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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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)
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.
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.
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.
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
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."
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
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.
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...