Best recording for familiarizing with Follies?
Best recording for familiarizing with Follies?
#1Best recording for familiarizing with Follies?
Posted: 3/17/16 at 7:44am
So, I love Sondheim, but I live in Europe in a country without much musical theatre tradition and I have mainly discovered his musicals through the video recordings. If I am not mistaken Follies hasn't being filmed but it is a musical that intrigues me a lot so I was wondering which cast recording do you think is the best as way to introduce yourself to it. Does any cast recording contain dialogues or information that help you know what's going on? Thanks for the help and I apologize for my English in case I've made any error.
#2Best recording for familiarizing with Follies?
Posted: 3/17/16 at 8:16am
I think that the 2011 Broadway cast recording with Bernadette Peters, Jan Maxwell, Elaine Paige, etc is the best for this purpose, since it includes almost all the dialogues and there are some terrific performances.
#3Best recording for familiarizing with Follies?
Posted: 3/17/16 at 9:35am
I'll echo that. The 2011 revival recording captures almost the complete show. The quality is beautiful, the tracks are easily split so you can skip the dialogue if you'd prefer, and Jan Maxwell and Danny Burstein are devastatingly brilliant.
Scratch and claw for every day you're worth!
Make them drag you screaming from life, keep dreaming
You'll live forever here on earth.
#4Best recording for familiarizing with Follies?
Posted: 3/17/16 at 9:38am
There is a production of the show on DVD. It was done at the Toulon Opera and is available from Amazon's French site:
http://www.amazon.fr/Follies-Graham-Bickley/dp/B00S8KTOFG/ref=sr_1_1?s=dvd&ie=UTF8&qid=1458221789&sr=1-1&keywords=follies+toulon
#5Best recording for familiarizing with Follies?
Posted: 3/17/16 at 9:45am
Except that's an AWFUL production. You're better off finding a bootleg from the 2011 revival on YouTube than watching that French one.
#6Best recording for familiarizing with Follies?
Posted: 3/17/16 at 10:10am
Best way to learn it is to read the script and listen to the original cast recording.
#7Best recording for familiarizing with Follies?
Posted: 3/17/16 at 10:14am
Yes, please, don't watch that hideous Toulon dvd. The cast is not bad, but the production is the worst I have ever seen.
UrNotAMachine
Stand-by Joined: 2/17/15
#8Best recording for familiarizing with Follies?
Posted: 3/17/16 at 10:15am
PalJoey said: "Best way to learn it is to read the script and listen to the original cast recording.
Except that the OBCR is missing multiple songs and many others are shortened. It's definitely not the best way to hear the complete score. Sondheim himself calls it a "shameful" album.
#9Best recording for familiarizing with Follies?
Posted: 3/17/16 at 10:36am
The original was lovingly restored a few years ago. It's really the way to go, despite its shortcomings. Then graduate to the Follies concert if you want more. Just because the revival recoding is complete doesn't mean it's definitive or the best. The original performances are legendary and pretty perfect.
#10Best recording for familiarizing with Follies?
Posted: 3/17/16 at 10:54am
1) "Unofficial" soundboard recording of the original Broadway cast
2) OBC official recording
3) Paper Mill revival cast recording
4) Tie for mildly interesting reference points - Original London Cast, 2011 Broadway Revival Cast, 1985 NY Philharmonic recording (absolute least favorite due to significant cuts and key changes, a huge but leaden orchestra, and some bizarre performance choices)
#11Best recording for familiarizing with Follies?
Posted: 3/17/16 at 10:56am
Does the restored version have a digital release?
#12Best recording for familiarizing with Follies?
Posted: 3/17/16 at 11:00am
2011 and Papermill.
Papermill and the OBCR were my introduction, but the OBCR isn't enough on its own, definitely supplement it with 2011 or Papermill.
#12Best recording for familiarizing with Follies?
Posted: 3/17/16 at 11:00am
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Updated On: 3/17/16 at 11:00 AM
#13Best recording for familiarizing with Follies?
Posted: 3/17/16 at 11:25am
I have all the FOLLIES recordings, thanks to PalJoey for re-introducing this show to me, which I had ignored for a very long time.
My favorite recording is the Papermill Playhouse recording.
The remastered Original Broadway Cast Recording
and last, but not least Follies in Concert
Honorable mention goes to the London Cast Recording with Diana Rigg and the 2011 Broadway Revival with Jan Maxwell, Danny Burstein and Elaine Paige
Just start and never, ever stop!
UrNotAMachine
Stand-by Joined: 2/17/15
#14Best recording for familiarizing with Follies?
Posted: 3/17/16 at 11:25am
TotallyEffed said: "The original was lovingly restored a few years ago. It's really the way to go, despite its shortcomings. Then graduate to the Follies concert if you want more. Just because the revival recoding is complete doesn't mean it's definitive or the best. The original performances are legendary and pretty perfect.
