Rain Sometimes [Import] [Original recording remastered]

Rain Sometimes [Import] [Original recording remastered]

ASIN: B0009X4U90

Track Listings

1. Let's Take The Long Way Home

2. My Melancholy Baby

3. Where Have You Been?

4. He's My Guy

5. Why Can't I?

6. I Only Want Some

7. Rain Sometimes

8. Little Did I Dream

9. There's No Such Thing As Love

10. Sweet William

11. Early To Bed

12. No More

13. Here I Am In Love Again

14. Put Your Dreams Away

15. Lamp Is Low

Tracks:

The Orphan
Children of God
Forgiveness
The Graveyard
Sweet Liberty
Secrets of the House
Act One: Perfectly Nice
Act One: As Good As You
Secret Soul
Finer Things
The Pledge
Sirens
Things Beyond This Earth
Painting Her Portrait
In the Light of the Virgin Morning
The Gypsy
The Proposal
Slip of a Girl
Sirens (Reprise)
Farewell, Good Angel
My Maker
Rain
The Voice Across the Moors
Poor Sister
Brave Enough for Love

Amazon.com

Here's another to join the parade of page-to-stage musicals inspired by 19th-century fiction. This ambitious adaptation of Charlotte Brontë's haunting classic Jane Eyre for the musical theater seems to be part of a trend represented most famously by Les Misérables. It also reflects the increasing pressure to schedule an original cast recording release as close as possible to a new show's Broadway opening: in this case, in fact, the CD was both recorded and released prior to the show's opening in December 2000 at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre. But what's most significant for the artistic character of Jane Eyre: The Musical is found in yet another pattern: like a number of his colleagues, composer-lyricist Paul Gordon comes to the project from a pop music industry background (best known for his hit "Friends and Lovers"). And quite a few of the show's numbers benefit from Gordon's catchy craftwork, weaving melodies that are clearly destined to be whistled long past curtain. Yet the effect is sometimes too facile, not diving as deep as we would like into the emotional predicaments of Brontë's characters. You begin to crave a more deftly defined and imagined variety of sound worlds (especially for the darker aspects of Thornfield Hall) than what is hinted at. Gordon doesn't forge any new paths, but his melodic fluency does have its moments of payoff--especially in the moving final duet "Brave Enough for Love," which is also strong enough to stand on its own.

Gordon's predilections as a would-be son of Sondheim are nevertheless clear, and he's telescoped the story into mostly effective lyrics, with some thoughtful juxtapositions of material. Most importantly, he understands that this is more than a Gothic romance, foregrounding the central message of forgiveness that Jane learns as a girl. He attempts to explore the injured sense of self shared by both Jane and Rochester and sets them on a painful, mutual voyage of discovery.

The creative team also includes the veteran duo John Caird (book and direction) and John Napier (scenic design), who have collaborated on such epics as Les Mis and Nicholas Nickleby (not to mention the Las Vegas Siegfried and Roy extravaganza). And the show's creators seem to share a vision geared toward the more operatic end of the spectrum (it was opera composers, after all, who early on claimed 19th-century Gothic fiction for the stage, as in Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor), with an actual parody of coloratura in one showstopper ("The Finer Things") given to Blanche Ingram. Fortunately, the two principals have large, richly expressive voices to encompass the large, complicated emotions of these characters. Marla Schaffel singswith unusual beauty and brings dimension to her Jane, while James Barbour (whose resumé includes Beauty and the Beast) is never really threatening as Rochester, but rather a tortured soul who is sweet-voiced even at his most cynical. Mary Stout is a stitch as the blustery Mrs. Fairfax. While the show has already undergone a lengthy evolution from its very first workshops, the viability of its final, fully staged realization has yet to be determined. But this cast recording conveys an authentic sense of the musical's atmosphere and emotional scope. --Thomas May

Customer Reviews:

Great Buy!.......2007-06-08

Not only was this CD super cheap, it also arrived at my house 3 days later!

Perfect Match.......2007-03-16

The music in this album really gave me the feeling of reading the book. I think the songs were well chosen and well written, except of course for the songs sung by Mrs. Fairfax... I could have done without those. Jane and Mr. Rochester's songs carry the story well and they sound lovely. For any musical lover, or romance fan I definitely recommend this album.

Probably the most beautiful musical of all time.......2007-02-16

This is a hidden gem and if you buy it and listen to it, I don't see how you can not love it. I have bought many, many Broadway cast albums but I still am a popster at heart. With all that said, this is a cast album that soars above the crowd.

I bought this several years ago and have listened to it repeatedly since I got it. Why do I love it so much? First of all, the lyrics are full of heart and emotion and tell the story ably. But it is the music and the performances that are truly remarkable here. The melodies are memorable and absolutely exquisite. The orchestration is lush but not sappy. The performances by the two leads are nothing less than stunning.

I never get bored with this wonderful cast album and it is very, very highly recommended.

Beautiful!.......2007-01-28

I listen to this soundtrack all the time and I never get tired of the songs. If Charlotte Bronte story was written as a musical, then this would definitely be it.

A good musical.......2006-07-20

if you like old-fashioned romantic stuff, this one's for you. Some songs are very inspired, the music is,for the most part, quite beautiful, and the story line keeps the essence of the Bronte novel. I heard this right after "Wuthering Heights: the musical", which is quite good, yet this is superior. Give it a try and you might be nicely surprised. I would highly recommend it to the ones who know the novel and to English Literature students: it offers a different and interesting approach to the novel.

