Question About Collecting Cast Albums

[fashionguru_23]

Posted: 12/20/09 at 5:37pm

I am always buying, downloading, collecting cast albums. But I just wanted to get some opinions on as to what to collect.

As of now, I collect just about anything. But I wanted to know, to build a good collection, should I worry about going after the many international recordings out there? I mean, for example, should I include something like the French, Italian, Swedish, and Spanish cast albums of Grease, Cats, etc? Or just "English" recordings? (Broadway, London, etc).

My issue is, I think collecting i.e. the Swedish cast of Cats is something interesting. Will I listen to it? Probably not. Money isn't really an issue with that, so it just becomes should I have it, to have it? Or not worry about it?
Updated On: 12/20/09 at 05:37 PM

[TimesSquareRegular]

Posted: 12/20/09 at 5:57pm

I can't imagine buying food I don't plan to eat, books I don't plan to read, or recordings I don't plan to hear.

That said, there are indeed some wonderful international recordings out there. If there are scores you really like, it's probably worth getting some of the international recordings, and some of them are simply fun.

I was buying some of the international recordings as far back as the days of the LP ..... I have about 15 foreign language recordings of HAIR, think the Vienna recording of CABARET from the 60's is possibly the best ever of that show, and have such guilty pleasures as that terrific Mexican show VASELINA.

Updated On: 12/20/09 at 05:57 PM

[ashley0139]

Posted: 12/20/09 at 6:00pm

Your collection should be shows you want to own, not shows you think you should own.

Especially when it comes to things like international cast recordings.

[Justin_Hall]

Posted: 12/20/09 at 7:15pm

You must purchase every single solitary recording of anything that is even remotely connected with theatre to be a true collector. Otherwise you are just a wannabe.

A good barometer is the number of Gypsy recordings you own. Anything less than 50 is unacceptable.

[BroadwayBound062]

Posted: 12/20/09 at 7:22pm

HAHA Its all about taste. For me I try to buy every recording every year that comes to broadway and each year I focus on a decade. Started with the 90's going down this year is the 60s. But thats just me.

[mikem]

Posted: 12/20/09 at 7:34pm

It's your collection, and realistically speaking, it's unlikely to attract the attention of anyone outside of you and the people you know. So make it however you want to make it. If you want to include the 5th Swedish recording of Miss Saigon because the actor playing the Engineer has an interesting name, go for it. If you don't want to include the cast recording of My Fair Lady because you don't like the font, then don't.

As ashley0139 said, be careful about going too far down the road of "I SHOULD be getting this," as opposed to, "I WANT to be getting this." While it's good to expand your horizons, there is always going to be something you SHOULD be getting that you don't have -- that road never ends, and it's easy to focus on the things you SHOULD have rather than the great things that you DO have.

[Gavin Rehfeldt]

Posted: 12/20/09 at 9:14pm

I think what is being said here is no one can decide that for you.

At one point in my life I owned literally every cast recording that was available at that point on cd, pretty much, except for international versions. (I also realized recently I never got a recording of Cliff Richards' Heathcliff. I can live with that.) Then came the day I was really strapped for cash, and sold off maybe 25% of my cast album cd collection. I made sure to hold on to the top 200-or-so favorites. =)

Recently, I started buying some back and have had to ask myself, "will I listen to Seesaw ever? Here's Love? Maybe." What matters to me at this point is whether or not I'll listen to it, can I perhaps just own it digitally, or must I have every Cy Coleman and Jule Styne score in a physical copy???? (Yeah, I must. Just bought Hallelujah, Baby! again)

Just have fun! Enjoy the albums that you can and perhaps jettison the ones you'll never listen to. I've decided not to re-purchase A Day In Hollywood/A Night In Ukraine because it never struck a chord in me. I'm on the fence about The Happy Time. There are a dozen off-Broadway snoozers I couldn't even sell off back when I needed to that I will never listen to!

Here is all you need (OBC where applied):

1. Gypsy
2. Carousel (actually, the 90s revival is best)
3. Whoop-Up
4. The Human Comedy
5. The Baker's Wife
6. House of Flowers
7. The Marvin Trilogy (Falsettos)
8. Goldilock's
9. Evita
10. Les Miserables (reunion cast too, maybe?)
11. Subways Are For Sleeping
12. Wildcat

Take it away, boys and girls.... (start with some Sondheim)

[Mildred Plotka]

Posted: 12/20/09 at 9:19pm

I stay away from most foreign language cast recordings unless the musical interests me AND was originally written in that language. I have a gigantic cast album collection and I could count on one hand the number of recordings that aren't in English.

I recommend, especially if you're starting out, getting a good book on the history of the Broadway musical. I recommend both of Martin Gottfried's (sp) books on the American Musical.

I'd also think of the historical significance of the title you're thinking of adding to your collection. I recently got rid of several titles (Altar Boyz, Zanna Don't) because they didn't have a single cast member or creative that I think made a contribution to musical theatre.

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 12/21/09 at 10:54am

I'm one of those OCD completists, so I originally was just going to get everything possible. Then I realized, I will never have the space for all of that, so I narrowed myself down to English language recordings only (the exception being Notre Dame de Paris or anything pertaining to The Wizard of Oz).

[sally1112]

Posted: 12/21/09 at 11:35am

As a collector of more things than I have room to store, my philosophy has always been, collect what you like! A good collection should comprise things that you love, otherwise, why bother?

[Gavin Rehfeldt]

Posted: 12/21/09 at 1:02pm

I would definitely pick up the Japanese cast of Scarlett, and the German casts of Tanz der Vampire and Der Glockner von (?) Notre Dame. Scarlett is especially breathtaking, I think.

[mywonderwa11]

Posted: 12/21/09 at 1:16pm

I also enjoy the Iceland recording of RENT :)

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 12/21/09 at 1:20pm

^ The Icelandic cast albums usually are pretty good. I like their Evita a lot. I may not know what they are singing, but the energy is damn good.

[Gavin Rehfeldt]

Posted: 12/21/09 at 1:36pm

Wow, that sent me on a little research adventure.


YouTube clip of Little Shop of Horrors in Iceland

Updated On: 12/21/09 at 01:36 PM

[Cosmic Explorer]

Posted: 12/21/09 at 2:24pm

I can't get into foreign language recordings. I have a couple because it's the only recording of a show available but I never play them.


As for being a completist I guess I'm one to a certain extent, but if I really don't like a score I won't buy it just to have it.

For example, I won't be buying Fela (no reflection on the show, I just don't like the music).

[Gavin Rehfeldt]

Posted: 12/21/09 at 2:41pm

I won't be purchasing Gospel at Colonus.

I can't get enough of the Icelandic Little Shop of Horrors. Listening to the youtube videos at work.
Suddenly Seymoure in Icelandic