Pacific Overtures (1976 Original Broadway Cast) [Cast Recording]

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Pacific Overtures is one of Stephen Sondheim's most rewarding but least-appreciated works. Part of the reason is it's been one of the least-staged Sondheim shows due to its unusual requirements: following the conventions of the Japanese Noh play, it uses an all-Asian, all-male cast, and authentic instruments such as the shamisen. As a slice of history, John Weidman's book is fascinating: In 1853, Japan's borders were closed to all foreigners until the arrival of American Commodore Matthew Perry forced the opening of trade relations. Sondheim's score captures the delicacy of Japanese verse ("Poems"), a blackly humorous scene of the emperor's refusal to acknowledge the American ships ("Chrysanthemum Tea"), Gilbert & Sullivan-esque patter ("Please Hello"), and the most beautiful song ever written about prostitution (the lyric men's trio "Pretty Lady"). Worthy of special mention is the song Sondheim has often claimed as his best ever, "Someone in a Tree," which describes the crucial meeting in the treaty house from the perspective of different characters on the outside. Over a quarter century after its 1976 Broadway debut, Pacific Overtures began to enjoy increased attention from theater companies, culminating in a Broadway revival in 2004. --David Horiuchi

Tracks:

The Advantages Of Floating In The Middle Of The Sea - Mako And Company
There Is No Other Way - Alvin Ing/Ricardo Tobia
Four Black Dragons - Jae Woo Lee/Mark Hsu Syers/Mako And Company
Chrysanthemum Tea - Alvin Ing/Mako/Mark Hsu Syers/Timm Fujii/Gedde Watanabe/Patrick Kinser-Lau...
Poems - Isao Sato/Sab Shimono
Welcome To Kanagawa - Ernest Harada/Timm Fujii/Patrick Kinser-Lau/Gedde Wtanabe/Leslie Watanabe/Mako
Someone In A Tree - James Dybas/Mako/Gedde Watanabe/Mark Hsu Syers
Please Hello - Alvin Ing/Yuki Shimoda/Ernest Harada/Mako/Patrick Kinser-Lau...
A Bowler Hat - Isao Sato
Pretty Lady - Patrick Kinser-Lau/Timm Fujii/Mark Hsu Syers
Next - Mako And Company

Amazon.com

Pacific Overtures is one of Stephen Sondheim's most rewarding but least-appreciated works. Part of the reason is it's been one of the least-staged Sondheim shows due to its unusual requirements: following the conventions of the Japanese Noh play, it uses an all-Asian, all-male cast, and authentic instruments such as the shamisen. As a slice of history, John Weidman's book is fascinating: In 1853, Japan's borders were closed to all foreigners until the arrival of American Commodore Matthew Perry forced the opening of trade relations. Sondheim's score captures the delicacy of Japanese verse ("Poems"), a blackly humorous scene of the emperor's refusal to acknowledge the American ships ("Chrysanthemum Tea"), Gilbert & Sullivan-esque patter ("Please Hello"), and the most beautiful song ever written about prostitution (the lyric men's trio "Pretty Lady"). Worthy of special mention is the song Sondheim has often claimed as his best ever, "Someone in a Tree," which describes the crucial meeting in the treaty house from the perspective of different characters on the outside. Over a quarter century after its 1976 Broadway debut, Pacific Overtures began to enjoy increased attention from theater companies, culminating in a Broadway revival in 2004. --David Horiuchi

Customer Reviews:

The Floating Master.......2007-01-12

Sondheim has been like a floating island with bothersome threats both from inside earthquakes and outside heavy artillery from sundry corporate --department stores-- musicals, the Lloyd Weber commodore epics (driveling frogs more than firing dragons), yet he is alive and well, if not exclusively living in Broadway.... anyway, as from the demise of the Shuberts.... what is Broadway? ... as the grand British impresario used to say: just another stop in my American tour! Our floating master remains the fine heir to composer/lyricists Cole Porter, Coward or Loesser, only this, by some considered "less accessible" (boring) 30-year-old work has no awesome aging star to deliver some "Send in the Clowns" or "I'm Still Here" 11 o'clock show-stopper; the longwinded songs are more (deceptively) minimalist, the verse and rhymes, starker, yet we still have an equivalent here: "A Bowler Hat" has no less wit and charm than, say, "Could I Leave You?"; and "Please Hello" is as effervescent and funny as any other Sondheim dish special. Maybe some find the 'raw fish' an acquired taste, I love it all. Is Niponnia here depicted from the inside or from a Western point of view? Perhaps a bit of both, as someone in a tree oversees the treaty house: the ripple, not the sea? Who cares? This show stands firm as any Mikados, Kismets or King&Is ... and as classy as any from its trademark: the crisp orchestral ostinato strains accompanying the melody lines, the delightful pastiches-within-pastiche, the balanced interplay of musical waves under sailing lyrics. And in this --as always, preferable-- original cast album, the virtuoso fast chats, sometimes forceful or soft and ethereal singing from the all-male Asian cast (Pretty Lady), the limpid Sondheim textures and rhythms, the elegant, pristine Jonathan Tunick orchestrations (subtle, effectual inclusion of Kabuki instruments) all remain perfectly evocative, somewhat hypnotic to listen to and dream of leaves changing green to pink to gold.

Only Sondheim..........2004-06-19

can take a style of music that i was not particulary interested in and make into a great score that i am addicted to."Please Hello", and "Someone in a tree" are great Numbers. "Next" is a number that sends the audience to the present of Japan.For anyone who loves Sondheim, This score is a must have.

Sondheim & Prince's offering for the U.S. Bicentennial.......2004-01-30

1976 - America was celebrating two hundred years of idependence. Tv, radio, records and movies were all things patriotic. This was the way things were when the musical PACIFIC OVERTURES arrived at Broadway's Winter Garden theatre. A musical that took a critical look at how the U.S. forced Japan into international trade in 1842... what were they thinking?

