More Varese Sarabande suggestions

Andrew J. Fox

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Nov 30, 1997, 3:00:00 AM11/30/97

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During a discussion with some friends last night, we bandied about some
new VS compilations. We do this a lot, and I always post our ideas, but
since none of them have come true yet, I post again:

--a new Liz Callaway album
--a new Sally Mayes album
--a Michael Rupert album
--a Vicki Lewis album, perhaps another Comden & Green tribute (I'd love to
hear her "Perfect Relationship" or her "Story of My Life")
--a Maury Yeston album, perhaps by Michele Pawk (imagine her versions of
"A Call From The Vatican", "Unusual Way", "My Husband Makes Movies", "I
Want To Go To Hollywood", and "New Words")
--a Maltby & Shire album, perhaps by Liz Callaway
--a Kander & Ebb album, perhaps by Karen Ziemba
--a Ahrens & Flaherty album, perhaps by La Chanze
--another Jule Styne & another Cy Coleman cd, focusing on their theatrical
work
--another edition of BROADWAY BOUND
--a Greg Edelman album, singing anything he wants to
--a youth album, featuring songs like "Disneyland", "Corner of the Sky",
"I Want To Go To Hollywood", "Giants in the Sky", and others, sang by
people just starting out in the business, perhaps just out of college
--a Howard Ashman album

(also suggested were albums by Judy Blazer & Audra MacDonald, until I
pointed out that both were currently working on albums, although not for
VS)

Anyone else have ideas? Doc? June? Ludlow? Fynsworth? McFee? I'm sure
SOME of you have ideas about what VS should do next.

ajf

Bill Jennings

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Nov 30, 1997, 3:00:00 AM11/30/97

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Muzik...@aol.com wrote:

>In a message dated 97-12-02 14:03:18 EST, annm...@fyi.net writes:

>>I'm hoping for a Guy Haines retrospective, myself.

>What a marvelous idea!! I'd buy it in a minute! ;-)

I'm pretty sure that this is in the works, but I'll third the
suggestion.

Bill Jennings
BETTER LIVING THROUGH SHOW TUNES
http://www.bettershowtunes.com/

Mark Bakalor

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Dec 1, 1997, 3:00:00 AM12/1/97

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At 08:53 PM 11/30/1997 -0500, you wrote:
>During a discussion with some friends last night, we bandied about some
>new VS compilations. We do this a lot, and I always post our ideas, but
>since none of them have come true yet, I post again:

[SNIP]

Many of these wishes will come true this coming year. To send suggestions
to and/or ask questions of the man who makes these decisions, Bruce Kimmel,
email kim...@VareseSarabande.com

Mark Bakalor hijinks design Stephen Sondheim Stage
ma...@hijinks.com des...@hijinks.com s...@sondheim.com
www.hijinks.com/~mark/ www.hijinks.com/design/ www.sondheim.com

Jeff Marx

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Dec 1, 1997, 3:00:00 AM12/1/97

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>Anyone else have ideas? Doc? June? Ludlow? Fynsworth? McFee? I'm >sure SOME
of you have ideas about what VS should do next.

I believe Bruce Kimmel likes to come up with his own ideas.

I doubt your wish list will do anything to encourage these albums.

Jeff Marx
----------
It's called flowers wilt.
It's called apples rot.
It's called thieves get rich and saints get shot.
It's called God don't answer prayers a lot.
Alright, now you know.
-- Stephen Sondheim in MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG

Derek Mitsumori

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Dec 1, 1997, 3:00:00 AM12/1/97

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Andrew J. Fox wrote:

> During a discussion with some friends last night, we bandied about some
> new VS compilations. We do this a lot, and I always post our ideas, but
> since none of them have come true yet, I post again:
>

> --a new Liz Callaway album
> --a new Sally Mayes album
> --a Michael Rupert album

Practically DROOLING at the thought of these! Pretty please Bruce?!

> --a Vicki Lewis album, perhaps another Comden & Green tribute (I'd love to
> hear her "Perfect Relationship" or her "Story of My Life")

Now this would be a fun one!

> --a Maury Yeston album, perhaps by Michele Pawk (imagine her versions of
> "A Call From The Vatican", "Unusual Way", "My Husband Makes Movies", "I
> Want To Go To Hollywood", and "New Words")
> --a Maltby & Shire album, perhaps by Liz Callaway
> --a Kander & Ebb album, perhaps by Karen Ziemba
> --a Ahrens & Flaherty album, perhaps by La Chanze
> --another Jule Styne & another Cy Coleman cd, focusing on their theatrical
> work

Sounds good, but maybe we should try someone else for Kander & Ebb, as Karen
was already involved with And the World Goes Round. Now, I know that doesn't
disqualify her, but maybe we could find someone else. Any suggestions?

