I just listened to the recording of my Library of Congress debacle, a revue by Harold Arlen, Ira Gewrshwin, and E.Y. Harburg. I'm prejudiced, since it was a horrid experience and I lost several friends on the project. I do like many of the cast members and I think some of them are absolutely perfect casting.
I like the Encores! Ziegfeld Follies recording much more because the cast seems right and - I admit - I have no knowledge about what was perpetrated to the score for that production. I think it's one of Rob Fisher's best recordings and I think it sounds more "right" than a lot of the revisions here. There are a lot of false and inaccurate changes as well, too many choral arrangements that are of of period and terminally cute, like the added patter to "All the Elks and Masons," which is not in the full score or the libretto, and too many transpositions that are fine for a revival, but wrong for what this was to be asa historical restoration. I'm mostly angry because I'm getting credit for too many embarrassing things I did not do to the score and would not have approved. I asked twice to be removed from the credits. I know the recording is getting good press, but I take no pride in it.
I still don't understand why Eric Stern isn't credited for his conducting. He's very good.