It didn't look like a Broadway musical. It sure didn't sound like Broadway music. The critics were mixed..a few loved it, several loathed it...but most admitted they didn't quite know what to make of it. Audiences went to see A CHORUS LINE (which would win the 1976 Tony award) and CHICAGO. PACIFIC OVERTURES was gone after 193 performances. The great experiment failed.

Or had it?

RCA did a cast album. Sales were slow at first but it eventually became one of their biggest sellers allowing more people a chance to hear this wonderful score. Regional theatres began exploring the possibility of doing the show. An off-Broadway revival in 1984 was critically lauded. A new production is planned for New York for 2005. It may never be as big as hit as LEZ MIZ, but for those looking for something different and exciting, PACIFIC OVERTURES will do very nicely.

I don't want to give away all the many details of the score: that would rob you of the thrill of discovering so much on your own. But a few "hints": Sondheim has long considered "Someone in a Tree" to be one of his favourite numbers; "Please Hello" is brilliant in weaving together musical styles for the U.S.; England; Holland; Russia & France as each country enters to set up trade with Japan. "Chrysanthemum Tea" has brilliant lyrics (including the lines "If the tea the Shogun drank will serve to keep the Shogun tranquil...") Notice too how the score becomes more "americanized" as it proceeds all the way to the finale "Next."

RCA has included a libretto and detailed synopsis. It will take a few serious listens (following along with the libretto) to begin to penetrate this work. Then, once you have fallen in love with it seek out the English National Opera's complete recording on Jay/TER which has the whole show, dialogue and music. It's not as well sung and acted as this original cast disc.

NOT MY FAVORITE.......2003-08-17

Not my favorite Sondheim show, but it's still worth a listen. However, if you for some crazy reason don't have Assassins yet get that instead.

a neglected masterwork.......2003-08-05

I saw this piece performed at The Alliance Theatre in Atlanta and have yet to shut-up about it. It is an exquisite piece of theatre - a chamber musical - expertly performed. I have had this album for - well, decades. I've always admired the score. However, now, having finally seen it brought to life, I can't get it out of my mind. This music is the work of a genius. There is no other word for it. Along with "Sunday in the Park with George," this is my favorite Sondheim.

Sondheim - A Celebration at Carnegie Hall (1992 Concert Cast)

Average customer rating:

Great CD
Simply the Best
Inconsistent, but mostly excellent
"Celebration" is not strong enough a word
A maginificent evening, a magnificent album

Sondheim - A Celebration at Carnegie Hall (1992 Concert Cast)
Stephen Sondheim , Betty Buckley , Paul Gemignani , Patti LuPone , Liza Minnelli , and Bernadette Peters
Manufacturer: RCA Victor Broadway
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Side By Side By Sondheim (1976 Original London Cast)
Sondheim Evening: A Musical Tribute (1973 Concert Cast)
Send in the Clowns: The Ballads of Stephen Sondheim
Sondheim - A Celebration at Carnegie Hall
Sondheim, Etc.: Bernadette Peters Live at Carnegie Hall

ASIN: B000003FDW
Release Date: 1993-02-23

Tracks:

Symphonic Sondheim: Sweeney Todd--orchestra, Jerry Hadley ("Johanna"), Eugene Perry,Herbert Perry ("Pretty Women")
Evening Introduction--Bill Irwin
Loveland/Getting Married Today--Ensemble, Jeanne Lehman, Mark Jacoby, Madeline Kahn
Waiting for the Girls Upstairs--George Lee Andrews, Michael Jeter, James Naughton/Love, I Hear--Michael Jeter/Live Alone and Like It--James Naughton
Someone Is Waiting--Richard Muenz/Symphonic Sondheim: Barcelona--orchestra
Being Alive--Patti LuPone
Good Thing Going--The Tonics
Losing My Mind/You Could Drive a Person Crazy--Dorothy Loudon
Our Time--Boys Choir of Harlem/Children Will Listen--Betty Buckley
Anyone Can Whistle--Billy Stritch
Water Under the Bridge--Liza Minnellli, Billy Stritch
Back in Business--Liza Minnellli, Billy Stritch, Ensemble

Tracks:

Symphonic Sondheim: Comedy Tonight--Bill Irwin, orchestra
Sooner or Later--Karen Ziemba
Pretty Lady--Mark Jacoby, Eugene Perry, Herbert Perry
Green Finch and Linnet Bird--Harolyn Blackwell
The Ballad of Booth--Patrick Cassidy, Victor Garber
Broadway Baby--Daisy Eagan
I Never Do Anything Twice--BETTY
With So Little to Be Sure Of--Jerry Hadley, Carolann Page
Not a Day Goes By--Bernadette Peters
Remember?--Ron Baker, Peter Blanchet, Carol Meyer, Bronwyn Thomas, Blythe Walker (Quintet)/A Weekend in the Country--Kevin Anderson, George Lee Andrews, Mark Jacoby, Beverly Lambert, Maureen Moore, Susan Terry, Quintet
Send in the Clowns--Glenn Close
Old Friends--Liza Minnelli
Sunday--Bernadette Peters, Broadway Chorus

Customer Reviews:

Great CD.......2006-08-06

This is a wonderful double CD of fabulous musical numbers performed by theatre greats and directed by a legandary musical director.

Simply the Best.......2005-06-29

First, to the person who criticizes the recording b/c of "Broadway Baby." Daisy Egan (who sings in in this recording) sounds like she's 10 becuase she IS young. She had just appeared on Braodway in Secret Garden and won a Tony for it. It's a joke...Broadway BABY...hello, it's a joke.

In a compilation of songs like this you're always going to have tracks that you prefer over others, but the majority of the renditions in this CD are great. This is simply one of the best collections of Sondheim out there. You get interpretations that span from "classical" (Green Finch), to bordering on insane (Anything Twice). This is to demonstrate how versatile this composer really is.

In my opinion, some of the best renditions are "Not a Day Goes By," "Anyone Can Whistle", "Girls Upstairs Medley," "Losing My Mind/Drive a Person Crazy," and "Weekend inthe Country." Makes me wish I had been there to witness it first hand.