Average customer rating:

You'll be disappointed
Pretty good musical mix

Greatest Songs from the Musicals
Various Artists
Manufacturer: Soho
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Very Best Of Broadway Musicals
Only Broadway CD You'll Ever Need
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ASIN: B000077JS0
Release Date: 2002-10-21

Tracks:

Aquarius [From Hair] - Steve Brooker, NSO Ensemble, , Caroline O'Connor
If I Can't Love Her [From Beauty and the Beast] - Ethan Freeman, National Symphony Orchestra, Martin Yates
I Could Have Danced All Night [From My Fair Lady] - Katrina Murphy, National Symphony Orchestra
Can You Feel the Love Tonight? [From The Lion King] - John Barrowman, National Symphony Orchestra, Martin Yates
What I Did for Love [from a Chorus Line] - National Symphony Orchestra, Catherine Porter, Martin Yates
This Is the Moment [From Jekyll and Hyde] - Gary Mauer, National Symphony Orchestra, Martin Yates
All That Jazz [From Chicago] - Paulette Ivory, Julian Kelly, Katrina Murphy, National Symphony Orchestra, Sally Ann Triplett
Impossible Dream [From Man of La Mancha] - Ethan Freeman, National Symphony Orchestra, Martin Yates
America [From West Side Story] - National Symphony Orchestra
Written in the Stars [From Aida] - Simon Bowman, NSO Ensemble, Sally Ann Triplett, Martin Yates
Mame [From Mame] - Jerry Lanning, National Symphony Orchestra, Martin Yates
Some Enchanted Evening [From South Pacific] - Thomas Allen, John Owen Edwards, Philharmonic Orchestra
I Am What I Am [From LA Cage aux Follies] - Janet Glazener, Leslie Uggams
One Song Glory [From Rent] - Sean McDermott, Martin Yates

Tracks:

Phantom of the Opera [From The Phantom of the Opera] - Ethan Freeman, Claire Moore, National Symphony Orchestra, Martin Yates
I Dreamed a Dream [From Les Miserables] - National Symphony Orchestra, Jacqui Scott, Martin Yates
Bui Doi [From Miss Saigon] - Ethan Freeman, National Symphony Orchestra, Martin Yates
As Long as He Needs Me [From Oliver!] - National Symphony Orchestra,
Time Warp [From the Rocky Horror Picture Show] - Anita Dobson, NSO Ensemble, Martin Yates,
Memory [From Cats] - Kim Criswell, National Symphony Orchestra, Martin Yates
Why God Why [From Miss Saigon] - Graham Bickley, National Symphony Orchestra, Martin Yates
I Know Him So Well [From Chess] - Katrina Murphy, NSO Ensemble, Sally Ann Triplett, Martin Yates
One Day More [From Les Miserables] - National Symphony Orchestra, Martin Yates
Peggy Sue [From Buddy Holly Story] - Dominic Curtis
Empty Charis at Empty Tables [From Les Miserables] - Graham Bickley, National Symphony Orchestra, Martin Yates
Dancing Queen [From Mamma Mia!] - Julian Kelly, NSO Ensemble, , Caroline O'Connor
All I Ask of You [From The Phantom of the Opera] - Andrew Halliday, , National Symphony Orchestra, Martin Yates
We Will Rock You [From We Will Rock You] - Martin Yates

Tracks:

It's a Grand Night for Singing [From State Fair] - National Symphony Orchestra
If I Were a Rich Man [From Fiddler on the Roof] - Jerry Lanning, National Symphony Orchestra
I Talk to the Trees [From Paint Your Wagon] - Ethan Freeman, National Symphony Orchestra, Martin Yates
Over the Rainbow [From The Wizard of Oz] - Gillian Bevan, , John Owen Edwards, , Royal Shakespeare Company
Bless Yore Beautiful Hide [From Seven Brides for Seven Brothers] - Hal Fowler, National Symphony Orchestra, Martin Yates
Grease [From Grease] - John Barrowman, NSO Ensemble, Martin Yates
Woman in Love [From Guys and Dolls] - Gregg Edelman, , Emily Loesser, National Symphony Orchestra
Secret Love [From Calamity Jane] - Debbie Gravitte, National Symphony Orchestra
Quintet [From West Side Story] - National Symphony Orchestra
I Will Always Love You [From the Best Little Whorehouse in Texas] - Salena Jones, John Pearce
Money, Money [From "Caberet"] - Maria Friedman, National Symphony Orchestra, Jonathan Pryce
If My Friends Could See Me Now (Sweet Charity) - Jacqueline Dankworth, National Symphony Orchestra, Martin Yates
Thank Heaven for Little Girls [From Gigi] - Ron Moody, National Symphony Orchestra, Martin Yates
Singin' in the Rain [From Singin' in the Rain] - Craig Barna, National Symphony Orchestra, Paul Robinson

Customer Reviews:

You'll be disappointed.......2006-09-02

Not the original artists. Very weak versions of beloved songs by marginal to downright bad vocalists.

Pretty good musical mix.......2006-03-10

Lots of great and clear vocals. I was looking for a musical mix and this has a nice sampling of many major songs but also some more recent stuff. I haven't purchased an import before but I would do it again if the opportunity presented itself. It is somewhat annoying to have three cds when I think it could have fit onto two. Still, more than I have complaints, I have compliments about it.

DRG 25th Anniversary Show Stopping Performances

Average customer rating:

Great compilation
A disappointment

DRG 25th Anniversary Show Stopping Performances

Manufacturer: Drg
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00005Q6IN
Release Date: 2001-10-23

Tracks:

A Day In Hollywood A Night In Ukraine: Just Go To The Movies - Priscilla Lopez/David Garrison/Frank Lazarus/Stephen James/Peggy Hewett/Kate Draper
Babes In Arms: I Wish I Were In Love Again - Christopher Fitzgerald Jessica Stone
Pal Joey: Bewitched, Bothered And Bewildered - Patti LuPone
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes: Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend - KT Sullivan
Nunsense: I Just Want To Be A Star - Christine Anderson
Louisiana Purchase: Wild About You - Debbie Gravitte & New York Voices
Oil City Symphony: Beaver Ball At The Bug Club - Mike Craver/Mark Hardwick/Debra Monk/Mary Murfitt
Falsettoland: The Baseball Game - Michael Rupert/Chip Zien/Faith Prince/Janet Metz/Heather MacRae/Stephen Bogardus
Very Good Eddie: Isn't It Great To Be Married? - Virginia Seidel/Spring Fairbank/Charles Repole/Nicholas Wyman
The Fantasticks: A Perfect Time To Be In Love - Harvey Schmidt
Call Me Madam: You're Just In Love - Tyne Daly/Lewis Cleale
Taking My Turn: Fine For The Shape I'm In - Margaret Whiting/Marnie Nixon/Cissy Houston
A Party With Betty Comden & Adolph Green: The French Lesson - Betty Comdon/Adolph Green
The Madwoman Of Central Park: Better - Phyllis Newman
Greenwillow: Never Will I Marry - Anthony Perkins
Song Of Singapore: I Can't Remember - Loretta Swit & Company
Tintypes: Elite Syncopation/I'm Goin' To Live Anyhow, 'Til I Die - Lynne Thigpen
I Love My Wife: Someone Wonderful I Missed - Joanna Gleason/Ilene Graff
The Good Companions: The Pleasure Of Your Company - Malcolm Rennie/Christopher Gable
Forbidden Broadway 20th Anniversary: Liza One-Note - Christine Pedi
Meet Me In St. Louis: The Trolley Song - Donna Kane & Ensemble

