Revival cd's that are better than the OBC's- Page 2

[lamentingenvelope]

Posted: 2/8/06 at 10:12pm

Assassins
Cabaret
Kiss Me Kate
Oklahoma (London)

[DramaDork925]

Posted: 2/8/06 at 10:25pm

Cabaret 1998

[bjivie2]

Posted: 2/8/06 at 10:26pm

I can't see anyone preferring the Dreamgirls revival over the original. Other than the additional material, the performances are MUCH better on the original. And the Into the Woods revival recording is just awkward. I squint my eyes and go "What?" while listening to that album.

I would say Charlie Brown, as a revival that's better than the original. And I like the National Tour of Joseph... better than the original.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 2/8/06 at 10:30pm

Wow - I would disagree with almost all of the above mentioned titles - particularly anyone who thinks the revival albums of LITTLE SHOP, CHARLIE BROWN, INTO THE WOODS and ONCE UPON A MATTRESS are superior to their originals.

The few I do agree with:

CABARET (Roundabout revival)
ANNIE GET YOUR GUN (Lincoln Center revival with Ethel)
OKLAHOMA! (1979)

And I do actually prefer the concert recording of NINE (with Pryce) over the OBC and revival recordings.

I will say this though: if a person "falls in love" with a show through a recording, I think that particular cast recording will always be that person's favorite. Seeing as how there are so many under 20 year olds on the board - I can see how they would prefer clear revival recordings to say the grainy originals of the 40s-50s.
Updated On: 2/8/06 at 10:30 PM

[hypertruffle]

Posted: 2/8/06 at 10:44pm

In terms of sound quality, I perfer the Revival of Chicago over the OBC. In general, I perfer my Nine revival recording over the OBC. I may be the only person on this boat, but I find myself listening to the Sweeney revival more than the OBC.

MB-Your're just jealous of the young'uns

[broadwaygiant19122]

Posted: 2/8/06 at 11:10pm

I'm a big fan of Nine... I was wondering if the cast recording was worth getting, the original that is. Aside from the germans in the spa.. any other big differences?

[TheaterAddict7652]

Posted: 2/8/06 at 11:15pm

I prefer the LSOH revival to the original for two reasons-
1. The complete score is included
2. Hunter Foster's fantastic Seymour.

However, it is worth getting the original just for Ellen Greene as Audrey. While I enjoy Kerry Butler, she is nothing compared to Ellen.

[RockabyeHamlet]

Posted: 2/8/06 at 11:56pm

Fiddler on the Roof

[Theatreboy49]

Posted: 2/8/06 at 11:59pm

Assassins (Superior Cast)
She Loves Me (I adore the revival)
Company (I liked it)
Cabaret (Gotta Love Alan Cumming)

[Unknown User]

Posted: 2/9/06 at 4:37am

The only thing I like better about the Chicago revival is the arrangement for "Me and My Baby"

H2$In Business is a favorite of mine and I prefer the revival recording, with the exception of "It's Been A Long Day."

[frontrowcentre2]

Posted: 2/9/06 at 4:59am

I am one of those who almost always prefers the originals but sometimes it is a very close and a few times the revivals exceed the original:

OKLAHOMA - my preference s for the OCR on Decca but it was recorded on 78 RPMS so some songs were shortened and there is brittleness to the sound that even the brilliant remastering can't hide. I like the London revival with Jackman and the 1979 Broadway cast (for completeness..though it seems a bit over-acted at times.)

ANNIE GET YOUR GUN - I much prefer the 1966 Lincoln Center cast with Merman over the truncated and surprisingly dull OCR on Decca

FINAN'S RAINBOW - superior sound and cast win out for RCA's 1960 revival over Columbia's original.

BRIGADOON - though not a revival the Shirley Jones-Jack Cassidy album on Columbia has better sound, better singers and is more complete.

KING AND I - I much prefer the 1977 revival cast with Brynner over the flat sounding Decca original. (Before the 1977 album came out my favourite was the 1964 Lincoln center version because it included "Small House of Uncle Thomas.) BTW my first Broadway show was the Brynner revival in 1977.November 1st, 1977 to be exact. The album was recorded Oct 31st, 1977. :)

DAMN YANKEES - I like both but really enjoy the layout f songs and dialogue on the revival cast.

HOW TO SUCCEED - Better sound on the revival and it is more complete.

FORUM - again, neck and neck, but I do like the better sound on Nathan Lane's disc.

CABARET - again I like both a lot, but the original wins out for Lotte Lenya and Jack Gilford's "Meeskite" which has been dropped from more recent productions. (Without Gilford it really doesn't land.)

FOLLIES - I prefer the concert cast or the paper mill playhouse version to the truncated original.

DREAMGIRLS - I am glad the complete concert got recorded. Given how much I griped about the horribly truncated (and altered) original I have to say I have only played the concert set all the way through twice. Odd.

Someone asked if SHOW BOAT had an original cast. Not really. The earliest SHOW BOAT album was the set of 8 selections by the 1928 London cast, and Brunswick’s set of six songs from the 1932 revival (only 3 of which are by revival cast members. The rest are studio cuts by drab singers.) The 1946 revival was the very first cast album made by Columbia records, but I prefer the Barbara Cook studio version made in the 1960s for that rewritten version. EMI’s complete SHOW BOAT is the best and I have to say the 1993 Toronto cast CD (now out-of-print) is my preferred single disc highlights version.

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 2/9/06 at 11:41am

This thread depresses me horribly. I'm wondering if some of the choices are based on the fact that recording equipment has jumped leaps and bounds since some of the OBC's were recorded.

Sure, the reival has a more modern quality, but some of those OBC performances can never be topped. I've noticed that a lot of revival performers tend to play older musicals with a wink in their eye, while the originals embody the era more easily. I'm finding it hard to think of a revival disc that sounds better...42nd Street is the only revival disc I find superior.

[ohhoney_]

Posted: 2/9/06 at 6:25pm

i agree with chicago, cabaret, and gypsy.

i also agree the music quality is better in the revival of 'you're a good man, charlie brown' ... but i was a peanuts fan before i was a musical fan, and the spirit of the comic is embedded in the original more.

annie get your gun avec bernadette peters = love