Sondheim Best Cast Recordings

[broadwaysfguy]

Posted: 2/29/16 at 2:30pm

What are your favorite cast recordings (including concert and movie versions) of some of sondheim's best known shows. 

I'm especially interested in those who think a more recent version is better than the OBC and why specifically, or why the OBC is so much better than anything that followed it

A little Night Music

Follies

Company

Sweeney Todd

Into the Woods

West Side Story

Gypsy

[ColorTheHours048]

Posted: 2/29/16 at 2:32pm

I really enjoy the original Company. Those orchestrations are the gift that keeps on giving.

[BroadwayConcierge]

Posted: 2/29/16 at 3:01pm

The original Company recording is one of my all-time favorites, and I think it's one of the best Broadway cast recordings of all time.

[woeisme3]

Posted: 2/29/16 at 4:03pm

The originals of Company, Sunday in the Park, and Into the Woods are all-time great and are some of the best cast recording of all time.

On the other hand I can't stand the Follies OBC and the Danny Burstein/Bernardette Peters/Jan Maxwell/Ron Raines recording is so much better. I also love the Cerveris/LuPone Sweeney slightly more than the original, although Angela's a treasure.

[MarkBearSF]

Posted: 2/29/16 at 4:24pm

Follies is always the tough one. Simply because the performances are so good, but it's so incomplete. I switch between the OCR (a special edition that had the sound cleaned-up was released a couple of years ago) and the recent revival (Bernadette). I also enjoy the Papermill version for all of the extra songs (cuts and London songs).

Agree that Company, Sunday, WSS and Into the Woods OBCRs are unbeatable.

Although the originals are the definitive versions, I enjoy the Sweeney and Gypsy LuPone revival recordings more. (Merman is so..... Merman)



 

Updated On: 2/29/16 at 04:24 PM

[TNick926]

Posted: 2/29/16 at 4:41pm

I'm likely in the minority here, but I like the movie soundtrack from A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC...Len Cariou is fine, and Elizabeth Taylor's Send In the Clowns is quite touching.  Her range is similar to Glynis Johns, for whom the song was originally written, of course.

[UrNotAMachine]

Posted: 2/29/16 at 4:49pm

Aside from what's already been mentioned, I love the OBCRs of Assassins and Anyone Can Whistle. I'm also very fond of the Recording of the 2007 Company Revival. The orchestrations aren't anywhere near as beautiful as the original ones but I appreciate the raw sound of certain songs (specifically The Ladies Who Lunch and Barcelona). My biggest gripe has to be with Another Hundred People, though. It just can't hold a candle to Pam Meyers on the OBCR.

Also, in regards to the film version of A Little Night Music, Fredrika's version of "The Glamorous Life" is great.

Updated On: 2/29/16 at 04:49 PM

[enjolras elliot]

Posted: 2/29/16 at 6:20pm

Angela Lansbury as Ms Lovitt is one of the most perfect characters I've ever heard or watch. Seriously. So this is why i love Sweeney Todd the most. An after that, InTo The Woods. 

[CurtainsUpat8]

Posted: 2/29/16 at 6:24pm

I think the OBC recording of Pacifics Overtures is sublime. The orchestrations are so unlike anything else ever recorded from a Broadway show. Just stunning.

[IdinaBellFoster]

Posted: 2/29/16 at 6:50pm

I find myself listening to the Encores recording of MERRILY quite often. A lovely & full recording.

[Fantod]

Posted: 2/29/16 at 7:05pm

There is no Sondheim show where a recording other than the original is the best.

[pupscotch]

Posted: 2/29/16 at 7:06pm

I personally prefer the LuPone revival of Gypsy, but otherwise I completely agree with you.

[pupscotch]

Posted: 2/29/16 at 7:06pm

I personally prefer the LuPone revival of Gypsy, but otherwise I completely agree with you.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 2/29/16 at 7:18pm

The original cast albums all have their iconic original casts but the revival recordings tend to have more music and dialogue included. It just depends on what kind of listening experience you're looking for. Just buy them all.

[CurtainsUpat8]

Posted: 2/29/16 at 7:22pm

I think the Broadway Tribute album with the Scrabble on the cover has some of the best versions of many songs recorded. The songs from Follies are the best I have heard. No one sings Losing My Mind better than Dorothy Collins does on that album.  It's one of my favorite Sondheim albums. And it's recorded live. One of the first tribute albums.

[Mr. Nowack]

Posted: 2/29/16 at 7:45pm

CATSNYrevival said: "Just buy them all."

 

Nothing more need be said.

 

Except yes, the OBCs are always the pinnacle. COMPANY is possibly the greatest cast album of all time and all the 70's and 80's RCA released are performed and recorded beautifully.

[gypsy101]

Posted: 2/29/16 at 8:14pm

I don't know why so many people hate the original recording of Gypsy. It's my favorite recording of all time and Merman's Merman-ness makes it the best.

 

I tend to agree that with Sondheim, the original is almost always the best. An exception is Follies. I prefer Follies in Concert to every other recording of the show. I really enjoy the revival of Sweeney, the way it flows from song to song is great. I like Bernadette in ACW. I also think I prefer the '92 recording of Forum. 

[hork]

Posted: 2/29/16 at 9:19pm

gypsy101 said: "I don't know why so many people hate the original recording of Gypsy. It's my favorite recording of all time and Merman's Merman-ness makes it the best.