> --a Howard Ashman album
>

Ooh, now this is a great idea!

> (also suggested were albums by Judy Blazer & Audra MacDonald, until I
> pointed out that both were currently working on albums, although not for
> VS)
>

> Anyone else have ideas? Doc? June? Ludlow? Fynsworth? McFee? I'm sure
> SOME of you have ideas about what VS should do next.
>

Hmmm...how about Lynne Winterstellar? Donna Murphy? Marin Mazzie? Richard
White? I also would like to see another Kim Criswell album. George Dvorsky?

Derek

--
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Mark Bakalor

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Dec 1, 1997, 3:00:00 AM12/1/97

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At 10:46 AM 12/1/1997 GMT, you wrote:

>I believe Bruce Kimmel likes to come up with his own ideas.
>
>I doubt your wish list will do anything to encourage these albums.

On the contrary, many suggestions from people other than Bruce have
turned into successful VS Spotlight recording projects.

April Robillos

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Dec 1, 1997, 3:00:00 AM12/1/97

to Andrew J. Fox

A Lea Salonga album. It is a shame that a woman who posseses one of the
loveliest voices in musical theatre, and a Tony winner at that, does not
have a Broadway album. How about one, VS?

Jeff Marx

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Dec 2, 1997, 3:00:00 AM12/2/97

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>Let me guess: you didn't clap for Tinkerbell, did you.

No, I did.

But I didn't stand for Side Show.

TheaterFan

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Dec 2, 1997, 3:00:00 AM12/2/97

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Definately, a Donna Murphy recording would be fantastic! She's got an amazing
voice! I'm surprised that she doesn't have a solo album out yet!
-TF

Madame Leoni

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Dec 2, 1997, 3:00:00 AM12/2/97

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Well, for one thing, she was still in contract with Big Beat/Atlantic
Records. She apparently did not want to go the 'Broadway route' when she
started recording. As to why i do not know. But indeed it would be great
if V/S would salvage her from that otherwise futile contract.
Isn't it a shame that her first solo American album was such a
disappointment ( musically anyway )

-ML

Catherine Skidmore

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Dec 2, 1997, 3:00:00 AM12/2/97

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Jeff Marx wrote:
>
> >Let me guess: you didn't clap for Tinkerbell, did you.
>
> No, I did.

hermoine gingold (sp) anecdote:

tinkerbell: clap if you believe in fairies!
HG (loudly, from the house): believe in them? darling i know hundreds of
them.

-catherine
--

Catherine Skidmore
http://www.suck-my-big.org
"A time is called dark, not because the light refuses to shine but
because
people refuse to see it." - James Michener

annm...@fyi.net

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Dec 2, 1997, 3:00:00 AM12/2/97

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In article <Pine.OSF.3.95.971130...@is.nyu.edu>,

"Andrew J. Fox" <ajf...@is.nyu.edu> wrote:
>
> During a discussion with some friends last night, we bandied about some
> new VS compilations. We do this a lot, and I always post our ideas, but
> since none of them have come true yet, I post again:

unread,

Dec 3, 1997, 3:00:00 AM12/3/97

to

I love the "Unsung Musicals" series much more than the "Lost In Boston"
stuff. Just from the last 10 years, I can think of several tunes for a new
"Unsung" album. Such as...

"Born To Be Together" from "Shogun: The Musical"
The comic number Gregg Edelman did in "Anna Karenina"
One of the more lush numbers from "Cyrano"

and especially

"I'm Breaking Down" from "Falsettos" (yes, I know Alison did it on her
solo album and she was great!)

Jim

Jeff Marx

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Dec 3, 1997, 3:00:00 AM12/3/97

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>a Donna Murphy recording would be fantastic!

Agreed.

Doc Bender

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Dec 3, 1997, 3:00:00 AM12/3/97

to

>a Donna Murphy recording would be fantastic!

Agreed.

Jeff Marx
************************************************

It's funny, I was never impressed with her performances in either Passion or
The King and I -- Tony Awards nonwithstanding. However, I saw her as Vera in a
Boston production of Pal Joey and she was absolutely brilliant -- most
multi-dimensional Vera I've ever seen.

