SUNSET BLVD RECORDING - WHICH TO GET
SUNSET BLVD RECORDING - WHICH TO GET
RentBoy86
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/15/05
#0SUNSET BLVD RECORDING - WHICH TO GET
Posted: 4/28/05 at 3:13amWhich Sunset Blvd recording to buy? I have a vid. of elain page? pope? something like that, wish they made a recording with her on it. i'm always partial to American (Broadway) recordings just because the british accent tends to grade on my nerves after a while (i.e. Mamma Mia's Cast Recording). I was just wondering which cast recording I should get. I like the songs. I heard Glenn isn't the best singer, but is she good enoguh to listen to?
rentdanb
Chorus Member Joined: 10/7/03
#1re: SUNSET BLVD RECORDING - WHICH TO GET
Posted: 4/28/05 at 3:57amElaine Paige recorded 3 'Sunset' tracks on her 'Encore' CD. Shame that there is no recording of her 'fianl scene' as it was the best I ever heard. Glenn's recording is the best 'whole' in my opinion as it just jumps out of your speakers. The womans a mentalist!!!!!
#3re: SUNSET BLVD RECORDING - WHICH TO GET
Posted: 4/28/05 at 7:23amWith all the cast recordings on the planet to buy, why purchase the score to the WORST Best Musical ever?!?!?
Itty Bitty Geisha?
Toyland?
Gypsy Pasadoble?
Just a few popular favorites...
jo
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/15/03
#4re: SUNSET BLVD RECORDING - WHICH TO GET
Posted: 4/28/05 at 8:12am
SUNSET BOULEVARD is one of the best musical scores from ALWebber!
I have the OLCR with Patti Lupone/Kevin Anderson, the LA Cast Recording with Glenn Close/Alan Campbell, which I suppose are the most popular. But I do have a copy of the BBC Radio broadcast of the recent concert version of Sunset Boulevard, with Michael Ball as Joe Gillis and Emma Williams as Betty, who are both fabulous singers. Sorry, not too sure about the singing of Petula Clark.
I hope the plans for filmization of the stage musical pushes through ( ALW has indicated not so long ago that a movie is being planned) - then we'll have a movie musical score available, hopefully with Glenn/Barbra and Hugh?
I saw the stage version with Betty Buckley as well as with Elaine Paige, both with John Barrowman in London. Wonderful stage musical!
musicaltheatreman
Broadway Star Joined: 5/22/03
#5re: SUNSET BLVD RECORDING - WHICH TO GET
Posted: 4/28/05 at 8:48amI love the Patti Lupone recording which is the London cast. I think out off all the cast albums of the show hers is the best!! Betty Buckely was a awsome Norma, but i dont know if you can get a copy of her recording??
sharon1
Broadway Star Joined: 6/3/03
#6re: SUNSET BLVD RECORDING - WHICH TO GET
Posted: 4/28/05 at 8:52amI also have the SSB concert from Cork with MB, Petula, and Emma If anyone wants one. Just let me know. I love it
#7re: SUNSET BLVD RECORDING - WHICH TO GET
Posted: 4/28/05 at 9:53am
All right, there are two "complete" recordings available (at least officially). If you want to hear someone with a beautiful voice who sings the songs in the original keys, get the Patti LuPone recording. If you want someone who struggles a bit with the singing, but is as close to a complete recording as you'll ever get, buy the Glenn Close recording.
In addition, there are several highlights recordings. The German one with Helen Schneider is rather good. There's also a Canadian one with Diahann Carroll and a maxi-single with Betty Buckley. Also several singles were recorded.
"Curse you, Lady Glyde!"
Updated On: 4/28/05 at 09:53 AM
#8re: SUNSET BLVD RECORDING - WHICH TO GET
Posted: 4/28/05 at 10:13am
The London cast with Patti is the best in my opinion.
No one asked if the show or ALW was good, so the bitter responses are pointless.
"What can you expect from a bunch of seitan worshippers?" - Reginald Tresilian
#9re: SUNSET BLVD RECORDING - WHICH TO GET
Posted: 4/28/05 at 10:16amI think they're both great, just a matter of taste. To tell you the truth I've listened to all the Glenn Close CD many times but only listened to the Patti songs on her version. But I kinda leaning more towards Patti LuPone, just cause I'm a fan, So if you can get just one, I'd say get that one.
#10re: SUNSET BLVD RECORDING - WHICH TO GET
Posted: 4/28/05 at 10:26amPatti has a good voice no doubt about that, but the LA recording has more of the 'theatrical sound'. Patti's performance with dialog seems to fall flat (as if just reading from a script) while Glenn's performance sounds like it was recorded from the stage. It seems Glenn's performance jumps from the stereo system with power. Glenn may not be the better singer...but I believe she brought Norma to life better than Patti.
Up In Won
Leading Actor Joined: 9/15/04
#11re: SUNSET BLVD RECORDING - WHICH TO GET
Posted: 4/28/05 at 11:51am
Holy crayola crayons. I'd kill to hear Emma Williams as Betty.
But, I only have teh OBCR, and I'm attached to it. <33 at George Hearn, Judy Kuhn, and maybe a little at Glenn just because her daughter rides horse. And, Glenn does the crazy thing quite well.
I'd rather laugh with the sinners than cry with the saints.
TheatreDiva90016
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/10/04
#12re: SUNSET BLVD RECORDING - WHICH TO GET
Posted: 4/28/05 at 12:03pm
Your best bet is the Patti LaPone version.
I threw away the Glen Close recording. I saw her perform it in LA and she was awful. She practically spoke "With One Look".
