Thoughts on the new Sweeney Recording.- Page 2

[Kungaloosh1937]

Posted: 1/29/06 at 3:33am

I can't wait to see the show when I go NYC in June...

Am loving the cast recording, and I originally chalked the Beadle's "no inflection-sounds-like-I'm-narrating-an-audiobook-but-without-any-emotion " performance to him perhaps just being a singer/musician. Imagine my surprise to see that Alexander Gemignani has several Broadway shows to his credit.

What's the deal? Perhaps its just because I haven't seen it live yet, but his charcater choice (if it is one, rather than he's just not inflecting ANYTHING) just makes no sense in an audio-only medium.

[kgee30]

Posted: 1/29/06 at 10:36am

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

[best12bars]

Posted: 1/29/06 at 10:43am

This recording seems to be very "low energy."

Having not seen this production in NYC yet, is this reflective of the energy level of an actual performance? There is a quiet intensity coming through, but at a very low energy level on the recording. I was surprised by this. Anyone else notice it(either live or on the recording)?

[smartpenguin78]

Posted: 1/29/06 at 10:56am

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."

[ljay889]

Posted: 1/29/06 at 11:52am

I wouldn't say the show is performed with "low energy."

The first half of the first act absolutely flows, and it's SO eerie. You know how they took out the big ending of WORST PIES IN LONDON? It flows right into POOR THING, and it's so eerie live. Everything just seemed to flow so perfectly, something I don't think it did with the original orchestrations.

[SingOutLoud928]

Posted: 1/29/06 at 11:27pm

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!

[wherethehorizonlies]

Posted: 2/4/06 at 4:04pm

Kgee - 10 points for you! that was well stated and I agree completely

:)

[jasonf]

Posted: 2/4/06 at 4:17pm

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.

[ljay889]

Posted: 2/4/06 at 4:20pm

I actually enjoy a younger judge like Jacoby..

It gets a little TOO perverted for me when they have such an old judge, like Edmund was. Who looked and acted old enough to be Johanna's grandfather.

Jacoby is perfect.

[smartpenguin78]

Posted: 2/4/06 at 4:22pm

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.

[ljay889]

Posted: 2/4/06 at 4:24pm

^ Yep. They intended to have this all on one disc. Once they realized they had 10 extra minutes of music, they had to put it on 2 discs.

If they just recorded CITY ON FIRE, it would've been perfect.

Otherwise some great dialogue is included that isn't found on the OBCR.

[smartpenguin78]

Posted: 2/4/06 at 4:27pm

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.

[ljay889]

Posted: 2/4/06 at 4:29pm

I don't even remember how CITY ON FIRE sounded live. I need to see this revival again.

[BSoBW3]

Posted: 2/4/06 at 4:32pm

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.

[dancnqn5]

Posted: 2/5/06 at 2:04am

I haven't heard the whole recording, but I have mixed opinions about what I have heard. Overall I like it, but I do not like the Anthony. He doesn't impress me in the slightest. I'm currently doing the show and my Anthony is much better (putting all bias aside.) Frankly, that disappointed me the most. But Lauren Molina is by far my favorite Johanna (and I've heard many!).

[inlovewithjerryherman]

Posted: 2/5/06 at 3:01am

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.