If you had to pick i Les Miz recording..

Original London Cast is very good, and has in some bits that were later changed.

The 10th Anniv. concert is also good, but recorded at a lower level so you have to blast it to hear it properly.

The CSR is complete, but Valjean is dreadfully whiny.

Original Broadway cast is ok but just doesn't sound "right"

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10th anniversary concert.

The London OCR was my first, and I am rather fond of it, but having Lea Salonga on the 10th anniversary totally pushes it to the top of my favorites list.

I've been listening to the Paris 1991 version quite a bit lately too, even though I can only understand bits and pieces!

Unfortunately, I think every recording has a fatal flaw in terms of casting so it might come down to which characters/songs you most want to hear. Overall I listen to the 10th Anniversary concert the most as the only performance I don't especially care for is Enjorlas, but the rest is very strong.

OLC for me. I'd probably pick the 10th Anniversary recording, but I don't care for Lea Salonga as Eponine. Heresy, I know.

I think the CSR is beautifully orchestrated. I enjoy listening to that very much. For some reason, the OLCR doesn't sound "right", I like the changes. But I LOVE watching the 10th anniv. concert on DVD

I have always been a major lover of the 10th Anniversary Cast and admit that it is pretty much the only one I listen to regularly even though I have so many different recordings. I know people here have been pointing to the CSR, but that recording practically makes my ears bleed so I avoid it at all costs. I can't stand that casting.

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OLC is by far my favorite. CSR is wonderful for retaining the complete score, though I'm iffy on some of the cast. OBC is somewhat sterile, but has the wonderful Randy Graff and Judy Kuhn.

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Unfortunately, I think every recording has a fatal flaw in terms of casting so it might come down to which characters/songs you most want to hear.

I agree completely.

I think for the most part, the Tenth Anniversary Concert recording is a good place to start for your first recording. However, it is recorded live, so bum notes are preserved for posterity. Michael Maguire's Enjolras sounds strained and tired on this recording (he is good on the OBC), and Colm Wilkinson's age does somewhat affect his vocal control. Michael Ball is particularly resonant and emotional here-- this is his best recording-- and the Thenardiers are great. Philip Quast as Javert is widely considered the ultimate Javert (although I personally am not that fond of him). This is the recording with Lea Salonga as Eponine and Ruthie Henshall as Fantine.

The Original Broadway Cast is nice because the tempost are faster and the recording is smoother, but it's missing a lot of music. This is the only disc with David Bryant instead of Michael Ball as Marius, and his voice is very weak. Frances Ruffelle is a controversial Eponine because her voice can become very whiny-- she is the same Eponine on the OLC-- but she gives a powerful performance and the number of people who like and dislike her are about even. Terrence Mann plays Javert on this recording, and many people complain that his voice is too light and nonthreatening for the role. (I personally love him.) Randy Graff is really a powerhouse Fantine-- she's my favorite, though some people think her voice is strident. This is the recording where nearly everyone sings in an American accent, which can be good or bad depending on your preferences.

The Complete Symphonic is a good recording to buy AFTER you have one of the first two. It contains all of the music, so if you love Les Mis, that's great, but if you just kind of like it, the extra bits might become repetitive and irritating. Gary Morris plays Valjean, and I believe he's an American country singer doing a Colm Wilkinson impersonation. On some songs, he actually sounds really great-- he has a stronger voice than Wilkinson-- but most of the time he just sounds weird, like he's going to burst into tears. It's like Michael Cerveris singing in falsetto with a mouth full of mashed potatoes.

Also, Kaho Shimoda, Eponine on this recording, spoke no English learned her role phonetically. She has a very strong accent, and her performance suffers because of this. Anthony Warlow is a powerful Enjolras, and many people like his Enjolras the best. Philip Quast and Michael Ball are both on this recording, and I personally think Quast sounds a lot better here than he does on the Tenth Anniversary concert recording.

I only have a few tracks from the OLC, but Michael Ball sounds about twelve and Enjolras sounds like a weenie...

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I also for some reason like how the OLC starts off, It is not as powerful as what they use now (mini-mini-overture) but its different.

I think it is the american acccents that drove me off the OBC

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Yeah, the revival replaced the Little People reprise with Ten Little Bullets, which I actually liked, except for the fact that they used the same melody that Gavroche sings in act one. Little People at least gave him a new melody to sing in the second act.

I like Ruffelle's Eponine better than some others, actually. I don't think she should have a smooth, polished sound. I love Lea Salonga to pieces, but she doesn't sound like a French street urchin.

That's why I like Kaho Shimada, I think she's a good in between: doesn't sound perfect, but doesn't make me want to stab my eardrums either.

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The 10th Anniversary Concert recording is very good. There aren't any obvious weak cast members. The cast was backed by a huge choir, so the "big" numbers are much fuller. I love it.

The OBC sounds a bit dated in my opinion.

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