"TheatreDiva90016 - another good reason to frequent these boards less."<<>>
“I hesitate to give this line of discussion the validation it so desperately craves by perpetuating it, but the light from logic is getting further and further away with your every successive post.” <<>>
-whatever2
#13re: SUNSET BLVD RECORDING - WHICH TO GET
Posted: 4/28/05 at 12:13pm
Patti LuPones diction is as awful as ever, but sings with much mor strength than Glen Close. On the other hand, no-one does insane jilted lover like Ms Close. The Canadian recording is also pretty good.
The 'Emma Williams' recording is OK, but suffers greatly by having Petula Clarke murdering the main role . . .
#14re: SUNSET BLVD RECORDING - WHICH TO GET
Posted: 4/28/05 at 12:13pm
I have the Glenn Close and Canadian one with Diahann Carroll.
I prefer the Diahann Carroll/Rex Smith one.
"there are people in our lives who change us in a way that nobody else can, and it's not necessarily the people you expect," Menzel
rentdanb
Chorus Member Joined: 10/7/03
#15re: SUNSET BLVD RECORDING - WHICH TO GET
Posted: 4/28/05 at 12:20pmEmma Williams made a great Betty, as did Michael Ball make a good Joe. Unfortunately Petula Clarke single handedly ruined what should have been a really magical broadcast. It's fine for Sunset to be all self referential and 'really' hire a faded star to play Norma but only if she can do the score justice. This was not the case with the Cork broadcast. Faith Browns performance and vocals on the UK tour were far superior and would have complemented the rest of the Cork cast well. Oh well, if 'ifs and ands' and all that...........
#16re: SUNSET BLVD RECORDING - WHICH TO GET
Posted: 4/28/05 at 12:31pm
The Canadian recording is no longer in print.
Diahann Carroll gave a wonderful performance on opening night. After that, when the Toronto reviews were poor and Livent began giving away blocks of tickets to at least get people into the theatre, she lost all interest and began walking through the performances putting as little energy into it as she could get away with.
While I agree that it is an absolute disgrace that SUNSET BLVD was named "Best Musical" of 1995, the Tony voters only other choice would have been to eliminate the categories of Best Musical, Best Book and Best Score and obviously they did not want to do that. (There was no other new book musical that season. Not even a one-performance flop! The revival of SHOW BOAT was the season's big hit.) Still, the originator of this thread only asked which version to get and did not want a critique of the show...so with that in mind, my vote goes with Patti LuPone because she sings in the written keys.
Is the Patti LuPone Cd still available? For a while it was quite hard to buy new as I think ALW tried to supress it in favour of teh Glenn Close recording. Not that it matters: copies of both can be found in almost any used CD store at about half the price of buying it new.
Cast albums are NOT "soundtracks."
Live theatre does not use a "soundtrack." If it did, it wouldn't be live theatre!
I host a weekly one-hour radio program featuring cast album selections as well as songs by cabaret, jazz and theatre artists. The program, FRONT ROW CENTRE is heard Sundays 9 to 10 am and also Saturdays from 8 to 9 am (eastern times) on www.proudfm.com
#17re: SUNSET BLVD RECORDING - WHICH TO GET
Posted: 4/28/05 at 12:54pmmy favorite is the london cast...patti is wonderful.
#18re: SUNSET BLVD RECORDING - WHICH TO GET
Posted: 4/28/05 at 1:05pmPut all of your ALW cast recordings in the CD changer and hit shuffle. You'll basically end up with Sunset Boulevard.
". . . POP . . ."
#19re: SUNSET BLVD RECORDING - WHICH TO GET
Posted: 4/28/05 at 1:10pm
^^ Oh, that's such crap. I could also say, "Put Into the Woods in your CD player and you'll end up with everything Sondheim ever wrote."
...if we're talking derivative composers here.
ANYWAY, for my money, go with the Glenn Close recording. It's the most complete and accurate (although, yes, Patti is a better singer).
#20re: SUNSET BLVD RECORDING - WHICH TO GET
Posted: 4/28/05 at 1:22pmTo rentdanb: Petula Clark is not faded star. She's been very popular for her entire career, and still is. Fine, you may not like her interpretation in the BBC broadcast, but calling her a faded star shows how little you know about her.
"Curse you, Lady Glyde!"
#21re: SUNSET BLVD RECORDING - WHICH TO GET
Posted: 4/28/05 at 1:58pmI grew up with the Glenn Close recording and LOVE it, but a month ago I got the Patti CD and although I like Patti's singing better, I still like Glenn's interpretation more. I also like Joe and Betty on the London version with Patti, so I'd go with that one, although you'll love either one.
RentBoy86
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/15/05
#22re: SUNSET BLVD RECORDING - WHICH TO GET
Posted: 4/28/05 at 2:07pmWell, crap. This still doesn't help haha. Now, i have more to worry about. I think I'm going to get the Glenn Close one, although I wish they made Sunset Blvd. with a good american cast with good singers & good actors, but we can dream, can't we. It's only like $8 on Amazon.com.
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/31/69
#23re: SUNSET BLVD RECORDING - WHICH TO GET
Posted: 4/28/05 at 2:08pmLong Live Miss LuPone. She SHOULD have been Norma on Broadway. I'm still bitter.
Fosse76
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/21/05
#24re: SUNSET BLVD RECORDING - WHICH TO GET
Posted: 4/28/05 at 2:36pmThey did make an American cast with good actors and singers. The London version is so boring, that the only highlight is LuPone's singing. While Glenn Close is far from Patti's calibur of singing, she is still very good, and her performance is exquisite. It is essentially the entire show, so you get the marvelous Judy Kuhn and George Hearn as well. They actually ACT andsing on it. The London Cast sound as if they were sleeping while recording it. Also, they made musical changes in the score for the American premiere, which sound much better than London.
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