Tracks:

4 Guys Named Jose...And Una Mujer Named Maria!: Feel It - Philip Anthony/Henry Gainza/Allen Hidalgo/Ricardo Puente
Fame - The Musical: There She Goes!/Fame - Natasha Rennalls & Ensemble
Do Re Mi: What's New At The Zoo? - Heather Headley/The Animal Girls
High Society: Once Upon A Time/True Love - Melissa Errico/Daniel McDonald
Tenderloin: Artificial Flowers - Patrick Wilson
State Fair: Driving At Night/Our State Fair - Company
Kiss Me, Kate: Were Thine That Special Face - Brian Stokes Mitchell
Black And Blue: Black And Blue - Linda Hopkins/Ruth Brown/Carrie Smith
The Green Bird: O Foolish Heart - Company
Out Of This World: From This Moment On - Marin Mazzie/Gregg Edelman
The Boys From Syracuse: This Can't Be Love - Davis Gaines/Sarah Berry
Snoopy!!!: Poor Sweet Baby - Pamela Myers
SeesawNobody Does It Like Me - Michele Lee
March Of The Falsettos: I Never Wanted To Love You - Michael Rupert/Stephen Bogardus/Alison Fraser/Chip Zien/James Kushner
Lunch: Perfectly Alone - Carol Burnett
3hree: Foolish Dreamin'/Something Beautiful/Real Enough To Change My Mind - Jessica Molaskey/Will Gartshore/Rachel Ulanet
Lucky In The Rain: Love Me As If There Were No Tomorrow - Barbara Cook
Godspell: All Good Gifts - Sal Sabella & Company
The Act: Walking Papers - Liza Minnelli & Company

Customer Reviews:

Great compilation.......2002-05-10

I don't actually own this particular compilation, however, since I own nearly every recording represented on these discs...I think I'm qualified to comment. This is a wonderful representation of the high quality of work that DRG Records does.
The previous review is way off the mark. This is definitely not a waste of time or money. This is 25 years of preserving Broadway shows, Off-Broadway shows, studio recordings (mostly from the city center concerts), etc. So what if they "aren't as good as the original", DRG is preserving many recordings and artists that other mainstream labels don't or won't. You have wonderful recordings from Brian Stokes Mitchell, Nathan Lane, Debbie Gravitte, Tyne Daly, Anthony Perkins, Joanna Gleason, Marin Mazzie, Carol Burnett, Heather Headley, Patti LuPone, Barbara Cook, etc., and many of these are from Original Cast Recordings just as they appeared on Broadway. This is an excellent sampler of the work going on at DRG. No...I'm not an employee...just an avid listener and collector of theatre recordings.

A disappointment.......2001-12-15

There's a reason you've probably never heard of most of the songs and shows on this album, not to mention most of the artists. This is a second-rate collection of second-rate numbers performed by mostly second-rate artists. In the case of the shows that were revivals, the performances on the original cast recordings were better. Don't waste your money.

Les Miserables - The Complete Symphonic Recording

Average customer rating:

Great, definitely go with this and TAC
Awesome
Bought it used - thank God!
magnificent!
Mixed Feelings

Les Miserables - The Complete Symphonic Recording
Claude-Michel Schonberg
Manufacturer: Relativity
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Modesty Blaise
Teach Yourself Counselling
Sapphire and Steel - The Complete Series
Target Costing: The Next Frontier in Strategic Cost Management
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ASIN: B000003BVK
Release Date: 1990-05-22

Tracks:

Prologue
Valjean's Soliloquy (What Have I Done?)
At The End Of The Day
I Dreamed A Dream
Lovely Ladies
Fantine's Arrest
The Runaway Cart
Who Am I?-The Trial
Fantine's Death
The Confrontation
Castle On A Cloud
Master Of The House

Tracks:

The Bargain-The Waltz Of Treachery
Look Down
The Robbery-Javert's Intervention (Another Brawl)
Stars
Eponine's Errand
The ABC Cafe-Red And Black
Do You Hear The People Sing?
Rue Plumet-In My LIfe
A Heart Full Of Love
The Attack On Rue Plumet
One Day More!
At The Barricade (Upon These Stones)
On My Own
Building The Barricade
Javert's Arrival
Little People
A Little Fall Of Rain
Night Of Anguish
First Attack

Tracks:

Drink With Me
Bring Him Home
Dawn Of Anguish
The Second Attack (Death Of Gavroche)
The Final Battle
The Sewers-Dog Eats Dog
Javert's Suicide
Turning
Empty Chairs At Empty Tables
Every Day (Marius And Cosette)
Valjean's Confession
The Wedding Chorale- Beggars At The Feast
Epilogue (Finale)
Bonus Track

Customer Reviews:

Great, definitely go with this and TAC.......2005-08-31

Right now, there are four official English-language versions of Les Miserables: the Original London Cast Recording, the Original Broadway Cast Recording, the Complete Symphonic Recording, and the 10th Anniversary Concert Recording. Les Mis' addicts are best served by purchasing all recordings, as they showcase different stages (as in the OLC and the OBC) of the development of this mega-musical, as well as the interesting variations in presentation and performances by the different casts and orchestras.

If you're the average musical-theater listener who can't afford to buy all available English-language recordings, however, my advice would be to get the CSR (due to the fact that it's "complete") and the TAC recording (due to the fact that performer- and performance-wise, it's leaps and bounds better than all of the other recordings). You deserve no less.

