Shows where the original cast album is NOT the best recording?- Page 2

[darquegk]

Posted: 11/11/11 at 1:40pm

LITTLE ME: The Martin Short recording has overall peppier tempos, better singing from most of the lads, and I happen to enjoy the comedy better on that recording. Maybe Sid Caesar was much funnier in the book scenes, as some have said, but the verve he brought the roles he played does not translate on the syrupy cast recording.

[pinoyidol2006]

Posted: 11/11/11 at 2:16pm

Cast recordings I prefer over the original:
Anything Goes (LuPone revival)
Gypsy (LuPone revival)
South Pacific (2008 Revival)
Sound of Music (Soundtrack - Not a cast album, but close enough, ya?)
Carousel (1994 Revival - Though I always keep John Raitt's "Soliloquy" on my iPod)
A Funny Thing... (Nathan Lane revival)
Cinderella (Tour cast with Lea Salonga - I heard this album before the original, so I have that bias)
Kiss Me, Kate (1999 Revival)
110 in the Shade (Audra revival)

[Almira]

Posted: 11/11/11 at 2:23pm

As much I appreciate and honor the original cast recording of OKLAHOMA, I find the 1979 revival recording to be a more pleasurable listen.

[Dre2387]

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

I second that the 10th ann. of Les Mis is better than the original.

but I do not agree with this statement: "Crazy for You Original London Cast > Crazy for You Original Broadway Cast."

CFY Broadway is so much better and the London cast doesn't have 'K-ra-z-y For You" song.

[BroadwayFan12]

Posted: 11/11/11 at 5:14pm

South Pacific 2008 revival
The Sound of Music film soundtrack
Anything Goes 2011 revival
Follies 2011 revival (already prefer it from the clips I've heard)

While not necessarily the best recording overall, my favorite Gypsy overture is from the 2003 revival.

Updated On: 11/11/11 at 05:14 PM

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 11/11/11 at 5:42pm

"Most of them, to be honest. I usually prefer revival recordings because they're often more complete. Plus, a lot of the classic musicals have revival recordings with stellar leads like the Carousel recording with Audra McDonald and Oklahoma with Hugh Jackman."

Yeah, that's why I had a semi caveat about shows pre the mid 50s--or pre the stereo era around 1957. I have a huge soft spot for those 1940s R&H musical cast albums (as well as King and I), and probably still play them the most, but it's great to have the newer recordings (though, even though I saw Hugh in London in Oklahoma nad loved it live, the best recording for me is the 1979 revival). But it's still fair to list them...

I've never understood the love for the London Nine as well--the only one I like is the original cast (at least in its CD expanded edition). Someone mentioned Chorus Line--I think the original is unbeatable, but it's nice to have the full montage, etc (I assume they meant they prefer the revival and not the movie...)

[Gaveston2]

Posted: 11/11/11 at 5:50pm

I wish someone had defined "better".

I usually ignore film soundtracks adapted from Broadway scores, but there's no question in my mind that Streisand sings DOLLY! better than anyone. (My apologies to the memory of Pearl Bailey.) That certainly doesn't mean I think the film is the "better" version of the show; but it's the version I'm most likely to play.

And the soundtrack of HAIR is sung much better than the OBC album, but suffers IMO because of the omission of "Frank Mills".

The OBC album of MERRILY... v. the York Theater recording would require its own thread, just as the OBC FOLLIES v. the Papermill (both of which I still play regularly).

Etc. and so forth.

[beagle]

Posted: 11/11/11 at 8:25pm

The 1992 studio recording of Brigadoon with Rebecca Luker, Brent Barrett and Judy Kaye is my favorite recording of that show.

I also am slightly partial to the 1992 Guys and Dolls revival recording over the original, and I agree with those who listed the 1979 Oklahoma revival and the 1994 Carousel revival recordings.

[Gaveston2]

Posted: 11/11/11 at 9:21pm

beagle, I agree about the 1992 BRIGADOON, but then anything with Judy Kaye will be a favorite of mine. (But as good as Luker and Barrett were, they can't really touch Marin Mazzie and her husband, Jason Danieley, whom I heard sing the lead roles in a REPRISE-LA production.)