If you love Sondheim and enjoy hearing Broadway performers, get this CD. A great recording.

Inconsistent, but mostly excellent.......2004-03-21

I am sure no knowledgeable person would deny how absolutely perfect all these songs are. However, the performances on this album are extremely inconsistent. It will go from an excellent rendition (Waiting for the Girls medley, Sunday, With So Little To Be Sure Of, Sooner or Later, Green Finch, Send in the Clowns, Pretty Lady) to the weird (I never Do Anything Twice), to the bad (Broadway Baby, Our Time). I still have absolutely no idea how they managed to butcher one of the best songs ever written--Good Thing Going--and turn it into smooth jazz elevator music. Why would they give Broadway Baby to someone who sounds like she's 10? That said, Liza Minelli, Glenn Close, Karen Ziemba, Dorothy Laudon and the "Waiting for the Girls" performers are all very good. And ending with Bernadette Peters and "Sunday" ends the set on a absolutley fabulous note.

"Celebration" is not strong enough a word.......2003-04-30

This review is by Crosley.

I have been a major Sondheim fan for quite some time, and I finally obtained a copy of this album. I was blown away by the excellent cast and phenomenal selection of music. It is obvious how much work went into this production, considering that this is the live recording of a one time show, and it's flawless. The songs cover all of his shows with the exception of "Passion," which was released 3 years after this show. Also, the shows for which he wrote only lyrics are ommited, like West Side Story, Gypsy, etc. Thus, you can find material from A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Anyone can Whistle, Company, Follies, A Little Night Music, Pacific Overtures, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Merrily we Roll Along, Sunday in the Park with George, Into the Woods, and Assassins.

There are two striking things about this CD (besides the music and performers themselves). First of all, some of the songs are completely stylistically reworked. The most obvious are "Good Thing Going" and "I Never do Anything Twice." Both are traditionally very ballady with a piano accompaniment, but here they have been redone as jazzy tunes. The result is excellent. Such reworkings demonstrate that Sondheim writes music for virtually any style, and in these cases, across several styles. It's a great example of his variety. The other interesting thing is how many songs have overlapping melodies of songs from different shows. Case in point, "Our Time" and "No one is Alone" are sung seperately by the Harlem Boys Choir and Betty Buckley (the original Grizabella in Webber's atrocious "CATS," although Buckley was excellent) respectively, and then combined. Putting these two songs together offer different meanings to each, and the music is only enhanced. Another example, the trio of "Waiting for the Girls Upstairs," "Love, I Hear," and "Live Alone and Like It" are sung in that order, and then the latter two are combined. Again, the meanings of the songs change, this time in an almost narrative style, and offering different takes on love in the same montage. Lastly (at least for this review, there are more), Dorothy Laudon's (the original Ms. Hannigan in Annie) combination of "Losing my Mind" and "You Could Drive a Person Crazy" is brilliant. Those who are familiar with these songs will wonder how exactly they fit, but trust me, they do. She swtiches back and forth between melodies to create a number that starts poignant and beautiful, and soon moves to become uproariously funny. Both the song reworkings and overlapping melodies of unrelated songs are all for the better.

I recommend this recording to anyone wanting to get better acquainted with some of Sondheim's best work, or those already familiar who want to hear a tour de force of phenomenal music. It has been said that Sondheim is a masterful lyricist (which he is), but lacks real talent for music. This CD is the final proof that such critics are wrong. His music may take a few listenings to get into, contrary to Webber or Wildhorn, but unlike those two, he doesn't cater to the audience. He challenges them to think outside of traditional musical theater in a glorious repertoise of shows that reach for a smarter, more sophisticated form.

A maginificent evening, a magnificent album.......2001-12-16

There's something to be said for the first concert you ever see at Carnegie Hall. I was fortunate enough to have this be my first. This entire evening was devoted to his genius and the performers did not disappoint.

This wonderful double CD shows off the best and brightest of the musical theatre composer and it is, as one person put it, "an embarassment of riches." With songs from his finest works done in amazing arrangements (listen to that harmony in "We Had a Good Thing Going"!) combined with fabulous performers this is a Sondheim lovers delight.

My favorite song is, without a doubt, Dorothy Louden and her wonderful medley of "Losing My Mind" into "You Could Drive a Person Crazy" followed very closely by the recently departed Madeline Kahn singing "Getting Married Today."

Pacific Overtures (2004 Broadway Revival Cast)
Average customer rating:

Yuck

Amazing and memorable

The Best "Overture" of All

Buy The original 1976 Soundtrack

Nice Souvenir, But Not for Purists

Pacific Overtures (2004 Broadway Revival Cast)
Stephen Sondheim , B.D. Wong , and Scott Watanabe
Manufacturer: P.S. Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Sweeney Todd (2005 Broadway Revival Cast)

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The Frogs (2004 Broadway Cast)

Assassins (2004 Broadway Revival Cast)

Sondheim Sings, Vol. 1: 1962-1972

ASIN: B0009299J2
Release Date: 2005-05-10

Tracks:

Prologue
The Advantages of Floating in the Middle of the Sea
Kayama Yesaemon. A samurai, but one of little consequence.
There Is No Other Way
Four Black Dragons
Disaster! The Americans insist upon landing.
Chrysanthemum Tea
My Lord Governor of Uraga
Poems
Welcome to Kanagawa
March to the Treaty House
Someone in a Tree
Whatever happened inside the treaty house
Please Hello
A Bowler Hat
Pretty Lady
Next
bonus track: Prayers

