Reviews (18)

The best musical you've never heard of
This show is the longest-running off-broadway musical, and I can't believe I'd never heard of it before. I saw it live at the Edinburgh Festival by the National Student Theater Company and went back twice more. It's funny, clever, and touching without the slighest hint of corn. Love, dating and romance are hardly new topics for musical theatre but the melodies are so memorable and the lyrics so fresh that it will speak to you if you've ever had any kind of experience with love. My favorites are the achingly yearning "I Will Be Loved Tonight," and "We're Married -and We're Gonna Have Sex" which will have you falling out of your seat with laughter. If you love musical theater, get the CD, then get yourself to New York to see this fab, fab show!

A gem!
While living in Westchester County, I happened across this show one night off Broadway. It's a hoot! As the advertisements said, "It's SEINFELD set to music."

THE SHOW:
I LOVE YOU, YOU'RE PERFECT, NOW CHANGE is a series of songs and sketches (mostly comic) about the interpersonal relationships of life. Act I is about the common and not-so-common mishaps of dating; Act II is about marriage, raising kids, divorce, remarriage, and a number of other topics. Obviously, Act I works as a cohesive whole much better than Act II. The cast is comprised of two women and two men, and the accompaniment is provided by a pianist and a violinist. (When I saw the show, the two instrumentalist were of opposite genders, which they highlighted in a "Battle of the Sexes" rendition of the Entr'acte.)

THE DIALOGUE:
Some sketches are weaker than others. Luckily, the worst sketch, right near the beginning of the show, where a man and woman on a blind date decide that, due to their busy schedules, they will skip some of the traditional awkward moments of the dating process, is not included on the CD. Unfortunately, we don't fare as well with "Satisfaction Guaranteed," which is quite offensive, and is the only completely spoken sketch included on the recording. In my opinion, a better choice for inclusion would have been the poignant soliloquy by the divorced woman at the video dating service....or perhaps the singles club meeting held at Attica State Prison.

THE MUSIC and THE RECORDING:
Of the 19 tracks on the CD, 17 are comedic. Most of the music is fantastic, and the cast members have good voices and great comedic timing. My favorite number has to be "Always A Bridesmaid," a lament by a frequent wedding witness whose hideous gowns have longer lifespans that the marriages to which they were worn. ("For Tabatha, I wore taffeta. You should never: people laugh at ya.") Other favorites include "Single Man Drought," about two women on dates from hell, "Tear Jerk," in which a macho guy gets dragged to a 'chick flick' movie, and "I Can Live With That," the musical conclusion to a great scene where two elderly people flirt at a funeral.

Nothing like it
Oh my gosh! I saw this play at a small theatre in Tennessee. I fell in love with the play. It is one of the best plays of all time. The way the actors here did it I think worked better than the CD cast. The cast on the CD's voices just don't mix as well as they needed to. But non the less it was a awsome show and soundtrack.

There's no need to change this
This is one of the most inventive shows to come to Broadway, with its fabulous soundtrack backing it up. I saw this production over 2 years ago and I remember it like it was yesterday. The songs are just so brilliantly written that you really don't mind having them stuck in your head.
The honesty of the topics that the production shows is mirrored in it's hilarious, witty, and even touching lyrics. Songs like: He Called, Always a Bridesmaid, and Shouldn't I be Less in Love with You, you will be reminded of the lighter sides to dating and, whether or not you are or aren't, marriage.
This is a show that anyone who's ever dated can relate to. It's fun, hilarious, and will put a huge smile on your face!

soo funny
the songs are basically the entire play...so having this CD is just like having the whole play including dialouge ... Read more

Reviews (10)

one of Broadway's all-time greats
PETER PAN is a musical that never did all that well on Broadway when it first opened. It ran a mere 152 performances and closed with very little fanfare. It's reputation is based on word-of-mouth and the several live television performances that aired featuring the bulk of the original cast. (The third and final version was taped for prosterity).

Mary Martin starred in many musicals (the original SOUND OF MUSIC and SOUTH PACIFIC as well as JENNIE and I DO, I DO!), but her time spent as Peter Pan is what fans and baby-boomers remember her best as.

The original cast of PETER PAN included Cyril Ritchard in the traditional dual-roles of Mr Darling and Captain Hook, Kathy Nolan as Wendy, Margalo Gillmore as Mrs Darling and Sondra Lee as Tiger-Lily; not to mention Mary Martin's real-life daughter Heller Halliday in the featured role of Liza the maid.

The original cast-album of PETER PAN, in its glorious monaural sound, is a mandatory disc in any self-respecting Broadway fan's collection. It features the thrilling Overture as well as Mary Martin's immortal "I'm Flying", "Never Never Land" and her colorful, show-stopping duet with Cyril Ritchard, "Oh, My Mysterious Lady".

Highly-recommended.

A classic for children of all ages
As I played 1st trumpet in the Broadway production of PETER PAN as well as for this original cast recording, I hope the show is appreciated for the melodies and the story line. During the run of the show on Broadway, I was always amazed how the children would cheer and support Tinker Bell especially when Mary (Peter) would ask the children if they believe in Tinker Bell. They would shout yes and applaud. The show captured their imagination and of course Mary Martin and Cyril Richard were unbeatable as Peter Pan and Captain Hook. Enjoy the show and long live the energy and enthusiasm of PETER PAN.

MARY MARTAIN IS AWSOME!
I LISTEND TO THIS CD IN HIGH SCHOOL SO MANY TIMES I MEMORIZED ALL THE LYRICS BY HEART AT THE END OF THE DAY. I SAW THE CATHY RIGBY VERSION BEFORE I HEARD THIS CD. I HATED THE CATHY RIGBY VERSION SO MUCH, I HATED THE WHOLE MUSICAL. THEN, I SAW THE MARY MARTAIN VIDEO [WHICH I HAD NO IDEA WAS THERE.] THE CAPTAIN HOOK ROCKED, MARY MARTAIN KEPT ME FROM GETTING BORED, AND THE LITTLE LOST BOYS WEREN'T CHEESY. THE PIRATES WERE ACTUALLY FUNNY, THE SINGING WAS SO MUCH BETTER, I COULDN'T ASK FOR ANY MORE. ALSO, TIGER LILLY WAS NOT CREEPY LOOKING. I ALWAYS REMEMBERED TIGER LILLY BEING A SCARY, "YOU DON'T WANT TO MESS WITH ME! I'LL GIVE YOU NIGHTMARES FOR THE REST OF NOW" PERSON. THE GIRL WHO PLAYED TIGER LILLY IN THIS PRODUCTION WAS TOO AWSOME TO BE ON A CD. PLEASE DON'T WASTE YOUR MONEY ON THE STUIPED CATHY RIGBY VERSION. I'M WITH THE NEXT GUY. THAT ONE WILL SCARE YOUR KIDS SO MUCH, THEY'LL CRY WHEN YOUR FRIENDS TALK ABOUT IT. WANT MORE REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD BUY THIS CD? JUST BUY IT, RENT IT OR WHATEVER AND YOU'LL AGGRE, "MARY MARTAIN SINGS LIKE SHE KNOWS HER LINES, IF SHE WASN'T THERE, WE ALL WOULD BE DOOMED!

A Classic family show
First of all I would like to clear up a popular misconception about the original Broadway production of PETER PAN as several people here have noted that it only ran 152 performances and therefore conclude it was a flop. Not so!

The original Broadway engagement of PETER PAN was only scheduled to play 4 months. It was sold to NBC BEFORE it even opened on Broadway, so the scheduled run was strictly limited to 19 weeks. The first (live) telecast happened barely two weeks after the final Broadway performance. (The telecast, by the way, was not done from the Winter Garden theatre but rather from a TV studio.) Because of the money advanced by NBC, PETER PAN was also a financial hit. It was a Hit in every sense of the word!

As for the recording, this was one of the best in the early years of RCA Victor who were not having the same luck with their show albums as Columbia was achieving. From the opening bars of the overture right through the finale the album gives you delightful potted version of the show with welcome bits of dialogue here and there. Even without the advantage of stereo imaging you can hear Peter and the children fly across the room.

It's no wonder the role of Peter Pan was to be Mary Martin's favorite. She is obviously having the time of her life and for once her recorded performance captures for the ears alone what she must have been like on stage: It's not always the case with her cast albums. Cyril Ritchard is the most perfect of Captain Hooks relishing the wordplay in his his Tango and Tarantella numbers. Also enjoyable is Margalo Gilmore playing one of those loving mother roles that made up most of her career.

The CD remaster is good though not quite the best. The old tapes reveal some technical limitation of the day (The original recording was made in November 1954.) There's not a lot of high end here and the bass is a bit muddy. Happily the performances provide the needed sparkle.

The Definitive Peter Pan...
Of all versions of Peter Pan that have been performed since the play was written, this is by far the best one. The tale of the boy who wouldn't grow up has appeared in various forms on Broadway since at least 1907 or 1908. This musical version is the one people are most familiar with, as it played for a short run on Broadway and was then broadcast on television (with Martin and Richards) on 3 separate occasions and lives in videotape form. Sadly, many of the children of today are familiar only with Disney's cartoon version (Grrr...), as has happened with so many other tales and stories. The original 1954 recording is the true gem of the Peter Pan legend. This musical Peter Pan has also enjoyed several revivals (one in the late 70s, one in 1991, and one in 1997, the former featuring Sandy Duncan and the latter 2 starring Cathy Rigby) and was restaged on television in 2000 (with Rigby). The most recent television production prior to that was in 1960 (with Martin).

