Which DROOD cast recording is superior?

I think the original is classic in many ways, but the revival is more complete. I'm not sure which version of the original is available now, but the revival has every murder confession, some of which are revised from the original. Both feature great performances all around.

Personally, I prefer the new lyrics on the revival recording to the older ones and I find the newer orchestrations more pleasing to my ear, but both are wonderful. I have both on my iPod.

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For the record, the version of the OBC available on Itunes is the most complete version, containing all of the "Out on a Limericks" (and of course all of the murder's confessions) as well as the two tracks not available on the initial CD release, "Moonfall Quartet" and "Ceylon".


for the OP, I'll state a pro-con argument best I can. I'd say first, you can make no wrong choice: both albums are wonderful.

Original Cast Album:
Pro: The cast is highly energetic, and George Rose's vocal energy carries his numbers far better than Jim Norton does. The album has more options for the detective and a fun "Word from our chairman" track. I happen to like these orchestrations better. Betty Buckley rocks "The Writing on the Wall" to hell and back.

Con: The changes made to the performing edition of this show since the OBP mean that you would be unfamiliar with the current show if you knew only this album. There's less instrumental music than on the RBC, and some of the supporting performances don't come off quite as strongly. The Murderer's confessions, in this version mostly all the same song with slight variations (Rosa's, Neville's, Crisparkle's and Helena's are all basically identical music with different lyrics) tend to be run together when listened to one after the other. Some of the diction isn't the greatest.

Revival Cast Album:
Pro: Betsy Wolfe, Stephanie J. Block and the two Landless siblings (Jessie Mueller and Andy Karl) give not-to-be-missed performances. The cast has overall better diction and puts the lyrics out very clearly and very effectively. Holmes, by this point, has rewritten the show, largely for the better, including a new 2nd act opening and more varied murderer's confessions (there is also one additional possibility for murderer). In addition to the new songs, the album includes material not present on the original, such as the hallucination ballet music and several reprises.

Con: The album includes only two of the five versions of "Out on a Limerick". Chita Rivera faces the herculean task of putting Puffer's numbers over with a very different style than Cleo Laine's genuine music hall rendition, and doesn't quite get it down. The orchestra is less polished than in 1984, and the smaller band can't really compare. I love Jim Norton, but he doesn't quite match Rose's joi de vive. "The Writing on the Wall", while still impressive, is transposed a step down. (EDITED after correction)

Updated On: 5/15/13 at 02:02 AM

Thanks so much for all of your help! I will have to check out as much as I can of both recordings to make my final decision, but I do believe that this will be the next musical at which I take a look.

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Of course, and all those strings! :)