Awesome.......2005-07-03

I can't believe all the negative comments about Gary Morris. He is so much better in the role than Colm Wilkinson. I've seen Gary perform the part three times and there is NO better Jean ValJean (seen the play 14 times). It's an international cast and some of the accents do take time getting used to. But the power of the music supercedes it all. Listen with your heart people. It's so incredible.

Bought it used - thank God!.......2005-06-17

"Les Miserables" is a marvelous musical; a stunningly faithful interpretation of Victor Hugo's masterpiece, with an inspiring storyline and unforgettable characters. There are 2 reasons for buying a Les Mis CD - (1) you've seen a performance and want ONE CD to remind you of it or (2) you've become a les Mis junkie (like me) and want multiple versions so you too can hold forth on the rival merits of Andy Warlow vs Michael Maguire, Patty LuPone vs Ruthie Henshaw, Frances Ruffelle vs Kaho Shimada vs Lea Solonga. If you are in the first category, you really want the Tenth Anniversary Concert. The TAC has the complete storyline (albeit slightly abridged), it was recorded live (so there's an unique intensity and chemistry between performers), and from top to bottom it has by far the best cast.

However, if you're a serious Les Mis fan, you should buy this CD (in addition), simply because it does have the complete score. (The trouble with THAT is that it includes practically the only misstep in the whole script - if Jean Valjean has his number branded on his chest, then how is it credible that someone else will be convicted in his place?) I bought it for that reason and to hear other interpretations of the roles (in particular Andy Warlow's). I have all 4 versions, and they have all have their pluses and minuses, but frankly, I'm glad I didn't pay full price for this one. This version has a rather weak cast in general, but that does add to the fun arguing about it. On the plus side, it has Philip Quast ( THE BEST Javert, but he's even better on the TAC), Michael Ball (THE BEST Marius, also on the OLC and TAC versions), and Andy Warlow (a stirring Enjorlas for sure, but not THAT much better than Michael Maguire on the OBC and TAC). The scenes at the barricade are the best part of the CD. Kaho Shimada is an uneven Eponine, OK sometimes, less so at others. Debbie Byrne (Fantine) is OK, but I don't find her as moving as Patty LuPone (OLC) or Ruthie Henshaw (TAC). Tracy Shayne (Cosette) is irratating, not nearly as sweet as Judy Kuhn (OLB and TAC) or even Rebecca Caine (OLC). I find Barry James and especially Gay Soper (M. and Mme. Thenardier) grating as well.

I really miss Colm Wilkinson (OLC, OBC and TAC). OK, he has a unique singing style, but such heart. Not always perfect, but so powerful and emotional. All his solos and "Confrontation" just stop me dead in my tracks. The sweetness and purity of his "Bring Him Home" and "Epilogue" move me to tears. But really, there must be someone else who can do at least an adequate job or the show wouldn't have run so long in so many venues. I am willing to listen to another interpretation, but not this one. This is the central role in the play, it really can't survive without a good performance here. Gary Morris is horrible as Jean Valjean, cringe-provoking at times, merely weak at others. He's totally overmatched by Quast in "Confrontation" and by everyone in "One Day More" and "Epilogue". I haven't tried the recommendation of one reviewer of listening while squinting and shaking my head hard, but I don't see how that will help. Morris's "What have I done?", "Bring Him Home" and "Valjean's Confession" make me cover my ears or send me running for the fast forward button, although "Who am I?" isn't so bad. (I just tried the head shaking trick, it didn't help.)

magnificent!.......2005-06-15

Ok, I admit it. I have long been a fan of musicals, but I was only exposed to Les Mis a few months ago. My roommate loaned me this recording, and I fell in love. I played nothing but this soundtrack for the next several weeks.

As this is the only recording I've heard fully, I cannot give any comparisons between the performers here and those on other versions, but I do wish to give my general impression of the cast.

*Gary Morris (Valjean) - he has a strong, clear voice with which it is hard to find fault. He sings with emotion and passion, and I cannot imagine ever tiring of hearing him as Jean Valjean. If I had to give a complaint, it would be that I could imagine a voice with a little more distinct character...something a little riskier for the part of someone so complex.

*Philip Quast (Javert) - wow, I love deep voices, and his is so rich! I love when he hits the low note near the beginning of "Confrontation" ...I've seriously replayed that part over and over again just because it sends shivers through me...haha, I think you get the idea. This guy is good.

*Debbie Byrne (Fantine) - her voice took some getting used to because at first it seemed to me a little uncontrolled, almost like she could capture the fullness of the sound but not quite hit the notes. However, the more I listen to her, the more I enjoy her. Her voice has a wonderful texture, something you totally miss when listening to the super-clear, trilling sopranos that seem to be found all over most other musicals.

*Kaho Shimada (Eponine) - her voice took a little getting used to as well. I was a little confused until I realized she was Japanese, for though I wouldn't say you hear an accent, her voice does have a very different quality to it. Still, I enjoyed her performance very much. Her voice is trembling with emotion the entire time, almost like she can hardly control it...it is quite moving.

*Tracy Shayne (Cosette) - wow. I'm sorry, is Cosette supposed to be this shrill? Turn it off! While I'm impressed at some of the notes she hits, I don't think it's supposed to make you want to cover your ears.

*Michael Ball (Marius) -Ball makes Marius, a rather annoying character if you ask me, into someone actually likable, if not lovable. He's passionate and romantic, but not vapid. Probably my favorite vocal performance.

*Gay Soper and Barry James (the Thernardiers) - their voices are rather grating, but that's the point, right? Very entertaining performances...particularly in "Master of the House" (which, it's true, somehow manages to be stuck in your head all day).

*Anthony Warlow (Enjorolas) - very appropriate voice...manly and vibrant. If he doesn't make you want to go out and fight, then there's no help for you!

Overall, the performances were wonderful. I highly recommend this CD. A great recording of a great musical!

Mixed Feelings.......2005-04-20

I bought this recently, and it was an object lesson in why I ought to research an item before purchasing it.

