The Frogs / Evening Primrose (2001 Studio Cast) [Cast Recording]

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com's Best of 2001
After unearthing Stephen Sondheim's youthful effort, Saturday Night, a couple of years ago, producers desperate to bank on the name of one of Broadway's last living titans continue chasing after obscure offerings. The Frogs was a 1974 adaptation of a play by Aristophanes and was staged by the Yale Repertory Theater for a week. This recording, the first complete one, boasts the presence of Nathan Lane, Davis Gaines, and Brian Stokes Mitchell. In Broadway star power, that's like having Jim Carrey, Brad Pitt, and Tom Cruise in the same movie. Evening Primrose was a 1966 ABC special, which spawned a couple of songs ("I Remember" and "Take Me to the World") that made it into the cabaret and solo recital repertories. Granted, these two pieces are for Sondheim completists, but they do provide an interesting glimpse into the mind of one of the musical theater's most brilliant auteurs. --Elisabeth Vincentelli

Tracks:

Fanfare
Prologos: Invocation and Instructions to the Audience
Traveling Music
Parados: The Frogs
Hymnos: Evoe!
Dialogue: "Pluto!"
Parabasis: It's Only a Play
Dialogue: "That Was Some Banquet!"
Evoe for the Dead
Invocation to the Muses
Fear No More
Exodos: The Sound of Poets
If You Can Find Me, I'm Here
I Remember
When?
Take Me to the World

Amazon.com's Best of 2001

After unearthing Stephen Sondheim's youthful effort, Saturday Night, a couple of years ago, producers desperate to bank on the name of one of Broadway's last living titans continue chasing after obscure offerings. The Frogs was a 1974 adaptation of a play by Aristophanes and was staged by the Yale Repertory Theater for a week. This recording, the first complete one, boasts the presence of Nathan Lane, Davis Gaines, and Brian Stokes Mitchell. In Broadway star power, that's like having Jim Carrey, Brad Pitt, and Tom Cruise in the same movie. Evening Primrose was a 1966 ABC special, which spawned a couple of songs ("I Remember" and "Take Me to the World") that made it into the cabaret and solo recital repertories. Granted, these two pieces are for Sondheim completists, but they do provide an interesting glimpse into the mind of one of the musical theater's most brilliant auteurs. --Elisabeth Vincentelli

Customer Reviews:

Primrose Shines, Frogs Leaps!.......2005-08-27

This recording is arguably one of Sondheims greatest! The Frogs, which appears here with a brilliant cast (Nathan Lane, Brian Stokes Mitchell among others) is one of Mr. Sondheims oddest pieces of theater. Although it was recently revived on Broadway with a new book by Mr. Lane and that recording is probably better, the entire first half of this recording (which is The Frogs) is brilliant for nostalgias sake and for the amazing expierence of the music itself. Mr. Sondheim has created such music for The Frogs! Very grandiose and stunning!

But it is really the final four tracks on the album (The Evening Primrose) that shines. The Evening Primrose is also an interesting Sondheim show but this one is quite possibly worth the price of the album itself. This recording (the only LEGAL one i know of) of the show is... well... perfect. The music is Sondheim at his best, the singers (Neil Patrick Harris plays the lead) are terrific and it just sounds glorious!

The Frogs might be an interesting and entertaining reason to purchase this album but it will The Evening Primrose that will make you scream with joy!

Can I sell it On Ebay!!!!.......2005-06-01

Contrary to other reviwes posted I will tell you that the Evening Primrose on the Mandy Patinkin Cd "Dress Casual" IS the "Primrose" to own. This one was in my opinion under acted and undersung. While Mandy Patinkin is always over the tip, Ms Peters is one of the best Interpreters of Sondheim's works and the orchestration on this is much darker and deep, like the subject matter of the piece. I found this whole CD lacking, given that just like the "Dress Casual" I bought it only for the "Evening Primrose" selections. Thank the GODS for CD Burners so I can compile my own best of Sondheim CD.

Very Good Evening Primrose.......2004-04-15

I find the Evening Primrose here much better than that on "Dress Casual." Firstly, because the two performers--Neil Patrick Harris and Theresa McCarthy--are both amazing singers. Also, because both of these performers are younger and thus, their voices are more "youthful". For this musical, in particular, "youthfulness" is important; Bernadette Peters and Mandy Patinkin are simply to mature to effectively do these parts. I find Neil Patrick Harris, in particular, absolutely superb, and his version of "Not While I'm Around" (on the NYP Sweeney Todd recording) is far and away the best I have ever heard (except for LuPone's dismal British accent). This Evening Primrose alone is worth the price of the CD.

The Real Thing........2004-02-17

>The Patinkin-Peters version of "Evening Primrose" is in Patinkin's "Dress Casual" CD, the studio recording that became the basis of his Broadway concert. I believe this was the first time all four songs were recorded.

Possibly, but on THIS disc we have the first time all four songs were recorded UNDER SONDHEIM'S SUPERVISION, and that makes all the difference in the world. Mandy Patimkin greatly distorts "If You Can Find Me"'s melody; Bernadette Peters's voice is under the accompaniment on "I Remember", and the arrangements on "Dress Casual" are over-elaborate, gooey, and unrestrained. Neither singer effectively plays his character. No, the "Evening Primrose" you want is right here.

Addendum.......2004-01-31

If you're looking for the Mandy Patinkin "Dress Casual" CD (as an alternative or supplemental "Evening Primrose" recording), note that Amazon has it listed, for some reason, under "classical music".

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