Customer Reviews

Annie Get Your Gun (1995 Studio Cast)

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This complete recording of the Lincoln Center edition of the score features vibrant conducting by John Owen Edwards, and two excellent leads in Judy Kaye and Barry Bostwick. In fact, people who can get past the tendency to forever associate this music with Ethel Merman may find Kaye even better in the role, bringing lyrical qualities and vulnerability to it, while not stinting on the dramatic side either. And Barry Bostwick is also an exceptionally lyrical Frank, making the romance of Annie and Frank believable and touching. This recording is a winner.

This is a re-creation of the 1966 Lincoln Center production, but this time with Judy Kaye and Barry Bostwick. It is, so far, the only 2-CD version of the show,and most of the singing is as good as could be wished. Judy Kaye has sung in opera as well as musicals,and has mastered the art of singing this type of music without sounding artificial and stilted; she can yodel like a hillbilly and yet sing in a sweet beautiful voice when she wants to. Her ability to do this reminds me of Joan Diener's excellent Aldonza/Dulcinea in the original "Man of La Mancha". Barry Bostwick has a good voice,but he is no Howard Keel or Thomas Hampson-he is quite good in the role of Frank Butler,though,showing more acting ability than the other Franks. The orchestra is excellent,and EVERY BIT of music is included,making this the most complete "Annie" ever done on records.

This very complete recording would have gotten 5 stars had it not been for Barry Bostwick's singing in his role as Frank Butler. Barry is a decent actor, but the man can't sing. Seems they keep miscasting the role of Frank Butler on these recent recordings. Another recording made in 1991 by EMI, (sadly out of print), was very good. However, the role of Frank Butler was sung by Thomas Hampson whose operatic voice was inappropriate and much too straight-laced, almost laughable. This 1995 Jay recording features Judy Kaye as a sensational Annie Oakley (as was Kim Criswell on the defunct EMI recording). The merits of this release far outweigh it's shortcomings. Grab this one, because no other available recording exists that is this complete. If you are thinking of buying the new Broadway cast recording instead, forget it because it's terrible and cuts too many great songs. Curiously, Tom Wopat is a very good sounding Frank Butler. Go figure! This year marks the 50th anniversary of the 1950 MGM movie version of Annie Get Your Gun. Do yourself a HUGE favor and buy it when it becomes available in November 2000, it's fabulous! With the movie being released, I hope the soundtrack makes it's way to CD. Howard Keel was great as Frank Butler and Betty Hutton was "on fire" as Annie Oakley.

This is no way near the Merman or Martin interpretations but is a decent cast album of a recent London revival. Suzi Quatro is an unknown quantity stateside but does a decent job with the character, although her vocal range is extremely limited. Physically she resembles a young Allyn McLerie (sp?). Flynn is rather too old for the part but does well with the singing. This, like all First Night recordings, has the feel of being right in the orchestra pit for a live performance of the show. It's now out of print, sadly, but you may be able to find a copy in your CD store (I found mine recently in a Barnes and Noble).