For me, it's truly a toss-up as to whether this is a recording worth purchasing. The main benefit-a far from insignificant one-is that it is a complete recording full of much more materiel than can be found on the London or Broadway cast recordings. Basically, I was far from satisfied. The liner notes are error ridden, and the casting was not as good as possible. Gary Morris struck me as too young for the part, and Gay Soper (Mme. Thenardier) has a voice akin to the sound of fingernails on a chalkboard. But, in the absence of a complete Broadway recording, this still may be the best version available to buy. Be sure, however, to supplement it with another version. (The Tenth Anniversary recording might be the best.)

Average customer rating:

great singers, great songs

Encores from Encores!

Manufacturer: Drg
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00008XERI
Release Date: 2003-05-06

Tracks:

Overture [From Do Re Mi]
Make Someone Happy [From Do Re Mi] - Heather Headley, Brian Stokes Mitchell
All My Life [From Do Re Mi] - Nathan Lane
Tommy, Tommy [From Tenderloin] - Sarah Uriarte Berry, Patrick Wilson
Good Clean Fun [From Tenderloin] - David Ogden Stiers
My Gentle Young Johnny - Debbie Gravitte
Hostess With the Mostes' on the Ball [From Call Me Madam] - Tyne Daly
It's a Lovely Day [From Call Me Madam] - Lewis Cleale, Melissa Errico
Where or When [From Babes in Arms] - David Campbell, Erin Dilly
Johnny One Note [From Babes in Arms] - Melissa Rain Anderson
I Wish I Were in Love Again [From Babes in Arms] - Christopher Fitzgerald, Jessica Stone, Jessica Stone
Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered [From Pal Joey] - Patti LuPone
Zip [From Pal Joey] - Bebe Neuwirth
I'm Talkin' to My Pal [From Pal Joey] - Peter Gallagher
I Am Loved [From Out of This World] - Marin Mazzie
Nobody's Chasing Me [From Out of This World] - Andrea Martin
From This Moment On [From Out of This World] - Gregg Edelman, Marin Mazzie
Falling in Love With Love [From the Boys from Syracuse] - Rebecca Luker
He and She [From the Boys from Syracuse] - Mario Cantone, Debbie Gravitte
Sing for Your Supper [From the Boys from Syracuse] - Sarah Uriarte Berry, Debbie Gravitte, Rebecca Luker

Customer Reviews:

great singers, great songs.......2006-05-03

Some of broadway's best singers are on this album, including Brian Stokes Mitchell, Debbie Gravitte, Marin Mazzie, and Rebecca Luker. (The cd is worth buying for Rebecca Luker's song alone!) The songs are beautifully orchestrated and sung. Most are light hearted and fun, leaving me with a good feeling when listening.
If you're a fan of broadway showtunes, I believe you'll enjoy this album.

My Fair Lady (1959 Original London Cast)

Average customer rating:

Precise, pointed and peerless !!!
the "Fair Lady" in London...
My Fair Lady again?
Broadway vs London vs Movie
It's good but,..

My Fair Lady (1959 Original London Cast)
Alan Jay Lerner
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Camelot (1960 Original Broadway Cast)
South Pacific (Original 1949 Broadway Cast)
Oklahoma! (1955 Film Soundtrack)
The Sound of Music (1965 Film Soundtrack - 40th Anniversary Special Edition)

ASIN: B000007OHU
Release Date: 1998-06-02

Tracks:

Act I: Overture
Act I: Why Can't The English?
Act I: Wouldn't It Be Loverly
Act I: With A Little Bit Of Luck
Act I: I'm An Ordinary Man
Act I: Just You Wait
Act I: The Rain In Spain
Act I: I Could Have Danced All Night
Act I: Ascot Gavotte
Act I: On The Street Where You Live
Act II: You Did It
Act II: Show Me
Act II: Get Me To The Church On Time
Act II: A Hymn To Him
Act II: Without You
Act II: I've Grown Accustomed To Her Face
The Embassy Waltz

Amazon.com

My Fair Lady is without question one of the greatest shows ever created for the musical theater. It's a charming, hilarious, and touching adaptation of George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion, pitting flower girl Eliza Doolittle against Prof. Henry Higgins, the self-absorbed and ill-tempered linguist who bets that he can turn her into a lady by improving her diction. Lerner and Loewe's score includes some of the best-loved songs in the canon: "Why Can't the English," "Wouldn't It Be Loverly," "The Rain in Spain," "I Could Have Danced All Night," "On the Street Where You Live," "Get Me to the Church on Time," and "I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face," among others. The 1959 London-cast stereo recording is generally held in lower regard than its Broadway counterpart, recorded three years earlier in mono. But why quibble? The principals are all the same--Rex Harrison as Higgins, Julie Andrews as Eliza, Stanley Holloway as her dad, and Robert Coote as Col. Pickering (Leonard Weir replaced Michael King as Freddy Einsford-Hill)--and it's still a classic recording in its own right that you'll treasure for years. --David Horiuchi

Customer Reviews:

Precise, pointed and peerless !!!.......2007-01-03

One listen to the London original cast recording of My Fair Lady and you know why this CD still sells. Despite the decades, the recording sounds fresh, clear and crisp. There is no background noise on this CD! Moreover, the songs by Lerner and Loewe are brilliantly composed and the lyrics are clever, witty and poignant. This CD proves it.

The CD opens with the overture to the musical stage play and then goes right into the first song entitled "Why Can't The English?" More spoken than sung by Rex Harrison, "Why Can't The English" fleshes out his character's lament that too many British people don't speak English well. The melody is catchy and the lyrics are funny at times even if some of the humor is dated.

The lesser educated British have their say in the next number, "Wouldn't It Be Loverly." In this song, sung by Julie Andrews as Eliza Doolittle with male backup singers and a chorus of whistlers, demonstrates how these persons really do want to lead a much more sophisticated life with more luxuries.

Other great songs on this CD include the rousing "Get Me To The Church On Time" sung by the memorable Stanley Holloway; the beautiful love ballad "On The Street Where You Live" performed by Leonard Weir; "I Could Have Danced All Night" which is performed flawlessly by Julie Andrews who belts out those incredibly high notes; and "The Rain In Spain" delivered by Julie Andrews, Rex Harrison and Robert Coote. Excellent!

