never (to my knowledge) heard Penny...and I loved it.  

Gavin Creel is SOOOOOO much better than Charles Nelson Reilly, who I saw several times and, even at 15 was wondering how they chose him.  Gavin Creel may be 40ish, but he comes across as wonderfully boyish.

I absolutely loved the way Kate Baldwin sang her songs.  I feared it would be just like Eileen Brennan and was delighted to discover that it was 'lighter' and warmer.  Just beautiful.

Although I missed the ending medley, I thought that what they did end with was beautiful.  (But, couldn't they have left the medley in...it was always my favorite part of the recording!!!)

For the first time ever, I understood every lyric.  Really...having played the original cast album hundreds of times over the last 50 years, I really missed a decent number of words or phrases until this recording (I never purchased anything other than the original).

Right now, ironically, I too miss Carol Channing, which I never thought I would say, since Bette has so much better a voice and at least as much star charisma.  I thought that Bette was more than fine, but I didn't feel that she 'wrapped herself' around every phrase she sang the way that Channing did.  Since Bette has a much better voice, I assume that I will come around and appreciate her unique contributions.

So, I am in a quandary...I am enjoying the secondary songs more (because of the singers) and the primary songs less than the original, because of the muted approach to them.

I finally see the show in 2 weeks and this will help set my expectations.  I know I will at least get an overture, but it is not going to be as good as it should be.  I know that I will not be getting goosebumps during the curtain calls (at least due specifically to the medley0.  I know I will be seeing a wonderful show that will undoubtedly create new memories, in some different places.

 

[BroadwayConcierge]

Posted: 5/8/17 at 10:42pm

Responding to Jarethan's point about Creel... he's 41 in real life. And nailing the boyish role of Cornelius. Isn't that amazing?!

[Wick3]

Posted: 5/8/17 at 10:59pm

BroadwayConcierge said: "Responding to Jarethan's point about Creel... he's 41 in real life. And nailing the boyish role of Cornelius. Isn't that amazing?!"

When I watched the show live, Gavin was amazing. I was fortunate enough to also see Christian Dante White perform as Cornelius and he was also topnotch (each has their own pros and cons but both were amazing.)

Comparing "Sunday Clothes" sung by Michael DeVries (1995 revival) and this one sung by Gavin Creel, I'll admit I get more excitement from listening to DeVries. Perhaps it's the orchestrations? the recording? Even Barnaby's "Holy Cabooses" remark seem more believable in the 1995 version.

 

[bk]

Posted: 5/8/17 at 11:24pm

Space.  Air.  Vocals where they should be.  And the most important thing to me when I'm producing - hearing every single note of the orchestration.  I LOVE orchestrations and I want to HEAR the damn things, all of it, every delicious line of it, especially THESE orchestrations.  The show really didn't need Larry Hochman's help, frankly.  Thanks for posting it - hadn't heard it in over a decade probably - it's not bad :)  And what a thrill it was to be nominated for a Grammy for it.

[goldenboy]

Posted: 5/8/17 at 11:54pm

Loved this on stage but this recording is lacking energy. The only good thing about this recording is Kate Baldwin who knocks it out of the park. what happenned to Bette's hilarous characterization on stage? It didn't come through on this recording. And I missed Channing. This recording is a Miss. I'll call it Miss Hello Dolly.