That said, this Original B'way Cast Recording is definately the album of choice. It features the original stars of the 1954 musical version (including the personal favorite, Mary Martin) and sound quality is excellent. Sound is in mono, but one would never know that listening to this album. Too bad they didn't make the recording 4 or 5 years later when stereo recordings appeared. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Maltby and Shire's ode to impending parenthood Baby follows three expectant couples: unmarried college students (Liz Callaway, Todd Graff), empty nesters (Beth Fowler, James Congdon), and thirtysomethings who have been trying desperately to conceive (Catherine Cox, Martin Vidnovic). As the couples explore their different reactions to their situation, the songs alternate between humor and heart-tugging drama. In "I Want It All," the women weigh what they want out of their pregnancies and subsequent lives, while the men express their pleasure in the funky "Fatherhood Blues."In the emotional centerpiece of the show, "The Story Goes On," Callaway reacts after feeling her baby kick for the first time, while "The Ladies Singing Their Song" takes a gentle poke at well-meaning advice givers (Sondheim's ladies who lunch at a different phase of life). This long-awaited reissue of the 1983 original Broadway cast recording captures Jonathan Tunick's orchestrations of shimmering strings and sassy brass and also includes Fowler's solo "Patterns," a gem cut from the original production. Leading the strong cast is Callaway, who was nominated for a Tony (as was Graff and the show, score, book, director, and choreographer) and who later went on to star on Broadway as Grizabella in Cats, perform voiceovers for animation (Anastasia, the Aladdin sequels), and rerecord "The Story Goes On" as the title track of her 1995 solo album. This Baby is a most welcome arrival. --David Horiuchi ... Read more

Reviews (14)

Baby on Broadway.
This Original Broadway Cast recording of the 1983 production of 'Baby' is a great listen. Having seen the show performed by an amateur company here, this album has been a favourite ever since. It's a pity it only ran for 250 performances when first premiered as it contains a wonderful score by David Shire and Richard Maltby. With a story revolving around three couples who are each expecting a child, the songs range from bright and catchy melodies delivered in a funky Broadway style to more reflective numbers. Highlights include "What Could Be Better", "The Story Goes On", the wonderful ensemble voices on "Baby, Baby, Baby", the dream of a Grammy and a baby in "I Want It All", the poignant study of "Patterns" and the joyful romp of "The Ladies Singing Their Song". A terrific addition to any CD collection.

Good, but not stellar
Okay, so I'll be honest: BABY, when staged, is a bizarre show. It waltzes breezily in and out of the lives of three multi-generational couples as they stumble down the road to parenthood. Oddly, the CD feels more lucid than actually watching the play, primarily because of the excision of various odd bits of dialogue and very odd scene changes.

The music here ranges from soaring torch-songs (Story Goes On) to rock ballads (I Chose Right) to touching duets (With You) to well-written comedy (Ladies Singing Their Song) to down-right badly written numbers such as Fatherhood Blues (which, despite the title, has not one ounce of bluesy feel, which may have well been the point, but was not carried across, and instead plays like one long song from a bad episode of Barney).

The cast is good, but not great; then again, this is a show from one of the transitional seasons on Broadway (when shows started moving away from crooners toward smaller voices) and it shows. Breakouts include Liz Callaway, who has gone on to garner a bit of fame on her own, and Todd Graff, both of whom were nominated for a Tony for this show (though listening to the CD, you won't understand why). Other members of the cast are okay, despite the total lack of vocal emotion of one cast member in particular.

This is a good CD to have simply because of the odd subject matter and presentation (the show starts out with a "Look Who's Talking"-esque sperm-meets-egg sequence). Those who are looking for under-appreciated music would also enjoy this CD as almost all of the above songs deserve a better (or SOME) reputation in musical theatre circles. But one might look for Maltby & Shire compilation discs instead as some of the performances here are mousy, despite the fun, if rather dated and schmaltzy, orchestrations by Broadway guru Jonathan Tunick.

Overall, I'd recommend this CD to die-hard musical buffs, but not to those who still think My Fair Lady starred Audrey Hepburn.

Liz Callaway and the cult Broadway musical
BABY is one of the better musicals of the early 80's, with a superb score by David Shire and Richard Maltby Jr. It was the Broadway debut of powerhouse belter Liz Callaway, and also featured prime turns from Todd Graff, Kim Criswell and Beth Fowler (BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, THE BOY FROM OZ). The score is best-remembered for the ravishing "The Story Goes On", though also includes the achingly beautiful "Patterns". The story follows three couples and their experiences during the trials and trevails of having a baby. Such a crime that the original production didn't run longer than it did. One of Broadway's most unappreciated musicals and worthy of a revival.

Closer than never.
This isn't BIG.
This isn't CLOSER THAN EVER.
This certainly isn't STARTING HERE, STARTING NOW.
Liz Callaway soars. Although the ballads are nice (especially 'The Story Goes On'), songs like 'Patterns' and the woman that performs them just break my ears. This certainly isn't the Maltby and Shire I was expecting.
But, hey, it's up to you.

What Could Be Better?
Baby is an underappreciated musical theater gem from the 83-84 season. The songs by Maltby/Shire are tuneful and fun, and the orchestrations bright. Numbers such as What Could Be Better?, I Chose Right, The Story Goes On, The Ladies Singing Their Song, and Two People In Love are some of the best American musical songs of the 80s. This CD is also a must due to it being the first major role for Liz Callaway, one of today's best singers and actors in theater. She shines and Liz and Todd Graff obtained Tony Award nominations for this show. Highly recommended. ... Read more

Amazon.com

If Columbia Records was trying to cash in quickly with this 1958 package before heartthrob Mathis's string ran out, the joke was--happily--on them, since it ended up staying on the Billboard charts for 490 weeks. These, of course, are his earliest smashes, and for the most part, his best: the likes of "Chances Are" and "Wonderful! Wonderful!" are young people's music the way, for instance, the '50s Sinatra wasn't, and Mathis was growing up fast. He'd rarely sound quite so earnestly embracing again. --Rickey Wright ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Fits The Definition Of A CD Dinosaur
I do NOT mean Johnny Mathis in the above caption. Far from it. During the halcyon days of the birth of R&R any house party worth its salt had the prerequisite Presley, Domino, Berry, Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis, Connie Francis, and Pat Boone 45s ready to roll for pure dancing pleasure. But when it was time for ... err ... other things the first LP to hit the turntable was always a Johnny Mathis one.

His smooth delivery and velvet tones, usually backed by the Ray Coniff or Ray Ellis orchestras, were the perfect combination to settle things down and relax.

No, the caption refers to the 10- or 12-track CD with no liner notes which hit the market back at the beginning of the CD age. They were alright back then, at least until the novelty wore off and the major labels were eventually confronted by Rhino, Ace, Bear Family, etc. How they can continue to be available, and how anyone would fork over the amounts asked when much better compilations are available for just a few dollars more, and with copious liner notes, is beyond me.

This, and its companion CD - More Greatest Hits [like many CDs from that time] - also take liberty with the term Greatest Hits, giving us three in this volume which were uncharted B-sides - When Sunny Gets Blue which backed his first hit Wonderful! Wonderful!, Warm And Tender on the other side of It's Not For Me To Say, and When I Am With You, the flip of Come To Me.

The other one includes three uncharted B-sides [Very Much In Love, You Are Everything To Me, and Let It Rain] along with one [Flame Of Love] which wasn't even the B-side of a hit. So, out of 24 selections in two CDs just 17 were actually hits. Not only that, but they left out three that were very much among his greatest hits - scoring higher than ELEVEN of those included. These are: Gina [# 6 in 1962]; What Will Mary Say? [# 9 in 1963]; and Misty [# 12 in 1959].

Indeed, two more [Starbright - # 25 in 1960 and Every Step Of The Way - # 30 in 1963] were better hits than either of You Are Beautiful [# 60] and Let's Love [# 44].

It's time to either withdraw these from the marketplace, OR combine the two in a 30-track CD with the addition of those mentioned above, and add a few pages of background notes and a discography.

Johnny at his earliest and his best
If one needs a Mathis album to start with, this is the album to start with as it does have 12 of his greatest hits, just like the title says it has including "Wonderful, Wonderful" (which isn't on the album of the same name although a lot of people do assume that), "Chances Are," the often covered "The Twelfth of Never" and many others from the early years. As it was already mentioned, it is an all time best seller staying on the Billboard album chart for a long time for good reason. This is music from a bygone era when crooning your heart's content made you a superstar and this kind of music stands the test of time. The other greatest hits collections and some of his best albums that were also originally released during his peak years including 1959's "Heavenly," which also had been a best seller for years featuring hits such as "Hello, Young Lovers" and his cover of Erroll Garner's jazz standard "Misty", are great companions to this disc. If you feel sentimental from time to time, this album is for you as it is many things to all people and it is definitely "real" and personal.

"Johnny's Greatest Hits " makes me want to Come to Him
Every single song in the album "Johnny's Greatest Hits" contains his best. Mainly every single song hits the mark with me. I've never heard a singer with so much warmth and love reflected in his beautiful voice.

My husband and I grew up listening to Johnny, but he never got into the " crass stuff" that is constantly on the airways today. I'm so thankful for that. I could just listen to him sing on and on and never get tired of his wonderful voice. He is also the most lovable singer I have ever heard -- kind of on the shy side, which attracts me even more. I love this album and I'm sure I'm not alone.

I love Johnny Mathis's style in this album and just can't get enough of hearing it. Again, "Johnny Greatest Hits" contains most all of the best of Mathis. I Love you Johnny -- especially for being you.

When you sing "Come to Me" in this album, that's just exactly what I want to do!

Marcia Hendricks

For your own good.
Maybe you really would rather listen to the Stones or NWA, really loud, lots of bass, floor shaking and all that. But odds are the lady of the moment won't get in the mood very well with that going on. So go ahead, get this, stash it away for some tender time.

I once asked one of the most independent, wary strong willed women I ever met what kind of music she liked. Johnny Mathis was the first name she said.

The Millionaire Sold-Out Album by Mathis
This is the first Mathis single hits collection and it has shown in the hit charts for many years. There is also an incredible list of arrangers behind each song and Mathis performances: Ray Conniff and Ray Ellis are there. You'll find simple songs here, as one has said, but simply beautiful songs which will remain in the deep of our hearts. Chances are 'cause I wear that silly grin ... I just wonder why Sony has replaced the original album cover photo for an updated one. Photo and sound does not match. ... Read more

Reviews (74)

Great Representation of the Civil War in Music!
I bought this CD becuase I enjoyed Frank Wildhorn's Scarlet Pimpernel and Jekyll & Hyde, and I wanted to listen to more of his work. Well. I was totally absorbed by this recording. There is such a variety of emotions in the songs, from the rollicking, rambunctios 'By the Sword/Sons of Dixie', 'Freedom's Child', and 'Oh Be Joyful', to the heart-rendering 'I Never Knew His Name', 'The Honor of Your Name', and 'If Prayin' Were Horses'. The music captures the essence of the War Between the States...from the visions of honor and glory to the bloody truth of death and sadness. I highly recommend this CD for anyone who enjoys history, Broadway, or just intelligent and enjoyable music.

Our Story in Song
I saw this play at the Alley Theatre in Houston, Texas and enjoyed it immensely. It is not so much a musical as it is an oratorio. Each song tells a story and when you put the songs together, they tell the story of the War Between the States. The story and the songs present images from the north, the south, and those who were enslaved. From the rousing "By the Sword/Sons of Dixie" to the finale of "The Glory" there is a song type and a kind of music for everyone. From the haunting ballad "Tell My Father" (which is based on a letter written by a soldier during the first battle at Manassas) to the eerie "Five Brothers" (which is based on a letter written by Abraham Lincloln to a mother who had 5 sons killed in the same battle - and, yes, it is the same letter that was read in the beginning of "Saving Private Ryan") there are songs that will stay with you. This is a "thinking mans" musical that will leave you with a lot more than what you had when you first put the CD on. Enjoy.