One especially amusing song is entitled "A Hymn To Him" performed mostly by Rex Harrison with some assistance from Robert Coote. The violins at the beginning of this number are beautiful in the musical arrangement.

The CD concludes with a extra bonus monophonic track of the waltz music for the scene in which Henry Higgins takes Eliza Doolittle to the Embassy ball. "The Embassy Waltz," conducted by Percy Faith, offers a beautiful musical arrangement that leaves you wanting more--so don't be surprised if you get the urge to play the CD all over again from the very beginning and enjoy it once more.

The musical arrangements are carefully planned and executed throughout; only Lerner and Loewe were capable of producing such a fine score to go with this stage play. The tempo of the score is faster overall than it was for the original Broadway production; this is especially evident in the opening notes of the overture. Nevertheless, it all works brilliantly.

The liner notes boast terrific black and white photos of the actors in the stage play along with a special color photo of Julie Andrews and Rex Harrison. Didier C. Deutsch contributes a lengthy essay about the history and production of My Fair Lady as well.

The music and lyrics to the original London cast recording of My Fair Lady are timeless. Even today, more than four decades later, the soundtrack still sells well. The musical is one with which many people can identify as it illustrates through words and music the blossoming love affair between Henry Higgins and Eliza Doolittle. Indeed, the story and the music add to the enchantment as we realize that even Higgins and Doolittle themselves are unaware of the full power of their mutual attraction until the very end of the stage play. My Fair Lady will remain a classic musical; and the score to the stage play on this album is priceless. May you enjoy this soundtrack as much as I did!

the "Fair Lady" in London..........2006-09-23

In 1956, Lerner and Loewe's MY FAIR LADY swept into Broadway and quickly captured the hearts of critics and audiences alike, the perfect transformation of George Bernard Shaw's play "Pygmalion" into the world of the musical theatre. Both Rex Harrison and Julie Andrews played the show for two years on Broadway before yielding to replacements (Edward Mulhare and Sally Ann Howes), and in 1959 traveled across the pond to headline the London company. The show opened at the Drury Lane Theatre in April 1959, and ran for 2,281 performances.

While both Julie Andrews and Rex Harrison had laid down their definitive performances as Eliza Doolittle and Prof. Henry Higgins for the 1956 original Broadway cast album of MY FAIR LADY, the subsequent 1959 London production allowed them to record another album, in the brand-new stereophonic format.

Despite this 1959 recording having a sweeter sound than the earlier 1956 mono album, this sadly remains the lesser of the two, because a lot of the energy and flash had disappeared from Julie Andrews' voice in the years she had performed the role. On the Broadway album, Andrews gives a rich performance that runs the gamut from cockney guttersnipe to regal high society, but comparing the two albums directly, she does not sound at her optimal best on the London set. Andrews has acknowledged that she found the role of Eliza both physically and vocally exhausting, even more so because of the lack of body-mikes, and the projection must have been gruelling at times. No wonder that so much of the bloom in Andrews' voice had vanished by the time she reprised her role in London. Despite Andrews, the album does have a few merits including breezy orchestrations under the direction of Cyril Ornadel (the Overture is given a much faster tempo than is heard on the Broadway set).

The supporting cast includes Stanley Holloway (also reprising his Broadway role) as Eliza's dustman father Alfie. The role of Freddy is played by Leonard Weir (his "On the Street Where You Live" is very charming), and Robert Coote also repeats his Broadway role as Colonel Pickering.

The 1959 London cast of MY FAIR LADY, just like the 1956 Broadway album, has never been out of the catalogue, though the confusion between the two albums still exists, despite the fact that the London album sports a gold-brown cover and the Broadway album is white. Sony Broadway Masterworks' edition features a bonus track of the "Embassy Waltz", a mono recording from 1956.

My Fair Lady again?.......2005-06-04

I have heard the Columbia Masterworks recording of this show as it was produced in Isreal. Same orchestrations, different lyrics! In Hebrew of course. I wish it were still available.

Broadway vs London vs Movie.......2003-10-02

Let's begin by comparing both the Broadway and London scores to the 1964 movie soundtrack-- actually there is no comparison! Both Broadway and London surpass the movie recording by far, only demonstrating the HUGE mistake Hollywood made by not casting Julie Andrews as Eliza Doolittle. Andrews' purely delightful soprano voice and perfect diction cannot even be compared to Marni Nixon's voice dubbing in the film. In addition, Andrews is British, which is critical to this play, unlike Nixon's purely American accent heard in the film.

As far as Broadway vs London MFL recordings, I would have to agree with the others who are in favor of the "white" Broadway album. While both are very good, the Broadway album does appear to be less "forced" than the London album due, most likely, to the fact that it was recorded before the cast had exhausted themselves singing the score after a few years on the stage. Both Rex Harrison and Julie Andrews appear to be more "natural" in the Broadway album, and Andrews does definitely lose a bit of the innocence in her voice in this recording.

All in all, I would recommend that any MFL collector invest in both the Broadway and London cast recordings to make your own opinions. Yet, for someone looking to buy only one album, I would stick with the Broadway version. In all situations, save yourself some money and skip buying the film soundtrack.

It's good but,.........2003-07-26

If I had never heard the 1956 recording I would have thought this one was great....but to me, compared to its mono counterpart, this performance sounds more like a Wednesday matinee in the middle of a long run. The performers are all still wonderful, but it's very relaxed and and lacks the vivid characterizations found in the original. Any fan of "My Fair Lady," however, will want to have them both and decide for themselves!

