Which Sondheim Cast Recording should I download?

[Braniff Forever]

Posted: 8/14/15 at 8:26pm

I'm thinking of downloading a Sondheim cast recording or concert. Do you have any you recommend? I already downloaded the Original Cast Recording of FOLLIES. I was thinking about the 1985 FOLLIES in Concert but also the original recording of SWEENEY TODD or COMPANY. What do you think I should download? What's your favorite Sondheim and why? (Also, have any of you ever met Sondheim?)

[rqz88]

Posted: 8/14/15 at 8:36pm

Sunday in the Park with George is my favorite musical. The OBC album is great and the whole show was filmed by PBS. It's on youtube if you'd like to check it out.

[oncemorewithfeeling2]

Posted: 8/14/15 at 8:38pm

I'm a big fan of the Sweeney OBCR, the OBCR of Sunday, and really any version of Company. Company is probably my favorite Sondheim show and all the different recordings have their strengths. It's interesting to compare the original, the '95 revival, and the '06 revival and see how they all hold up. The 2011 NY Philharmonic concert version is an interesting one to watch, if only for the casting.

[Braniff Forever]

Posted: 8/14/15 at 8:38pm

Thanks RQ... I'll have to check it out

[tazber]

Posted: 8/14/15 at 8:41pm

OBCR of Sweeney.

[Fantod]

Posted: 8/14/15 at 8:44pm

A Little Night Music - original Broadway cast. Fantastic. 

[Ado Annie D'Ysquith]

Posted: 8/14/15 at 8:45pm

Not a cast recording per se, but I recently got my DVD of Sondheim's Birthday Concert. It features a smattering of classic stars as well as some modern Broadway (like Laura Osnes) when they were just starting out. Interesting lineup of songs too.

[OlBlueEyes]

Posted: 8/14/15 at 8:57pm

West Side Story, the musical for which Sondheim will always be remembered.

[Jay Lerner-Z]

Posted: 8/14/15 at 9:01pm

You could get Sondheim On Sondheim for a smattering of everything, or just pick one at random.

[DigificWriter]

Posted: 8/14/15 at 9:30pm

My suggestions:

Into the Woods (2002 Broadway Revival Cast Recording)

West Side Story (2009 Broadway Revival Cast Recording)

Sweeney Todd (2012 London Revival Cast Recording)

[broadwaybabywannabe2]

Posted: 8/14/15 at 9:30pm

MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG...

A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC

ANYONE CAN WHISTLE

 

[JBroadway]

Posted: 8/14/15 at 10:45pm

You also might really like Assassins. Both cast recordings have their strengths and weaknesses, but I might start with the revival since it has more dialogue. 

 

Another fun Sondheim compilation is the Sondheim Sings recordings (there are 2 volumes). Fun to hear him sing his own stuff.

 

If you've taken the suggestions already in this thread and find that you really love Sondheim, and want to explore more of his work, I'd suggest moving on to Passion and Pacific Overtures. 

[firebolts]

Posted: 8/15/15 at 12:01am

OBCR of A Little Night Music for sure; the revival is splendid as well, and, fun fact: the woman who originated the role of Anne (Victoria Mallory), her daughter (Ramona Mallory), played the same role in the  revival! A very interesting juxtaposition. And I'm surprised no one has mentioned this yet, but Passion (the OBCR and the original London recording - I shift between these two often; such an overlooked musical, sadly). Definitely download the recent revival of Follies as well; Bernadette Peters was in it and it was wonderful. 

 

I hope you listen and enjoy!

 

Updated On: 8/15/15 at 12:01 AM

[gypsy101]

Posted: 8/15/15 at 12:06am

"OBCR of A Little Night Music for sure; the revival is splendid as well, and, fun fact: the woman who originated the role of Anne (Victoria Mallory), her daughter (Ramona Mallory) played the same role in the  revival! A very interesting juxtaposition."

 

A fun addition to that fun fact is that Victoria Mallory is married to Mark Lambert, who played Henrik in that original cast (he's also Ramona's father, she changed her name for the stage).

 

My favorite Sondheim recordings are the above mentioned ALM, as well as Gypsy, Merrily We Roll Along, Company, Side By Side By Sondheim and Sondheim: A Musical Tribute (I love all his stuff but those are probably my favorites).

[firebolts]

Posted: 8/15/15 at 12:11am

^ I actually did know that, but didn't mention it! Oh, and I forgot to mention Gypsy as well - download Gypsy! I find that people are really picky about which Gypsy recording to download depending on who is playing Mama Rose, but I absolutely love the recent revival recording with Patti LuPone. I think she did a phenomenal job. 

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 8/15/15 at 12:58am

Sadly Victoria Mallory is no longer with us, having lost a battle to cancer last summer.

But I agree that the original cast recording of A Little Night Music is absolutely wonderful, even if Glynis Johns was sick during the recording of it.

[gleek4114]

Posted: 8/15/15 at 1:04am

My favorite Sondheim is Merrily We Roll Along. In my opinion, the best recording of it is the 2012 Encores Cast Recording. 

[Mr. Nowack]

Posted: 8/15/15 at 1:52am

I agree with the A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC recommendations. However despite the glories of that score I don't really think it is a good representation of his work as a whole. But then no one show really can be.

 

I'll give my vote for ANYONE CAN WHISTLE too.

Updated On: 8/15/15 at 01:52 AM

[MarkBearSF]

Posted: 8/15/15 at 8:00am

Basically download them all. You'll ultimately do it anyway. I don't think that one can stop after their first Sondheim score.

[icecreambenjamin]

Posted: 8/15/15 at 9:33am

1. Sunday in the park (OBC) 

2. Sweeney Todd (OBC)

3. Into the Woods (OBC)

4. Follies (2011)

5. Passion (OBC)

[jkl011]

Posted: 8/15/15 at 10:01am

I would highly recommend the Company OBCR. It's perfection.

[promisespromises2]

Posted: 8/15/15 at 10:12am

I'll echo all those who said Sunday In the Park With George.  My favorite musical.  Ever.  Period.

[Braniff Forever]

Posted: 8/15/15 at 7:24pm

Mark Bear....yes I probably will download all of them at some point. There truly are a lot of OBCR's as well as multiple revivals. I wonder if there is anyone out there who has all of them? I wonder if that is overkill? But it is fun to hear different voices sing the same song, to hear how the words sound different from different people. 

I wonder if a lot of these recordings are available on vinyl? I think it would be fun to be able to hear the recordings on a record player as well as hear the digital recordings on these V Moda headphones I just tried out at Brookstone. Amazing sound, I believe better and sturdier than Bose.

 

[JBroadway]

Posted: 8/15/15 at 7:40pm

" I wonder if there is anyone out there who has all of them?"

There are tons of foreign-language recordings from other countries for many of these shows, and I don't really have any of those. But if we're counting OBCRs, revivals, West End, movies, etc. I probably have all of them. Once you start collecting them, it isn't too hard to get your hands on the major ones. 

 

"I wonder if a lot of these recordings are available on vinyl?"

 

I'd say many (if not most) of them are. Particularly the older ones. In my small collection of vinyls I know I have:

A Little Night Music

Forum

Merrily We Roll Along

Anyone Can Whistle

Company

Follies

Gypsy (OBC)

West Side Story

Marry Me a Little

 

Updated On: 8/15/15 at 07:40 PM

[firebolts]

Posted: 8/15/15 at 7:49pm

BraniffForever: I noticed that from your past posts, you are rather new to Broadway? If so, glad that you've discovered it and that you are going all out so quickly and already have great musical taste! Sondheim will change your life! You should also look into Jason Robert Brown musicals as well!