Amazon.com

Pacific Overtures opened on Broadway in 1976. It didn't do that well, but neither did it completely flop--quite a feat considering it's one of Stephen Sondheim's hardest-to-penetrate musicals. Set in the mid-19th century, the show describes the arrival of Americans in Japan and their influence on that country. Sondheim said he wanted to keep the lyrics simple, so they're haiku-like, with few rhymes. Meanwhile, the music gets increasingly Westernized as the show progresses, to underscore the progressive Westernization of Japan. This revival was performed in Japanese at the 2002 Lincoln Center Festival, before being adapted for an English-speaking Broadway opening with an Asian-American cast. The small orchestra does justice to the score, although one may wish for echoes of the original production's fuller arrangements. Toward the end of the CD, two consecutive tracks neatly show up Sondheim's versatility. The comic "Please Hello" features American, British, Dutch, Russian, and French admirals, and Sondheim subtly honors each country's tradition as each admiral takes his turn (if only the cast's accents were as good). The song segues into the somber "A Bowler Hat," in which the Westernization of Kayama (Michael K. Lee) is examplified by his owning a bowler hat. (B.D. Wong shows his customary assurance as the Reciter.) Narratively speaking, the song may well be among Sondheim's best. The CD ends with a 1975 demo recording of Sondheim and director Harold Prince performing the cut number "Prayers." --Elisabeth Vincentelli

Other Recent Sondheim Releases

The Frogs (2004 Cast)
Sondheim Sings (vol. 1)
Assassins (2004 Cast)

Sweeney Todd (DVD)
Bounce
Mostly Sondheim (DVD), Barbara Cook

Customer Reviews:

Yuck.......2007-05-30

I guess there's a benefit to all this pared-down Sondheim stuff, but I just really don't think this can come close to shaking at stick at the English National Opera cast. And I'm sorry, but B.D. Wong's voice is just too Charlie Brown. Buy the original London cast if you don't know the show; it is so much better. Pacific Overtures (1987 English National Opera Cast)

Amazing and memorable.......2006-08-11

This is one of Sondheim's best, and I continue to be baffled that is is so seldom performed. I was delighted to see the revival in NYC last year, and the entire cast was excellent, led by the amazing B.D. Wong, who showcased his musical theater chops in a very demanding role. If you love Sondheim, you must own this CD -- the cast brings new nuances to the beautiful music.

The Best "Overture" of All.......2006-06-30

The recent Broadway revival of "Pacific Overtures" had a relatively short 3-month run. A few months later, this wonderful CD was inexplicably released to the surprise of enthusiastic Sondheim fans, but it's really a must have for anyone interested in musical theater. The show's reviews were mixed, which makes one wonder how much that has impacted the reception of this recording, which was nominated for a Grammy as best cast recording and deserved to win.

Alright, let's dispense with the main objections. No, the orchestrations aren't nearly as fleshed out as the originals. And yes, there's a lot more dialog on this recording. Both of these, however, ultimately make this CD a more modern and listenable recording than the original. To begin with, as has been acknowledged in the past, it was difficult to get enough Asian actors for the original production with the vocal skills to do the score justice. Because of that, some of the songs did not soar the way they were meant to. "Overtures" is one of Sondheim's best but most delicate scores and the stirringly lush and burnished Jonathan Tunick orchestrations of the original tended to make them the focal point of the recording. No problem here. On this recording, much of the orchestration uses authentic Asian instruments, adding a lighter but more exotic flavor. The fact that the orchestrations are leaner means the vocals are more up front, and that is the blessing of this recording.

BD Wong may not have the gravitas of Maku, but his singing is significantly better and his interpretation is more of a genial escort than an angry overlord - a different interpretation, but no less valid. He also nails "Floating in the Middle of the Sea," "Next" and his part in the quartet of "Someone in a Tree." Has anyone noticed that Mr. Wong is a musical theater performer of the first degree?

Telly Leung shines in three different numbers as three different characters. His "There is No Other Way" is exquisite, but is topped by his euphoric and youthful "Someome in a Tree." That quartet has been problematic for some performers, but Leung and his companions, including Wong and Alvin Lee, run with it and it's exhilirating. His lead on "Pretty Lady" is both youthful and oblivious, giving the character the correct vacuous hole to leap in to. Mr. Leung is an exquisitely flexible tenor who is able to embue his characterizations with soul and heart. Let's hope he will find more, and more fully realized, opportunities in his future on Broadway.

Alvin Ing is again cast as the Shogun's Mother, and he gives another quitessential performance during "Chrysanthemum Tea", which is at times sardonic, ironic and hysterically funny. He is also a force to be reckoned with in "Someone in a Tree". Whoever's idea it was to recast him deserves a special Tony. In addition, Sab Shimono makes a return appearance from the original cast and, while his contributions are less apparent, the history and clarity he brings to his moments are deservedly cherished.

Finally, a word must be said for Michael K. Lee. He brings machismo, doubt and sensitivity to his role as Kayama, and his singing is almost comparable to Telly Leung. "A Bowler Hat" is his showcase and his performance is both nuanced and ironic, with his singing very well placed.

It's inexplicable that this revival did not run longer than its three short months, and this recording attests to the fact that there were many talented Asian - Phillipino - American actors at the height of their game during this glorious production. Thankfully, we have this gourgeous CD to return to time and again, if only as a testiment to a time when Broadway got it right, but the critics got it wrong. There is no other way.

Buy The original 1976 Soundtrack.......2006-03-09

Pacific Overtures, is one of Sondheim's most delicately beautiful and entrancing pieces. The poetry of the culture, being penetrated by an outsider, is portrayed so beautifully and richly in this score.
That is why I advise you to get the original 1976 Broadway Soundtrack. It is far more superior, in almost every aspect. Especially evident, is the sized-down orchestra in this recording. Jonathan Tunich's and subsequently Sondheim's music, deserve a better and larger orchestra than the one featured on this cd. The performances in the original are far more intriguing and involving.
If you don't yet know this piece, and are thinking of buying this recording as an introduction- don't! It's such a waste. A first impression cannot be returned, and you should have the best first impression of this amazingly beautiful and piercing piece of musical theater.
If you have the original and still are considering to buy this one, I wouldn't buy it, but that's already personal taste. But I think that everyone would agree there is no comparison between the two recordings.

