Topic: FRENCHING (Read 62832 times)

Ben · « **Reply #210 on:** April 19, 2007, 11:36:53 AM »

Wonderful Town is OK, IMHO, but, you're right, he has done much better work.

BrettySpaghetti · « **Reply #211 on:** April 19, 2007, 11:37:06 AM »

Quote from: Ben on April 19, 2007, 11:25:14 AM

Enough already (aren't you sorry you asked )

Perish the thought! I really enjoyed reading your rant. I've never seen an actual production of Company -- I just know the purple OCR. Same with Sweeney Todd; all I know is the original Lansbury record. So it's fun to hear about these things and enjoy (or not enjoy) them vicariously!

A friend of mine saw the recent LuPone Sweeney Todd and HATED HATED HATED it. From his description of it, I probably would have as well.

Dan (the Man) · « **Reply #212 on:** April 19, 2007, 11:55:57 AM »

RE: last night's LOST

*** SPOILER WARNING (sort of) ***

Did anyone catch who was in the framed photograph on the head monk's desk when Desmond was turning in his robes?

DERBRUCER · « **Reply #213 on:** April 19, 2007, 12:00:56 PM »

Quote from: BrettySpaghetti on April 19, 2007, 11:31:56 AM

I have spent the last week or so listening to Wonderful Town (the Donna Murphy version). This is my first exposure to it, and I wasn't crazy about the score. I chose it because my best friend is doing a local version up in San Jose this summer (as Wreck), and also West Side Story was my very first musical love. Unfortunately, Wonderful Town shows a much jazzier/swingy side of Leonard Bernstein that I didn't much care for. There are some very pretty ballads, and a couple of other cool things, but overall I was disappointed. (Do most people here love it?)

I saw the original on Broadway - with Roz Russell
I saw the revival with Donna Murphy - and she's no Roz Russell.

That said, the revival was vastly superior in one regard - Bernsteins's music was front and center as the star! (No pit, no electronic wizards sequestered on the seventh floor - lots of real live musicians, with glowing strings and shinny brass, and big bass drums - all sitting right up on risers across the entire upstage!) The glorious Bernstein orchestrations filled the theatre - you could reach out and touch the music!

In West Side Story you got the symphonic Bernstein (building up to Mass) - in Wonderful town you get the youthful Bernstein still frisky after Fancy Free and On The Town. By West Side Story Sputnik was circling the planet and teen-angst was in vogue. In Wonderful Town you have a simplistic joy in living, later seen peeking through in Candide.

der Brucer

Awaiting Larry and Jose picking me to pieces!

Jennifer · « **Reply #214 on:** April 19, 2007, 12:06:03 PM »

LOST SPOIILERS

*
*
*

Quote from: Dan (the Man) on April 19, 2007, 11:55:57 AM

RE: last night's LOST

*** SPOILER WARNING (sort of) ***

Did anyone catch who was in the framed photograph on the head monk's desk when Desmond was turning in his robes?

I didn't notice it. But apparently it is the woman who was warning desmond about the rings.

Ben · « **Reply #215 on:** April 19, 2007, 12:11:52 PM »

Larry, you were not here when last I ~~ranted~~ posted.

Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!

My husband came home with the book AND the copy of Happy End! I am happy too. You are too kind my friend.

I'm looking forward to listening to everything but especially Happy End.

elmore3003 · « **Reply #216 on:** April 19, 2007, 12:11:59 PM »

Quote from: singdaw on April 19, 2007, 08:33:01 AM

You thought "Yield" meant something else?

He's wising up, DR MBarnum!

elmore3003 · « **Reply #217 on:** April 19, 2007, 12:20:26 PM »

Quote from: singdaw on April 19, 2007, 10:11:11 AM

I am like DR Tomovoz...
Ever wakeful, ever vigilant!

Or Argus, with the hundred eyes.

bk · « **Reply #218 on:** April 19, 2007, 12:20:33 PM »

Back from storage and shipping - I'm now completely out of Schwartz and, of all things, Whorehouse. I have one Peter Pan (stuck in the wrong box) left, and have found a couple of additional copies of The Burt Bacharach Album, so if anyone wants those, act quickly.