Classroom Use
I used this to supplement a unit about the Civil War in my gifted language arts class. Songs based on actual writings, so excellent for classroom use. Songs give perspectives of both sides of the war and all types of people involved. Highly recommend. The kids love the music too. There are a few swear words damn only. You can skip if need be.

A wonderful CD!
Let me start off by saying that I did not see 'The Civil War' on stage, and while I enjoy 'Jekyll' and 'Pimpernel', I would not classify myself as a Frank Wildhorn (or Linda Eder) fan. 'Jekyll' and 'Pimpernel', while enjoyable, are very flawed works. I feel 'The Civil War' is his best work.

It always amuses me when people slam Wildhorn on the "period" issue. No, they did not sing rock music during the 19th century. However, 'Les Miserables', 'Miss Saigon', 'The Phantom of the Opera', 'AIDA', and 'EVITA' (to name a few blockbusters) are as guilty as Frank's works of not being true to the "period" they are in. I would like someone to name 5 musicals that are true to their "period". It's a ridiculous argument that has NO merit.

I can understand why 'The Civil War' flopped on Broadway, but we are not discussing the Broadway show, we are discussing the concept album, which is wonderful.

I would rather have had this recording be a concept of the Broadway or Houston cast myself (I'm sick to death of Eder), but what they've lined up here is impressive and beautiful. Favorites of mine include, "Tell My Father", "Virginia", "A Candle in the Window" (even though it's Eder), "Father How Long?", and "The Honor of Your Name", to name a few. This cd is highly enjoyable throughout.

The narrative performances (especially by Garner and Glover) are truly moving and wonderfully set to some really beautiful background music. They are something that should not be skipped over, as they tell a piece of a great American story.

I've always felt that people overly attack Wildhorn. Yes his shows have been flawed, but no more flawed than "AIDA" (or far less flawed than AIDA I should say) and "Hairspray" - two of the biggest hits that are certainly not above "Jekyll", "Pimpernel", or "The Civil War". Yes, Wildhorn is no Schonberg, Sondheim, or even an ALW - but he is not nearly as bad as people claim. For some reason he is a target of those who think they are somehow superior when it comes to theater opinions!

Bottom line - if you want a recording you will enjoy - by this!

Great Musical-Unfortunately Country Singers on CD
I am a singer and a huge fan of musicals. My wife and I saw this Musical before it went to Broadway in Houston. We loved the musical and bought the CD at the preformance. Unfortunately, the CD has country music stars singing these songs. The songs are also changed to sound more "Country". And, the CD is completely missing the powerful Gospel songs that were in the performance we saw!!! Maybe the musical dropped the gospel songs when it went to Broadway. We don't know.

I'm not a Country Music Fan. I do love musicals however. There is a huge difference in styles. We wanted to buy the CD with the broadway style we heard at the show not to listen to Trisha Yearwood or Travis Tritt. The difference is most notable in the song "Northbound Train." This was one of the most energetic and powerful songs of the show. Unfortunately, the version that is sung by John Popper on the CD exhibits the classic country style with its slow, twangy, annoying screeching which passes for singing in Nashville. My apologies for my extreme comments but I hate to think that people who didn't have an opportunity to see the musical on stage only have this version available to them.

Buy the CD but start a petition to have a Musical CD made. And, why do they say this is the Cast Recording?? I didn't see this musical on broadway. Did Trisha Yearwood and Travis Tritt perform on Broadway with this show? ... Read more

Amazon.com essential recording

Before Andrew Lloyd Webber's seemingly endless run of Broadway shows, when he was knownprimarily for Jesus Christ Superstar, he managed to write this dramatic, tuneful, occasionallypowerful religious work. Although Lloyd Webber takes some liberties with the text and organization of thetraditional Requiem mass, the result is a unified and finely crafted composition. There are excitingmoments in the "Dies irae" and in the "Lacrymosa", where voices and orchestra aremost effectively used to convey the desperate yet hopeful feeling of the text. This work isn't performedmuch these days in its entirety, but, as in many of Lloyd Webber's musicals, it produced a "hit"tune--the "Pie Jesu"--whose popularity alone could have kept the composer living comfortablyfor the rest of his life. --David Vernier ... Read more

Reviews (12)

The Music's Fine
I am no musicologist, but I found this composition spiritually alive and musically pleasurable from beginning to end. The Hosanna alone is worth the price of the CD; and, yes, Mr. Domingo sings it loudly. But he is singing words uttered by "a very great multitude" who were said to "cry out" (Matthew 21) evidently because they saw the general of their ancestral Defender coming to lift their oppression. If this hail to salvation shouldn't be sung "so loudly," one wonders what earthly occasion would justify loud singing? Throughout the cantata (is that what this is?) there are not only repetitions that unite the piece musically, but tender trills from the flute, the bells, the oboe--little runs that shiver through the music like fish in a stream, or hints of life cracking an intricate ice palace. Listen to this requiem and others. Come on in; the music's fine.

Surprisingly good
I find myself initially impressed by Andrew Lloyd Webber's music and then, upon becoming familiar with it, find myself less and less interested.

For me, familiarity seems to breed disinterest.

However, I just can't say the same for this Requiem. Is it derivitive? Sure. Have other composers mentioned here written "better" Requiems? I think that would be a fair comment.

But does Andrew Lloyd Webber's Requiem move me? Yeah. It really does. And I can come back to it, it seems, without the effect having been diminished.

Could this actually be the piece ALW has always been meant to write? I have absolutely no idea.

I just like it.

One quibble: Placido Domingo was too far along in his career here to have sung the music as I suspect Webber had in mind. I realize star power sells CDs, but, for all his talent and musicality, the great Domingo, at this point, was simply unable to sing pianissimo above the staff.

And while there can be no doubt Webber wrote the soprano part for Sarah Brightman, it would be nice sometime to hear a soprano sing this music with a tad more "oomph" to her voice.

But, still, quite an amazing effort.

Well done!

Unlike anything I have heard!
I have no idea what Verdi would make of this. I don't even know what I make of it most of the time- I don't listen to this CD for any religious reason, in fact I'm as reactionary an atheist as you will ever meet. So I'm immune to whatever religious pull this may have. I just don't hear it that way and I honestly don't care how it was intended.

Having said that, this music is unlike anything else you will ever hear. It is grandiose, triumphant, sanguine, and full of anguish. It is one of the most luxuriously evocative pieces I have ever heard. This is the sound of a forgotten world trying to make sense of its looming oblivion. It conjures strange and desolate landscapes in my mind... Hordes of libertines crashing through a city in masks, burning themselves alive and shrieking as they throw themselves from smoking spires... A lonely stooped prophet crossing a desert in some post-apocalyptic world, blindly beseeching the terrible sun for penance... An infernal machine, once abandoned, uses a woman as a musical instrument, invades her mind, body and soul and tries to make sense of the world through her plaintive sighs and disjointed memories... Orphans rummage through the shards of what was once a grand floating-city made of crystal... A ship of fools travels the open seas ceaselessly- in their eyes the ocean is a desert... A small child with bright eyes and a rucksack meanders through these scenes, immune to the chaos, narrating the events with solemn pity, watching over the doomed souls who pass through the story.

I first heard this in a college philosophy class (thanks Dr. Haist!), and was simply awestruck. Again, I've never heard anything like it. Listen briefly to the samples and see if it has a similar effect on you (especially if you care for religious music of this kind). This is something rare.

I SIMPLY LOVE IT!!!
I might have heard some familiar music by Lloyd Webber, including Melody from "Cats" and the ominous theme from the "Phantom of the Opera", but this CD is the reason I really appreciated the composer.

Honestly, I'm not really fond of Broadway shows or contemporary musicals or such; As an "emotionalist", I'm more into orchestral pieces (a majority of them being classical music involving a huge flow of pathos, whether it's a huge sense of feeling triumph, or a huge defeat, such as lementing the dead, and that's the reason I love about this CD.

I've often listened to music involving death and its tragedy or solemness to reflect on all the lives taken way, the sad mournful faces of the people, the images of the dead and the blood of the slaughtered, and all the disasters which claimed by a massive toll which "shouldn't have happened" - such as war, natural disasters, and the 9/11 attack. Among my favorite requiems include Verdi's massive version, Britten's War Requiem, and this one by Webber.

Let me tell this very simply; I love the music itself and the overflowing emotions - which the blood, the pain, the tears, the anger, and the sense of reconciling of what had happened tell the story.

About the performers, Placido Domingo and Sarah Brightman were superb. They've been my favorite opera singers for a long time, because their voices and tone really flows out emotions like flood. I was so darn positive no one could have been a perfect, better pair then the duo for such a melodramatic piece. Sarah Brightman's fascinating solo on "Pie Jesu" is especially not to be missed.

The choir was as great as any mass performers should be, and the orchestra under Maestro Lorin Maazel did a fine job.

Originally, Webber dedicated the music to his father, and a boy mentioned in a newspaper articie who must either [destroy] his sister or take away his own life. I would probably listen the music to remind of the 9/11 Attack...

It's already a month before the anniversary when I would be posting.

Dona eis requiem (grant them rest), and dono nobis pacem (grant us peace).

The modern requiem ..
.. is defined by two men. John Rutter .. and Andrew Lloyd Webber. I'm only giving it four stars because nothing is perfect .. but I've sung the Webber Pie Jesu in concert, as well as John Rutter's. They both hang tears on my lashes. ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Streisand's greatest album and film
"Funny Girl" is Barbra's greatest album and film.She even said in a interview it's her favorite.I played the hell out of this album when I was a kid.I couldn't stop laughing when I heard some of these numbers,"I'm the greatest Star," when Barbra keeps making joke's while she's singing this classic,"Did you hear the one about the traveling salesman?"The funniest moment from the movie is on this record,when Fanny Brice is pregnet singing,"His love makes me beutifull," and "Sadie Sadie." "when he comes home I tell him,Oh,what a day I had today." When Barbra was recording this album,I heard she recorded "People" over and over again.The producers were happy with the first take,but she wasn't.When Barbra approved the final take,everyone in the room was crying. The score for "Funny Girl" by Jule Styne and Bob Merrill is a classic,especially "Don't rain on my Parade." There's not one song from this soundtrack that isn't fantastic. You have to get this CD if your a fan of Streisand.

