Mandy Patinkin--Recital disc "Oscar and Steve"

Like many musical theater fans, I first encountered Mandy Patinkin in his role in Evita, then later in Sunday in the Park with George. I've liked him in the stage work I've seen in him (although I've never seen him live). So I was curious about his recital disc Oscar and Steve from 1995 when I saw it at a used book and record sale this weekend. I thought "for three bucks, how bad could it be?"

The idea of of this album is wonderful--connecting the songs of Oscar Hammerstein and Stephen Sondheim. There are several pairings of songs that are also very interesting, although work more from a thematic standpoint than from a musical one. The pairing of "You've got to be Carefully Taught" from South Pacific and "Children will Listen" from Into the Woods is a prime example--thematically these songs fit together very well, but in the arrangement offered here it seems to play up the musical differences rather than combine their styles. The version of "An Ordinary Couple" from The Sound of Music with "When the Children are Asleep" from Carousel works better--probably because they are by the same composer.

There are some nice rarities offered here, too: a song from the 1935 film version of Show Boat; a song cut from Follies; and a couple of songs originally written for women.

Mr. Patinkin's musical mannerisms are the stuff of legend, and he doesn't leave you wanting here, I should say--every mannerism is on display in spades. As the joke goes--Mandy Patinkin sings "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" so beautifully he makes himself cry. Is the joke from a version of Forbidden Broadway? For me the only thing more tiresome than an overly precious performance is an overly broad performance.

These two types of performances are Mr. Patinkin's stock and trade.

Oscar and Steve

Music by Richard Rodgers, Stephen Sondheim, Jerome Kern, and others
Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein and Stephen Sondheim

Performed by Mandy Patinkin

Released on Nonesuch Records in 1995