Ben · « **Reply #219 on:** April 19, 2007, 12:23:10 PM »

After all that theatre posting, Jane, I forgot a show to recommend.

The Fantasticks!

Tickets are easy to get and I think they would enjoy the show.

bk · « **Reply #220 on:** April 19, 2007, 12:23:32 PM »

My allergies are at their worst right now.

elmore3003 · « **Reply #221 on:** April 19, 2007, 12:25:34 PM »

Quote from: singdaw on April 19, 2007, 10:50:51 AM

I had planned to be at Yale that evening for Britten's War Requiem, but I might just have to change my plans if dinner with ya'll that evening would be a possibility...

I believe we have settled on the new date of April 24, Tuesday evening for DR FJL and me to see DR Jose work his fingers to the bone. And play a keyboard.

MBarnum · « **Reply #222 on:** April 19, 2007, 12:27:07 PM »

BK, if you allergies bother you quite often you ought to see your doctor and get some prescription allergy meds.

bk · « **Reply #223 on:** April 19, 2007, 12:33:04 PM »

Perhaps BrettySpaghetti would like to join all us hainsies/kimlets on Tuesday evening for dinner at Musso and Frank.

JoseSPiano · « **Reply #224 on:** April 19, 2007, 12:40:24 PM »

Good Afternoon!

WOW! It certainly is amazing what can get done when one actually does what's needed to get things done. Or something like that.

My room is clean!

JoseSPiano · « **Reply #225 on:** April 19, 2007, 12:40:47 PM »

And the sun came out too!

A coincidence? I think not.

elmore3003 · « **Reply #226 on:** April 19, 2007, 12:41:02 PM »

Quote from: BrettySpaghetti on April 19, 2007, 11:37:06 AM

Perish the thought! I really enjoyed reading your rant. I've never seen an actual production of Company -- I just know the purple OCR. Same with Sweeney Todd; all I know is the original Lansbury record. So it's fun to hear about these things and enjoy (or not enjoy) them vicariously!

A friend of mine saw the recent LuPone Sweeney Todd and HATED HATED HATED it. From his description of it, I probably would have as well.

I too loathed the SWEENEY TODD; John Doyle is a complete fraud as a director, in my book.

I'll speak up in defence of WONDERFUL TOWN, especially the 1958 tv cast recording. Rosalind Russell owns the role, and any score with a composition as wonderful as "The Wrong Note Rag" is high on my list. Bernstein's compositional gifts, his slides in and out of key (CANDIDE's "Auto de Fe" is a good example) , and his way with a melody amaze me. Is it as good a score as ON THE TOWN or CANDIDE? No; they had three weeks to write it and go into production once Leroy Anderson was fired. Still, "A Little Bit In Love" and the great "Conversation Piece" enchant me at every listen.

As for cast albums, I prefer original casts over revisicals: the casting is done with the authors' involvement and the music is usually done the way the composer intended, two important issues a lot of the new recordings miss.

JoseSPiano · « **Reply #227 on:** April 19, 2007, 12:42:29 PM »

DR singdaw - As DR elmore just mentioned, it looks like he and DR FJL will be seeing All About Us next Tuesday night. Now, if we all came up earlier, do you think you could join us for dinner that night before the show? I know you may have other plans for that evening, but just thought I'd extend the invitation.

JoseSPiano · « **Reply #228 on:** April 19, 2007, 12:43:37 PM »

Quote from: Ben on April 19, 2007, 12:23:10 PM

After all that theatre posting, Jane, I forgot a show to recommend.

The Fantasticks!

Tickets are easy to get and I think they would enjoy the show.

And former "Idol" Anthony Fedorov will be playing Matt. -Has he started already?

BrettySpaghetti · « **Reply #229 on:** April 19, 2007, 12:43:43 PM »

Quote from: bk on April 19, 2007, 12:33:04 PM

Perhaps BrettySpaghetti would like to join all us hainsies/kimlets on Tuesday evening for dinner at Musso and Frank.

I'm honored to be invited. What/where is Musso and Frank? Sorry, I'm new here.

JoseSPiano · « **Reply #230 on:** April 19, 2007, 12:44:07 PM »

Well, I need to run a few errands before grabbing the 5:23 train at Grand Central. So...