Funny Girl--Glorious Music
This is a play, movie and soundtrack I cannot escape from. And hearing all these tunes digitally re-masterd onto CD is quite an enhancement in audio quality. Oy, one has to hear those subtle sensual vocals which Fanny sings to Nick--the red velvet private dining room, the fainting couch, Barbra and Omar Shariff exchanging verbal taunts in "You Are Woman, I am Man".

We are also treated to 13 other tracks telling the story of Fanny Brice, comedienne, and Nickie Arnstein, gambler and love of her life. Remember the tug boat scene? She will not be denied and powers her way to him while empowering us with "Don't Rain On My Parade". Laughing...and "The Swan"--a humorous look into the classic ballet Swan Lake a la Streisand style.

I more than recommend this soundtrack. A pefect addition to any collection. Thanks for your interest & comment votes--CDS

She is amazing, I am amazed!
The film soundtrack version of the "Funny Girl" score may lack some of the intimacy of it's Broadway counterpart, but Barbra's sensational belting is even more impressive the second time around. The film versions of "I'm The Greatest Star," "You Are Woman," "Sadie, Sadie," and especially "Don't Rain On My Parade" are actually superior to the earlier versions, with Barbra giving even better vocal performances. While it doesn't quite match the superior single version from 1964, the film version of "People" (the third studio recording of the song) is lush and very beautiful in it's own right.

The lovely "I'd Rather Be Blue Over You" and the stunning "My Man" (two of Fanny Brice's standard numbers) are worked into the score and prove to be highlights as does the title song, newly written for the film by Jule Styne and Bob Merrill. It's no surprise that Barbra received the Academy Award for best actress for her work in this film. The "Broadway Cast" album has a more intimate feel to it, but the film soundtrack version of "Funny Girl" is a master work in it's own right and just slightly surpasses the earlier recording.

Question...
Does this CD have Barbara Streisand as well as Omar Shariff??????????? I really want to know before I buy it. or does this version have that Bob Merill guy...I don't like him. Thank you ...

Remastered? No!
This album will go down in history as the worst "Remastering"-job anyone has ever done. The first 2 seconds of every track never have the same fidelity as the rest of the track. "You are woman" has distracting hiss and pops as has "My man" (here especially whenever the instrumental track and the voice track are being mixed). It seems as if the over the years heavily used mixed master tapes have been used for remastring instead of going back to the original elements. A comparison between the first CD release and this one will reveal further disadvantages of (re-)mastering in both editions, mistakes that, alas, have been multiplied by modern techniques in this forgettable release. Collector beware! ... Read more

Amazon.com

William Finn's career in the musical theater is pretty remarkable considering that he doesn't write traditional show tunes--much less traditional shows. But Finn has a gift for catchy melodies and his emotionally engaging work has a way of intimately connecting with audiences (during the initial run of Elegies, hardened New Yorkers could be seen trying to hide their tears). Though no storyline links these songs, they are united by the underlining idea of loss; in turn funny, tender, witty, biting and quietly devastating, they form a unified tapestry. Musically, Finn can turn out perky little numbers and powerful ballads--"Anytime (I AmThere)" could conceivably be a hit if some contemporary pop diva didit. Led by Betty Buckley and Carolee Carmello, the cast is completelyin sync with the material. Some of the narrative-heavy pieces recallMichel Legrand's sung-through work (and there are Legrand-likeflourishes on "Monica & Mark"), but in the end Finn is very much hisown man: There's nobody quite like him in the Americanmusical-theater world, and Elegies just brings more evidence ofthat. --Elisabeth Vincentelli ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Wonderful William Finn!
I'm a big fan of William Finn and this show reaches the level that I have come to expect from Finn. Many of the songs are stories about very specific characters in a very specific context. The conversational style of the lyrics really helps the characters come to life and is one of my favorite characteristics of Finn's work. Probably the only two songs that lend themselves to a more general application are Infinite Joy and Anytime, both also great songs. Though the theme of this show is celebrating the lives of people Finn has known, and whom you might recognize (Joe Papp), some characters are fictional (Mr. Choi).

I really love the Monica and Mark storyline (Mark's All-Male Thanksgiving, Monica and Mark, and Anytime) and these are my favorite songs on the album. The song Monica and Mark especially gets me and I love how it incorporates motifs from the other two songs. The first time I was listening to this album, I had to just stop what I was doing and devote my full attention to this song. I just love the "da da da da da da" sections. The setup for Anytime is perfect and made me cry. I think I like Anytime better on the "Infinite Joy" album, but that could be because I'm used to it.

I also enjoy the storyline about Finn's mother, especially 14 Dwight Ave. I really like Mr. Choi (especially "Looking in the window...") and Finn has said that it is his favorite song on the album, along with Only One. Passover and My Dogs make me smile. I like the music to Joe Papp, but I'm not crazy about the simple lyrics ("Joe Papp never took crap"). I love the song Infinite Joy, but I prefer Liz Callaway's version on the "Infinite Joy" album (I adore Liz Callaway). I'm not crazy about Peggy Hewitt, Jack Eric Williams, and Venice and tend to skip those tracks, though others seem to like them. Maybe they'll grow on me.

It's nice to hear the Finn veterans on this recording. I absolutely love Michael Rupert (Marvin in Falsettos) on this recording! I think he does a great job! I also really enjoy Keith Byron Kirk, who was in A New Brain. Carolee Carmello was in Infinite Joy and Falsettos.

I am so glad that Fynnsworth Alley recorded this show! It is a great label and I like lots of the albums they put out. Though I would buy anything from Finn anyway! I recommend that you buy this album and Infinite Joy even though there is some overlap in songs. While you're at it, buy anything you can from William Finn!

Best CD you'll buy this year!
William Finn's new songcycle is the most incredible compilation of songs written in my recent memory. There is not a song work skipping on this CD. It will make you laugh, cry, and everything in between. Finn's songs are just right, never tear-jerking or corny. Exceptional songs on this CD are "Mister Choi & Madame G," Carolee Carmello's beautiful and hilarious renditions of "Passover" and "Anytime," Betty Buckley's moving "Infinite Joy" and my personal favorite, the hilarious and just sooo cute "My Dogs." It seems silly to say which songs are my favorite because they are each so good. If you have any appreciation in music of any kind, this CD should be added to your collection.

Elegies: A Nasal Song Cycle
I love the pianist.

I was a fan of Finn's "A New Brain" (thanks, mostly, to it being Kristen Chenoweth's B'way debut) and was excited to purchase this album. However, I couldn't focus much on the music as all three of the male performers (who have the brunt of the music to sing) were incredibly nasal and very irritating to listen to. Most of the time I found myself skipping a track (aspecially "Mark and Monica" and "All Male Thanksgiving") because the performers' voices were soo obnoxious and nasal that I started getting a headache.

The only people I would recommend this album to are fans of the divine Carolee Carmello and Betty Buckley. Both are in excellent voice (although Carolee seems to have started pushing her voice since "Parade") and sing their songs with as much conviction as they have in all of their other works.

Except for the last song, I was not impressed by the material--what few rhymes there are are trite and commonplace, and Finn is even audacious enough to put praise forhimself in one of the lyrics. Sure he struck gold with "Falsettoland" and (well not so much) "A New Brain", but Finn's "Elegies" are less reminiscent of good times as they are whining about the unfairness of losing someone and how shocking everything is when someone you love is gone forever. Blah blah blah.

Mediocre at best.

A Light Beyond Death
I was initially concerned that an entire score about the passing of loved ones would be painful and dreary. And don't get me wrong, I like painful and dreary, but not for an entire cd. So I was greatly relieved when I listened to Elegies for the first time. I had already heard Anytime (I am There), Infinite Joy, and Turning on the Infinite Joy cd, so it's lovely to hear that the rest of the score lives up to those numbers, with the possible exception of the song about the dogs. The cast is vocally strong, and their passion comes through on the recording. Standouts are Keith Byron Kirk on "Mr Choi and Madame G", and with Carolee Carmello on "Goodbye", Betty Buckley on "14 Dwight Ave., Natick Massachussetts, Carolee on "Anytime" and "Passover", Michael Rupert on "Mark's All-Male Thanksgiving" and Christian Borle on "Turning". Overall, Elegies celebrates the lives of the departed with joy and light, and most importantly, the idea that life goes on.

what more can i say...?
if i were to summarize the experience of listening to this CD, it would be in a very simple sentence - great. now that's such a hollow and meaningless word as a response to "how are you?'s" casually asked of acquaintances. but it is the truth - this CD is great.

it evoked a myriad of emotions ranging - the lightness of the song "My Dogs", the mysterious depth of "Infinite Joy", and the peek into the singer's and the composer's soul in "Anytime".

this is great for Fridays spent alone in one's apartment - it fills the air with music worthy of the label "music". ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Save big bucks w/the 5 disc set!
This CD is great. It has both old and new Disney classics. But...for a little more money you can get all these songs and about 80 more. The 5 disc set sold here at Amazon has 99 Disney classics and sells for about the price of 2 CDs. The 5 disc set includes songs such as Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah from the no-longer released Song of the South, songs from the theme parks like the Electric Light Parade theme, It's a Small World from the NY World's Fair...it has them all! Buying the CDs seperately you probably spend twice as much + shipping; save some money--the 5-CD set is the way to go.

this cd is good
this cd is supercaligood i was happy when i bought this cd it has good songs some include: out there just around the riverbend supercalifraglexpialdocuis bibidi bobidi boo zip-a-dee-doo-dah etc i recomnd you get this cd also i got vol.2 it has good songs
to

magical memories from Walt Disney Magical Movies
Do you believe in magic? I do! If you don't, please hear this wonderful CD and enter in a world of real magical memories... the most beautiful memories you can imagine - Disney memories! Hear this album and YOU CAN FLY with Peter Pan, sing THE BARE NECESSITIES with Baloo, go JUST AROUND THE RIVERBEND with Pocahontas, just say the magic words, BIBBIDI BOBBIDI BOO and enter in a WHOLE NEW WORLD of Wonderful Disney Music.

I just don't have words to describe it... maybe just one

SUPERCALIFRAGILISTICEXPIALIDOCIOUS! ... Read more

Reviews (4)

This CD is the best!
Whatever style of music you like or whatever mood you are in, this CD compilation has it all. It is soothing, consoling, inspiring and just plain encouraging.

I picked up my copy at a used CD place but I have urged many other people to pick it up. It just plain feels good to take it in. It will make you glad to be alive.

Another Solid Capitol Issue
These "Capitol Sings" CDs are terrific surveys of the works of the great American songwriters, and the Irving Berlin disc is one of the best. Standout performances include Kay Starr's "You're Just In Love," Betty Hutton's up-tempo "Blue Skies," and Peggy Lee's "Cheek To Cheek." There are also some lovely Nat King Cole numbers, and a seldom-heard Bobby Darrin swinger ("All By Myself"). A great addition to any collection of 20th-century standards.

