Should I get the Broadway recording of Chess?

[Roger246]

Posted: 10/9/10 at 9:11pm

I have both the original London cast recording and the recent concert recording. Is it worth it for me to get the Broadway recording as well?

[Annas_Priest]

Posted: 10/9/10 at 9:14pm

YES! It is AWESOMELY sung!

[wonderwaiter]

Posted: 10/9/10 at 10:31pm

As a stand-alone representation of the show it's probably my least favorite, BUT David Carroll and Judy Kuhn make it more than worthwhile. I'm glad to have it in my collection.

[TheatreFreak05]

Posted: 10/9/10 at 11:39pm

I agree with the above statements. Judy Kuhn is absolutely amazing in the recording. It is one of the most played albums on my ipod right now

[once a month]

Posted: 10/10/10 at 10:59am

This show was so dark on Broadway, but I still loved the recording. I had the London and the Broadway which I saw, and I loved the Chess concert with Raul Esparza et all. Of all the recordings and bootlegs, the London cast recording is still my favorite.

[chinto1984]

Posted: 10/10/10 at 12:08pm

Judy Kuhn. JUDY KUHN!

[frontrowcentre2]

Posted: 10/10/10 at 3:38pm

It is well worth having, despite RCA Victor's decision to abridge it to 1 CD (and among the cuts is the coda to the finale, which alters the ending of the story.) In general the best parts of the CHESS score fit easily on a single CD.

But you may have a hard time finding a copy. A few years ago it turned up often in used CD stores but now it very rarely does. The authors asked RCA Victor to pull the CD from the catalog because of their attempts to rework the piece, so it is unlikely to ever get reissued.

[wonderwaiter]

Posted: 10/10/10 at 3:45pm

Wow, I did not know that! I just checked Amazon, and it's still available but WAY more expensive than what I paid for it. I hope I still have my hard copy...

[Cosmic Explorer]

Posted: 10/10/10 at 4:11pm

The only reason I would recommend the OBC is for Someone Else's Story. But since that's on the concert version I wouldn't call the OBC essential.

Judy Kuhn is divine though.

[Ed_Mottershead]

Posted: 10/10/10 at 4:32pm

David Carroll singing Anthem is worth the cost, time and effort it may take to get a copy. NO ONE, NO ONE, NO ONE ever sang that number like David Carroll. I love Raul Esparza, but I'll never forget David's performance until I drop dead.

[broadwayjim42]

Posted: 10/10/10 at 8:53pm

Completely agree on David Carroll..."Anthem" alone is worth the price of admission.

[castlestreet]

Posted: 10/10/10 at 9:50pm

frontrowcenter2- my CD of Chess is NOT issued on the RCA label- it is on the Polar label which I have never heard of.

Also- mine came in a single jewel case, and I remember the RCA version coming in the old style double jewel case, which I always thought was strange considering it was a single CD.

Any reason why this was re-issued by this company- or was this even a legit release? I believe I bought mine from Colony records six or seven years back.

[frontrowcentre2]

Posted: 10/11/10 at 1:13am

I have never heard of Polar either.

A did the first pressing in the double jewel-box with a fairly thick libretto. (They did the same that season with INTO THE WOODS.) A latter run had the booklets printed on thinner paper and slipped them into the cover of a single disc jewel box.

On the front cover is says very clearly RCA Victor above the C in CHESS.

Is it possible your copy is from an overseas manufacturer/distributor? There is no Polar issue listed in cast album collectors.

[Amalia Balash]

Posted: 10/11/10 at 1:56am

David Carroll.

Judy Kuhn.

Both incredible and definitely worth the cost of the CD.

[lemiz3001]

Posted: 10/11/10 at 2:03am

Polar Music is the Swedish record company that issued all of ABBA's music from Sweden.

[frontrowcentre2]

Posted: 10/11/10 at 2:39am

That is curious because the writers requested RCA to delete the CD from the US/Canada catalog. Strange they would then re-release it themselves.

[madbrian]

Posted: 10/11/10 at 9:39am

"Is it worth it for me to get...?"

Whenever that question is asked of a recording that includes Judy Kuhnm, the answer is always 'YES!'.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 10/11/10 at 11:30am

Judy Kuhn + David Carroll = YES

[Holbee]

Posted: 10/11/10 at 12:10pm

As much as I loved David Carroll and the Kuhnster, I have to add Phil Castnoff as being just as good. His Pity the Child is wonderful (though the CD does not capture the amaze-balls of his stage performance of that song.)

[twinbelters]

Posted: 10/11/10 at 4:02pm

So, that is an emphatic yes. And I agree that any cast recording with Judy Kuhn on it is by its very nature required. I love As Thousands Cheer as well. Saw it twice and loved it.