Gypsy Recording - which one?

[bwaybri2]

Posted: 7/7/08 at 11:02pm

Hey - I know Lupone and company have a recording coming out at the end of the summer - but which recording would you recommend to purchase - I am heading for the city and want to pick one up prior -

gracias
Updated On: 7/7/08 at 11:02 PM

[RyToast1]

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

I'd recommend Angela in regards to what's available right now.

[Zeitoujo]

Posted: 7/7/08 at 11:14pm

peters.

[OrdinaryJukebox]

Posted: 7/7/08 at 11:16pm

Wait for the LuPone recording!!

-Vincent

[frontrowcentre2]

Posted: 7/7/08 at 11:35pm

Always - ALWAYS - start with the original, in this case Ethel Merman (on Sony) - it is an excellent recording and preserves the show as created by the authors.

If you enjoy the revival pick up the new CD when it comes along. And if you really REALLY love the score try out some of the alternates.

The original can be obtained from Amazon for less than $10. Go for it.
GYPSY - 1959 original Broadway cast

[CurtainPullDowner]

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

Virgin in Times Square has been having a GYPSY sale, all CD's were ten bucks recently.
I'd go for MERMAN
PETERS
LANSBURY
DALY

In that order.

If you are a collector you will want to get the LuPONE because it will have un recorded stuff, but DO not PreOrder, the company that is producing it has a shaky rep and there may be some delays. And the extra stuff may only be available at certain stores.
Updated On: 7/7/08 at 11:39 PM

[wonderfulwizard11]

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

I've heard both Lansbury and Merman and I'd go for Merman's cast recording hands down. The orchestra sounds superb, and Merman of course is incredible.

[BrianIdol]

Posted: 7/8/08 at 12:07am

PETERS

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 7/8/08 at 12:56am

I have been informed by decent sources that the LuPONE will arrive on time and the extra cuts are available only form Barnes and Noble as with SOUTH PACIFIC.

But I still don't understand the PreOrdering, the record company collects interest on your money for like two months and you can buy it the day it comes out?

[monestere]

Posted: 7/8/08 at 6:18am

The 1959 Broadway Cast with Ethel Merman & Sandra Church is still, by a wide margin, the best recording of GYPSY. I don't think the new Lupone recording will change that. However there is much to enjoy in the other recordings, especially Lansbury's and the Peters recording has the fabulous Tammy Blanchard as Gypsy. If you can find it at a good price, the 1962 soundtrack has best orchestrations and the score is played fantastically by the 65 piece Warner Bros orchestra, with its still unsurpassed brass players, the greatest orchestra ever to play this score. Lisa Kirk, who dubbed most of Rosalind Russell's vocals for the film, is a fine singer but the pitch has been lowered in this version from the Broadway original for a better match to Russell's voice. Many do not like the soundtrack but it is worth hearing for that unbelievable orchestra, especially in "Let Me Entertain You" & "All I Need is the Girl" plus Ann Jillian in one of her earliest roles as Dainty June.

[philcrosby]

Posted: 7/8/08 at 9:18am

Merman, no question. Get the original and find out what started it all.

After that, I would say all the other recordings have something to commend them.

Lansbury, to see how she broke the mold, and made it possible for all the other interpretations that followed.

Daly, for her sheer ferocity and force of will.

Peters, to hear how a talented yet miscast actress can literally throw herself at a role, and come up with some interesting results. (Though, I find Peters just as hard to listen to as Daly ... the score is beyond her.)

Midler and Russell/Kirk -- they have huge orchestras behind them and, though not well realized, they are two true "star" performances.

[BrianIdol]

Posted: 7/8/08 at 11:16am

I have never understood how people can praise Bernadette Peters in one thread (for her performances in SITPWG and Into the Woods), and then say that she basically can't sing in others (Gypsy)...

I consider Peters to be one of the top B'way stars of my generation, and for someone to say that the Gypsy score is 'beyond her'....just doesn't make sense, and is kind of annoying.

[Ed_Mottershead]

Posted: 7/8/08 at 11:48am

Merman
Merman
Merman
Merman
Merman

[ljay889]

Posted: 7/8/08 at 11:54am

I'm sorry, Bernadette DID struggle with the score. Even on the recording. But I don't think it's totally her fault. They should have lowered her keys slightly. It's painful trying to hear her hit the final note of 'Everything's Coming Up Roses.' And I know she had problems with that note live too.