Nice Souvenir, But Not for Purists.......2005-12-22

This production was by far the best of the four productions I've seen of this sublime work. For that reason, I enjoy this recording.

However, though I didn't see the 1976 Broadway production, the original cast recording conveys a sense of the masterful artistry that was employed onstage. Those original actors committed some sparkling performances to vinyl, and the full orchestration is rapturous to behold. It is for the orchestration that I commend the original production's recording much higher than this revival's recording.

Of all Mr. Sondheim's works, "Pacific Overtures" and "Sweeney Todd" cry out the most for full orchestras in the pit. Mr. Sondheim's music is of course strong enough to survive even, say, a community theatre production using a sole piano accompanist, but in these two shows the orchestral sound is intended to convey several layers of atmosphere to the theatrical storytelling. The "Sweeney" orchestration gives more of a hint to the insanity of Todd, Lovett, and the Beggar Woman more succinctly and immediately than mere words can. In "Pacific Overtures," the astounding array of percussion instruments evokes Asian theatre with strking vividness [Kabuki and Noh, yes, but even a touch of Chinese opera], and the shimmering strings help with the evocation of Puccini's "Madame Butterfly" that further helps evoke a sense of Japan. Though Jonathan Tunick [the most brilliant orchestrator ever, in my opinion] did an admirable job of paring down his original orchestrations for this production, and though he wisely retained the exciting percussion scoring from his original work, the other vastly reduced instrument groups [especially the strings] give the impression of a theatre that wasn't able to hire a full orchestra -- it's Mr. Tunick's original sound, but much smaller. [Mediocre off-the-cuff analogy: imagine a Seurat masterpiece reprinted on a postcard -- and in black & white]. In the theatre, this reduced orchestration was acceptable and even sort of complemented the sublime sparseness of the physical production, but on this recording the sparseness sounds cheap.

The vocal performances are very nice. B.D. Wong, though not a forceful singer, nonetheless negotiates Mr. Sondheim's tricky lyrics better than Mako did in the 1976 production [Mr. Wong was very engaging onstage in this production; the director's concept was to have the Reciter be more of a host than a detached commentator, and it was a refreshing change.] And it is a delight to have Alvin Ing recreate the Shogun's Mother from the original production [he also did the role at East-West Players in L.A. several years ago]; Mr. Ing has one of the most original and flavorful voices in Broadway history. And with longtime Sondheim collaborator Paul Gemignani on board as Music Director, the tempi are just-right and the diction very, very good.

Even though I personally find the orchestrations much too thin, I nonetheless like having this CD in my collection. Sondheim purists who are more rabid than I about the man's works may not enjoy the recording -- then again, they most likely have already bought it!

Comedy Tonight: Stephen Sondheim's Funniest Songs

Average customer rating:

He only thinks they're funny

Comedy Tonight: Stephen Sondheim's Funniest Songs

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00006LSPG
Release Date: 2002-10-22

Tracks:

Comedy Tonight (from ''A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum'') (Jason Alexander, Michael Kubala, Joey Mckneely, Scott Wise & Company)
The Worst Pies In London (from ''Sweeney Todd'') (Angela Lansbury)
The Little Things You Do Together (from ''Company'') (Cleo Laine)
Everybody Ought To Have A Maid (from ''A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum'') (Stephen Collins, Christopher Durang, Michael Rupert)
Agony (from ''Into The Woods'') (Robert Westenberg, Chuck Wagner)
Getting Married Today (from ''Company'') (Madeline Kahn, Mark Jacoby, Jeanne Lehman, Ensemble)
I Never Do Anything Twice (from ''The Seven Percent Solution'') (Millicent Martin)
The Story Of Lucy And Jessie (from ''Follies'') (Lee Remick & Company)
Chrysanthemum Tea (from ''Pacific Overtures'') (Alvin Ing, Mako, Mark Hsu Syers, Timm Fujii, Gedde Watanabe, Patrick Kinser-Lau, Conrad Yama, Jae Woo Lee, Ernest Harada, Freda Foh Shen)
You Must Meet My Wife (from ''A Little Night Music'') (David Kernan & Millicent Martin)
It's Hot Up Here (from ''Sunday In The Park With George'') (Bernadette Peters)
The Boy From . . . (from ''The Mad Show'') (Millicent Martin)
A Little Priest (from ''Sweeney Todd'') (Angela Lansbury & Len Cariou)
Agony (Reprise) (from ''Into The Woods'') (Robert Westenberg, Chuck Wagner)
Can That Boy Foxtrot! (from ''Follies'') (Millicent Martin, Julia Mckenzie
You Gotta Have A Gimmick (from ''Gypsy'') (Debbie Shapiro, Faith Prince, Susann Fletcher)

Customer Reviews:

He only thinks they're funny.......2007-01-10

Some of the songs on here are good and some are just not funny at all. I prefer some of his others works to this one, but it is still worth listening to.

Rodgers & Hammerstein - The Complete Overtures ~ Opening Night / Hollywood Bowl Orchestra · Mauceri

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Rodgers is one of the greatest theatre composers...
Something Wonderful!

Rodgers & Hammerstein - The Complete Overtures ~ Opening Night / Hollywood Bowl Orchestra · Mauceri
Richard Rodgers , John Mauceri , and Hollywood Bowl Orchestra
Manufacturer: Decca Broadway
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Greatest Hits

ASIN: B00000415D
Release Date: 2001-10-30

Tracks:

Oklahoma!: Overture
Carousel: Carousel Waltz
State Fair: Suite
Allegro: Overture
South Pacific: Overture
The King And I: Overture
Me And Juliet: Overture
Pipe Dream: Overture
Cinderella: Overture
Flower Drum Song: Overture
The Sound Of Music: Entr'acte