If she does an album, I hope she picks her songs carefully. She tends to sound
lethargic and over-analytical when performing certain numbers -- especially on
the New York, New York album.

I'd be curious to see her play something a little more comic-tragic -- like
Desiree in Night Music or Phyllis in Follies. But I'm not sure she's old
enough yet.

Doc Bender

Jeff Marx

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Dec 4, 1997, 3:00:00 AM12/4/97

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>>I'm hoping for a Guy Haines retrospective, myself.
>What a marvelous idea!! I'd buy it in a minute! ;-)

What the heck???

DMark35522

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Dec 6, 1997, 3:00:00 AM12/6/97

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In article <348431...@interport.net>, Catherine Skidmore
<ep...@interport.net> writes:

>
>Jeff Marx wrote:
>>
>> >Let me guess: you didn't clap for Tinkerbell, did you.
>>

>> No, I did.
>
>hermoine gingold (sp) anecdote:
>
>tinkerbell: clap if you believe in fairies!
>HG (loudly, from the house): believe in them? darling i know hundreds of
>them.
>
>-catherine
>--
>
>

Which reminds me of the great sketch in which the immortal Talulah Bankhead
played Peter Pan. It included the famous dialogue:

Peter: What's your name, child?
Wendy: Wendy Darling. What's yours?
Peter: Peter Pan, darling.

DENIS

Agunner195

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Dec 6, 1997, 3:00:00 AM12/6/97

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From the outside, this CD looks interesting. Any comments from those who have
heard it before I drop the $25 bucks? I'm a Sondheim novice. I like COMPANY,
FORUM, but I'm not too familiar with the rest of his work.

Thanks in advance,
Andrew

Mike Benedetto

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Dec 6, 1997, 3:00:00 AM12/6/97

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In article <19971206184...@ladder02.news.aol.com>,
agunn...@aol.com (Agunner195) wrote:

> From the outside, this CD looks interesting. Any comments from those who have
> heard it before I drop the $25 bucks? I'm a Sondheim novice. I like COMPANY,
> FORUM, but I'm not too familiar with the rest of his work.

It's not bad overall, and there are some brilliant moments, but you'd
probably be happier with the Carnegie Hall album or the single disc "A
Stephen Sondheim Evening". For that matter, you can get any of his OCRs
for less than $25, and just about all of them are worth it.

-Mike

--
Evil comes in many forms, be it a man-eating cow or Joseph Stalin.
-THE TICK

Karen Horn

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Dec 6, 1997, 3:00:00 AM12/6/97

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Agunner195 (agunn...@aol.com) wrote:
: From the outside, this CD looks interesting. Any comments from those who have
: heard it before I drop the $25 bucks? I'm a Sondheim novice. I like COMPANY,
: FORUM, but I'm not too familiar with the rest of his work.

:
: Thanks in advance,
: Andrew

There is actually a video out called Sondheim, a Celebration at
Carnegie Hall. It's not a lot more than the CD, and you may enjoy
seeing the songs performed as well as sung. I got it within the
last year, so I imagine it's still in print and could be ordered.
RCA-Victor 09026-61484-3.

After COMPANY and FORUM, you may want to get familiar with West Side
Story & GYPSY. [He wrote "only" the lyrics for those.] Then you might
consider FOLLIES, MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG, SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH
GEORGE, SWEENEY TODD, INTO THE WOODS, ASSASSINS, A Little NIght Music,
Do I Hear a Waltz (lyrics only), ANYONE CAN WHISTLE, Marry Me a Little
(Revue), PACIFIC OVERTURES and PASSION.

Rough order. Everyone has a different way of doing these. Just don't
go on to Pacific Overtures or Passion as your "next stop."

I think my personal favorite is MERRILY.

Karen

June A SM

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Dec 7, 1997, 3:00:00 AM12/7/97

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In article <88143951...@wagasa.cts.com>, kah...@king.cts.com (Karen Horn)
writes:

>Agunner195 (agunn...@aol.com) wrote:
: From the outside, this CD looks
>interesting. Any comments from those who have
: heard it before I drop the
>$25 bucks? I'm a Sondheim novice. I like COMPANY,
: FORUM, but I'm not too
>familiar with the rest of his work.
:
: Thanks in advance,
: Andrew

There
>is actually a video out called Sondheim, a Celebration at
Carnegie Hall.
>It's not a lot more than the CD, and you may enjoy
seeing the songs performed
>as well as sung. I got it within the
last year, so I imagine it's still in
>print and could be ordered.
RCA-Victor 09026-61484-3.