All you need to know: "All songs written by Irving Berlin"
As soon as album begins with Mary Martin and John Raitt doing "There's No Business Like Show Business" from the 1957 television soundtrack of "Annie Get Your Gun," you know that this Capitol Sings collection of Irving Berlin songs is going to be a winner. As with this entire series you have quite a collection of tracks from the Capitol vaults, with a little something of interesting for every Berlin fan. This time around I especially like the female vocalist and backup numbers: Margaret Whiting with the Crew Chiefs doing "Heat Wave" and then the Pied Pipers on "God Bless America," and Jo Stafford with the Starlighters singing "Play A Simple Melody" and then the Lyn Murray Singers on "White Christmas." Stafford is the singer I have rediscovered through this series, and for every song by Nat King Cole, Peggy Lee or Dean Martin you are going to find Sue Raney, Kay Starr and Dick Haymes. I should make special mention of the Nat King Cole Trio doing "What'll I Do" and Judy Garland on the title track. There is also a previously unreleased track of Dinah Shore doing "The Song is Ended (But The Melody Lingers On). But let's face it. If you like Irving Berlin's music it really does not matter who is singing "Always" or "Steppin' Out With My Baby" (both Gordon Macrae in fact). These tracks, taken from two decades worth of recordings, show how adaptable Berlin's songs were to a variety of musical styles. The Capitol Sings series is one of the better ones I have stumbled across in buidling my music library.

A wonderful tribute album
I usually steer clear of tribute albums -- with very few notable exceptions (the "Two Rooms" tribute to Elton John & Bernie Taupin springs to mind), they always fall flat. But how delightful that Capitol Records has culled from their extensive catalog some of the very best examples of Irving Berlin material recorded by some of their classic vocal artists, most notably the great Judy Garland. This album is worth the price of purchase just for Judy's rendition of "Puttin' on the Ritz" alone.

If you're a fan of Judy Garland or of Irving Berlin, be sure to check this album out.... and add it to your collection! You won't be disappointed, since at this price, it's a REAL steal! ... Read more

Album Description

1996 album for EastWest by the acclaimed vocalist. Features 12 tracks, including the hit duets 'How Can Heaven Love Me' (with Chris Thompson), 'Something In The Air' (with Tom Jones), her smash 'Time To Say Goodbye' (with Andrea Bocelli) and the singles 'A Question Of Honour' & 'Heaven IsHere'. ... Read more

Reviews (59)

ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL...!!!!!!!!!!
WOW!!!

Miss Brightman's Voice is just Amazing, This time Sarah sings POP!!! And is an excellent pop with an incredible music quality. I love this CD, is one of my favourites, Is a CD to be played at night maybe with friends, at a party or at a Disco!!! It includes fantastic songs like YOU TAKE MY BREATH AWAY (My Favourite One) with a Kind of Indian rythm, very sensual...!!!

Another Song is "Question of Honour", where she combines Techno pop with a few parts of an Opera Aria called "Ebben Ne andró lontana" It is just terrific!!!

And my other Favourite song is "Murder in Mayriland Park", a sad and melancholy song played in the piano by Sarah.

It Also includes Wonderful songs like "I Loved you" (I think it has a hip-hop rythm) Something in the Air, Fly and many others.

If you like POP this is a CD for you.

Miss Brightman's voice is absolutely amazing as always, but this time she is not the Sarah as in Phantom, Surrender, or The Songs that Got Away.

VIVA LA BRIGHTMAN!!!

A great, early effort
Back before Sarah Brightman was an international superstar, this was perhaps one of her first recorded forays into finding an international audiance. As an early Sarah fan, I love this album (as I do with Dive). ... Obviously the demand for it as an import exceeded it's original circulation, and thus it was reissued, with Time to Say Goodbye as an added throw in to boost record sales. Unfortunatley, that song sticks out like a sore thumb on this album- all the songs are beautiful, but the essense of Fly is that it is NOT like Sarah's other stuff. If you own La Luna and like it, you will love this CD, so long as you remember that this came first, and La Luna really just repackadged this and sold it as a brand new album, like Sarah's new album, Encore, which is just essentially a re-release of Surrender under a new name. As with Surrender/Encore, if you like the original Import, you will like the new album as well, but you will find it repetitive. I for one am sick of having to sift through supposedly "new" recordings of Sarah's and having them just be recycled. How about something for fans that have been around, and would really like something new...

Something went wrong!
I was very disappointed with this album! Nothing wrong with the music or the way Sarah sings it, I simply dislike the content, the lyrics! A song about a fly is hardly my cup of tea! The only song I did like was Question of Honour.

If you are a fan of Sarah and don't have my prejudice, then you will undoubtedly love this album!

The best written
This c.d. is clearly Sarah's best written and recorded c.d., with Eden being a close second. "Fly" is a c.d. of songs "that are written," not just recorded. Too much of Sarah's stuff are songs of her singing "words" and not songs (perfect voice singing a conversation- no beat or rythm). This one, Eden, and Dive are what you should start your Sarah Brightman collection with- "oh"- and Harem. I would rate Harem a notch above Dive, but Dive IS a great c.d. as well.
Plainly- "this girl is the Goddess of the Univers," and if you get these 4 (or even 1 of them), you will clearly see why (but it is necessary to get at least Fly and Eden to get the full picture). The other stuff (Andrew Lloyd Webber stuff) is for the opera and Play fans (opera songs and songs they sing in plays), it doesn't have any feel at all (except for only a couple- like "3 cornered song" on 'The Songs that Got Away', but the rest on that c.d. is "feelingless," but very respectfully, professionally done- it just depends on your vice, what you like), and that is about it. :))))

sarah FLY IS SWEET and IT ROCKS !!!!!!!! november 3 - 03
i LOVE IT!! i to hereing a operaic soprano . Who can allso do rock and pop varey will. Allso i love the orchestra it is vary diffrent from whan she did the trees they grow so high in 1988.The fly cd is like the dive. But the dive cd was more of a happy blue sky.And in the fly cd it is a sky full of rock liteing!!!!!!!! LOOK at her NEWIST cd harem. ... Read more

Reviews (130)

Beautiful book turned to a beautiful musical
It doesn't matter if you are a Broadway fanatic or if you're irritated with friends who can't stop singing/humming/tapping "The Movie in My Mind", "On My Own", "The Music of the Night", "Magical Mr. Mistofolees", etc. This cast recording can make you laugh, sob, want to jump out of your seat, change the world, perhaps even save aristocrats from the guillotine! Christine Andreas' voice soars in "Storybook", especially when she gets to the French lyrics at the end (and the translation is gorgeous as well). One other performance I must specifically commend is Terrence Mann's "Where's the Girl?" Time after time, it's been said that any woman, girl, or female child will be mesmerized by his voice, Frank Wildhorn's music, and Nan Knighton's lyrics; it only gets more true each time it's said. Douglas Sills is incomparable as Sir Percy; he plays the inane Englishman beautifully in "The Creation of Man" but becomes dashing and sigh-worthy when he opens "Into the Fire". Overall this recording belongs in every CD collection, so I must reccomend to everyone, especially those already owning Broadway cast recordings.

Sink me! It's a great recording!
While I can't give The Scarlet Pimpernel my personal distinction for best 1997-98 cast recording (in my book,that goes to Side Show) it does come in a close second. Douglas Sills,Terrence Mann,Christine Andreas,Gilles Chiasson,and the rest of the original cast do a terrific job of preserving the qualities of the stage production on CD.

Although nothing tops seeing him live,Douglas Sills manages to bring Percy's personality to life on the recording,from serious songs such as "Prayer" and "She Was There" to hilarious comic numbers like "The Creation of Man."

Christine Andreas does a terrific job,particularly with the whimisical "Storybook" and "Only Love," which has since been cut from the production. Her duet with Gilles Chiasson on "You Are My Home" is extremely moving.

"Falcon in the Dive" and "Where's the Girl?" are two of my favorite numbers from the whole recording,and that is largely because of Terrence Mann's charged renditions. Chauvelin's fierceness and passion shine through.

The ensemble also does a great job,especially when singing the praises of "Madame Guillotine" and wondering about the identity of "The Scarlet Pimpernel."

Frank Wildhorn and Nan Knighton crafted a very enjoyable musical with The Scarlet Pimpernel,and the recording is equally enjoyable,particularly for fans of the original cast. Even the instrumental numbers are infused with emotion.

They seek him here, they look for him elsewhere, etc.
I have never had the pleasure of seeing this show on Broadway, but simply listening to this soundtrack gives me at least some idea of how awesome the show was when performed live.

Frank Wildhorn is one of my favorite Broadway composers, he's right up there alongside ALW. The songs are filled with energy, adventure, and all sorts of emotions, you can't help but get swept away, especially in regards those who lend their voices to these incredible songs: Douglas Sills, Terrance Mann, and Christine Andreas.

Every song is simply a delight and they reflect the story exceptionally well. It is a true swashbuckling story filled with passion, intrigue, and loads of laughs.

"Madame Guillotine" is one of my favorites, as it is filled with the ripe madness and furvor of the French Revolution as the citizens worship the instrument of destruction, the guillotine.

"Into the Fire" is another one of my favorites, a rousing anthem to raise the spirits of bravery and courage, a fitting battlecry as Percy and his friends decide to take it upon themselves to save the lives of the innocent in Paris. Wonderful stuff.

"Falcon in the Dive" is an awesome song as sung by Chauvelin as he deals with the various thoughts and feelings that plague him in his duty to hunt down the Pimpernel and maintain order as a servant of the revolution.

"The Scarlet Pimpernel" is definitely awesome because it is an ensemble song dealing with the various rumors about who the Pimpernel is. Some of them more outlandish than the last.

"The Creation of Man" is one of the funniest songs as it deals with Percy and his friends singing about how it is the duty of the aristocratic male to uphold the banner of well-tailored fashions.

I could go on and on, but basically every song on this album is excellent. Do yourself a favor and get this record, and get your hands on the concept album as well. Both are really awesome.

Christine Andreas, Terrence Mann and an underrated score
THE SCARLET PIMPERNEL made history as the first Broadway musical to be re-tooled and re-cast during its run, following scathing reviews and waning box-office. This album features the original Broadway cast, headed by the lovely Christine Andreas.

Frank Wildhorn's score contains a veritable treasure-trove of delights including "Where's the Girl?", "The Creation of Man", "The Riddle", "You Are My Home", "When I Look at You" and "Only Love". "Storybook" looks set to remain a constant in the repertoire of every self-respecting cabaret singer.

