#1
Posted: 2/27/08 at 1:07pm
I've decided that Broadway pit musicians suck.
The playing, the rhythmic integrity, the singing, the performances are far more tight and on average, the musicianship is outstanding compared to it's OBC counterpart.
Don't take my word for it. Listen to the Japanese recording of Phantom and hear the score the way it is supposed to sound, without sloppy musicians and even sloppier singing.
On the whole, there is no subtlety in Broadway orchestras anymore, and it shows in the theater and on the recordings.
My theory is that most musicians who play on foreign recordings make the bulk of their living playing classical music, and don't have the luxury of gigging in places where "just getting by and playing the right pitches" is ok, like on Broadway.
These musicians probably have to work very hard to get a job because there is no huge music scene playing musical theater music, so the bulk of their work is classical, and the superior technical skills and superior playing cross over into these recordings, which are beautifully performed.
Bravo to everyone on those recordings, and boo to every Broadway musician that I know who thinks its ok to send a sub who has never looked at the music before to play for you on Broadway, because it happens every night, and NO ONE should stand for it.
The playing, the rhythmic integrity, the singing, the performances are far more tight and on average, the musicianship is outstanding compared to it's OBC counterpart.
Don't take my word for it. Listen to the Japanese recording of Phantom and hear the score the way it is supposed to sound, without sloppy musicians and even sloppier singing.
On the whole, there is no subtlety in Broadway orchestras anymore, and it shows in the theater and on the recordings.
My theory is that most musicians who play on foreign recordings make the bulk of their living playing classical music, and don't have the luxury of gigging in places where "just getting by and playing the right pitches" is ok, like on Broadway.
These musicians probably have to work very hard to get a job because there is no huge music scene playing musical theater music, so the bulk of their work is classical, and the superior technical skills and superior playing cross over into these recordings, which are beautifully performed.
Bravo to everyone on those recordings, and boo to every Broadway musician that I know who thinks its ok to send a sub who has never looked at the music before to play for you on Broadway, because it happens every night, and NO ONE should stand for it.
Updated On: 2/27/08 at 01:07 PM
