#1
Posted: 12/19/04 at 3:07pm
I'm looking for opinions on which Company recording to buy. Ok.....Go!
Which Company Recording?
#2
Posted: 12/19/04 at 3:09pm
the new one. it has better orchestrations and a more indepth little booklet. i made the mistake of buying the old
"Picture "The View," with the wisecracking, sympathetic sweethearts of that ABC television show replaced by a panel of embittered, suffering or enraged Arab women" -the Times review of Black Eyed
#3
Posted: 12/19/04 at 3:20pm
I own both, but I agree that the '95 revival recording is much better. I think I like the original recording for strictly nostalgic reasons - and to round out my Sondheim collection.
I am one of the people who really, really prefers Debra Monk to Elaine Stritch. And the new recording has "Marry Me a Little," which I feel is a brilliant addition.
I am one of the people who really, really prefers Debra Monk to Elaine Stritch. And the new recording has "Marry Me a Little," which I feel is a brilliant addition.
#4
Posted: 12/19/04 at 3:21pm
I'd say both. The entire show is brilliant.
"I know now that theatre saved my life." - Susan Stroman
#5
Posted: 12/19/04 at 3:22pm
Read some of the reviews of these three recordings:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/customer-reviews/B000002SM6/ref=cm_cr_dp_2_1/104-0320097-0827147?%5Fencoding=UTF8&me=ATVPDKIKX0DER&s=music
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/customer-reviews/B00000DHSN/ref=cm_cr_dp_2_1/104-0320097-0827147?%5Fencoding=UTF8&me=ATVPDKIKX0DER&s=music
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/customer-reviews/B000003G54/ref=cm_cr_dp_2_1/104-0320097-0827147?%5Fencoding=UTF8&me=ATVPDKIKX0DER&s=music
I think the preference of most people is the 1970 Original Broadway Cast Recording.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/customer-reviews/B000002SM6/ref=cm_cr_dp_2_1/104-0320097-0827147?%5Fencoding=UTF8&me=ATVPDKIKX0DER&s=music
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/customer-reviews/B00000DHSN/ref=cm_cr_dp_2_1/104-0320097-0827147?%5Fencoding=UTF8&me=ATVPDKIKX0DER&s=music
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/customer-reviews/B000003G54/ref=cm_cr_dp_2_1/104-0320097-0827147?%5Fencoding=UTF8&me=ATVPDKIKX0DER&s=music
I think the preference of most people is the 1970 Original Broadway Cast Recording.
"Smart! And into all those exotic mystiques -- The Kama Sutra and Chinese techniques. I hear she knows more than seventy-five. Call me tomorrow if you're still alive!"
#6
Posted: 12/19/04 at 3:23pm
Wow, I really disagree. Definitely get the OBC. The very 70's orchestrations take a little getting used to, but the cast is superb. And absolutely no one sings "The Ladies Who Lunch" like Elain Stritch. The revival recording is really pallid in comparison.
#7
Posted: 12/19/04 at 3:24pm
DON'T UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES GET THE 1996 LONDON REVIVAL RECORDING!
And now that, that's out of the way, I like the 1995 Broadway revival best, but any real Sondheim fan will tell you, and I'm sure Priest will when he gets in, to get the original...
And now that, that's out of the way, I like the 1995 Broadway revival best, but any real Sondheim fan will tell you, and I'm sure Priest will when he gets in, to get the original...
#8
Posted: 12/19/04 at 3:27pm
I would say NOT the 1995 revival. If anything, buy that recording AFTER you buy the original. Yes, it does have "Marry Me A Little" and La Chanze singing "And Another Hundred People," but the orchestrations are updated and don't sound period anymore, and the performers are just not up to par with the originals. Madelaine Kahn and Elaine Stritch in the original are worth buying first.
Eeeeeeyyyyyyyyaaaaaaaannnnnddddd aaaaaaaiiiiiiiiyyyyyyaaaaaammmmmmmm teeeeeeeelllllliiiiiinnngg yyyyooooooouuuuuuuwwwaaaahh...
#9
Posted: 12/19/04 at 3:29pm
Aw, I like the London recording. It's certainly my least favorite of the 3 and the orchestrations took some getting used to, but it isn't terrible. I can't say I love any of the cast, though.
#10
Posted: 12/19/04 at 3:29pm
Oh, right. The only reason I'd get a non-OBC recording is to supplement it with "Marry Me A Little." But get the OBC first. That's a good general rule for almost all Sondheim shows, in fact. :)
#11
Posted: 12/19/04 at 3:31pm
bjivie2 wrote: "Madelaine Kahn and Elaine Stritch in the original are worth buying first."
Madelaine Kahn? Where? What recording are you talking about?
Madelaine Kahn? Where? What recording are you talking about?
"Smart! And into all those exotic mystiques -- The Kama Sutra and Chinese techniques. I hear she knows more than seventy-five. Call me tomorrow if you're still alive!"
