Why is Laurens Interlude cut from Hamilton cast recording?

It's really weird because this number actually makes much sense of why Hamilton is "non-stop" -- it seems, avenging Laurens who "died for him."

Updated On: 1/11/16 at 05:43 AM

Thank you so much! I actually saw the show twice and loved it from the bottom of my heart. I do find a lot of things from the workshop album that are left out in the official bw recording. But it seems to me that Laurence Interlude is a very important and beautiful number that actually explains Hamilton's motivation. It's a pity that they choose to leave this one out.

You're welcome for the link!

http://linmanuel.tumblr.com/post/129795571060/tumblrico-i-made-this-for-you-today-its-the

Updated On: 1/11/16 at 08:48 AM

neonlightsxo said: "Not sure who "Laurence" is. Do you mean LAURENS? As in John Laurens? Oy.

"

Now that you mentioned, I've never spelt him name right...:<

The OP said they saw the show, so they should've seen it written in the playbill.

neonlightsxo said: "The OP said they saw the show, so they should've seen it written in the playbill.

Not everyone reads the playbill.

I agree that this is a great number and wish it were preserved on the cast album.

gypsy101 said: "I've thought that was such a strange thing, to leave one "song" (it's not much of one) off the recording, that's roughly 80 seconds long. With it, it would be a complete recording, the whole show, what would've been so wrong with that? Plus, it clues listeners into the fact that John Laurens died (which you probably wouldn't have known otherwise since I don't think he's mentioned again until the very end). Odd."

^ That is exactly why it was left off the recording. If you read the link posted, Lin said: "I made a decision not to record this scene on the album, for two reasons 1) It really is more of a scene than a song, the only SCENE in our show, and I think its impact is at its fullest in production form. 2) As someone who grew up ONLY listening to cast albums (we ain’t have money for a lot of Broadway shows, like most people) those withheld moments were REVELATIONS to me when I finally experienced them onstage, years later. Hamilton is sung through, and I wanted to have at least ONE revelation in store for you. I stand by the decision, and I think the album is better for it."

There is now at least one surprise for the audience. (I can think of a couple other moments that are surprises that aren't on the cast recording as well."

I understand why Miranda left this off (and a few other things too; Eliza's anguished scream at her son's death, her gasp at the end).

It worked out the way he hoped, at least in my case.

I saw the show in April, and in trying to figure out whether to pay big bucks to see it, I listened to the cast recording. My teenage daughter had heard a couple of songs before (the opening number, "Burn". I played "You'll be Back" for my wife. But otherwise, they went in totally cold. I did not. I got suckered in to listening to the cast recording, end to end, on YouTube a lot in the month plus before we went. So I knew what to expect, and when to expect it, and I was concerned I wouldn't enjoy the show as much as a result.

That didn't turn out to be the case, because the show - as experienced live, even from rear mezzanine - was such an amazing visual experience. (My advantage: I knew the words, didn't have to pay as much attention. The rest of my family had the benefit of experiencing the whole thing fresh. It works either way, unless you're one of those people who dislikes the show.)

But the minor scene with Laurens was moving and sad, because I hadn't heard that one.. Still, it's not really a song, so I can understand leaving it off for that reason too.

Leaving off Eliza's scream was another dramatic choice. That song is sad enough on the cast recording, but watching and hearing Phillipa Soo's hysterical scream at the end really enhanced the experience of seeing it in person.

Updated On: 7/23/16 at 10:38 PM