Which MWRA recording is better...

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Which MWRA recording is better...

Posted: 7/27/05 at 2:45pm

Merrily We Roll Along...

Original
or the York theatre??

I have the latter, but was curious to know how the former sounds...

"Do you know what pledge time is, Andrew"? said the PBS Executive. "Yes", Lloyd Webber replied. "My 50th birthday special must be one program that gets done a lot." "No", mused the man from PBS heedlessy. "Not so much. Our Stephen Sondheim Carnegie Hall concert. That's a big one." Spoons, forks and knives seemed suddenly to suspend their motion in horror, all around the table.

re: Which MWRA recording is better...

Posted: 7/27/05 at 2:46pm

The OCR is essential. One of my all-time favorite recordings. The orchestrations are magnificent, the cast is energetic and Ann Morrison as Mary will break your heart.

Although Gets makes the York version collectible, it will never replace the original, which is bursting with vitality and theatricality.

"I'm so looking forward to a time when all the Reagan Democrats are dead."

Updated On: 7/27/05 at 02:46 PM

re: Which MWRA recording is better...

Posted: 7/27/05 at 2:47pm

Rob..what about in comparison to the York Production?
Is the music more synthesised in the York than on the OBC?

re: Which MWRA recording is better...

Posted: 7/27/05 at 2:55pm

FAR more synthesized. The orchestra is crackling on the OCR. It's practically a musical assault...in a good way.

Also, I much prefer RICH AND HAPPY to THAT FRANK. I believe that the role of Franklin Shepard is never a fully fleshed-out character, and I'd much rather hear him sing about himself than Mary sing for him.

The opening (HILLS OF TOMORROW/Graduation Sequence into the title number) is astounding. When you hear the immediacy and intensity of it and compare it to more reflective and (frankly) lethargic York version, you'll be very surprised.

"I'm so looking forward to a time when all the Reagan Democrats are dead."

re: Which MWRA recording is better...

Posted: 7/27/05 at 3:04pm

Although wait wait WAIT for the late September remastering of the RCA original cast recording of Merrily. The one thing that is a problem with the original cast recording (apart from some flat singing here and there) is that the sound quality is for SH*T. It has always sounded like it was recorded through the wall of the studio next door, using the very latest technology in milk glasses.

"Gif me the cobra jool!"

Updated On: 7/27/05 at 03:04 PM

re: Which MWRA recording is better...

Posted: 7/27/05 at 3:09pm

Right about the recording quality! Very poor. I think the overture sounds like it was recorded in a very large high school gym. The talent is certainly there, though.

"Jaws is the Citizen Kane of movies."

blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22

re: Which MWRA recording is better...

Posted: 7/27/05 at 3:10pm

sound quality aside, robbiej is DEAD on--almost the exact words I used...

The Gets version just seems so low-key and "mature"; I guess they were trying to avoid the pitfalls of casting really young performers and perhaps erred a little on the "old" side

re: Which MWRA recording is better...

Posted: 7/27/05 at 3:18pm

I'm muy excited for the remastering! I lost my CD a while ago and have had to make do with the York recording. It's very good...but it just doesn't have the spark that the original recording has.

"I'm so looking forward to a time when all the Reagan Democrats are dead."

re: Which MWRA recording is better...

Posted: 7/27/05 at 3:19pm

Much as I loved Frank Rich's criticism, I think you have him to blame for "That Frank". He assailed "Rich and Happy" for being too glib, although I think it is the sharper of the songs, and the melody is better. Of course, in the new version of the script, the scene that follows culminates with Gussie blinding Frank's new discovery (and love interest) with iodine, so perhaps it was felt that it's too much to have a vindictive song followed by an ugly scene.

"Gif me the cobra jool!"

#10

re: Which MWRA recording is better...

Posted: 7/27/05 at 3:19pm

That new Merrily disc is due September 27th. It has been bumped at least once already however.

I never minded the sound on the original CD; It was an early transfer, however and I'm sure will sound much better on this new edition. It's also scheduled to be $3 cheaper than the current edition. Better, and cheaper? What are these record companie thinking??

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