#101
Posted: 6/7/09 at 1:44am
The tempos on the OBCR are not Bernstein's tempos. It's been said the revival is very accurate to his tempos.
Goddard Lieberson had the tempos on the OBCR sped up to fit as much material on an Lp was possible. (57 minutes making it the longest cast album at that time.) Bernstein was not there for the recording, so it was done without his blessing.
This underscores my argument against recording shows love in the theatre. These tempos may be fine for what happens on stage but on the recording they tend to sound sluggish.
Bernstein himself could be erratic with tempos. His CANDIDE recording is almost too fast. On balance he did a recording of CARMEN for DGG in the 1970s. The prelude is taken at a deadly slow pace. It should be a brisk march and plays like a dirge. His recording of WSS (also on DGG) has a great orchestra track but as soon as Kiri te Kanawa and Jose Carreras begin singing...head for the hills. I remember the excitement when the recording was announced and the crushing disappointment when I first played it. I have seldom played it since and that was ...24 (!) years ago that it was issued.
I have played teh new recording a few times and like a lot of it. But what is with Maria's vocalizing in "I Feel Pretty"? Is she supposed to be a failed opera star? Matt Cavanaugh has a gorgeous voice, and the youthful sound the role requires. Certainly more youthful than Larry Kert on the OBCR. And given the extra time a CD affords there isn't much on here that wasn't on the OBCR and in some places even less.
I like the CD but it doesn't eclipse the OBCR. It is, however, a worthy alternative.
Goddard Lieberson had the tempos on the OBCR sped up to fit as much material on an Lp was possible. (57 minutes making it the longest cast album at that time.) Bernstein was not there for the recording, so it was done without his blessing.
This underscores my argument against recording shows love in the theatre. These tempos may be fine for what happens on stage but on the recording they tend to sound sluggish.
Bernstein himself could be erratic with tempos. His CANDIDE recording is almost too fast. On balance he did a recording of CARMEN for DGG in the 1970s. The prelude is taken at a deadly slow pace. It should be a brisk march and plays like a dirge. His recording of WSS (also on DGG) has a great orchestra track but as soon as Kiri te Kanawa and Jose Carreras begin singing...head for the hills. I remember the excitement when the recording was announced and the crushing disappointment when I first played it. I have seldom played it since and that was ...24 (!) years ago that it was issued.
I have played teh new recording a few times and like a lot of it. But what is with Maria's vocalizing in "I Feel Pretty"? Is she supposed to be a failed opera star? Matt Cavanaugh has a gorgeous voice, and the youthful sound the role requires. Certainly more youthful than Larry Kert on the OBCR. And given the extra time a CD affords there isn't much on here that wasn't on the OBCR and in some places even less.
I like the CD but it doesn't eclipse the OBCR. It is, however, a worthy alternative.
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