Amazon.com

The debate will never stop raging between those who prefer Richard Rodgers's early work with Lorenz Hart and those partial to his later collaboration with Oscar Hammerstein. The shows of the two partnerships were so different that there's almost no resolution possible, but the themes on this CD prove that Rodgers wrote memorable melodies in very different styles during his career. Even if you prefer, say, Pal Joey, it's hard to deny the majestic allure of Carousel and The King and I. With the Rodgers & Hammerstein canon readily available on CD, this album is notable for two things. The first is that by focusing exclusively on overtures, and by presenting them in chronological order, it offers a quick survey of some of Rodgers's best-known melodies. The second is that it includes two rare pieces: the first recording of the overture from 1953's Me and Juliet and the overture from Pipe Dream, a 1955 show based on John Steinbeck's novel Cannery Row that was Rodgers & Hammerstein¹s biggest failure. Those two alone make it worthwhile for R&H fans to pick up the album. --Elisabeth Vincentelli

Customer Reviews:

Rodgers is one of the greatest theatre composers..........2002-10-06

When people think about legends in musical theatre, ranking high at the top would be Stephen Sondheim, Cole Porter, Jule Styne, Irving Berlin and Jerome Kern. But no list would be complete with the celebrated collaborators Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II. For this recording, conductor John Mauceri decided to perform the overtures to Rodgers and Hammerstein's shows. A lot of work went into this, considering 2 of the shows didn't have the conventional overture and another was a film score. R&H first worked together in 1943 on the show "Oklahoma!" which became a monstrous sensation, running for 2,212 performances in its initial Broadway run and forever becoming a musical theatre icon. The overture has been heard over the years on various recordings - the Original Broadway album (considered to be the true original Broadway cast recording), etc. Even more thrilling is finally getting the full eight minute "Carousel Waltz" in its original orchestrations. I saw a reconstruction of the entire score at Carnegie Hall on June 6, 2002 with Audra McDonald and Hugh Jackman and there was lengthy applause for this piece - which is my nomination for the greatest waltz written in the 20th century (with every other beloved Rodgers waltz coming in close behind.) The suite from State Fair proposes what could be a stage overture for the show (its eventual Broadway attempt was unfortunately a flop). Its interesting to hear the first recording of the "Allegro" overture - something that was not included on the original cast album. The show is one of the 3 flops that the team experienced in their career together. "South Pacific" is presented unedited (and its so wonderful to hear everything) and "The King and I" is another joy. "Me and Juliet" is also another one of the flops - its overture is the type that will leave you wondering why it wasn't successful (I especially the enjoy the Latin influence.) Then we come to a personal favorite - the least successful Rodgers and Hammerstein show - "Pipe Dream", based on John Steinbeck's novel "Sweet Thursday", a sequel to "Cannery Row". I have a fondness for this show and its score (the libretto is admittedly weak and bland - missing what Steinbeck had intended for it). But the full overture (it was cut in half on the RCA album) is a joy - featuring "The Man I Used to Be", "All At Once You Love Her" and what sounds like a true showstopper "Sweet Thursday". (These are the strongest numbers in the show) I personally think that with a reconceived & rewritten script and a few lyric alterations, this could be the hit it should've been in 1955. Definitely a candidate to be revisited. The next overture has been available for years - "Cinderella". On this recording, the 1965 version is used, which was far superior to the original 1957 version and should be used in any stage production of the show today. "Flower Drum Song" is not the original Broadway overture - it is the national tour overture. For the tour, Rodgers decided that "I Enjoy Being a Girl", undeniably the show's lasting standard, be included in the opening, meaning the loss of "Like a God". Finally we reach the 11th and final show - "The Sound of Music". Onstage, the show opens with a chorus of nuns singing Gregorian chant, however the creative team behind this recording decided to subsitute the rarely heard Entr'acte of the show, which gives you an idea of what an overture might have been for this show, had the composers decided on a traditional opening. They also tacked on an arrangement of "Climb Ev'ry Mountain" at the end of the piece. All in all, this is a great documentation - and hearing the music symphonically performed makes it 100 times better than ever. Mauceri sure picked a real winner here, folks. Definitely worth the money for true Rodgers and Hammerstein fans.

Something Wonderful!.......2002-03-25

To borrow a title from one of the great songs penned by R&H -- this album of overtures from some of their greatest as well as lesser hits really is something wonderful! Oklahoma, Carousel, State Fair, South Pacific, The King and I, and The Sound of Music are all represented. But so are Allegro, Me and Juliet, Pipe Dream, Cinderella, and Flower Drum Song; shows perhaps not as well known, but all containing the gorgeous melodies of Richard Rodgers. Oscar Hammerstein's words are not heard -- at least on the album -- but they're so ingrained into most of our psyches that it's impossible not to 'hear' them in your head. Most of the overtures are presented in their original orchestrations by the genius Richard Russel Bennett. Wouldn't it be great to see some of these shows restaged -- including the 'ones that got away' like Allegro and Pipe Dream? And wouldn't it be equally great to hear some of today's singers cover the R&H classics along with some all but forgotten gems (e.g., "The Loneliness of Evening," orginally written for South Pacific, but cut and subsequently incorporated into the 1965 version of Cinderella) that are every bit as beautiful as the more popular R&H compositions. This is a super album for any R&H fan or any fan of beautiful music.

Average customer rating:

Worth having because of Honey...
One of the best Sondheim compilation CD availiable
Honestly, Why Bother?

The Musicality of Sondheim
Stephen Sondheim , Carolee Carmillo , Sean McDermott , Judy Kaye , Julia Migenes , Susan Egan , Emily Loesser , Stephen Bogardus , Elisabeth Welch , Caroline O'Connor , and Don Stephenson
Manufacturer: Jay Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Musicality of Kander & Ebb
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ASIN: B0000640NQ
Release Date: 2002-05-07

Tracks:

Broadway Baby (Follies) - Carolee Carmello
Anyone Can Whistle (Anyone Can Whistle) - John Barrowman
Lovely (A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum) - Emily Loesser and Don Stephenson
Being Alive (Company) - Stephen Bogardus
Liasons (A Little Night Music) - Elisabeth Welch
Wait (Sweeney Todd) - Judy Kaye
Loving You (Passion) - Sean McDermott
Honey (Cut: Merrily We Roll Along) - Jacqueline Dankworth, Maria Friedman, and Michael Cantwell
Lion Dance (Pacific Overtures) - ENO Orchestra
I Remember (Evening Primrose) - Julia Migenes
Stay with Me (Into the Woods) - Caroline O'Connor
Sooner or Later (Dick Tracy) - Susan Egan

Customer Reviews:

Worth having because of Honey..........2006-09-20

... the Lion Dance and the fact that some of these arrangements work well out of context. Some of these songs in their original arrangements are diffiicult to listen to on their own. Regretfully, some of these arrangements are a little cheesy (for example the saxophone solo in this version of Loving You).

