Wonderful Town Cast Album

[Unknown User]

Posted: 4/5/07 at 1:52am

I'm a huge Bernstein nut but for some reason never upgraded my used record of WOnderful Town.

Now I wanna get a CD and can't decide which cast album to spring for... I want one of the two early casts--just as I liek having the original. I know the first is mono only and then they recorded the TV production (which I've been lucky enough to see) and it was stereo and I remember some cast album guides suggest you pick up this version instead. Any thoughts?

E

[D2]

Posted: 4/5/07 at 8:19am

The second recording (the T.V. version) is more complete as it included the overture. But the original recording, even though it's in mono, is still preferable to me simply because of Edie Adams as Eileen. Jacqueline McKeever's Eileen just doesn't cut it. In both versions, of course, Rosalind Russell sparkles.

Of the plethora of new recordings, the revival with Donna Murphy is by far the best and is the only one that should be considered from that lot. The sound is glorious, it is complete, and Murphy is terrific. And she's there, every time you play it. (Sorry, I know that's old news, but I couldn't resist.)

[jewishboy]

Posted: 4/5/07 at 9:00am

Well, I just want to put in a good word for Jacqueline McKeever. I thought she was glorious on the recording and her rendition of "A Little Bit Love" is thrilling on the ears. Better than Edie Adams in my opinion.

P.S Just make sure that you get a Rosalind Russell version (which is what you are planning anyway)!

[D2]

Posted: 4/5/07 at 9:23am

Granted, JB, it's a matter of opinion. But I just prefer Adams' brighter sound to McKeever's weightier one. Actually, the best Eileen on record is Audra McDonald, but unfortunately that performance is stuck in a substandard recording in which she is the only bright spot.

Updated On: 4/5/07 at 09:23 AM

[frontrowcentre2]

Posted: 4/5/07 at 11:49am

Which one do you have on Lp?

The original Broadway cast is very good but because Decca was still recording with the 78-RPM market in mind, all the songs had to be reduced to approximately 3 minutes. "Christopher Street" does not include any of the dialogue vignettes for example. And the Overture is left out. (It can be heard on Lehman Engle's CD of BRoadway Overtures.) I also find George Gaynes' voice a bit heavy for Baker: he sounds more like a kindly grandfater singing "A Quiet Girl."

Still, he is a far better singer than Sydney Chaplin on the TV Cast album. He must have been drop-dead gorgeeous because no ne semed to care about his vocal inandquacies in BELLS ARE RINGING, FUNNY GIRL or SUBWAYS. As already noted the TV cast is more complete and has better sound.

Of the later recordings, the London revival with Maureen Lipman suffers from reduced orchetrations and the fact the the British just do not know how to play American musical comedy. Simon Rattle's EMI Cd with Kim Criswell and Audra McDonald can usually be found these days in sale bins and if you can find a cheap copy it is worth checking out. JAY/TER has a 2-CD set that has every note of music, including underscoring. It is played at the correct theatre tempo and accuratrely sung ... but not terribly exciting.

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 4/5/07 at 12:10pm

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 4/5/07 at 12:10pm

[Gypsy9]

Posted: 4/5/07 at 12:39pm

I would choose the OBC recording with Edie Adams and Rosalind Russell, conducted by the wonderful Lehman Engel who Russell credits with keeping her going night after night. And Adams's voice is superior to McKeever's.What a great show this is--I can only wish I had seen the OBC back in the 1950's. I did see a lackluster production with the New York City Opera company some time ago.

[D2]

Posted: 4/5/07 at 12:59pm

I saw that City Opera production. Yawn.

Frontrowcentre2: Sydney Chaplin wasn't exactly drop dead gorgeous, but he was kind of hold on to the handrail handsome. And if you ever get a chance to see the T.V. version of WONDERFUL TOWN, he's quite charming as Baker. Rosalind Russell is phenomenal, and CONGA is laugh out loud funny - and fast! Russell looks genuinely panicked the way they are throwing her around, but she's 100% committed to the number.