 

 It's good, but man, is that last song brutal to the ears.

[uncageg]

Posted: 2/29/16 at 10:01pm

I think Merrily We Roll Along is my favorite. I play it the most. Then Company and Sweeney. I also really love the Company revival recording.

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 2/29/16 at 11:46pm

TNick926 said: "I'm likely in the minority here, but I like the movie soundtrack from A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC...Len Cariou is fine, and Elizabeth Taylor's Send In the Clowns is quite touching.  Her range is similar to Glynis Johns, for whom the song was originally written, of course.

 

"

I play this a lot - before the CD release I had several copies of the vinyl (don't ask).  Discussion of the movie itself aside, though I always defend it as not being as bad as claimed, the soundtrack has a lot to recommend it.

 

Yes it cuts a lot of music but what's there is great. The orchestrations are lush and I love Tunick's added strings to Little Death (and Diana sings my fave version), the rearrangement and slight edit of Now/Soon/Later works fine and I like Henrik/Erich now being sung lower cuz I can sing along lol, Weekend is great - it has one edit but adds a bit for Mme Armfeldt, etc. The new Glamorous Life is glorious (and you can barely tell that Fredericka, Anne and occasionally Liz Taylor like in the new opening are dubbed by the same lady). 

 

 

I also think the conducting and performances from the two leading men from the original cast are slightly more assured. 

 

It wont replace the original cast album by any means, but

Updated On: 3/1/16 at 11:46 PM

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 3/1/16 at 12:23am

With Sondheim I would say all this f the original cast albums are essential. 

 

Aside from my mention of Night Music's films these are the shows and albums I prob play the most otherwise. For some shows while I have other albums I don't play a second recording often enough to list.

 

Gypsy - Patti recording especially for the bonus stuff (look for the two disc limited)

 

Forum - the Lane revival for more music though I prefer the more idiosyncratic original orchestrations and performances

 

anyone Can Whistle the complete studio recording with Maria Friedman and John Barrowman. Oh wait after over ten years JAY still has not released it except the great Don't Ballet. I have been told they still need to mix it but.  Soon.  

 

Company?  The original is just irreplaceable. I do play the not much loved 95 recording sometimes for some of the performances. And it does represent the revised version though I wish they'd go back to using the original script. Moving on ...

 

I actually like the new songs and performances in the London one, especially Rigg, but it's not really Follies. 

 

The Papermill edges out the revival for me. Complete including Bolero DAmour which the revival stupidly cut and the appendix of cut songs.

 

the Judi Dench/National Night Music is great if you can find it. I am biased as I saw and loved it as a teen and admittedly the joined version of Glamorous Life doesn't work, but. 

The two disc ENO Pacific Overtures has the entire show so you get the Lion Dance etc and the orchestra is killer-it is about to be reissued remastered-but I usually just play the original. Never play the revival. 

 

Updated On: 3/1/16 at 12:23 AM

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 3/1/16 at 12:32am

I only ever play the original Sweeney. I mostly like the movie but, as with Into the Woods I have no reason to ever play the soundtrack - I would just put on the BluRay. 

 

The Encores Merrily is your best choice for the revised version. Complete and unlike the other ones, a full orchestra. 

 

The he only other Sunday recording isn't bad but I miss the fuller orchestra in the original (which Shepherd, the producer cleverly augments with each track as the painting gets more complete). It does have a nice bonus track of the cut full Soldiers and Girls. 

 

My my second choice for Woods would be the London but this is one polarizing disc. It helps that as a kid it was the only one my library had so I've played it the most. Includes Out Little World, has a killer cast that mostly I feel equals the original but is very different and crazy fast tempi. 

 

I I much much prefer the original Assassins but the Broadway had Something Just Broje for completists.

 

The recent Passion makes a nice second option and has slightly more music

 

i forgot The underrated charmer Saturday Night -  the earlier UK Rd pending is to be avoided. Get the Off Broadway. 

 

 

 

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 3/1/16 at 12:42am

As for Bounce or Road Show it is up to you. I still am not a huge fan but both versions have pros and cons for me. 

 

Compilations?  The already mentioned Scrabble album, while early in his career is the best of the concerts and has special joys like the original Frid singing the cut out of town from Night Music, Silly People, with the full orchestrations. 

 

Both Sondheim at the Movies and especially Ubsung Sondheim are pretty terrific. Out of print but Amazon has cheap used copies. 

 

The Story So Far box set has a lot of nice bonus tracks and is the only place to find all five soundtrack recordings of the Dick Tracy soundtrack as well as Evening Primrose which you can find in slightly fuller form on its own soundtrack album. 

 

I am am not much of a fan of Follies in Concert aside from some performances but it comes with the beautiful, orchestral Stavisky soundtrack. 

 

You can find the WSS s expanded movie soundtrack if you want the movie versions of songs and it's easy to find cheap. I do like the recent SF live version which has all the ballet  

 

anything else?  I like the chorale music on the studio Frogs that also has Ecening Primrose more than the full revised cast album but that obviously has the new stuff. 

 

 

[Charley Kringas Inc]

Posted: 3/1/16 at 12:44am

The Merrily album is flawless, completely and utterly without flaw.

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 3/1/16 at 12:51am

Actually in their rush the orchestra has a few bum notes and Mary's mic has a tiny bit of feedback during her solo on Now You Know ??. But I get what ya mean