1776 (1969 Original Broadway Cast) [Cast Recording]

Sherman Edwards (Composer, Orchestra), Ken Howard (Performer), Betty Buckley (Performer), William Daniels (Performer), Clifford David (Performer), Virginia Vestoff (Performer), Ron Holgate (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Ken Howard, Betty Buckley, William Daniels, Clifford David, Virginia Vestoff, et al.
• Orchestra: Sherman Edwards
• Composer: Sherman Edwards
• Audio CD (May 19, 1992)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Cast Recording
• Label: Sony
• ASIN: B0000027WJ
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (53 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #107,535 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #79 in Music > Broadway & Vocalists > Musicals > Classic Musicals

Editorial Reviews

No Description Available.
Genre: Original Cast Recordings
Media Format: Compact Disk
Rating:
Release Date: 19-MAY-1992

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Founding Fathers sing their way to Independence, July 4, 2001

By 

Lawrance M. Bernabo (The Zenith City, Duluth, Minnesota) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: 1776 (1969 Original Broadway Cast) (Audio CD)

I had an opportunity to see the stage version of "1776" and said I was not interested because making a musical about the signing of the Declaration of Independence struck me as ridiculous. Then one day I was flipping around channels and stumbled on the Continental Congress arguing about something and then suddenly breaking into song. Sherman Edwards' songs range from the cute "The Egg," where the Founding Father argue over which bird should be the symbol of the new nation, to the poignant "Momma Look Sharp," as a young soldier tells of his best friend being killed in a battle, to the dramatic "Molasses to Rum," as a Southerner signs about the Triangle Trade. I find "The Lees of Old Virginia" where every word ends with "LY" to be obnoxious, but that is just me. "Sit Down, John" perfectly sets the town for this mix of history and song, while "But, Mr. Adams" will ensure that you will always remember who was on the Declaration Committee and which states they all came from.! The book by Peter Stone is fairly faithful to what really happened (John Dickinson and his supporters were absent on purpose the day of the crucial vote so that the Declaration would be adopted), but none of that matters all that much when all you are doing is listening to the songs.

This Original Broadway Cast recording offers William Daniels in the role of a lifetime as John Adams, Rex Everhart as Benjamin Franklin and Ken Howard as Thomas Jefferson. Virginia Vestoff plays Abigail Adams and young Betty Buckley is Martha Jefferson. Many of the cast made it to the film version as well. The best testimony I can give for "1776" is that there are precious few moments when I can get teary-eyed listening to a musical on CD. When Adams sings "Is Anybody There?" is one of those moments. The idea of Adams, all alone in the dark chamber, seeing a vision of America's future, still strikes me as a powerful one. Besides, every time John and Abigail say goodbye to each other at th!e end of their "letters" I get choked up as well. No wonder I got my first degree in History. At least I got to finally see "1776" on stage when a touring company came to town last year.

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best soundtrack CD's available - a must have., March 1, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: 1776 (1969 Original Broadway Cast) (Audio CD)

1776 takes what many might consider a dull topic - the events leading to the drafting and signing of the Declaration of Independence - and makes it riveting by exploring the interactions of the men behind it. Each one trying to do his best, and each with his own agenda, often at conflict with everyone else. The music represents a fine mixture of comedy (Lee's of Old Virginia), pathos (Mama Look Sharp) and bone stirring patriotism (Is Anybody There?). William Daniels leads a superb cast with his portrayal of the stubborn and frustrated John Adams. There is one minor detraction, and that is the absence of Howard Da Silva's wonderful interpretation of Ben Franklin. On the CD the part is played by understudy Rex Everhart. Everhart's Franklin is believable and well played, to be sure, but he lacks the sparkle that Da Silva gives Franklin - that twinkle in the eye of a man dealing with serious issues while trying not to succumb to self-importance. If you saw the movie with Da Silva, you will recognize the difference, but still enjoy Everhart's performance. Buy this CD - you will enjoy it thoroughly.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Before Sondheim's COMPANY and after MAN OF LA MANCHA..., April 29, 2007

By 

Patrick Mccray (Knoxville, TN United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: 1776 (1969 Original Broadway Cast) (Audio CD)

For me, 1776 is a great companion to MAN OF LA MANCHA as one of the most entertaining AND intellectually worthy amalgams of music, lyrics, book, theme, plot, characterizations and dialogue to ever come out of pre-1970's Broadway musical theatre. Each song is like a little gem, and displays the broad range of emotions and ideas with which 1776 brims. Satiric, romantic, hilarious, heartbreaking, disturbing, dark, inspiring, thoughtful, humane, and even a little bawdy, the songs glide and tromp all over the map, as does the show itself. As with LA MANCHA, 1776 broke open the Broadway musical, making it a pitch-perfect example of what can truly make a musical more than a toe-tapping time killer... while never becoming tedious, pompous, windy, or dull. If anything, it crackles with suspense.

And as to the reviewer who was shocked that it would win out over HAIR? Listen to "Mamma Look Sharp" or "Molasses to Rum to Slaves" to hear exactly the play's political and often-unflattering ideological landscape. This was definitely a Vietnam-era play whose content was as disturbingly pertinent, then, as it is, now. And, despite all of this, the score and play never become leaden or preachy. On the contrary, each performance is a gem, and each character is witty and unique. Who knew that history could be a passionate and fun adventure?