I Just Heard Molina in FIDDLER oy!

[WISHIHADATONY]

Posted: 2/18/05 at 1:14pm

I am only talking about cast recordings here, not live performance as I did not see Alfred Molina in FIDDLER ON THE ROOF.

But, dear Boardfriends, if your only exposure to performances from FIDDLER are from the Molina revival production or the cast recording of the revival starring Molina, do me a favor.

PLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEASE start out by listening to just ONE song from the Original Cast Recording of FIDDLER ON THE ROOF starring Zero Mostel, "Far From the Home I Love."

Of course, Tevye does not sing this. But in the original cast recording and the revival recording, both include DIALOGUE from Tevye.

Please give me your opinion of the difference between Mostel's and Molina's dialogue sequence on just this one song.

I was stunned. I had not heard the Alfred Molina recording before. Then I listened to that dialogue sequence again from Far From the Home I Love again, and then listened to it on the Mostel recording.........Wow, what a difference.

This is true of the entire recording, but this one small sequence from Far From the Home I Love exemplifies my point...And I do have one:)

In this sequence, Zero Mostel is heartbreaking, tearproducing, and goosebump inducing. In this sequence, Alfred Molina is vacant. I am not sure what other word to use. He doesn't seem to be there. Kindly listen and let me know if you agree.

To the younger members on the Board here, be good to yourself and make sure you have the original cast recording of FIDDLER ON THE ROOF starring Zero Mostel. You can have the revival too, if you saw it and really want it or whatever. But anyone who loves theater or truly cares about theater deserves the many treasures and emotions you will have from listening to the original cast recording of FIDDLER ON THE ROOF starring the legendary Mostel.

[My Fair Lady]

Posted: 2/18/05 at 1:28pm

I have the original. I'm not the hugest fan of Fiddler, but I think that Zero Mostel was great. However, I hated the person singing Far From the Home I Love.

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 2/18/05 at 1:30pm

Obviously Zero is better...
I do like that they included to "On the other hand" sequences on the revival CD - I just wish that they had it on the original recording with zero...

Well, nevertheless, Al is still way better than Harvey in every way!

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 2/18/05 at 1:40pm

I thought Alfred Molina was absolutely brilliant in this show - perfect in every way. The women, though, were pretty terrible all around. I hear Andrea Martin actually understands the role, unlike Randy Graff. Molina really impressed me in this show.

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 2/18/05 at 1:41pm

i loved Randy Graff in the show...

but I am biased...

But she understood the role, I thought, just fine...

And her voice is better as well Updated On: 2/18/05 at 01:41 PM

[WISHIHADATONY]

Posted: 2/18/05 at 1:42pm

Munkustrap178, when you get the opportunity, please give a listen to the original cast recording starring Zero Mostel. I think you would find it a very special treat indeed.

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 2/18/05 at 1:44pm

I'm sure he's heard it...

Alfred did very well in the revival production...esp, live...

Zero has the natural yiddishkeit about him...

I don't anyone with even an inkling of sense would say Al is better than Zero...

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 2/18/05 at 1:46pm

What makes you think I haven't heard it? I'm not 14 years old. Of course I have the OBC recording - I've had it for years. While I certainly apprectiate the performances and originality of it, I wish the quality were better because, like most old OBC's, I find it hard to listen to. Obviously Zero Mostel sounded amazing, but I've only seen Molina perform it. You can't compare two Tevye's while having seen one, and heard the other on the CD, just as you can't compare two Tevye's that you've never seen live.

[WISHIHADATONY]

Posted: 2/18/05 at 1:51pm

munkustrap, in fact I thought you might be younger and therefore not had exposure to the Mostel recording. I certainly meant no offense, only wanted to make sure you had the pleasures of hearing the Mostel version.

Of course everything else you said is correct. It was just that the one dialogue sequence that I mentioned, where Molina sounded particularly vacant to me on the cd and Mostel sounded particularly ingenius.

And I did just wanna make sure some of the younger folks on this board had the chance to experience some of the treasures of our musical past and hopefully pass them on to future generations to treasure as well.

[StickToPriest]

Posted: 2/18/05 at 1:55pm

Molina was brilliant.

No Mostel or Topol, but brilliant nonetheless.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 2/18/05 at 1:55pm

Who is in your avatar? And I prefer Molia's dialogue to that of Mostel, or even Topol. He has a sort of cynical sarcasm about him that works brilliantly - instead of just camping the f*ck out of everything in the entire show. And I really like the fact that they don't just accents.

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 2/18/05 at 2:00pm

Well, Topol's wasn't an accent (he's my favorite) and Zero has that bklyn, yiddish accent...

The only one who does an accent is Alfred - making his British accent more (I want to say American, but it isn't that)...

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 2/18/05 at 2:02pm

Bso, you know very well what I'm saying.

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 2/18/05 at 2:04pm

I think Nancy and Randy did accents...Andrea did one too, I think...(or it was her natural accent)

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 2/18/05 at 2:05pm

I'm NOT TALKING about whether Molina is British or how Martin talks! IN THEIR CHARACTERS, the show is directed in such a way as to have no accents. NO ONE HAS AN ACCENT.

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 2/18/05 at 2:06pm

But they do...did...

When I went both times, well much more so the first time (with the OBC)...most of the cast had accents...hate to say it...

I've grown up my whole life around the yiddish accent...

(Not all the accents were strong, however) Updated On: 2/18/05 at 02:06 PM

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 2/18/05 at 2:08pm

Well I have never heard such a thing. I saw the original cast twice, and no one even had the hint of an accent. Especially because Leveaux specifically directed the production to be without accents - he's said that himself - so I find it hard to believe that you truly heard genuine accents in there.

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 2/18/05 at 2:12pm

Well, maybe it's the way they talk normally... am specifically talking about Nancy Opel...but she also normally has a bklyn accent....


I love the arrival but thing it is abosultely atrocious that they wanted to de-jewify it...

[QueenMuppet]

Posted: 2/18/05 at 2:14pm

WishIHadATony, it's not really fair to judge Alfred just by the OBCR. Although I love him on it, you really had to see this man live to appreciate the sheer brilliance.

I absolutely LOVED him as Tevye. I heard that various people felt that Alfred was cold in the part and I wonder if they really just judged him by the OBCR. I thought he was wonderful and am thrilled to have been able to witness his performace.

QM

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 2/18/05 at 4:17pm

My two cents, if anybody cares:

ZERO MOSTEL: Come on. Nobody will ever be better than him.

ALFRED MOLINA: Lifeless as Tevye.

RANDY GRAFF: A wonderful Golde.

HARVEY FIERSTEIN: Just brilliant.

ANDREA MARTIN: Also very good.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 2/18/05 at 4:23pm

Why didn't you like Alfred? I hated Randy.

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 2/18/05 at 4:24pm

I'm the exact opposite, Munk. BTW, your quote is brilliant.

[broadwaynut20]

Posted: 2/18/05 at 4:38pm

i have both recordings. I like the revival better. Zero Mostel and Alfred Molina are not good singers. The rest of the cast of the original is AWFUL. The revival is such a fresh new sound to an already not good show. I tried watching Harvey Fierstein singing If I Were A Rich Man and it took me about 2 seconds to shut it off. Personally I like Alfred Molina the best

[magruder]

Posted: 2/18/05 at 4:38pm

This thread is also the first negative thing I've ever read about Julia Migenes' performance of "Far from the Home I Love" on the original Broadway cast recording. Hers is the version I use whereby to judge all others.

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 2/18/05 at 4:39pm

Absolutely, Magruder.