Thoughts on the new Sweeney Recording. — Page 2

Love it -- for what it is, a perfect capturing of this production, and of these characters as they're played in this production. These people are frozen and haunted, every one of them, and that comes across beautifully both in the performances and in the orchestrations. It's not big because it isn't meant to be, it's dark and spare and wrenching.

I can't compare it to other recordings, because this isn't Angela Lansbury's Mrs. Lovett, or George Hearn's Sweeney -- they're entirely different characters, and the orchestrations reinforce that. Listen to the simple repetitive plucking of strings at the end of "Pretty Women," when Anthony bursts into the room -- that's Johanna, witnessing her own fate and helpless to stop it. That's how the whole thing is played -- they're each caught in this endless cycle, watching, waiting for their turn, already knowing what's going to happen. That's why the Beadle is so underplayed, and why "God That's Good!" sounds a little morose -- they're not playing to an audience, they're playing to themselves.

Does this come across to someone who hasn't seen the show? I've no idea. Does that make it a less effective recording? I don't think so -- again, it's simply an accurate reflection of what's happening on stage.

(And extra points to Patti for making "It's priest / have a little priest" sound like the sweetest invitation I've ever heard.)

Updated On: 1/29/06 at 10:36 AM

I have not yet heard the recording, but the show itself is very "high energy." Although several of the performances are underplayed, the energy simmers, the emotions gurgle under the surface, to be released in spurts, then really let go during epiphany and priest, and especially the "final sequence."

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This recording is absolutely stunning. Patti plays Lovett much better than Angela, even though Ang was the orginal. I have been in love with the phiharmonic version since it came out but Patti and Michael sound amazing on this recording.

Bravo!

I just listened to it for the first time yesterday. I haven't had the chance to see it yet (I can't wait to though) but I was pretty impressed with the recording. I'm very used to the other two major recordings of the show, so to me the biggest shock was all the cut material. Those jumps are VERY abrupt, especially when you're so familiar with that material that the next notes of music are in your ear before they even actually play.
The unfortunate cuts aside (it wouldn't have killed them, since they were already making two discs, to have included more material), I loved the performances here. Cerveris is just creepy - and in this age of crystal clear digital music, having him whisper in your ear when he's singing "My Friends" is about as spine tingling a moment as any recording is ever going to get. In fact, he is my favorite part of this recording - yes, it's very different from Cariou and Hearn, but it totally worked for me. I like LuPone better big on the concert recording, but again, no one is ever going to eclipse Angela Lansbury. Marc Jacoby just sounds too young for me as the judge - I keep hearing Gaylord from Showboat every time he sings. Anthony, Johanna and Toby are all great - though for Toby, I have to say, no one's probably going to top NPH for me.

Despite it not being perfect, I'm certainly glad I have this recording and I'm sure I'm going to listen to it many more times in the future.

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They made the stupid mistake of not just recording it all when they thought they were only going to have one disc, so once they went to two, they had nothing more to add.

I could not agree with you more about Michael, or less about Patti. I detest her performance in the Concert, but here it is very nuanced and the perfect accelerator for Cerveris' pensive Sweeney.

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Don't mention the loss of "City on Fire" not having it makes me cry, that song has the most intense representation of the new orchestrations and the best feel for the immediacy and intensity this production creates.
My heart starts beating faster just thinking about it.

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One thing I definitely noticed is that the PRINCE show is much more operatic - in style and orchestration. This one is much more mellow, sinister, theatrical in an Artaud sense.

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It's very...well...different, like the production itself.

The performances and orchestrations are gloriously understated, which takes some getting used to. Patti doesn't blow the roof off of any notes here, but she gives the most unique and nifty rendition of "the Worst Pies in London" on record. Her "By the Sea", however, is in my opinion, the best recorded.

Manoel Feliciano also scores big on this recording, "Not While I'm Around" and the final sequence are great.

Mr. Cerveris rocks. However, I think the "Epiphany" loses some power on this recording without the big orchestrations.

I don't think it's my favorite recording of Sweeney, it isn't yet at least. I don't know, I'll hav ea better opinon after a few more listens.