Follies in Concert--DVD and cassette tapes

It's a sort of two-fer for today's entry. I had hopes that the Follies in Concert DVD would be a full-fledged taping of the concert, but as it is mostly a behind the scenes documentary with some snippets of the performance, I've had to rely on the two cassette recording I bought back in the 80s, when a Walkman was the height of technology.

I've never seen Follies on stage. It is not produced very often. Sondheim himself comments on why in the documentary. The size of the cast is daunting--given that many roles are represented by a young version and a middle aged version.

I think the idea of this show is fantastic, with characters constantly confronting their memories and their earlier selves. I love most of the score, too, with its collection of pastiche songs and dances in the manner of the earlier era meeting a more contemporary musical idiom in songs the older cast sing.

The cast is also top-notch throughout. While many of the older cast members are significantly younger than their characters should be, everyone is superb at communicating the core of their characters, primarily through music. The young company gets a little bit of the short stick, I have to say, both in the structure of the show and in face time in the behind-the-scenes documentary.

A highlight for me is the Heidis duet "One More Kiss" sung in this concert by Licia Albanese and Erie Mills. I don't know the backgrounds of either performer well, but they seem to perfectly capture the essence of this song from a vocal standpoint. Ms. Albanese was a Met Opera performer long past her prime when this concert was given in 1984. The ghost of a voice is still there, but with many wobbles. Ms. Mills is a young coloratura soprano who handles the runs and high notes quite well.

I've always been curious about the 1971 recording of this show. Apparently it excluded many of the songs to fit onto one record. I'd love to hear Yvonne de Carlo sing "I'm Still Here". I'd also like to hear the 2001 Roundabout Theater cast, which included Kelli O'Hara, Treat Williams, Gregory Harrison, Erin Dilly, Blythe Danner and on and on. Was it recorded?

Follies in Concert
Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
Book by James Goldman

Premiered in 1971

This concert took place at Lincoln Center in 1984

Cast: Carol Burnett, Elaine Stritch, George Hearn, Barbara Cook, Mandy Patinkin, Liz Callaway, Howard McGlinn, Daisy Prince, Lee Remick,

Allegro--Studio Cast Recording

I've had this CD sitting for a while waiting for me to pick it up and listen to it.  It is a bit daunting even to look at--a two-disc set with an hour and forty minutes of music and dialogue and an 80-page booklet of synopsis, libretto, and multiple articles on the history of this challenging show While there are many performers I greatly anticipated hearing in this studio recording, I was a little bit afraid of Allegro. 

Turns out, I was afraid with good reason.  There is a lot to digest in what is billed as the first complete recording of this score and not a lot to hold on to.   I think that is part of the plan of this cradle-to-midlife show, though; life offers us a lot to digest, and just a few things to hold on to during the journey.   But the theme doesn't translate into a listenable score.

Baritone Nathan Gunn has been a favorite singer of mine for several years, since I discovered his debut recital disc on EMI.  While he makes most of his appearances in opera houses, he is increasingly entering the world of the Broadway musical--most notably a semi-staged performance of Camelot with Marin Mazzie and Gabriel Byrne, where Mr. Gunn sang the role of Lancelot.  Here, Gunn has the role of the elder Dr. Joseph Taylor.  He's given little to sing. Audra McDonald, in the role of the elder Taylor's wife is given a bit more. 

The challenge in listening to this score is that much of the action is described by sung and spoken choruses and there are few full songs given to the primary characters.  It almost feels like much of the first act is exposition, rather than action.

There were a couple of songs I had heard before, but didn't know they were from this show. I think  "What a Lovely Day for a Wedding" was in the Richard Rodgers concert I listened to several months ago.  The song "Mountain Greenery" is from Rodgers' time with Larry Hart and is used here to evoke the 1920s era--when it was written, of course.  There was little or nothing in first act of the score that really grabbed my attention.  In the second act "The Gentleman is a Dope" is a fun song and well sung here by Liz Callaway.  The title song "Allegro" is lively and tells me this show is also about the speed of our lives. "Come Home" is lovely and well sung by Audra McDonald, but seems weird sung by a character who is dead--if a jilted wife were singing it, it would hold more emotional punch, I think.