All in all, this is an okay compilation of some Sondheim songs, but definately one to get after having bought all the original Broadway cast recordings.

One of the best Sondheim compilation CD availiable.......2002-08-25

I love this CD, every track is a winner. Get it.

Honestly, Why Bother?.......2002-07-31

All in all, this is a pleasant enough compilation. There are no embarassing moments. The performers all acquit themselves nicely. But in the long run, there's really little to recommend this above the rest of the many tributes and reviews recorded of Sondheim's music. No new interpretations. No amazing performances. No inspired song choices. Nothing special here, folks.

A Stephen Sondheim Evening (1983 Concert Cast)

Average customer rating:

By no means bad!!!
Buyer Beware!!
Atrocious! Dont be fooled!
A wonderful recording of some great Sondheim
I just wish I'd been there!

A Stephen Sondheim Evening (1983 Concert Cast)
Stephen Sondheim , Liz Callaway , Angela Lansbury , and Steve Orich
Manufacturer: RCA Victor Broadway
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Sondheim Evening: A Musical Tribute (1973 Concert Cast)
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ASIN: B000003F96
Release Date: 1994-01-18

Tracks:

Invocation And Instructions To The Audience - Bob Gunton And Company
Saturday Night - Company
Isn't It? - Victoria Mallory
Saturday Night (Reprise) - Men
Poems - George Hearn/Bob Gunton
What More Do I Need? - Liz Callaway
Another Hundred People - Judy Kaye
With So Little To Be Sure Of - Victoria Mallory/George Hearn
Pretty Little Picture - Bob Gunton/Liz Callaway/Steven Jacob
The House Of Marcus Lycus - George Hearn/Bob Gunton/Women
Echo Song - Liz Callaway
There's Something About A War - Cris Groenendaal/Men
Being Alive - Judy Kaye
The Miller's Son - Liz Callaway
Johanna - Cris Groenendaal
Not A Day Goes By - Victoria Mallory
Someone In A Tree - Bob Gunton/George Hearn/Steven Jacob/Cris Groenendaal
Send In The Clowns - Angela Lansbury
Old Friends - Stephen Sondheim/Angela Lansbury/Company

Amazon.com

A revue created for the Whitney Museum's Composers' Showcase series (and sometimes known as You're Gonna Love Tomorrow), A Stephen Sondheim Evening collects songs with music and lyrics by Sondheim in a live 1983 concert featuring a top cast of Liz Callaway, Cris Groenendaal, Bob Gunton, George Hearn, Steven Jacob, Judy Kaye, and A Little Night Music's Victoria Mallory, with a special appearance by Angela Lansbury. While many of the songs were somewhat obscure at the time, they're rather familiar decades later, including selections from 1954's Saturday Night and outtakes from A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. And though the Fender Rhodes sounds dated, the cast and the performances are excellent. Callaway's "What More Do I Need" is still definitive, and Sondheim himself accompanies Lansbury's "Send in the Clowns" and leads the singers on "Old Friends." --David Horiuchi

Customer Reviews:

By no means bad!!!.......2005-01-04

I like this Sondheim Revue. The performers are good, and I appreciate that they don't try to be "clever" with Sondheim's music. They just performs it as it is written.

The orchestrations are...well...slim. But the synths aren't disturbing, except in Miles Gloriosus.

Otherwise some rare SJS gems are included here. And Angela Lansbury's Clowns is one of the few versions of this song worth listening to (it's not a bad song, but done so many times:P).

Buyer Beware!!.......2004-05-28

This is one of the better Sondheim tributes, but because RCA cut out 2 numbers from the original 2 lp set to fit on one disc, I can only give this 3 stars. I owned the original lp set, and wasnt aware of this omission until after I bought the cd. One of the best songs on the original, You're Gonna Love Tomorrow/Love Will See Us Through with Liz Callaway (among others) from Follies was cut. Inexcusable! There were several other lesser songs they could've cut instead if time was a problem. (Poems and There's Something About a War being two of them) In small print in the booklet it says the 2 cut songs are available on Collected Sondheim. Yeah, like I want to shell out 50 bucks to get those 2 songs when I have everything else on that compilation? If you havent heard the original set, you'll probably love this recording and there is a lot to love, including Angela Lansbury singing Send In the Clowns with Sondheim on the piano. But if you have heard the original LPs, Buyer Beware! Shame on you, RCA!!!

Atrocious! Dont be fooled!.......2000-04-29

This recording is really realllllllllly bad. The songs are terrific, of course, although the selection seems rahter arbitrary. And it is terrific to have a recording of lost gems like House of Marcus Lycus and Invocation. But otherr than that, this CD just stinks! The arrangements were scaled down to a piano (which really seems like its being piped in from a different concert hall) and a wince-inducing synthesizer. The voices are uniformly distant and tinny, the result - i assume - of poor mic placement. And WHO is this Stephen Jacob person, and how did he get it into his head that he's a singer? Every time he opens his mouth - I kid you not - I shudder. I was kind on this CD - I give it 3 stars only because it has some great songs on it, and Judy Kaye's Another Hundred People is very very good. But other than that, this is worthless.

