Revival Cast Recordings Worth Buying.- Page 2

[frontrowcentre2]

Posted: 5/11/06 at 11:42am

EMI's CD of BRIGADOON is excellent too, I agree. But the lder Columbia albums plays like a cast album of the time when BRIGADOON was new. Its what the OCR would have been liek if it had been taped by Columbia instead of Victor.

The current Sony remastered edition of CHARITY sounds big and brassy which is what *I* would expect of a Cy Coleman score. I found the orchestrations in the 1986 cast album too gimick-y. Also I don't think any of the subsequent Charitys commnunicated the same pathos that Gwen Verdon brought to the role.

I am not sure why you don't like Tom Sheppard's work on COMPANY. Again, based on a careful listening to the current re-mastered Sony CD every voice and instrument is distinct and crystal clear. (The old Quad LP was fun with Beth Howland jumping from channel to channel between verses on "Getting Married Today.") I just find the performances on the revival cast albums sub-par. I do wish thay had recorded the Kennedy Centre cast. There were rumours that production was going to be taped for showing on PBS but it never happened.

In general though I like the original versions of the shows and rarely find the revival cast albums can match them.

[InfiniteTheaterFrenzy]

Posted: 5/11/06 at 11:46am

I completely agree. The OBC of Company will never ever be beaten.

P.S. frontrowcentre- if they do another edition of that Musical Theater Cast Album Theatremania book, you are more qualified to work on it than anyone!

[Buddy Kiss]

Posted: 5/11/06 at 12:24pm

I can't remember if its been mentioned yet but the revival of Kiss Me, Kate- with Marin Mazzie and Brian Stokes Mitchell- is stunning.

[allofmylife]

Posted: 5/11/06 at 12:31pm

The 1983 revival of "On Your Toes" is my absolute favorite musical. When John Maucheri and Rodger Stevens decided to do a revival of a Rodgers and Hart musical for ANTA and The Kennedy Theater in Washington, On Your Toes was a forgotten musical. "Pal Joey" had been revived in the 50's to great acclaim, so they tried OYT, which flopped big time (60-some-odd perf.)and the show was largely ignorred after that. Maucheri discovered that the original orchestrations were still in existance and even better, the original orchestrator, Hans Spialek was still in existance too! He was somewhere between 80 and death but still able to help sort out the mess of band parts and supervise putting it back together EXACTLY as it had sounded in 1936. And what a revelation! We are so used to hearing recordings from that period that were made with one or two microphones and sound tinny and brass-heavy. In real life, the show sounds better than practically anything on Broadway today (although I suspect the upped the tempo a smidge and maybe beefed up the percussion but the main arrangements are vintage '36).

The resulting recording is amazing and the version of "Slaughter On Tenth Avenue" is, IMHO, the greatest ever recorded (and that's saying something because that puppy has been plkayed with by everyone). Laura Teeter is wonderful on the record playing the Ray Bolger role.

Spialek was able to attend the opening night and died shortly after but the recording allows listeners, as Ted Chapin from The R&H Library says, to hear exactly what a vintage 30's musical sounded like. And today's orchestrators should be green with envy.

[rickydrummer]

Posted: 5/11/06 at 8:43pm

I love both the Bernadette and Lansbury "Gypsy" recordings, and I wouldn't relaly give up one or the other.

I also love "Nine," "Assassins," "The Pajama Game," "Pacific Overtures" -- I actually like the more sparse orchestrations and the crisper sound.

"Sweeney Todd" is great but slightly less "necessary" in the scheme of things.

[jsg03jd]

Posted: 5/11/06 at 11:05pm

Agreed on the BRIGADOON recording w/ Rebecca Luker as Fiona. That is a fantastic recording of a vastly underrated score. Also liked the WONDERFUL TOWN studio CD w/ Audra McDonald as Eileen, although I'm not a huge fan of Kim Criswell.

Other favorite revival CD's include the 1994 B'way revival of DAMN YANKEES, the 1993 Royal Nat'l Theatre and 1994 Lincoln Center revivals of CAROUSEL, and the Lincoln Center revival of ANYTHING GOES w/ Patti LuPone and the 1989 London revival starring Elaine Paige.

I just picked up the CD of the 2001 Royal Nat'l Theatre Production of SOUTH PACIFIC, and I'm still trying to make up my mind about it. Why were the songs shifted? For example, why do the seabees' songs come before A COCKEYED OPTIMIST? I'm really confused about that.

Updated On: 5/12/06 at 11:05 PM

Posted: 5/12/06 at 2:38am

I just wanted to say for the record to never bother listening to the revival of Rocky Horror Show. I'm listening to it now, the performances are horrible. They're singing is so nasal, ewww. Except for whoever is Riff-Raff, he's awesome.

[EugLoven]

Posted: 5/12/06 at 2:47am

Do not skimp yourself!

Purchase both Sweeney Todd albums (OBC and Revival).
They are both remarkable and starkly different productions.