The articles in the booklet all talk about how Allegro was an early experimental musical and how the production concept used scenic pieces to suggest locations rather than using full sets.  I found it interesting that R and H were inspired in part by Our Town, and there are certainly similarities is style and content.  However, this show and recording leave me thinking the score is only musical bits, too.

Allegro

Music by Richard Rodgers

Book and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II

Opened in 1947

Cast: Nathan Gunn, Audra McDonald, Judy Kuhn, Laura Benanti, Patrick Wilson, Norbert Leo Butz, Liz Callaway

Baby original cast album

This is the first Maltby and Shire musical in my Year, and I'm shocked that it has taken me this long to get to one. In the past, I've found their music fun and frothy, although I don't know that I've seen one of their shows live on stage. Baby may have been their biggest hit. At least its the show I most closely associate with them, without ever having heard a song from it. Actually, that's not true, I had heard Danny's song "I Chose Right" before, although I didn't know it was from Baby.

The ensemble songs are the best in this show--although none of the music is listenable. I particularly liked the women's trio "I Want it All." This would be very good in any kind of cabaret setting. The duet for the college-student couple has very clever lyrics. Liz Callaway (sorry, I've seem to have misspelled her name previously; I'll work to correct) sing her big Act I closer "The Story Goes On" very well. Also the song "Patterns" maybe the best song of the score--why was it cut from the Broadway incarnation of the show? It has the most poetic lyrics of the bunch.

One song that is in the show and I would cut if I were producing it is "The Ladies Sing their Songs." While I liked the a capella section of the song, the rest of it left me flat. And since it takes a chorus of women (okay 5) to sing it, why include it?

The opening sequence narrated by Kim Criswell sounds very funny; I wonder what it looked like on stage. I imagine the film-strip images from junior high sex education classes. I liked the voices of the six primary characters--particularly Martin Vidnovic.

Baby
Music by David Shire
Lyrics by Richard Maltby, Jr.
Book by Sybille Pearson
Opened in 1983
Cast: Liz Callaway, Todd Graff, Beth Fowler, James Congdon, Martin Vidnovic, Catherine Cox

Follies in Concert on CD

I've never heard the original cast album of Follies; apparently it was missing many songs in order to fit onto the vinyl of the day. So this 1985 concert version of the show is much more complete and gives a better impression of the score.

The format of Follies fascinates me. I've never seen it on stage, but the idea of "ghost" chorus girls floating through scenes, and the past and the present inhabiting the same space is very cinematic and endlessly intriguing to me. Its not often staged and understandably when so many characters are doubled with young and old versions.

There is so much music I like in this score--and surprisingly for me, I like the "contemporary" songs of the score as often as the follies-era songs--"In Buddy's Eyes", "The Road you didn't Take", "I'm still Here", "Losing My Mind", and "Too Many Mornings" are all good or better.

The number of wonderful performers in this concert also makes this recording a gem. About the only cast member I have issues with is Mandy Patinkin--and that's more for his being much too young for the role. Although I believe his ultra-manic version of "Buddy's Blues" is a drastic change from the original stage version.

I bought this concert album soon after it was released in 1985, the version I own is on two audio cassettes. I'm listening to it today on CD, because I don't even have a cassette player any more. I remember being so taken from the very start with Arthur Rubin's robust tenor in "Beautiful Girls" and with the two Heidies singing "One More Kiss". This was before I'd ever been to an opera, but I was still attracted to the most "legit" singers in the cast.

Of course, in 1985, I wouldn't have known any of the famous names in the cast (except Carol Burnett and Mandy Patinkin, which is probably why I bought the thing in the first place). No, I wouldn't have known George Hearn, or Barbara Cook, or even Elaine Stritch.

So, I came a long way even before starting my Year of Musical Thinking.

Follies

Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim

Book by James Goldman

Opened in 1971, this stage version recorded in 1985

Cast: Arthur Rubin, Barbara Cook, George Hearn, Jim Walton, Howard McGillin, Mandy Patinkin, Lee Remick, Liz Calloway, Daisy Prince, Betty Comden, Adolph Green, Lilane Montevechhi, Elaine Strich, Phyllis Newman, Carol Burnett, Licia Albanese, Erie Mills