A wonderful recording of some great Sondheim.......2000-04-13

I was at this concert, and this recording captures the excitement that the performers generated that night. A lot of Sondheim's best songs, and a generally strong group of singers. It's unfortunate that the CD release is missing two of the numbers that were performed that evening (and were included on the original LP release). Judy Kaye's "Being Alive" is a particularly glorious highlight of this CD.

I just wish I'd been there!.......1999-09-09

Live performances are tricky to record, and the result is often not nearly as satisfying as attendance at the event itself. This album, though, is different. "Brilliant" about sums it up. Besides including numbers that had been part of recorded scores before, it includes some that were cut from various musicals, or were never produced at all. Not only is Bob Gunton's performance of "Pretty Little Picture" far better than that on the original "Forum" cast album, it is, I think, done more in the fashion Sondheim intended. And two of the "cut" "Forum" numbers are delicious: "In the House of Marcus Lycus" is delightfully sly and filled with double-entendre, and George Hearn revels in the witty lyrics; and "There's Something About A War" is screamingly funny, especially at the point the soldiers lose control gloating about "houses to destroy --Hey! women to enjoy-- hey! statues to deface - hey! - mothers to debase - hey!...". Even the wonderful scoring for small ensemble works perfectly. (In "Something about a war" the fanfare, in the original cast album scored for brass, is performed by a synthesizer, and sounds wonderfully satirical, reminding one of Marvin Martian from the Warner Brothers cartoons.) The numbers from the (at the time) unproduced "Saturday Night" are great, especially Victoria Mallory's ecstatic "What More Do I Need?". The rendition of the moving "Someone In A Tree" is indeed, as others have pointed out, far better than on the "Pacific Overtures" album. And as a final pair of jewels we are treated to Angela Lansbury singing "Send In the Clowns", accompied by Sondheim himself, and then Sondheim and company singing "Old Friends" I could go on and on, but you get the picture. NOW, get the CD!

Pacific Overtures (Highlights from the 1987 English National Opera Cast)

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Pacific Overtures (Highlights from the 1987 English National Opera Cast)
Stephen Sondheim , Christopher Booth-Jones , and Edward Byles
Manufacturer: Jay Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0002IQNDI
Release Date: 2004-09-07

Tracks:

Prologue
The Advantages of Floating in the Middle of the Sea
There Is No Other Way
Four Black Dragons
Chrysanthemum Tea
Poems
Welcome to Kanagawa
Someone in a Yree
Please Hello
A Bowler Hat
Pretty Lady
Next

Album Description

Stephen Sondheim, Broadway's greatest living composer, is enjoying a renewed appraisal of his works: currently represented on Broadway by "Assassins" and soon to be joined by major revivals of "A Little Night Music" and "Pacific Overtures." "Pacific Overtures" is considered by many to be Sondheim's greatest masterwork.

This recording is of a full operatic production with a full symphonic orchestra, The English National Opera Orchestra, and the original London cast. It is a vital and valid alternative recording to the original Broadway cast version.

Grammy-nominated for Best Musical Cast Show Album. It has been digitally remastered.

Pacific Overtures (1987 English National Opera Cast) (Complete Recording) [IMPORT]
Average customer rating:

A Noble Attempt

Pacific Overtures (1987 English National Opera Cast) (Complete Recording) [IMPORT]
Stephen Sondheim
Manufacturer: That's Entertainment Recording
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Sondheim, Stephen | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B000003QTH
Release Date: 1997-12-05

Tracks:

Prologue - Richard Angas, Joji Hirota, Yoshikazu Iwamoto
Advantages of Floating in the Middle of the Sea - Richard Angas
There Is No Other Way (Tamate's Dance) - Edward Byles, Alan Woodrow
Four Black Dragons - John Cashmore, Terry Jenkins
Chrysanthemum Tea - D. Angas, Edward Byles, John Cashmore, Gordon Christie, Ian Comboy, Terry Jenkins, , Harry Nicoll
Poems - Malcolm Rivers
Welcome to Kanagawa - Richard Angas, Leon Berger, John Cashmore, Gordon Christie, Terry Jenkins, Michael Sadler
Someone in a Tree - Richard Angas, Harry Nicoll, Eric Roberts, Alan Woodrow
Please Hello - Ian Comboy, John Kitchiner, Harry Nicoll, Eric Roberts, Paul Strathearn, Alan Woodrow
Bowler Hat - Richard Angas, Malcolm Rivers
Pretty Lady - Leon Berger, Edward Byles, Alan Woodrow
Next - Richard Angas

Customer Reviews:

A Noble Attempt.......2003-12-19

This CD is definately worth the purchase, especially for any Sondheim fan who's never been fortunate enough to see the show live. The appeal of this album is not in the vocals; hearing the songs sung by British Opera singers can be a tad jarring at times. And they tend to lay the vibrato on rather thick. On the other hand, the large orchestra lends a full sound to the beautiful Sondheim score, and they did keep an all male cast like the OBC production. No, the reason this album is a must own is because they have recorded not only the songs of the show, but also most of the book. John Weidman's book for the show is just as poetic and beautiful as Sondheim's score. And the actors do a superb job of interpreting it. Listening to this 2 CD set is not like listening to most other cast albums. It is much like seeing the show. In fact, I wish other Sondheim shows were recorded like this. If you have the time to sit down and listen to the album in one sitting, it is an extremely gratifying experience. If you just want to hear a few of the songs every once in a while (shame on you) then I'd suggest purchasing the Original Broadway Cast recording. But for the true Sondheim Fanatic, this will make an excellent addition to your collection.

Customer Reviews:

11 Grand, Elegant and Serious Musical Tracks..........2005-04-22

This is a marvelous collection of music. It includes Sondheim's most famous and popular melody, "Send in the Clowns" from a "Little Night Music", this CD version using only the strings. One of the best selections. The show premiered February 25, 1973 at the Sam S Shubert Theatre (from the CD insert). The insert contains details on each selection. There is also a written introduction to the CD written by Don Sebesky that points out that the CD contains no sung lyrics. You're certain to listen from start to finish.

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