The Baker's Wife: An Original Cast Recording (1976 Original Broadway Cast) [Cast Recording]

Stephen Schwartz, Teri Ralston, Kurt Peterson, Patti LuPone, Paul Sorvino, Baker's Wife | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (January 1, 2000)
• Original Release Date: February 26, 1940
• Format: Cast Recording
• Label: Original Cast Record
• ASIN: B000004CT1
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #953,603 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Chanson

2. Merci, Madame

3. Gifts of Love

4. Proud Lady

5. Serenade

6. Meadowlark

7. Any-Day-Now Day

8. Endless Delights

9. If I Have To Live Alone

10. Where Is The Warmth?

11. Finale (Gifts of Love)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Gorgeous Score, September 26, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: The Baker's Wife: An Original Cast Recording (1976 Original Broadway Cast) (Audio CD)

Some of Stephen Schwartz's most beautiful music. Whereas PIPPIN, for example, is stylistically very much of its day, THE BAKER'S WIFE transcends any particular era. The simple mélodie (CHANSON) that opens the show and defines the entire musical is really bewitching.

Each character gets a beautiful extended piece with which to communicate his or her character. How sympathetic is Genevieve after we hear GIFTS OF LOVE. In the original story by Giono she is portrayed as a misbehaving wife. Schwartz adds wonderful humanity to her character.

If only the book could have achieved half of what Schwartz achieved musically this musical would have had a decent run on Broadway. Listen to the coda at the end of MEADOWLARK where Genevieve decides to leave. The same music is effectively used at the end of WHERE IS THE WARMTH, but sung by a very different Genevieve than the one we saw in the beginning.

The reprise of GIFTS OF LOVE still moves me even after listening to this score for more than 10 years. How these characters have evolved after the events of just a few days.

Patti LuPone -- what can you say? She's phenomenal in this. What a truly beautiful voice.

To co-opt a phrase from the show, this recording provides endless delights.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Brace yourselves...this may be coming back!, December 3, 2002

By 

Valerie A. Lord (Malta, NY United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Baker's Wife: An Original Cast Recording (1976 Original Broadway Cast) (Audio CD)

This is without a doubt Schwartz's most exquisite score, and although the London cast version is the more complete of the original versions, both are worth owning. I recently had the pleasure of seeing the newly reworked version of it (by Schwartz himself) at the Goodspeed Opera House's black box theatre in Conn. All of the magic of the original (and particularly the London cast cd) has been retained, but most of the fat has been trimmed. While there are still a few kinks to work out,(primarily, the ensemble being far more well-defined and back-storied than the leads) this show is obviously destined for a return to NYC, perhaps in a Lincoln Center/ Roundabout type production. The ensemble alone makes the experience worthwhile. By all means purchase this beautiful recording and be the first in line to view this mystical, dreamy production if and when it finally gets its due on b-way.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars So what if it's not Les Miz??!!!!, September 16, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Baker's Wife: An Original Cast Recording (1976 Original Broadway Cast) (Audio CD)

Granted, the show has problems. There is hardly any sub-plot, the minute Genevieve leaves Aimable you know she's going to come back to him, and the antagonist is somewhat cartoon-like, but the music is great!! For those who believe that there are "only three good songs," listen closely! And if you have listened closely, listen closer! All of the music is rich and full and lovely, crafted masterfully and filled with levels that make us sympathetic to the characters!

I love this show and this CD. It is a chance to have a piece of Broadway obscurity, (since the original production closed on the road),that refuses to remain obscure. This is a highly recommendable purchase! One star is missing because it is not the full, beautiful score.