The cast includes Terrence Mann (BEAUTY AND THE BEAST), Douglas Sills (LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS) and Christine Andreas (OKLAHOMA!). THE SCARLET PIMPERNEL is a fine musical and is worthy of a production that will do full justice to its sparkling score.

Christne Andreas, WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOUR VIBRATO?
Dearest Christine Andreas,
If you ruin another show with your stupid vibrato, I will personally send a large, dead fish to your home in the care of a large Italian-Polish man named Guiche. He will slap you repeatedly with it until you promise him you'll go see a voice teacher. A GOOD voice teacher.

Also...this show just blows in general even though it's definately one of Wildhorn's better shows. I hope the revised version is better, because this one couldn't be any worse. Thank god Douglas Sills is in it, because after listening to Christine Andreas' voice for that long, it is refreshing to hear somebody who can actually create an acceptable form of resonance.

This show needs tons of work, but the potential is still there.

Start here: Get a new book writer. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Considered by many to be the last great musical comedy, Gypsy tells the backstage tale of vaudeville entertainer turned stripper Gypsy Rose Lee and her overbearing mother, Rose. Stephen Sondheim's lyrics--composed in advance of Jule Styne's infectious music--provide a tight structure and natural language to the 1959 score, which produced more than its share of Broadway standards, including "Everything's Coming Up Roses," "Small World," "Some People," "If Momma Was Married," "Together Wherever We Go," and the climactic "Rose's Turn." Although the role of Rose has seen subsequent memorable interpretations by Angela Lansbury, Tyne Daly, and Bette Midler, the show was written for Ethel Merman, and she remains the definitive stage mother.

For this 1999 release, the recording has been remastered with numerous short passages restored and four tracks added. Merman sings alternate lyrics to "Some People" and a medley of "Mr. Goldstone" and "Little Lamb," all with piano accompaniment. Two other tracks are songs cut in tryouts: "Momma's Talking Soft" (gently swung here by Laura Leslie) was a duet for June and Louise that provides some context to the later line "Momma's talking loud," while "Nice She Ain't" is crooned by Bernie Knee, who is infinitely more suave than Jack Klugman ever would have been. Expanded to 63 minutes, this essential cast recording is now even more essential. --David Horiuchi ... Read more

Reviews (26)

The Perfect Musical
"Gypsy" is know thought out the theatre world as really the perfect musical, and that is what this is. It has a truly brilliant score, music by Jule Styne and amazing lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. Ethel Merman also showers her talent off in this wonderful CD. Her major song, "Some People" is sung magnificently and really is one of the best songs in musical theatre and "Rose's Turn" is just a hunting song that really displays such power and emotions, only Sondheim could have worked on it-just amazing.

Yet then there are also the amazing classics to this CD. "Let Me Entertain You" sung by Sandra Chuch is such a good song and she sings it with such beauty and grace, it will melt your heart.

I would have to say that if you are looking for witch cast of "Gypsy" you should bye, this CD is great due to Ms. Merman, yet the Angel Lansbury CD is also quite good. Yet overall, I find that this is really the best recording of "Gypsy." There is also four bonus tracks witch are very nice.

"Here she is, boys! Here she is, world! Here's Rose!"
The great Ethel Merman dominates this classic original Broadway cast recording of GYPSY. Along with FUNNY GIRL, this musical has Jule Styne's most brilliant score - and that score is enriched by Stephen Sondheim's equally brilliant lyrics. Merman's voice, in 1959, remained strong, powerful, and trumpet-like in its clarity, showing its age only on certain sustained notes, where it wobbled slightly. Her way with a song, however, was just as winning and unmistakable as ever. Playing Herbie to Merman's Rose, Jack Klugman (of whom I am a fan) may seem an odd choice for a musical, but he gives excellent support -- if that is the word I want -- to Merman in "You'll Never Get Away from Me" and "Together Wherever We Go." As "Gypsy" herself, Sandra Church, with her warm middle voice, sounds lovely in the touching "Little Lamb" and like a fully mature star in her solo version of "Let Me Entertain You." Both the orchestrations and Goddard Leiberson's engineering are superb. This GYPSY fully deserves its fame as one of the finest cast recordings ever produced.

The quintessential backstage musical
Called by many the best musical in Broadway history, GYPSY was Ethel Merman's shining moment on Broadway. True, ANNIE GET YOUR GUN ran longer, but Big Merm saved her best for Momma Rose, a role she surprising lost the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical to Mary Martin for THE SOUND OF MUSIC. Jule Styne's score is electrifying, and the overture alone would merit a five-star rating. Stephen Sondheim's lyrics showed the promise that he would be a force on Broadway for a long time to come. An absolute MUST for any musical-theatre fan.

Momma's Best Turn
For those of us who were born too late to see the original GYPSY with Ethel Merman, the excellent revivals are indispensible. Who would want to have missed Lansbury's intelligence, Tyne Daly's power, or most recently Bernadette Peters lovely layered performance, mixing determination with vulnerability and warmth?

But make no mistake, Ethel Merman is Momma Rose. At her very best, which she was here, Merman was an irresistable performer. Her generous involvement in the character and the music is felt here in every note. Merman isn't just loud, she uses her mammoth voice with a laser beam focus and a rhythmic vitality that impels the listener to feel every ache and yearning of Rose's experience.

Buy em all! (Tammy Blanchard is a wonderful Louise in the new Peters revival.) But don't miss Ethel's Rose. This one is for the ages.

10 STARS
Many of the other versions are just fantastic (Bette in particular) but let's face it, Merman rules. This is the ultimate broadway-feeling original cast album. I tend to prefer original cast albums, because of their authenticity.
Nice tidbit: did you know that it's Sondheim himself who says "you ain't gettin'88 cents from me, Rose" ? the actor who spoke that didn't show up the day they recorded this, so he stepped in. ... Read more

Amazon.com

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, the first Broadway show for which Stephen Sondheim wrote both music and lyrics, has proven to be one of the master's most enduring creations, appearing in community theaters and, in 1996, in this full-scale Broadway revival. In the role of the scheming slave Pseudolous, Tony-winner Nathan Lane isn't the maelstorm that was Zero Mostel in the 1962 original Broadway cast, giving a subtler, neurotic performance. While one might miss the sheer force of Mostel's personality driving these madcap antics (based on the Roman comedies of Plautus), Lane's approach allows the show to become more of an ensemble vehicle. In a gender- and race-neutral move, Lane was subsequently replaced on Broadway by Whoopi Goldberg. --David Horiuchi ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Tonight, I am pleased to announce a revival of a comedy...
"A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum" has the distinction of being Stephen Sondheim's first musical for which he wrote the music as well as the lyrics, after having reasonable success writing only the words for "West Side Story" and "Gypsy." Burt Shevelove and Larry Gelbart wrote the book in a blatant attempt to create a musical that would embody the spirit of Titus Maccius Platus, the noted third century (B.C.) Roman playwright. Actually, a lot of the show's comedic premises (e.g., siblings separated at birth) are lifted from the plays by Platus. The show had the distinction of making Zero Mostel a Broadway star, and in this 1996 revival it does the same thing for Nathan Lane. "Forum" is an unusual musical in that it is such a strong comedy that it would work even if you took out most of the songs. The exception, of course, is the opening number "Comedy Tonight," which perfectly sets the tone for the low comedy that follows. The only other memorable tune would be "Lovely," which of course gets parodied big time when reprised in the second act. But overall it is Sondheim's word play that stands out when listening to this album (e.g., "Bring Me My Bride" or "That Dirty Old Man"). Beyond that it is probably unnecessary to add that listening to either the original or the revival cast album is vastly superior to ever having to sit through the dreadful film version of this musical. However, "Forum" is one of those musicals that really needs to be enjoyed in live performance since often the stage action is what drives home a lot of the jokes in these songs. You cannot really appreciate this one unless you have actually seen the show.

Music in Good 'Forum'
The number one reason to buy this remake is this: They took all of us musical theatre people's advice and speed it up! The tempo of this rendidtion is quick, smart, well timed musically and comically, and wonderfully orchestrated.

Saks and his team have turned in a fun album of a show that sometimes needs to be seen (Coutesans, Marcus Lycus) to be appreciated. Great attention was paid to sound effects which helps the listening audience understand the action that more than likely was happening on the stage at a particular momnet. And that, my friends, is the mark of a good musical theatre recording.

Much has been said about the individual performances, all of which are clear, well sung, and spoken. However, to say they are good performers is to take away from the real genius here. To make this musical work (and I've done it a couple of times) one has to find a complete cast of talented character actors. Romeo, Maria, Hamlet, and Barbara please sit down and make way for the circus fare. Saks has found his faux with the likes of Lane, Sabella, and Linn-Baker.

At times the orchestrations drag on and the quality of the actual recording could be better if you have an audiophile ear. But for the most part this is a must have for the musical theatre person.

Sweet melody
1) Show is hysterical. The music, the tempo, the acting, it all worked so well, and there was such cohesion it was superb
2) I played Hysterium in my high school play (Greenwich, CT: Brunswick - '01), and I had so much fun, and the CD helped immensley, as I heard several versions of the songs, and this one just rocked
3) N. Lane's voice is very strong, but can sound whiney at times. I don't know...I'm not getting money for this, so what do I know?!
4) Any chance I can get on stage?

Woot! The best recording of Forum
My high school is doing Forum for there musical this year (I play Erronius by the way..), and this play is hysterical.Although, the movie conversion was totally crappy. The stage version is funnier. Nathan Lane was superb as Psudolus, and i reaaly didnt like him being replaced by Whoopi Goldberg...o well...