Updated On: 12/19/04 at 03:31 PM
#12
Posted: 12/19/04 at 3:33pm
If you want the song "Marry Me a Little" the the cast recording of the show Marry Me a Little, a women does sing it, but it has some great songs, including "Happily Ever After" which was cut from Company and replaced by "Being Alive".
#13
Posted: 12/19/04 at 3:33pm
Yeah, my bad. I get confused sometimes because I've made myself a mix CD of a lot of shows, and my "special" Company CD has Madelaine Kahn singing "Getting Married Today."
It's a good rule for ALL Broadway shows to get the OBC, not just Sondheim.
It's a good rule for ALL Broadway shows to get the OBC, not just Sondheim.
Eeeeeeyyyyyyyyaaaaaaaannnnnddddd aaaaaaaiiiiiiiiyyyyyyaaaaaammmmmmmm teeeeeeeelllllliiiiiinnngg yyyyooooooouuuuuuuwwwaaaahh...
#14
Posted: 12/19/04 at 3:52pm
I say go for the '95 revival recording. I just cannot sit through the OBCR because Dean Jones grates on my ears and ruins the entire thing for me.
#15
Posted: 12/19/04 at 4:16pm
I really do like Marry Me A Little. A deciding factor might be Being Alive, which version is better?
#16
Posted: 12/19/04 at 4:25pm
I'd take Dean Jones over the warbling of the stale Boyd Gaines anyday. And I love Debra Monk but she was lost in the role of Joanne. I'd say get both. The OBC for the overall quality of the performances, and the Revival mainly for La Chanze and Veanne Cox. But if you've never heard the score before, I'd say go with the OBC. The remaster is good, and I think the score is given better justice than in the 95 version.
#17
Posted: 12/19/04 at 4:29pm
i'd buy the revival first for the fuller orchestrations and if you like it, but the earlier, even if soley for stritch (im partial) or becuase its sondheim
#18
Posted: 12/19/04 at 4:31pm
"I really do like Marry Me A Little. A deciding factor might be Being Alive, which version is better?"
Well Dean Jones plays Bobby, and he destroys "Being Alive" in my opinion. So, again, the revival.
Well Dean Jones plays Bobby, and he destroys "Being Alive" in my opinion. So, again, the revival.
#19
Posted: 12/19/04 at 4:33pm
Jones was very unhappy during the whole Company process. You can see his displeasure in the video of the recording session. There is a recording with Larry Kert's vocals replacing Dean Jones. This recording is hard to find, but I hear, worth the purchase.
#20
Posted: 12/19/04 at 4:39pm
Definitely the OBC. Boyd Gaines (Bobby in the revival) is a cool guy, but he's not a great singer and I heard he was sick during part of run of the show--I wouldn't be surprised, as he certainly sounds a little under the weather on the revival recording. Also, Debra Monk really butchers "The Ladies Who Lunch," completely missing the irony of it and doing it as an emotional breakdown-type piece.
#21
Posted: 12/19/04 at 4:44pm
"There is a recording with Larry Kert's vocals replacing Dean Jones. This recording is hard to find, but I hear, worth the purchase."
Not too hard--it's a bonus track on the remastering of the OBC.
Not too hard--it's a bonus track on the remastering of the OBC.
#22
Posted: 12/19/04 at 4:53pm
I mean, an entried recording with im subbing for Jones. I believe the remaster is just Being Alive. The Kert recording I am speaking of is titled "London Cast" but is merely Kert with the OBC cast.
#23
Posted: 12/19/04 at 5:34pm
"But get the OBC first. That's a good general rule for almost all Sondheim shows, in fact. :)"
usually i would agree with you... except the merrily we roll along recordings... the off-broadway malcolm gets version is far far superior... just fyi!
usually i would agree with you... except the merrily we roll along recordings... the off-broadway malcolm gets version is far far superior... just fyi!
#24
Posted: 12/19/04 at 5:37pm
I actually have the revival of Merrily but not the original, one of the few cases where that's true. So I don't really know. The only Sondheim show where, from a position of knowledge, I'd recommend a non-OBC at least as much as the OBC is Follies, where I absolutely adore the concert recording and the OBC has some serious issues.
#25
Posted: 12/19/04 at 7:01pm
Madeline Kahn sang I'm Not Getting Married in a special concert tribute to either Sondheim or Prince.
The original performances are priceless and the recording is steeped in the 70's sound so difficult to recreate. I find the revival passionless, but buy both and decide for yourself.
The original performances are priceless and the recording is steeped in the 70's sound so difficult to recreate. I find the revival passionless, but buy both and decide for yourself.
"Love Life. Live." Michael Bennett
.jpg?format=auto&width=300)
.jpg?format=auto&width=365)
Tickets From $58
Tickets From $71
Tickets From $71
Tickets From $71