[frontrowcentre2]

Posted: 7/8/08 at 1:24pm

I have never understood how people can praise Bernadette Peters in one thread (for her performances in SITPWG and Into the Woods), and then say that she basically can't sing in others (Gypsy)...

Bernadette Peters is a fantastic actress and singer but with singing she is more a crooner than a belter. And GYPSY was written for a belter. So, it is not the most perfect match of performer and role. That said she gave a terrific performance and tried very hard to break the Merman mold. If she only partially succeeded it is because of the material and the way it was written, not any failings on her part.

[jewishboy]

Posted: 7/8/08 at 2:15pm

MERMAN!!!

[philcrosby]

Posted: 7/8/08 at 2:23pm

BrianIdol, in saying "Gypsy's score is beyond her" I didn't mean it as a personal slam against Peters ... she simply doesn't have the pipes for it.

Not every actor is born to play every role. I don't want to see Nathan Lane as Hamlet. Or LuPone as Nellie Forbush. (Peters would have made a terrific Nellie in her day.)

I loved Peters in Mack and Mabel, in Sunday, and in Into the Woods, all of which were tailored somewhat to her talents. She is certainly one of Broadway's most talented actresses. But that doesn't mean she's brilliant at everything. No one is.

[frontrowcentre2]

Posted: 7/8/08 at 6:25pm

I have been informed by decent sources that the LuPONE will arrive on time and the extra cuts are available only form Barnes and Noble...


Just to clarify what CDP posted, Time Life will issue GYPSY as a single CD running close to 80 minutes with the full main score plus 7 songs cut from the original production. 6 of the songs were never orchestrated, so new orchestrations by Jonathan Tunick have been done. The 7th song made it into the try-outs so the original orchestrations will be used here.

The Barnes & Noble special edition will include a bonus disc with additional material from the main show that would not fit on the first disc. This includes the Entr'acte, Exit Music, the final (dialogue) scene with Louise and Rose, The office scene with Miss Cratchitt, and some of the utility music used after songs to cover scene changes.

While all of this will be nice to have, it is really for the die-hard collectors and would not justify releasing full 2-CD set of GYPSY. The B&N deal giving them this exclusive incentive is one way to get the material to fans that really want it.

[morosco]

Posted: 7/8/08 at 6:47pm

Does anyone know if the Barnes & Noble GYPSY special edition is available on their site for pre-order? I sure can't find it. (I've always hated the Barnes & Noble search engine.)

[frontrowcentre2]

Posted: 7/8/08 at 6:50pm

Too soon yet...will probably be there around the middle of August.

[morosco]

Posted: 7/8/08 at 6:52pm

Ah. Thanks frontrowcentre2.

[bwaybri2]

Posted: 7/8/08 at 11:10pm

Thanks for all of your help with this -

[alxscrz2]

Posted: 7/8/08 at 11:52pm

You should get Bernadette Peters gypsy. Peters brings so much emotion and energy into the role and recording. I think her recording is wayyy better than Mermans.

[H.Higgins]

Posted: 7/9/08 at 12:30am

frontrowcentre,

Thank you so much for the update! I was really surprised and confused as to why all of the bonus songs that seemed to be a real asset to this recording and part of TimeLife's motivation ("the most COMPLETE Gypsy recording", etc.) would only appear on discs sold through one retailer.

This makes much more sense. I cannot wait to get the COMPLETE complete Gypsy from B&N in August! I can't pass up that extra disc of music.


P.S.- Morosco:

Me too! The Barnes and Noble search engine is an abomination. In fact, it's the only one I've come across that's worse than the one here on this site.

[MCfan2]

Posted: 8/30/08 at 1:50pm

This is just great. I special-ordered my copy from B&N on release day (since they didn't have it in the store), and it turns out it's NOT the special edition with bonus disc, which is what I wanted. Stupid me, it didn't occur to me that B&N would be selling anything OTHER than the B&N exclusive edition.

Well, I'm not going to bother trying to exchange it now. To heck with them. I'd probably just have to wait even longer while they sent for the correct edition. Maybe the extra music will eventually turn up on iTunes or somewhere. But I'll think long and hard before getting another new cast album at B&N.