Les Miserables FULL recording?

Posted: 4/28/08 at 2:09am

Hey guys,

Before you kill me for doing a Les Mis recording thread, I was just wondering if any of the recordings were full recordings of the show.

for ex:
before "Welcome M'sieur, Sit yourself down..." in Master of the House, there is actually a prelude with drinkers and Thenardier (slight recit) in the score.

Also, in the 10th Anniversary Dream Cast, the song Turning is cut down. They skip like 8 lines of women singing.

Just wondering which is the closest to full or if there are any out there. I'm not debating which is the best, I already love the 10th but I need one that (best case scenario) is through the whole show. I figured my chances were low, but I thought I would ask to double check.

Thanks
Jkor

[bythesword84]

Posted: 4/28/08 at 2:26am

At this point there are several versions of Les Mis, depending on when and where you saw it. The closest to the full thing is the Complete Symphonic Recording, which actually goes through the whole show as it was done at that time. (Though in terms of vocals, I wouldn't call it the best, I know that's not what you were asking)

Posted: 4/28/08 at 2:44am

Thanks! That's good to know about the CSR though... vocals does play a factor in it, of course.

I'm specifically talking about the regional theater version, so not the school edition? It's a professional theater company performing Les Miserables.

[Khashoggi]

Posted: 4/28/08 at 3:58am

The Complete Symphonic Recording contains the full score as it was in 1988. And when I did the show a few years ago, it was still the same as this recording.

[Urban]

Posted: 4/28/08 at 4:15am

The 3-disc Czech cast recording is complete. :)

Yes, I have the Czech cast recording. I am a nerd.

[bythesword84]

Posted: 4/28/08 at 4:24am

I have the Czech recording too, yay nerds.

[Becky2]

Posted: 4/28/08 at 9:45am

There's an additional verse in "Lovely Ladies" that I've seen on stage, but I have yet to find it included in any cast recordings (but I'm limited to the English cast recordings and the French revival). Is it included in any of the other non-English cast recordings by any chance?

[Shawk]

Posted: 4/28/08 at 10:18am

Do you mean the "God, I'm weary, sick enough to drop" part? That was one of the 10th Anniversary changes, I believe.

As said, the CSR is the most complete English recording, as the show was then. There have been various revisions since, and I do believe that regional productions are able to choose what of the revisions to implement-- I've seen regional productions that have added back Fantine's "Come to Me" cuts, and the cuts at the wedding and Valjean's Confession.

[EVIE]

Posted: 4/28/08 at 11:10am

I'm a nerd too! I have both Czech recordings.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 4/28/08 at 11:24am

The CSR is very sterile and engineered-sounding. I never listen to it anymore.

[EVIE]

Posted: 4/28/08 at 11:26am

The CSR has one of the worst sounding Fantines ever.

[Weez]

Posted: 4/28/08 at 11:39am

Damn you all, I love CSR Fantine, and I'll take a dash of sterility over being forced to sit through an Enjolras that isn't Anthony Warlow ANY day!

[Neverandy]

Posted: 4/28/08 at 2:23pm

The CSR is not done by a "Theater Company", It is an international collection of Legitimate Musical Theatre Stars. I believe the London symphony ORchestra recorded the score and the producers took those recordings all around the world to record each different character. You do get Michael Ball as Marius, Phillip Quast as Javert, and Anthony Warlow as Enjolras. Gary Beach is also one of the ensemble guys.
If you only want to own one recording, I would go for this one. The only live recording is the Tenth anniversary cast and the small snippet from Hey Mr. PRoducer.

[TooDarnHot]

Posted: 4/28/08 at 2:58pm

I love Phllip Quast and his portrayal of Javert.

the CSR is the best one to get, in terms of material. in terms of talent? I'd do the 10th Anniversery recording.

Posted: 4/28/08 at 4:40pm

Thanks guys! Yeah, in terms of talent I love the 10th anniversary.
I love Philip Quast as Javert though, so that's comforting to know about CSR haha.

I used to have the 10th, but it disappeared with my computer when I got rid of all cds in lieu of itunes. Mistake, but oh well.

[Mbmusic]

Posted: 4/28/08 at 5:04pm

Yup the Complete Symphonic Recording has every note.

[blaxx]

Posted: 4/28/08 at 5:09pm

Isn't the CSR missing that "Castle on a Cloud" harmony between Valjean and Young Cosette when he walks with her back from the well?

Updated On: 4/28/08 at 05:09 PM

[Shawk]

Posted: 4/28/08 at 5:14pm

Javert and Cosette, huh? Sounds like that bad sequel to the novel with Verjat.

I can't remember if the CSR has it or not, but since I have blocked out Gary Morris entirely from my mind...

[SweeneyPhanatic]

Posted: 4/28/08 at 5:33pm

The bit between Valjean and Young Cosette is on the CSR. I rmember because that recording was the first time I'd ever heard it (before seeing the show).

And if anyone does want to buy the CSR, iTunes has it for $19.90 plus tax. The list price is $29.98, so you'll save yourself a nice bit of money buying it digitally. And the official Les Mis site sells it for 32.50 GBP, which is about $64.71, so I'd buy it digitally any day!

[winston89]

Posted: 4/28/08 at 5:45pm

The line "God I'm weary sick enough to drop. Belly Burns like fire will the bleeding ever stop?" Was a line that replaced the men singing "Lovely ladies fastest on the street wasn't every minuet she was back up on her feet.

The CSR is by far the most complete english recording of the show. I really never saw the show and got the chance to fully enjoy it until the revival came around but I listen to the music before I saw the revival. So, the problems that many have with the CSR are problems that don't phase me at all.

[Khashoggi]

Posted: 4/28/08 at 10:47pm

The "Well Scene" following "Master of the House" was a integrated into the show in 1997 for the 10th Anniversary of the Broadway production. As I said, the CSR contains the complete score as it was in 1988.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 4/28/08 at 10:49pm

And the "god, I'm weary" line was added shortly before the 10th anniversary, right? I think Sutton Foster was in that track, actually.

[bythesword84]

Posted: 4/28/08 at 11:44pm

The "God I'm weary" line, if I remember correctly, was added around that time yes. I remember when I first heard it I thought, that's new, but they made a lot of changes for the 10th anniversary.

Posted: 4/29/08 at 12:50am

Was the prelude to the Master of the House "Innkeeper's song" added in too?

Interesting... I haven't seen the show staged since like 2002 so I only remember what little I still recall of the school edition.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 4/29/08 at 12:51am

"Got there, it's true, when the fight was all through," etc... you mean? That was cut from the show before you saw it for the first time, but it had been there since the Barbican pre-West End production.