The Most Happy Fella--Broadway revival cast recording

The score for The Most Happy Fella is one I had been looking forward to hearing (listening forward to hearing?). It is known as one of the "cross-over" shows that fits into either an opera house or a Broadway theater--similar to Candide or Street Scene. At least, that's how I thought of it without ever having heard it.

I was thrilled when the stacks at the library contained a copy of the cast album from a 1991 revival; I thought it would be a more complete recording that the original, although as I've never listened to the original, I'm not certain why I thought that. The '91 version may contain more tracks than other recordings, but I don't think you could call this a more complete recording. I'm still waiting to hear large sections of the score as the orchestra parts in this version are reduced to a two-piano accompaniment.

There are many shows that work with less than full pit orchestra back-up, and there are even several songs in Fella that do work with just piano behind them. But the more grand songs, particularly the love duets, suffer from a slightly empty feeling due to the reduction. If there are no strings to swell, how can our hearts? Most of the tracks sung by Tony (Spiro Malas) need a full sound, particularly when Mr. Malas is singing full-voiced or near the top of his range.

I had heard only two songs from this show before, although I didn't know they were from Fella at the time I heard them. The delightful "Standing on the Corner (Watching all the Girls Go By)" is just one of several wonderful songs for trios or quartets that includes some Italian song pastiche. The best song of the score for me is Rosabella's "Warm all Over", which deserves a life outside the context of the show. While I liked many of the other songs, they are quite specific to the show or include much integrated dialogue and could be difficult to present outside the theater.

The vocal standout for me is Charles Pistone, who sings the role of Joe. Mr. Pistone displays a fine baritone voice that he uses well. Mr. Malas's baritone, in a role traditionally sung by a baritone with an operatic back-ground, is a bit "woofy" for my tastes, particularly when in full voice; again having an orchestra back him up could help that. Also, Mr. Malas suffers the most from all the stereotypical Italian accents in the libretto. I wish-a he would-a stop a-talking that a-way.

I need to find next the original cast recording of Fella to get up to speed with the orchestra.

Most Happy Fella
Music, book and lyrics by Frank Loesser
Opened originally in 1956
This version premiered at the Goodspeed Opera House in 1991 and opened on Broadway in 1992
Cast: Spiro Malas, Sophie Hayden, Liz Larsen, Charles Pistone, Scott Waara