Other recommendations:
Assassins (Revival)
Crazy For You (Revival)
Oklahoma (London 2003 Revival)

[inlovewithjerryherman]

Posted: 5/12/06 at 2:49am

I strongly agree with all of jsg03jd's choices, though I would recommend the recent concert recording of "South Pacific" over the 2001 Royal NAtional Theatre.

I also have a soft spot for the Broderick "H2S", the 1998 "Cabaret", the recent "Pajama Game" and the Brian Stokes Mitchell/Marin Mazzie "Kiss Me, Kate". The 1998 "Oklahoma!" has some FANTASTIC, very full orchestrations. The 70's revival of "No, No, Nanette" is one of my all-time favorites, as are the revival recording of "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown" with Kristen Chenoweth, Roger Bart, and Anthony Rapp and the revival recording of "The Most Happy Fella" scored for two pianos.

I hear SO many good things about the 1993 Toronto "Show Boat", but I've never heard it, so I can't give it a full recommendation. (what i wouldn't give for that recording.)

and I agree with all those who say to avoid the "Company" revival like the bubonic plague. The OBC has better voices, better acting, and better orchestrations.

[COOOOLkid]

Posted: 5/12/06 at 3:13am

I really like Oliver! London Revival in 1994. The boy who plays Artful Dodger is just sooo amazing!

[rosekwbp]

Posted: 5/12/06 at 3:18am

Bernadette's Annie Get Your Gun and Gypsy.
Assassins, Sweet Charity and Sweeney.

[FoscasBohemianDream]

Posted: 5/12/06 at 3:23am

I find the revival cast recordings of Wonderful Town and the The King and I with Donna Murphy superb. Donna Murphy makes a wonderful Ruth and provide sa completely different interpretation of the role from Rosalind Russell's. Also, her Anna is quite unique.
The Nine revival is not necessarily superior to the original cast (except for Mary Stuart Masterson whose singing is preferrable to Akers'). Yet, the performances I believe are very different from one recording to the other. I often listen to both versions of "A Call From The Vatican" and I can't choose which one I prefer, Anita Morris sounds definite, yet Jane Krakowksi finds a wa to make it her own. The London concert recording with Jonathan Pryce is worthy of buying just for Elaine Paige's unique rendition of "Unusual Way."
Another revival (concert) album worthy of buying is Anyone Can Whistle, with a brilliant performance by Bernadette Peters, and it includes the cut song "There Won't Be Trumpets."

[actingstar08]

Posted: 5/12/06 at 3:35am

i agree whole-heartedly that without a doubt, the sweeney revival + cabaret revial = orgasm x a million!!!!

[jsg03jd]

Posted: 5/12/06 at 1:28pm

Thanks for reminding me about the SHOWBOAT revival, inlovewithjerryherman! If you're talking about the production at the Gershwin w/ Rebecca Luker and Elaine Stritch, then I recommend that CD as well. Mark Jacoby and Lonette McKee were very good in that production as well as the amazing Michel Bell's OL' MAN RIVER and Gretha Boston's fantastic portrayal of Queenie.

And I saw the recent GREAT PERFORMANCES broadcast of SOUTH PACIFIC, and I think I like the singing there more so than on the Lauren Kennedy recording (even though that 2001 CD has more songs on it like MY GIRL BACK HOME, which was in the movie version).



Updated On: 5/12/06 at 01:28 PM

[SweeneyPhreak]

Posted: 5/12/06 at 5:25pm

I'd get the Broadway recording of "Little Shop of Horrors" if you want something that has the music the way it's done in the show and has all the songs. Get the Off-Broadway recording if you want more feeling in Seymour and Audrey (but don't expect much from the Off-B'way Dentist; he's very boring and during "The Meek Shall Inherit" they didn't record him as Mrs. Luce and he didn't change his voice for Bernstein and Snip).

[acrocksyo]

Posted: 5/14/06 at 7:39pm

Once Upon a Mattress with SJP
H2$
and Gypsy with Tyne Daly

I would say get Little Shop too for the extra songs and the more lively orchestrations, even though I love Kerry Butler, I must say that she cannot hold a candle to Ellen Greene

[maybethistime]

Posted: 5/14/06 at 7:42pm

The recent KISS ME, KATE revival is a must have as far as revival recordings go, in my opinion.

[WickedGeek28]

Posted: 5/14/06 at 7:44pm

Sweet Charity
Assassins
Wonderful Town

[C is for Company]

Posted: 5/14/06 at 7:50pm

In addition to all those said, I want to add my input with the Company revival and second what Best12bars said.
Although many can not seem to stand the revival, I know nothing can beat the original for me, I would reccommend it to somebody who loved the score the first time around and would appreciate a more in-depth listen. The scored is fleshed out and there is actual distinction in the instrumentals, along with the vocals. The voice parts are beautifully spaced out so you can hear everything with perfect clarity.
The original is leagues more enjoyable and definitive, but I would suggest this to anyone willing to examine the music further