Sorry Karen, you are talking about a different item altogether. There are
actually 3 separate CD's called "Sondheim: A Celebration" (4, if you count the
Carnegie Hall Highlights). Why? Because the people who produce these things
hate us, obviously.

The first CD with this title was actually fully titled "Sondheim: A Celebration
at Carnegie Hall", on RCA Victor. This is the one to which Karen refers, and it
is available as a 2 Disc set, a single disc of Highlights, and on VHS. It was a
concert at Carnegie Hall with a lot of major celebrity guest singers, and is a
lovely thing, to see and to hear. Many of the performers add their own personal
style to the songs, which annoys some Sondheim purists, but makes the evening
enjoyable for many of us.

The second CD with that title is the one the original poster was asking about.
The Varese Sarabande "Sondheim: A Celebration" is actually a live recording of
a S.T.A.G.E. Benefit concert in California. It is also a 2 CD set, and also
contains a lot of celebrities singing the tunes. I didn't care for it much, as
I felt much of the humor was a "you really had to be there" kind of thing. Men
singing women's songs is tiresome after a while, IMHO. I also thaought the song
choices were uninspired. It features all three Cassidy boys, together and
separately, so if you're a fan of theirs, it's a must have. Otherwise,
particularly for someone unfamiliar with a lot of Sondheim, I would recommend
against it. Hear the songs done right before you start looking for variations.

The third CD titled "Sondheim: A Celebration" is a recording of the recent
British revue featuring the original Cast of "Side by Side by Sondheim" - Julia
McKenzie, Millicent Martin, and David Kernan. It is reasonably enjoyable, but
there isn't any outstanding definitive rendition of a song that stands out.

To answer the original poster's question, I would recommend either the Carnegie
Hall CD or the OCR of "Putting it Together" as compilation-type albums to buy
before the Varese release. I would also recommend picking up the OCR's of
Sondheim shows that appeal. His songs really do work better in context. Since
you already know and like COMPANY and FORUM, I'd suggest trying INTO THE WOODS,
A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC, or MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG next. Maybe SWEENEY TODD.

June

CySongheim

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Dec 7, 1997, 3:00:00 AM12/7/97

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I wouldn't recommend this CD to anyone but the die hard Sondheim freaks
(like me) who need everything Sondheim. The arrangements are not very
good, it's poorly recorded, and the concert sounds unrehearsed. (There's a
HUGE flub at the end of "Someone in a Tree.") The band is also frequently
out of tune.

If you're just starting out on Sondheim, use your $25 to get some cast
recordings.

Brett

Mike Benedetto

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Dec 7, 1997, 3:00:00 AM12/7/97

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In article <19971207230...@ladder01.news.aol.com>,
cyson...@aol.com (CySongheim) wrote:

> I wouldn't recommend this CD to anyone but the die hard Sondheim freaks
> (like me) who need everything Sondheim. The arrangements are not very
> good, it's poorly recorded, and the concert sounds unrehearsed. (There's a
> HUGE flub at the end of "Someone in a Tree.") The band is also frequently
> out of tune.

Yeah, and they omitted performances by Joanna Gleason, Charlotte Rae and
Betty Garrett while including some real crud. (Notably, Dale Kristien
demolishing "Move On", which they didn't bother to reconceive as a solo.)

On the other hand, the Ballad of Sweeney Todd by the cast of FOREVER PLAID
just has to be heard -- funny as hell. And there are a few other songs
that work very well, though few of the takes are remotely near
"definitive".

Doc Bender

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Dec 8, 1997, 3:00:00 AM12/8/97

to

I wouldn't recommend this CD to anyone but the die hard Sondheim freaks
(like me) who need everything Sondheim. The arrangements are not very
good, it's poorly recorded, and the concert sounds unrehearsed. (There's a
HUGE flub at the end of "Someone in a Tree.") The band is also frequently
out of tune.

If you're just starting out on Sondheim, use your $25 to get some cast
recordings.

Brett

************************************************

I agree. Start with original cast recordings first -- then move on to
revivals, concerts and concept albums.

It is difficult to appreciate the full brilliance of Sondheim's work otherwise
because the songs are so significantly interwoven within the fabric of each
show. Taken apart from the show, they are brilliantly witty and touching --
experienced in context, they demonstrate genius.

Doc Bender