Timeless and Classic
I personally am not a fan of classic musical theatre (although the time it was written may not be classic, but I do consider the music to be), but I love this album! The lyrics are witty and clever, and the wonderful music is all that I'd expect from Sondheim. This is a sure bet for anyone who's looking for a light-hearted musical where everything turns out okay in the end. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Richard Adler and Jerry Ross, who were protegés of Frank Loesser, composed and wrote lyrics for only two hit shows of their own--The Pajama Game was the other. (Ross died in 1955, shortly after the opening of Damn Yankees.) But what great shows they were, in sensibility and subject matter entrenched in their Eisenhower era, yet eminently revivable today--and as much more than period pieces. Damn Yankees, which was based on Douglas Wallop's novel The Year the Yankees Lost the Pennant, neatly combined the national obsession with baseball and its dominant team with the Faust legend. The Devil himself (Ray Walston) offers a middle-aged fan of the Washington Senators the chance to turn into a Mickey Mantle-esque ballplayer (Stephen Douglass) to help his hapless team against those Bronx Bombers. The fan accepts, but with an escape clause in the interest of story-line complications. What makes the plot problematic is not its proven fantasy level; it's that the leading lady, Lola, the Devil's temptress assistant, doesn't appear until way into the first act, and then she is required to dominate the show with just two solos and a couple of duets. Only a star with the guts and stage-holding ability of Gwen Verdon could have managed this in the first place, even though her solos are the estimable "A Little Brains--A Little Talent" and the near-standard "Whatever Lola Wants." Bebe Neuwirth, as Lola, was never able to seize the stage--or the recording--of the 1994 revival, and ultimately that show became about Jerry Lewis as the Devil, for God's sake. Verdon's and Walston's amazing original performances are preserved in the movie version (Tab Hunter took over the ballplayer's role), but this recording is the one to have. The show's breakout hit song, sung by ballplayers and fans, was and is "(You Gotta Have) Heart." Damn Yankees and all its songs have just that. --Robert Windeler ... Read more

Reviews (10)

One of the better 50s musicals
The 50s were arguably one of the best decades in terms of musical theater; it seems like every show to debut during the period is now a standard. Well, maybe not. But Damn Yankees is certainly one of the most consistently popular shows to come out of the era. The show is dumb but fun - the story doesnt make any sense at all, but its great to watch. The score is not really groundbreaking; musically its not very interesting; but it is consistentl;y catchy, bouncy, and brassy, just what's required. I am no fan of The Pajama Game, which makes it all the more surpriseing that Adler and Ross came up with this terrific score so soon after. And let there be no doubt; this is the recording to have, not the revival, which although possessing better sound quality totally lacks the presence of great characters. (Incidentally, if you start to hate a show just because the orchestra scores are difficult, you would find yourself with very few left to like; even a trashy show like Adler & Ross's own Pajama Game has a ludicrously difficult score to play. Believe me.) Anyway, I should point out one more thing. IT always seemed to me like this songwriting team's music often seems highly reminiscent of the work of others. In Pajama Game, for instance, the New Town song near the beginning sounds exactly like the far superior Lonely Town from On the Town. And here, Goodbye Old Girl sounds EXACTLY the same as Joey, Joey, Joey from The Most Happy Fella' - right down to the lyrics! But in any case, this is a terrific bit of broadway nostalgia, and a definite must for any collection.

"Six Months Out of Every Year......."
So begins one of Broadway's most delightful (and successful) musical offerings of the early 50's, DAMN YANKEES, based on the popular novel 'The Year the Yankees Lost the Pennant' by Douglass Wallop.

With its immortal, zippy score by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross, the musical starred the legendary triple-threat Gwen Verdon (in her first leading role following her debut in CAN-CAN) and also featured Ray Walston as the snide 'Devil in Disguise' Mr Applegate.

The cast includes Stephen Douglass (THE GOLDEN APPLE) as well as Rae Allen, who sings the show-stopping "Shoeless Joe From Hannibal, Mo.". Gwen Verdon, in the role of scene-stealing seductress Lola, gets several choice numbers including her now-legendary "Whatever Lola Wants", as well as "A Little Brains, A Little Talent", "Who's Got the Pain?" and "Two Lost Souls". Shannon Bolin (PROMENADE) sings the plaintive cry for attention, "Six Months Out of Every Year".

Although immortalised on screen as well as being revived for Broadway in the 90's, nothing can ever top the original 1955 cast album of DAMN YANKEES in terms of perfection and excitement. Highly-recommended.

Revenge of the Washington Senators
Musical based on a story of a diehard Washington Senator fan, who sells his soul to the devil (with a catch) for a chance to beat the hated NY Yankees. Great music! Will play over and over again.

There Is Nothing Like The Original
One can't go wrong with this one. A classic, which according to the well written liner notes was recorded 3 days after opening night. And, a pit orchestra that sounds like a pit orchestra...before the days of electronic music.

Gwen Verdon and Ray Walston at their Broadway Best
Douglas Wallop's novel "The Year the Yankees Lost the Pennant" was turned into the successful musical "Damn Yankees" by the creative team that had produced "The Pajama Game." Featuring music & lyrics by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross, both hits were directed by George Abbot and Choreographed by Bob Fosse. For good measure, one of the producers was Harold Prince. All of the above won Tony Awards in 1956 when "Damn Yankees" was named Best Musical, along with Gwen Verdon as Lola for Best Actress, Ray Walston as Mr. Applegate for Best Actor and Russ Brown as Van Buren the Manager for Featured Actor. For Verdon this was her first featured role on Broadway (and second of four Tony Awards), while the devilish Applegate was Walston's signature role for most of his career until he returned to the public's consciousness as Judge Henry Bone on television's "Picket Fences" (The less said about "My Favorite Martian" the better).

"Damn Yankees" combines the Faust myth with the reality of baseball in the 1950s, which meant the New York Yankees where always winning the pennant (they had just won five World Series in a row) while the standard joke about the Washington Senators was that "Washington was first in war, first in peace and last in the American League." Disheartened Senators fan Joe Boyd makes a deal with Mr. Applegate: in exchange for his soul he is transformed into 22 year old Joe Hardy, who will lead his team to the pennant. However, since he is a real estate salesman, Joe works an escape clause in the contract: before September 24th he can change his mind and get his soul back (a whole new meaning to the Trading Deadline I suppose). Applegate sends the lovely Lola to seduce Joe to seal the bargain, and when her attempt fails Applegate has to take more desperate measures to make sure he keeps Joe's soul. The conclusion offers a fair amount of twists and turns before we get to the requisite happy ending.

My major "complaint" about this album is that you if you are not seeing Gwen Verdon strut her stuff when she does her signature song "Whatever Lola Wants," you are simply being shortchanged. Same thing with "A Little Brains--a Little Talent." The woman came alive on stage. Thankfully her performance in this legendary role is captured on film. The score has its fair share of fun tunes, from the well-known "Heart" to "Shoeless Joe from Hannibal, Mo." and "Six Months Out of Every Year." Of the more sentimental tunes, only "Two Lost Souls" stands out. I am always surprised Walston does not have more numbers than "Those Were the Gold Old Days." Applegate is just too good of a character to have only one song. "Damn Yankees" is a fun musical but not a great one, where the performances of the two stars get everything they can from the material and more. Final Notes: Jean Stapleton has a role as one of the Baseball Fans and the film version of "Damn Yankees" is somewhat unique because with the exception of Tab Hunter replacing Stephen Douglass as Joe Hardy the Broadway cast shows made it to Hollywood. ... Read more

Reviews (40)

This is the RENT experience without the experience....
This CD is a great CD...of course any CD with La Vie Boheme on it is great!...but this CD is more what I'd call 'the experience without the experience.' It's like when you go to a sushi bar for the first time with a friend and order the Kappa Maki (which is a cucumber roll) because you don't want to try real sushi...you're getting a sushi roll, but not the 'real' stuff...the experience without the experience. In the same way, this is only a taste of the true beauty of RENT. If you're skeptical about buying the 2-CD full version of RENT...don't be. But if you're very skeptical and still want to buy this CD (which is great), I still support it. But in the same way as the sushi example, this isn't the 'real' RENT...it's just the Kappa Maki-or a cheaper version of the original. No, I'm not saying this CD is cheap by any means (nor that it's sushi...)...It's awesome! It has some of the best songs from RENT. But if you want even better, spend the extra money for an even more wonderful RENT! Enjoy! (LISTEN TO LA VIE BOHEME OVER AND OVER! )

A little more RENT, please!
I love RENT. The Best of RENT is well recorded, well sung, great cast, et cetra, et cetra. The complaint I have, as I believe many other do, is that some of the best songs were cut. No Happy New Year, none of the voicemail or tune-ups. I would recomend springing for the entire CD. You'll end up buying it anyway when you discover your favorite song isn't included on the Best Of...

Not what i expected
Being a total RentHead, I looked up RENT online. "The Best of RENT" came up. I checked it out, and I found that it is not the "best of Rent." Yes, there are some good songs on this CD, but some of the songs aren't that great, in my opinion. There are some of the greatest songs missing, such as "Goodbye, Love", and there are some songs that should not be on it, such as "Will I."

I'm not saying it's bad or anything, I'm just saying that it's missing some key elements that make RENT so incredible.

Forget regret or life is yours to miss
after one of my friend basically forced me to buy this cd. i basically fell immediately in love with the catchy tunes. songs like "tango maureen" and "today for you" will have you up and dancing. my favorite songs include "life lines" and "la vie bohem" my parents did not like the show, so its more towards a younger crowd, id say children of the 80's, but other then that id still recomend it to anyone.

Great, except...
Great, except for there's no contact. Also, what about 'You okay Honey?' Oh well... Go buy the 2 disks... Lyrics... Pictures... (Squeggie man!) ... Read more

Reviews (16)

GERTRUDE LAWRENCE!
The Original Broadway Cast Album of THE KING AND I (1951) is, in a word, incomparable. Gertrude Lawrence instantly became my heroine after listening to her charming renditions of such songs as I WHISTLE A HAPPY TUNE, GETTING TO KNOW YOU or SHALL WE DANCE. She was a charismatic star of the theater and her unique talents shine brightly in this classic musical play. Of course, Yul Brynner is permanently associated with his role in this play and this recording is a milestone in his career as the King of Siam.
It seems ironic that his only solo song is A PUZZLEMENT. Many notable Rodgers and Hammerstein songs appear on this score. WE KISS IN A SHADOW and SOMETHING WONDERFUL are beautifully performed by supporting performers Larry Douglas, Doretta Morrow and Dorothy Sarnoff. Three songs in the play which were cut from the 1956 movie are MY LORD AND MASTER, I HAVE DREAMED and SHALL I TELL YOU WHAT I THINK OF YOU? This is a great curiosity since the songs so beautifully fit the structure of the play's action and character dilemas.
Quite a lot has been written over time of Gertrude Lawrence's vocal limitations, particularly during the time she performed Anna in 1951-52 on Broadway. As someone who enjoys her singing thoroughly, rest assured that her dynamic "star quality" is not absent from this CD. Even though her pitch is at times unsteady and she sometimes tends to go flat while singing HELLO, YOUNG LOVERS, she is absolutely magnetic with the material and is perhaps one of the finest Annas of all time. Whenever I see Deborah Kerr, whom I admire fondly, in the film version of THE KING AND I, it is as if I see the ghost of Gertie Lawrence. This is because I listened to this CD before I ever saw the movie all the way through; also, the costumes are virtually identical judging by all the photos.
Since this recording is from 1951 the sound quality, though mono, sounds very clean and freshly enhanced for stereo. The oldest is often the best: SOUTH PACIFIC with Mary Martin and Ezio Pinza from 1949 does not exactly sound fresh, but it is still the BEST cast recording you will find of that show. Such is the case with THE KING AND I from 1951. Do get a copy of this CD if you get a chance. You definitely won't be disappointed!