Laters...

singdaw · « **Reply #231 on:** April 19, 2007, 12:45:23 PM »

Quote from: JoseSPiano on April 19, 2007, 12:40:24 PM

My room is clean!

But what about your mind, man!

elmore3003 · « **Reply #232 on:** April 19, 2007, 12:46:30 PM »

Quote from: singdaw on April 19, 2007, 12:45:23 PM

But what about your mind, man!

A veritable pit of depravity. Sodom and begorrah.

singdaw · « **Reply #233 on:** April 19, 2007, 12:48:38 PM »

Quote from: JoseSPiano on April 19, 2007, 12:42:29 PM

Now, if we all came up earlier, do you think you could join us for dinner that night before the show? I know you may have other plans for that evening, but just thought I'd extend the invitation.

That's very kind of you, and I regret very much that I simply cannot that evening. However, I may be able to work it out to meet you after the show and drive you to the station, so I'd at least get to meet these guys, albeit briefly.

bk · « **Reply #234 on:** April 19, 2007, 12:56:24 PM »

Musso and Frank is the oldest restaurant in the city of Los Angeles and Hollywood - it began operation, I believe, in 1917 or thereabouts. It's an old-fashioned chop house. It's on Hollywood Boulevard between Highland and Cahuenga, right next door to what used to be the Vogue Theater - it's still the Vogue, but it's been closed for years. The time is still to be determined - but it'll probably be around 7:30 I'd think.

bk · « **Reply #235 on:** April 19, 2007, 12:58:37 PM »

In the "I gotta tell you" department - I've been selling to a record store in NY (you can probably figure out which, since there's basically only one left that's not a chain). I'm very firm about them paying their invoices on time and they've been very good about it. So, I send them a big order. I e-mail the invoice and I also include it in the package. Today I get a call saying they've misplaced the invoice in the package and he can't find the e-mail copy. So, I've e-mailed him another copy - hopefully, they won't lose this one.

elmore3003 · « **Reply #236 on:** April 19, 2007, 01:01:06 PM »

Quote from: DERBRUCER on April 19, 2007, 12:00:56 PM

I saw the original on Broadway - with Roz Russell
I saw the revival with Donna Murphy - and she's no Roz Russell.

That said, the revival was vastly superior in one regard - Bernsteins's music was front and center as the star! (No pit, no electronic wizards sequestered on the seventh floor - lots of real live musicians, with glowing strings and shinny brass, and big bass drums - all sitting right up on risers across the entire upstage!) The glorious Bernstein orchestrations filled the theatre - you could reach out and touch the music!

In West Side Story you got the symphonic Bernstein (building up to Mass) - in Wonderful town you get the youthful Bernstein still frisky after Fancy Free and On The Town. By West Side Story Sputnik was circling the planet and teen-angst was in vogue. In Wonderful Town you have a simplistic joy in living, later seen peeking through in Candide.

der Brucer

Awaiting Larry and Jose picking me to pieces!

No picking, DR Der Brucer, just correcting the orchestration credit: Don Walker, Sid Ramin, Hershy Kay (?), and Joe Glover, I believe.

I prefer the 1958 cast to the OBC because I like Jacquelyn McKeever and Siddney Chaplin better than Edie Adams and George Gaynes, but Lehman Engel conducted both recordings and he knows the score inside out.

François · « **Reply #237 on:** April 19, 2007, 01:07:01 PM »

Lovely pic, during the filming of The Happiest Millionnaire!

First time I see it ! Wanted to share!

http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=436438437&context=set-72157600030426866&size=o

singdaw · « **Reply #238 on:** April 19, 2007, 01:07:22 PM »

DR elmore3003, do you know the size of the orchestra for the revival of 110? I love the original orchestrations, and much as I admire Jonathan Tunick, I am fearful of what the producers have given him to work with there.

singdaw · « **Reply #239 on:** April 19, 2007, 01:09:10 PM »

Hello, DR François!

DR FJL is going to be traveling for a few days. We need you here, punning, overtime!

News:

Author Topic: FRENCHING (Read 62832 times)

Ben

Ben

Ben

MBarnum

singdaw

singdaw

François

singdaw

singdaw