Babes In Arms (1999 City Center Encores! Cast)

Average customer rating:

Decide for yourself
Encores Concert cast performs with youthful exuberance
GREAT Musical. Hehhh CD.
Rodgers and Hart's sparkling masterpiece
A "MUST HAVE" for any Musical Fan

Babes In Arms (1999 City Center Encores! Cast)
Richard Rodgers , Lorenz Hart , Erin Dilly , and Melissa Rain Anderson
Manufacturer: Drg
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

The Boys from Syracuse (1997 Studio Cast)
Pal Joey: 1995 Original New York Cast Recording
On Your Toes (1983 Broadway Revival Cast)
Babes In Arms (1989 Broadway Revival Cast)
The Drowsy Chaperone (2006 Original Broadway Cast)

ASIN: B00002EQ6J
Release Date: 1999-11-16

Tracks:

Overture
Where Or When
Babes In Arms
I Wish I Were In Love Again
Light On Their Feet
Way Out West
My Funny Valentine
Calhoun's Follies (Intro)
Johnny One-Note
Johnny One-Note Ballet
Imagine
All At Once
Peter's Journey Ballet
The Lady Is A Tramp
You Are So Fair
The Lady Is A Tramp (Reprise)
Finale

Amazon.com

Rodgers and Hart's Babes in Arms is the archetypal "let's put on a show in a barn!" musical. When Encores! decided to revive it, they picked a mostly unknown cast to match the characters' young age. Happily, the gamble paid off, especially considering the astonishing number of showstopping songs that pepper the ditzy book. Erin Dilly and Australian cabaret star David Campbell play the lead ingenues, and Dilly does well enough by "My Funny Valentine" and "The Lady Is a Tramp." But Melissa Rain Anderson steals the show with brassy renditions of "Way Out West" and "Johnny One-Note." A 1989 recording of the musical may have stronger performances overall (Judy Blazer has brass and sass!), but more Rodgers and Hart is always better. --Elisabeth Vincentelli

Customer Reviews:

Decide for yourself.......2006-08-19

The above reviews make many interesting, informative, and valid points. No one could be blamed for rushing out to buy the CD on the basis of such glowing reviews. I'd just like to say to do yourself a favor and LISTEN TO THE SAMPLES before making a decision. If you do, my hunch is that you'll never buy it. Reasonable people can disagree, but how anyone could recommend this performance, or even be willing to listen to it for a second time, is beyond me. Personally, I think it's terrible. Yes, it has its good points, but I am most interested in the music, and in the quality of the singing, and the latter is painful to listen to. They are not singers. They are not performers. True, and this is probably where we differ, they sound like you would expect their characters to sound in real life, but I go for the music, not the dramatic effect. Ideally, both should be present, but if that's not possible, save and protect the music.

Encores Concert cast performs with youthful exuberance.......2005-02-20

I confess a (very) slight preference for the New World Cd which has a bit more polish and a bit more pizzazz. Still, this version from Encores is quite enjoyable and offers a truly youthful sounding cast.

It's a shame that the book of BABES IN ARMS is such a mess and it has defied repeated attempts to revise and revive it. The songs are good but they are not exactly glued to the plot which may explain why they work so well out-of-context.

The songs remain evergreen classics, though of limited relevance to today's listeners.

DRG now has three Rodgers & Hart shows in their catalogue, all courtesy of Encores: PAL JOEY, BOYS FROM SYRACUSE and now BABES IN ARMS. It's a shame the concert of CONNECTICUT YANKEE was not preserved as well.

The songs remain evergreen classics, though of limited relevance to today's listeners.

DRG now has three Rodgers & Hart shows in their catalogue, all courtsy of Encores: PAL JOEY, BOYS FROM SYRACUSE and now BABES IN ARMS. It's a shame the concert of CONNECTICUT YANKEE was not preserved as well.

GREAT Musical. Hehhh CD........2002-10-11

It's fantastic to have all the songs in their original order and arrangements. On the other hand, this disc contains, let's face it, the worst version of "The Lady Is a Tramp" on record.

Rodgers and Hart's sparkling masterpiece.......2002-09-19

BABES IN ARMS is given the 5-star treatment in this recording of the 1999 City Center's Encores! production. The renowned Coffee Club Orchestra under the baton of wunderkind Rob Fisher gives the sparkling score all the brilliance it deserves.

David Campbell and Erin Dilly star as the teenage sweethearts Val LeMar and Billie Smith. They offer a particularly thrilling rendition of "Where or When", and Dilly makes magic with her haunting version of "My Funny Valentine".

Melissa Rain Anderson, as the vivacious Baby Rose, performs "Johnny One-Note" to perfection, as well as stellar readings of "Way Out West" and "Imagine" with the quartet.

The Coffee Club Orchestra will thrill you with the "Johnny One-Note" and "Peter's Journey" ballet segments. The cast also features Christopher Fitzgerald and Jessica Stone. DRG Theater.

A "MUST HAVE" for any Musical Fan.......2002-07-28

Excellent in all regards, this CD is definitley on my short list of all time favs. Uniformly well performed but Erin Dilly and Melissa Rain Anderson truly shine. Try listening to "Johnny One Note" without your pulse quickening. And the "Jonny One Note Ballet" positively rocks thanks to the brilliant work of Rob Fisher and the Coffee Club Orchestra. I am certain that Mr. Rodgers and Mr. Hart are both smiling. I know I am.

Singin' in the Rain (Original 1984 London Cast)

Average customer rating:

fine recording
Leave it to the Yanks, please....

Singin' in the Rain (Original 1984 London Cast)
Nacio Herb Brown , Arthur Freed , and Tommy Steele
Manufacturer: First Night
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

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Singin' in the Rain (1996 Studio Cast)
Curtains (2007 Original Broadway Cast)
The Drowsy Chaperone (2006 Original Broadway Cast)

ASIN: B000025YHO
Release Date: 2003-06-17

Tracks:

Overture
Fit As A Fiddle
Temptation
I Can't Give You Anything But Love
Be A Clown
Too Marvellous For Words
You Are My Lucky Star
Moses Supposes
Good Morning
Singin' In The Rain
Would You?
Fascinating Rhythm
Finale

Customer Reviews:

fine recording.......2001-12-21

The 1984 West End production of the classic SINGIN' IN THE RAIN was a very successful revival of a classic film which translated perfectly to the stage, and heading the cast was veteran musical performer Tommy Steele as Don Lockwood. It played at the London Palladium to packed houses.

The cast also featured Roy Castle as Cosmo Brown, Danielle Carson as Kathy Seldon and Sarah Payne as Lina Lamont. A fantastic ensemble was headed by Joyce Carpenter.

Danielle Carson brings the house down with the 'Valentine Girls' in "I Can't Give You Anything But Love", which replaced "All I Do Is Dream Of You". Ms Carson also gives a lovely treatment of "Would You?".