[Ed_Mottershead]

Posted: 11/11/11 at 9:53pm

Annie Get Your Gun -- Lincolm Center 1966 revival over original. It's a much more complete version, discards that stupid Who Do Love I Hope Number, and has the wonderful Old Fashioned Wedding. Plus, Merman sounds pretty much the same as she did in 1946, which makes her the Annie of all Annies as far as I'm concerned, whatever her age was at the time.

[jayinchelsea]

Posted: 11/11/11 at 10:57pm

Yes, the 1966 Merman ANNIE revival has it all over the original, and the studio recording of BRIGADOON with Luker, Barrett, Kaye et al is unquestionably the best sung and most complete version we've ever had. BUT nothing can touch the original SHE LOVES ME, and not just because of the glorious Miss Cook, the best use of Jack Cassidy and the whole great cast, but also because it was the first double-disc recording and preserved pretty much all of the amazing score. Had the original FOLLIES only been so fortunate...

[Gaveston2]

Posted: 11/11/11 at 11:53pm

I agree that Cook and Cassidy are great on the OBC of SHE LOVES ME. But the Roundabout revival recording benefits greatly from Sally Mayes and Boyd Gaines. Add the fact that the tempos of the latter are picked up a bit, I confess that I prefer it to the original.

This shames me, because as a rule, any recording with Barbara Cook is superior to any recording without her.

[ChenoKahn]

Posted: 11/12/11 at 12:08am

Why don't we tweak the rule and say that any Barbara Cook song without Barbara is inferior to any without her.

[MattDean]

Posted: 11/12/11 at 8:05am

Can anyone help?!

Where can I get a copy of the Australian Cast Recording of Nine? I've searched and searched but can't seem to get it. I would LOVE to hear it! If it's allowed, could anyone please post a link to a place that has it?

Thanks!

Matt

[Gaveston2]

Posted: 11/12/11 at 7:57pm

Sounds fair, Cheno, especially when it comes to Cook's rendition of "Dear Friend"!

[MarkBearSF]

Posted: 11/12/11 at 10:01pm

I prefer the Roundabout version of Assassins to the original cast recording (although technically, it IS the OBC)

[jayinchelsea]

Posted: 11/13/11 at 9:50am

With the possible exception of Dorothy Collins in the original FOLLIES, I totally agree, ChenoKahn. And as Barbara grew into the Sondheim songbook, her reading just got better and better (hard to do when you barely have a week of rehearsal, as she did for the FOLLIES concert). And yes, Gaveston2, Boyd Gaines and particularly Sally Mayes are terrific in the SLM revival (and why isn't Sally doing new recordings? Her Comden/Green album is one of the best ever, I still play it all the time).

[Gaveston2]

Posted: 11/13/11 at 8:49pm

jay, I also still play the Sally Mayes/Comden & Green CD. Others do as well, as it was discussed in another thread. (Unless that you and I talking to one another.)
Updated On: 11/13/11 at 08:49 PM

[Scarywarhol]

Posted: 11/13/11 at 10:33pm

I feel like nearly every major Gypsy recording improved on the one immediately before it.

[RainbowJude]

Posted: 12/1/11 at 10:29pm

temms wrote: I've always liked the London Concert recording of NINE with Jonathan Pryce the best - huge orchestra and male/female chorus. I know that's not the intention of the original production, but man does the score sound good.

I think that recording of the show is awful. Jonathan Pryce is a charisma vacuum as Guido and I think just about every female solo is bettered elsewhere. A big orchestra and huge chorus may augment the sound, but that's not at all where the appeal of this score lies for me.

Double Take December: NINE

Updated On: 12/1/11 at 10:29 PM

[SeanMartin]

Posted: 12/1/11 at 11:44pm

The studio recording (not the revival) of 110 IN THE SHADE. It's a double CD and the complete score, which is always good, and the chorus work is a lot better than the OBC.

The Audra revival is... meh. Okay, I guess.