The original performances are incredible but a recording is more than just the performances. If it slices up the score and cuts entire songs, I don't consider it the best way to become familiar with the show.
#15Best recording for familiarizing with Follies?
Posted: 3/17/16 at 11:30am
Of course everyone has varying opinions, but for my money the best recording is bk's restored version of the OBCR.
Even truncated it's a fantastic recording and the performances are indelible.
If you're looking to get acquainted I suggest that one.
If you like what you hear and want to really explore the show in depth then I'd recommend P.S. Classics recording of the recent revival which a 2 disc version with dialog and the missing musical numbers.
....but the world goes 'round
#16Best recording for familiarizing with Follies?
Posted: 3/17/16 at 11:53am
The 2011 recording is actually my favorite recording of the show. I know that's an unpopular opinion and I thought the production was flawed beyond hope, but that recording is crystal clear and complete. The orchestra and the voices sound wonderful.
My second favorite recording is the concert. Cook, Hearn, Patinkin, and Remick are great in their roles.
The original cast is definitive, but it's a hack job.
To introduce yourself to the show, listen to the 2011 recording. Once you've done that, check out the OBCR and the concert recording.
#17Best recording for familiarizing with Follies?
Posted: 3/17/16 at 12:54pm
Obcr supplemented by the Papermill. Aside from three of the four new London songs, you'll be complete. I'd avoid the concert. Some beautiful singing but zero sense of character or tone but it does include the lovely score for Stavisky.
The 2011 isn't bad but lacks Bolero (a stupid cut--on stage it visually explained the entire show) and the performances tend to be love or hate them
#18Best recording for familiarizing with Follies?
Posted: 3/17/16 at 1:03pm
I never became a fan of the 2011 revival recording. I bought it the day it was released and was obviously very excited for it, but it just didn't work for me. The 1985 concert is always the go to for me (those main four are to die for, plus I love the supporting cast).
"Contentment, it seems, simply happens. It appears accompanied by no bravos and no tears."
Updated On: 3/17/16 at 01:03 PM
#19Best recording for familiarizing with Follies?
Posted: 3/17/16 at 1:08pm
You need to buy them all. Except the London one. Replace that with the OBC boot.
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Jarethan
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/10/11
#20Best recording for familiarizing with Follies?
Posted: 3/17/16 at 3:04pm
ljay889 said: "2011 and Papermill.
Papermill and the OBCR were my introduction, but the OBCR isn't enough on its own, definitely supplement it with 2011 or Papermill.
I actually think the Papermill was best. Dee Hoty was a revelation and the supporting cast was great. Embarrassed that I can't remember who was Sally.
#21Best recording for familiarizing with Follies?
Posted: 3/17/16 at 3:57pm
If I'm not mistaken, Sally was played by Donna McKechnie.
#22Best recording for familiarizing with Follies?
Posted: 3/17/16 at 4:10pm
You all, they didn't ask for the best cast recording, but for the most complete (including dialogues) so that it's easy to follow the plot. Papermill is perfect for the music, 2011 Broadway revival is perfect for this purpose because you can easily follow the whole story
And I wouldn't dismiss the London cast recording so easily, Julia McKenzie was a sensational Sally
Jarethan
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/10/11
#23Best recording for familiarizing with Follies?
Posted: 3/17/16 at 6:07pm
To me, the London cast recording committed the mortal sin of replacing Lucy and Jessie with A Country Home. I assume this is because Diana Rigg could not handle L&J. There was something else that was changed for the worse, but I can't remember.
I could never get through the 2011 recording more than once. I have never gotten all the fuss over Jan Maxwell, and I thought her L&J was lousy, although Could I Leave you was very good (IMO Dee Hoty's made all others pale, including Alexis Smith's, which seemed too sedate after listening to Hoty's). I also did not like Broadway Baby, Ah! Paris, or I'm Still Here. To me, Ethal Shutta owns the former, Liliane Montevecchi Paris, and Yvonne DeCarlo and Anne Miller both were great with the last. I guess I am saying that the performances themselves are just not as good in general, minus Danny Bernstein and Bernadette Peters in Losing My Mind.
Finally, one of my favorite numbers from Follies has always been Waiting for the Girls Upstairs, which just didn't do it for me in the 2011 recording. I doubt any recording will ever match the original cast.
#24Best recording for familiarizing with Follies?
Posted: 3/17/16 at 6:19pm
Jarethan said: "To me, the London cast recording committed the mortal sin of replacing Lucy and Jessie with A Country Home. I assume this is because Diana Rigg could not handle L&J. There was something else that was changed for the worse, but I can't remember.
Lucy and Jessie was replaced with Ah, But Underneath...