Recording not up to demands of show
THE KING AND I has always been one of Rodgers & Hammerstein's most popular shows. It has been frequently recorded receieving 4 New York cast albums, 2 London casts and 3 studio casts as well as the film soundtrack. Normally the first original cast is to be preferred but the limitations of the day prevent this 1951 recording from being definitive.

Decca was not as advacnced in recording techniques as were some of the other labels and the sound quality of this disc is very tinny. Gertrude Lawrence's already thin voice is not helped at all. The lady has pitch problems and her celebrated stage presence just doesn't come across on the recording. Dorothy Sarnoff and Doretta Morrow at least have voices up to the demands of the music, but they too suffer from the flad sound of the Decca studio. Larry Douglas uses his voice to good effect and projects some warmth in his duets, while Yul Brynner is heard only in a heavily cut recording of "A Puzzlement" and for a few lines in "Shall We Dance." This last number, shorn of its dialogue and dramatic context is robbed of any meaning. It becomes just another number. Although this album was originally released in all 3 speeds (78, 45 and 33) the songs were heavily abridged to fit the 3 1/2 minute limitations of the 78 RPM format. All in all, it is not a satisfactory recording of the show.

Those in search of the nearly complete score would be better served by the 1977 RCA cast album of the revival with Brynner in full command of the role.

the original and the best
THE KING AND I is regarded as one of Rodgers and Hammerstein's most ravishing musical offerings; rarely has it been bettered than in the original cast-album, featuring Yul Brynner and Gertrude Lawrence.

Yul Brynner (in his first musical leading role following LUTE SONG), is wonderful as the imperious King of Siam, and is more than matched by Gertrude Lawrence (LADY IN THE DARK), the celebrated British star of the American musical theater. Lawrence is superb in what turned out to be her swan-song; she died of cancer half-way through the musicals's run, and was buried in the beautiful silver ballgown she wore during the "Shall We Dance?" number.

Doretta Morrow (KISMET) makes for a heartbreaking Tuptim, with Larry Douglas bringing a beautiful voice to Lun-Tha. Dorothy Sarnoff is a lovely Lady Thiang with her treatment of "Something Wonderful".

Not an easy listen
I have found that there are two types of R & H works. There are the lively and upbeat scores, like Cinderella and Sound of Music. Then there are the slower and denser scores, like Carousel and the King and I, which are not bad, but not to my liking. There are not many songs on here that appeal to the popular tastes. Music theorists will probably love it. I have found that the best R and H works are the ones that sound like they were written today, most notably Sound of Music.

Something Almost Wonderful
Recordings of stage musicals have a somewhat limited audience, and even as recently as the 1970s few record companies felt any need to spend more time or money than absolutely necessary on them. So there are several strikes against the original 1951 New York cast recording of THE KING AND I right out of the gate. The recording is monoaural and quite poor in quality. The individual songs have been altered to fit the length of the original album's playing time. And the entire score is not included.

Moreover, the leads are not as powerful as one might expect. THE KING AND I is one of the few widely available recordings that allow listeners the chance to hear Gertrude Lawrence--a performer who was celebrated as "the toast of two continents" in an era when such accolades had actual significance. But in truth, Lawrence's gift was a powerful star quality that drew every eye to her--a star quality so powerful that it easily over-rode her rather non-descript and distinctly flat singing voice. And shorn of her actual presence, her voice reads as precisely that: non-descript and distinctly flat. As for Yul Brenner, over time he would make the King his signature role, performing it on the screen and in endless revivals to great acclaim. But in 1951 he was an unknown, and this recording shows him still very insecure in the role.

The supporting cast is very good ("My Lord and Master," "We Kiss In A Shadow," and "Something Wonderful" are truly memorable)--but given the nature of Lawrence's singing voice, Brenner's obvious caution, and the various flaws and limitations of the recording, this is a Broadway soundtrack that is perhaps best left to hardcore fans. To them it is strongly recommened; others, however, would do better to purchase a more recent version.

--GFT (Amazon reviewer)-- ... Read more

Amazon.com

This 1999 revival of Irving Berlin's timeless 1946 musical fantasy depictingthe love affair between Wild West sharpshooting stars Annie Oakley and Frank Butlerhas been somewhat updated for modern times. Not only has Peter Stone made revisions to Herbert and Dorothy Fields's original book (the story is now a show within a show, namely Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show), but there have been revisions to Berlin's original score as well. Some of it relates directly to late-'90s political correctness--"I'm an Indian, Too" joins "Colonel Buffalo Bill" and "I'm a Bad Bad Man" among the exclusions. But the tunes that made the cut remain some of the greatest moments of American musical theater, which is especially ironic when one considers that Berlin had to be coaxed into writing the show after original composer Jerome Kern suddenly died. Many of these songs--"They Say It's Wonderful," "Doin' What Comes Natur'lly," "I Got the Sun in theMorning," "The Girl That I Marry," "Anything You Can Do"--have become standards on their own, and the revival thankfully retains the wonderful "An Old Fashioned Wedding," which Berlin wrote for the 1966 Lincoln Center revival of the show, with original Annie Ethel Merman reprising the role. Years after the fact, Merman remains a tough image to follow. But while she lacks Merman's brass and crassness, Bernadette Peters stands as the prettiest and sexiest Annie to date, even in the shadows of Mary Martin and Betty Hutton (the latter in the 1950 film version), not to mention probably the greatest singer of the bunch--her "You Can't Get a Man with a Gun" is an instant Broadway classic. They overdo "There's No Business Like Show Business" just a tad in this new version; it's seemingly reprised endlessly early in the CD. But, hey, if you're going to overdo it, what a song to overdo it with. --Bill Holdship ... Read more

Reviews (84)

Bernadette Peters in a sparkling performance
Bernadette Peters makes the role of sharpshooter Annie Oakley her own in the cast album to the 1999 Broadway revival of ANNIE GET YOUR GUN. Peters is in fine voice here. She was praised to the rafters for her performance in this exceptional revival, which ended up for playing nearly 3 years at the Marquis Theatre as well as spawning a successful national tour. Tom Wopat sheds his 'Dukes of Hazzard' image with his masterful performance as Frank Butler, Annie's mentor and love interest. Wopat has a strong and rich voice, evoking memories of Alfred Drake and John Raitt, and the other 'matinee idols' of Broadway. Valerie Wright is a spunky Dolly Tate, with Ruth Nicole Snelson and Andrew Palermo in the roles of Winnie and Tommy. Annie's rambunctious younger siblings are played by Cassidy Ladden, Mia Waker and Trevor McQueen Eaton. Ron Holgate is a wonderful Buffalo Bill, with Peter Marx as Charlie Davenport and Gregory Zaragoza as Chief Sitting-Bull. Bernadette Peters is at her best with Irving Berlin's gorgeous ballad "I Got Lost in His Arms", though also impresses with Annie's introductory "Doin' What Comes Natur'lly". This entire album is flawless.

Highly-recommended.

"They Say It's Wonderful"...and It Is!
Saw this show in NYC a couple of weeks ago, and was thorougly enchanted. The sets were unique, the costumes were great, and the cast was fabulous. Bernadette Peters is the definition of spunk and charm, and who knew Tom Wopat had such a great set of pipes? The excitement of the show translates well to this CD; I didn't love the Tommy and Winnie subplot all that much, but the songs they sing are great. All in all, I truly enjoyed this CD. If you've seen the show, it brings it all back -- especially the could-have-heard-a-pin-drop moment at the end of "Moonshine Lullaby" before the audience burst into applause -- but even if you haven't, it's still great fun and very much worth buying.

Bernadette too old? HA!!!!
...Bernadette may have been 51 when this was recorded, but it is still an amazing soundtrack to say the least!! Bernadette brings a flare to Annie that no other woman who has played the part could! Her enjoyable performances such as Doin What Comes Natur'lly, and You Can't Get A Man With A Gun are blended in with beautiful ballads such as Moonshine Lullaby and I Got Lost In His Arms. This CD is very nice and with it we have discovered that Tom Wopat can acctually sing on-key!!!! Its very enjoyable, but don't let me or anyone else influence you.....decide for yourself! May I also add that Ethal Merman(the first to portray Miss Oakley in 1946) was 38 in the first ever production of Annie Get Your Gun and was welcomed with rave reviews. 20 years later in 1966 she again portrayed Annie to, again, rave reviews from fans and critics. She was 58 years old. So it seems many of you are outmatched by many critics and Annie fans.

THANK GOD FOR BERNADETTE PETERS!!!!
Lord knows i am a huge fan of Annie Get Your Gun!! i have the movie and three of the soudtracks, the '99 revival cast, the original cast, and the movie soundtrack, but this is by far the best one i have heard!!! many people i know think that Betty Hutton was the best, and she is very good, but i feel that Bernadette Peters is by far the best! Her best performances on this CD include the both funny and entertaining "Doin What Comes Natur'lly" and "You Can't Get A Man With A Gun", but my personal favorites are the beautiful "Moonshine Lullaby" and the hilariously entertaining "Anything You Can Do." If you are looking for a funny and entertaining CD this is for you!!! ENJOY!!!!!!!

THIS IS ONE GREAT SHOW!
I take private voice lessons now and one of the songs my voice teacher had me sing was "You can't get a man with a gun" from this awesome musical. I was a little skeptical at first, but then I started to actually pay closer attention to the lyrics and they are very funny. The tune didn't seem so great at first, but now its clever and intertaining.
I never thought of "Annie, get your gun" as Irving Berlin's best musical. But I have always loved it. Everyone knows the ever-popular "There's no business like show-business." Yep, that's from this CD. And so is "Doin' what comes naturaly," and my favorites, "I got the sun in the mornin'," and "Anything you can do." Uh-huh, this is a good musical.
I'm not too familiar with the script of it, though. Since I only saw the older version of this movie on video. It was good, but the ending was disapointing. My brother and I made up some different endings to the show, all of them silly. Yet I liked them better than the one that is actually on there.
But anyways, it is great. A truly fine record and musical though at one point the movie goes downhill, where Annie is in love and they're singing a million really slow songs.
Bernadette Peters and Top Wopat do a fasinating "Anything you can do" and it really pays off. They are obviously talented and that is by-far my favorite song on this tape.
So yes, I would definitly reccomend this CD to anyone who had not already heard of "Annie, get your gun" (though the title is very misleading).
P.S. I wish I could see it on broadway like the person below did! You are so lucky! ... Read more