Music Man Definitive Recording?- Page 2

[GeorgeandDot]

Posted: 9/24/17 at 2:21am

I could actually really go for a revival of this show right now.  Maybe with Zachary Levi and Kelli O'Hara.  It never ceases to put a smile on my face.

I actually just listened to the OBC and it seems to be missing the 76 trombones/Goodnight my someone reprise near the end of the show.  That's one of my favorite portions of the score.  It's a shame that it's missing.

It's also the first time that I've listened to the recording since the passing of Barbara Cook and oh my did it hit my heart.  It's so wonderful that she's immortalized on so many beautiful cast recordings.

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 9/24/17 at 2:27am

^Yes, it's a shame that duet is missing. It's really Hill's chance to show how she has captured his heart as much as he as captured hers. Vinyl and its limited space! How did we ever survive?

But to me, it's just a shame, not fatal.

[jayinchelsea]

Posted: 9/24/17 at 3:43pm

Preston. Cook. The end.

[A Director]

Posted: 9/24/17 at 5:45pm

GeorgeandDot said: "
I actually just listened to the OBC and it seems to be missing the 76 trombones/Goodnight my someone reprise near the end of the show. That's one of my favorite portions of the score. It's a shame that it's missing.

The reprise is part of the Finale on the OBC recording.

 

[jewishboy]

Posted: 9/24/17 at 6:35pm

I love both the OBCR and the Original Soundtrack (I also love Luker on the revival/Chenoweth on the TV Soundtrack). But, I actually think Preston sounds better on the Soundtrack and I especially love his Gary Idiana (a childhood fav of mine). Although I don't love Shirley Jones's acting performance in the movie I have grown to prefer her vocal interpretations over Cooks (I know, sacrilege). I also think that Gingold, Hackett, and the Buffalo Bills are lovely additions. So my vote is the for the Soundtrack 

[CarlosAlberto]

Posted: 9/24/17 at 8:02pm

bk said: "GavestonPS said: "Yeah, you can go wrong. Omit"My White Knight" and you are left with a rather thin score. Great noveltynumbers, but not much else.

Don't get me wrong. I worked with Shirley Jones and she is a lovely lady and very talented. But her Marian is one of a number of soprano heroines she did in a short period(Laurie, Julie Jordan, etc.). Cook's Marian is unique."

Oh? Where did you work with her? Just curious. I disagree about My White Knight - Willson kept the best part of it in the middle of Being in Love, a song I prefer - I know I'm in the minority about that. I'm sure Cook was wonderful, but Shirley Jones was superb in the film - actually everyone is superb in the film and the Ray Heindorf Warners orchestra can't be beat nor can the beefed up orchestrations, which are brilliant. So I take it you saw Ms. Cook do the role? In any case, I love Shirley - I worked with her a mere eight years after The Music Man came out, and that gig turned into a little recurring thing so I worked with her several times over the next three years. I adored her and every time I see her these days, we reminisce about those days.

So, the OBC is great, the film soundtrack is great. I don't think much of the revival recording itself, although I kind of enjoyed some of the production. Finally, I find nothing "thin" about the score to The Music Man - there isn't a song I don't love."

I love the film soundtrack mainly because the film was my introduction to the show. I also love Shirley Jones because of her work on "The Partridge Family", as a child it was my favorite television program. 

P.S. : bk Laurie Partridge is still mad you stole her diary! 

 

 

[temms]

Posted: 9/25/17 at 2:09am

The version of the Loesser story I heard was that Frank helped whittle it down to its present form from the much longer, meandering original. But musically I think it was all Willson. Loesser was a mentor so I can see how he would have been an influence. 

Here's Ms. Cook doing the longer version. 

https://youtu.be/52HBYXmDIBM

[bk]

Posted: 9/25/17 at 2:26am

GavestonPS said: "JennH said: "GavestonPS said: "Preston and Cook. Original cast. Full stop.

Preston is so good, they actually let him repeat the role in the film version.

Cook is the definitive soprano of her era.

There is some dance music missing, but the OBCR is basically complete."



Not just that, but the thing is, the powers that be for the film didn't originally want Preston because they wanted a bigger name at the time. It's took a lot of teeth pulling to get Preston do it again. There's always those roles that somehow got so iconic that anyone else just falls short and Preston as Harold is one of them. I also still haven't come across a better Captain Hook in PP than Cyril Ritchard either.

"

I'm not sure whether you are agreeing or disagreeing with me about Preston. LOL. I'm sure they did want a bigger star (Preston had basically done B-movies at that time), but couldn't findone nearly as good in the part.

And I absolutely agree with you about Ritchardas Hook.

******

bk, Shirley did a summer tour of THE SOUND OF MUSIC in 1977, that played in the theater I ran in Miami Beach. I didn't "know" her to the extent you did, obviously, but I spent some time with her because of our house's sound problems and found her charming and entirely professional. And even at 43, she made a lovely Maria. (Though, hell, in our 3,000-seat barn, she could have played Gretl!) I wasn't trying to drop a name so much as attest that I have no anti-Jones bias. LOL.

I talked to her for a long time at the opening night party and thenwe went to the ballroom to hear her son sit in on drums with the house band. I'm thinking now that must have been Patrick Cassidy, a later favorite due to the ASSASSINS recording."

I was just curious how you knew her - not that you were name-dropping :)  I truly adored her and it was like coming home every time they'd call me to film another episode.  The final one I did was shot on a boat coming back from Acapulco to LA.  After dinner one night, everyone implored her to sing, and since I had already been doing some of that myself at the after-dinners, I played for her - no music so I had to figure out If I Loved You and You'll Never Walk Alone by ear, but I got through it and she sang magnificently.  Someone not too long ago actually found a photo of that evening - I'll try to scan it and post it.

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 9/25/17 at 2:51am

bk, one of your questions I didn't answer: no, I never saw Cook play Marian live, but the OP defined the thread as a comparison of audio recordings, so that was what I was judging.

I loved Shirley in the MUSIC MAN film. I didn't mean to imply otherwise.

BTW, it sounds like you worked on THE PARTRIDGE FAMILY. I too was a devoted fan.

[fashionguru_23]

Posted: 9/25/17 at 8:47am

I say OBC as well. I will say that the 1991 Cincinnati Pops recording was the first one I ever listened to, and the counterpoint of "Sadder But Wiser Girl"/"My White Knight" is a fun something to listen to. 

[Smaxie]

Posted: 9/25/17 at 5:45pm

For those who have never heard it, the Original London Cast recording has its charms. In "Pick a Little," the line readings from the actresses playing Alma Hix - "Oh yes. Ohhhhhhh yes." - a particularly ferocious Ethel Toffelmeier - "Rabelais!" and "The man lived on my street. Let MEEEE tell." - have always made me laugh.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FIv2Yij-rY

Updated On: 9/25/17 at 05:45 PM

[OlBlueEyes]

Posted: 9/26/17 at 2:02am

Clearly one should listen to the OBC and watch the film. The best of all possible worlds.

"Till There Was You" is among the musical theater's most covered ballads. The iTunes store lists one hundred and gives up. Everyone from Ray Charles to Marvin Gaye to Laura Osnes. Kristin Chenoweth is never more enchanting than she is when performing the song in the special "bonus" feature on her Music Man DVD. (It's up on YouTube of course.)

But according to Meredith Willson's widow, annually the royalties paid to his estate for playing the Beatles' recording of the song exceed the royalties paid for licensing the entire musical. The song is not on Paul's set list for his current concert tour.

[starlightlocamotion]

Posted: 9/26/17 at 2:36am

Revival starring James marsden and Jessie mueller or Betsy wolfe. PLEASE