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 4/5/07 at 1:17pm

I've heard a few songs by Russell and her voice is not my cup of tea, the same about Murphy, I have the 2 revival CDs and I only listen to the Brooke Shields/Jennifer Hope Wills one.

[ljay889]

Posted: 4/5/07 at 1:23pm

Russell was amazing in the role. Her Ruth is probally considered the greatest reviewed performance in history. Her reviews were unbelievable.

And you can witness her performance for yourself in the 58 TV movie, which you can find copies (bootleg)of on Ebay occasionally. And all the hype was true, she was simply amazing in the role.

The role was completely tailored and written around her voice, so we will never hear a better sung Ruth. Updated On: 4/5/07 at 01:23 PM

[jewishboy]

Posted: 4/5/07 at 2:08pm

Thank you Ljay! I never saw Russell do the role on TV, but she is my favorite comedic actress of all time and I knew the role was crafted around her. So, when I saw Donna Murphy all I thought about was how great Rosalind Russell would have been. Donna's performance was just way too forced in my opinion.

[D2]

Posted: 4/5/07 at 2:25pm

Are you in New York, JB? Because if you are, or if you're not and you visit, you should go to the Museum of Broadcasting and watch it. It really is wonderful.

And I agree with you about Murphy - she was amazing in the Encores production, but rather careful in the performance I saw on Broadway.

Brooke Shield's, however, was a revelation. She wasn't Russell (who could be) but she threw herself wholeheartedly into the role with an energy and abandon that was exciting to watch. She carried the show brilliantly, and was very, very funny, a true physical comedienne.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 4/5/07 at 7:45pm

You silly people--I have the Donna Murphy already on CD--I'm asking between the two Rozz Russell recordings :P But thanks for all your great advice--maybe I'll get both *grr* which I probably shouldn't right now (I told myself I'd put a stop to buying so many cds each month and I still need to get the Sondheim remasters...)

Mark said: "Still, he is a far better singer than Sydney Chaplin on the TV Cast album. He must have been drop-dead gorgeeous because no ne semed to care about his vocal inandquacies in BELLS ARE RINGING, FUNNY GIRL or SUBWAYS."

While my copy fo the TV version is a kinescope you can still tell--he is pretty drop dead gorgeous. In that 1950s barrel chested way of course.

"Simon Rattle's EMI Cd with Kim Criswell and Audra McDonald can usually be found these days in sale bins and if you can find a cheap copy it is worth checking out. JAY/TER has a 2-CD set that has every note of music, including underscoring. It is played at the correct theatre tempo and accuratrely sung ... but not terribly exciting. "

Sadly isn't that always the problem with most of the complete JAY recordings? they're great especially when you'rein a production (when I ws thrown late into a production of Pajama Game as a favour to a friend, replacing a male dancer it helped to be able to hear ALL the dance music on CD and memorise it) but the ones I've bought for fave shows--like Cabaret and Sweet Charity, to get all the music, I find pretty uncompelled to play over the much more exciting recordings I own. (though you can bet I'll be first in line when they finally release the full Anyonce Can Whistle... grrr)

I didn't know Rattle (has he done any cast labums lately?) ever touched this score--Audra sounds an interesting choice...

One of the Rozz ones has some selections from On the Town's original partial cast recording right? (Of course I already have the gorgeous 1960s recording of Town)



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[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 4/5/07 at 7:54pm

Get Brooke's version as well!

Updated On: 4/5/07 at 07:54 PM

[frontrowcentre2]

Posted: 4/5/07 at 10:59pm

YEs, the Decca Broadway reissue of the 1953 OCR also includes the six selections from ON THE TOWN - 2 by Mary Martin and 4 by OC members - as bonus tracks.

At this point you might be better off getting the Sony TV cast album since it was released in 1992 (15 years ago!) and with the recent merger there is the chance that SONY/BMG will weed the catalogue of some of the slower moving titles.

The Rattle disc was odd because DGG had recorded WEST SIDE STORY, CANDIDE (both conducted by Bernstein) and ON THE TOWN (conducted by Michael Tilson Thomas) and had announced a WONDERFUL TOWN to complete the series but it was never done.

Updated On: 3/17/13 at 10:59 PM