Tommy Steele proves his showmanship with "You Are My Lucky Star", "Singin' In The Rain", and "Fascinating Rhythm". Roy Castle is great in the comical "Make 'Em Laugh", while Sarah Payne is given time to shine in "Temptation".

Overall a fine recording.

Leave it to the Yanks, please...........2001-07-18

I've heard two London recordings of the classic Singin' in the Rain, and I have to say that they just don't translate well. In my opinion Gene Kelley made the recording and the movie. It's a musical about the Golden age of Hollywood, it just doesn't have anything outstandingly British about it. The actors give terrible American accents, and Make Em Laugh made me weep. It just isn't worth the money, kids. Stick to the OBCR.

Lucky in the Rain (2000 Studio Cast Recording)

Average customer rating:

Wonderful Bliss for a Musical buff
A glorious surprise, a treasure of a new musical
A Nostalgic Trip
A real nostalgia trip but all to short

Lucky in the Rain (2000 Studio Cast Recording)
Jimmy McHugh , Barbara Cook , Debbie Gravitte , and Patrick Wilson
Manufacturer: Drg
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Tenderloin (2000 Encores! Concert Cast)
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The Drowsy Chaperone (2006 Original Broadway Cast)
Curtains (2007 Original Broadway Cast)

ASIN: B00004SUEM
Release Date: 2000-05-23

Tracks:

Overture
I'm Shooting High
Exactly Like You
On The Sunny Side Of The Street
Comin' In On A Wing And A Prayer
Doin' The New Low Down
A Lovely Way To Spend An Evening
I Walked In
Love Me As If There Were No Tomorrow
When Love Goes Wrong
I Must Have That Man
Don't Blame Me
South American Way
I Can't Give You Anything But Love
The Music Stopped
I Got Lucky In The Rain

Customer Reviews:

Wonderful Bliss for a Musical buff.......2001-11-21

Take a 30's musical "Lucky in the Rain", the songs of Jimmy McHugh, Harold Adamson and Dorothy Fields and you have one great show. Add to this some of the musical theatres greatest artists and you are in heaven. The wonderful golden oldies "On the Summy Side of the Street", "Exactly Like You", "Coming in on a Wing and Prayer", "Lovely Way to Spend an Evening', "I Can't Give you Anything But Love", etc comprise some of this wonderful score. The golden voices of Malcolm Gets, Debbie Gravitte, Patrick Wilson (The Full Monty), Marcus Neville and the glorious Lilias White are a joy to listen to. If that was not enough the glorious voice of Barbara Cook completes the ensemble.
Excuse while I go listen to it again

A glorious surprise, a treasure of a new musical.......2000-09-12

I bought this CD impulsively, and to my everlasting delight I find it one of the best show albums I have ever listened to. The songs are wonderful, and when you read the fascinating liner notes, you see how Sherman Yellen, the ingenious creator, cleverly set these songs in a charming story about American journalists in Paris in 1927. I only regret that I missed the original performance at the Goodspeed Opera a few seasons back. The studio cast performances are as good as it gets, the amazing Barbara Cook sings these standards with her accumstomed genius, Malcolm Gets has one extraordinary voice, Patrick Wilson is terrific, as is Marcus Neville of the original cast, Lillias White and Rachel Cohen are delights, and the ensemble with Lise Brown and Kathy Lessner is amazing. This is a real gem in a jewel box. Buy it and treasure it.

A Nostalgic Trip.......2000-06-16

The music on this album is a collection of catchy tunes that deserve recognition. The orchestrations of the songs fit quite well with the story, which is set in the early 1900s, creating a feel of going back in time. It invokes a sense of nostalgia for a more idealistic time period and the performers convey this quite wonderfully. My one gripe would be that the use of different artists singing for the same characters make following the storyline a bit confusing. Other than that, the album is a light and uplifting soundtrack that works wonders in getting your spirits up.

A real nostalgia trip but all to short.......2000-05-24

To hear a musical on Broadway with something approaching memorable music, one has to go to a revival (usually inferior to the original) or to a show that recycles some of the great classics of the past as in "Crazy For You" or in the new delight . The latter is now available on a DRG recording (12625) and its only fault is its 45-minute running time.

This musical draws upon the tunes of Jimmy McHugh--yes I know, not a name with high recognition rating, but his songs are--and sets them into a plot that concerns Americans in the Paris of 1927. But since the CD has only the songs--and it must stand or fall on those alone--just take a gander at the line up of songs toward the top of this webpage!

Tracks:

All That Jazz [From Chicago] - Paulette Ivory, , National Symphony Orchestra, Sally Ann Triplett
Maybe This Time [From Cabaret] - Carolee Carmello, National Symphony Orchestra
Two Ladies [From Cabaret] - National Symphony Orchestra, Jonathan Pryce
Broadway Baby [From Follies] - Jan Horvath, National Symphony Orchestra
Just for Tonight [From They're Playing Our Song] - Susan Egan, National Symphony Orchestra
New York New York [from New York New York] - Sean McDermott, National Symphony Orchestra
Colored Lights [from The Rink] - Liza Minnelli
What I Did for Life [from a Chorus Line] - National Symphony Orchestra,
Money Money [From Cabaret] - Maria Friedman, National Symphony Orchestra, Jonathan Pryce
If My Friends Could See Me Now [From Sweet Charity] - Jacqueline Dankworth, National Symphony Orchestra
Singin' in the Rain [From Singin' in the Rain] - National Symphony Orchestra, Paul Robinson
Mr. Cellophane [From Chicago] - NSO Ensemble,
Anything Goes [From Anything Goes] - National Symphony Orchestra
Cabaret [From Cabaret] - Maria Friedman, National Symphony Orchestra
Nowadays [From Chicago] - National Symphony Orchestra, Caroline O'Connor
One [from a Chorus Line] - National Symphony Orchestra

Album Details

As "Chicago" Packs them in at the Theaters Worldwide, Join Stars of the West End and Broadway as We Present the Very Best of "Chicago" Along with a Selection of the Biggest Songs from Such Musicals as "Cabaret", "New York New York" and "a Chorus Line".

Jazz Music:

Jazz Music

Jazz Music