Customer Reviews

The Frogs / Evening Primrose (2001 Studio Cast)

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I know and adore the Aristophanes play and am a huge fan of Sondheim. Overall, I would definitely recommend buying this recording if you're a fan of either writer!

For the Sondheim buffs, this is a fantastic opportunity to get hold of two rather obscure Sondheim scores on CD - though there are pros and cons, I might just warn you.

"The Frogs" (written sometime in the 70's) is mostly brilliant - not his most intricate work perhaps, but the frogs' chorus (about as far as you can get from McCartney!) is an INSPIRED rendering of frogsong, the "Hymnos: Evoe!" is a beautiful choral ode, and Nathan Lane turns in an admirable comic turn as a very put-upon Dionysus in "Instructions to the Audience". I agree with other reviewers that "Fear No More" falls a bit flat - a pity especially because it's set to one of Shakespeare's best songs. Perhaps evidence that Sondheim is more at home composing through-and-through, rather than to someone else's lyrics?

"Evening Primrose" is a tricky one. This is Sondheim at an early formative stage (I think - don't quote me on this - this was between 'Forum' and 'Anyone Can Whistle') and he has yet to develop the soaring, powerful melodies that he conjures up in, say, "Sweeney Todd" or "Sunday in the Park". Personally I think it lacks spark but some people like the quieter numbers. Apparently there's a recording by Mandy Patinkin and Bernadette Peters - haven't heard it, but I can quite confidently say it's probably better as the male performer here seems to lack any enthusiasm.

On the whole, however, I would urge purchase for "The Frogs" alone, since you won't find that score anywhere else and it's definitely worth it. You can't fault the choir and it contains some excellent writing by Sondheim. Go on! Treat yourself.

"Koooooo ... ax!"

(Buy the CD and you'll get it ...)

>The Patinkin-Peters version of "Evening Primrose" is in Patinkin's "Dress Casual" CD, the studio recording that became the basis of his Broadway concert. I believe this was the first time all four songs were recorded.

Possibly, but on THIS disc we have the first time all four songs were recorded UNDER SONDHEIM'S SUPERVISION, and that makes all the difference in the world. Mandy Patimkin greatly distorts "If You Can Find Me"'s melody; Bernadette Peters's voice is under the accompaniment on "I Remember", and the arrangements on "Dress Casual" are over-elaborate, gooey, and unrestrained. Neither singer effectively plays his character. No, the "Evening Primrose" you want is right here.

I saw The Frogs years ago in Chicago. The Pegasus Players mounted a production in a swimming pool at a local college. The production, with swimming singers and floating stages,was fascinating but hard to understand. It is a treat to be able to listen to these talented performers bring it to life on the CD and yes, the packaging is great. It's nice to be able to truly appreciate the lyrics by seeing them as well as hearing them. Nathan Lane is funny and over the top as always and the chorus is excellent. I think Fear No More is TERRIBLE, however. There's so much breathy, enormous vibrato going on that you can't even understand what he is saying!
I had no prior knowledge of Evening Primrose and enjoy this music, too. Another reviewer used the word "haunting" and I would agree. I would like to see this video to better appreciate it.
Overall, a very interesting CD and one that I find myself listening to repeatedly.

At last! Sondheim's unheard gem, recorded! And it is quite a treat. The score is humourous and touching, and you can see the direction he's heading with his choral writing (one more steps towards the choral work used in PACIFIC OVERTURES and SWEENEY TODD). The chorus here sings all of their material extremely well, singing with excellent diction and great tone. Nathan Lane is a very humourous Dionysus. (I dare you to not get the "Evoe" stuck in your head after one listen.) Brian Stokes Mitchell sings well, but methinks he is not a very strong comic, character actor. His talents are better suited when he can wrap his beautiful voice around a great song. "Fear No More" is a beautiful ballad, but barely survives Davis Gaines breathy performance of it. The score is a gem, and the only song that leaves me puzzled is the Parabisis, "It's Only a Play."

That was the high-light of the album, and everyone who is "in the know" on all things Sondheim knows that that album had been recorded and sat in the studio for a year (which seemed longer) while the powers that be decided what to pair with it. I myself wish that they would have just recorded Sondheim's list of songs that he wishes he'd written, with the same soloists used at the Library of Congress concert done in his honor.

What was decided on was EVENING PRIMROSE, and while this not a bad decision (because it is a WONDERFUL score), I feel that it could have been handled better. It sounds like the whole the was rushed, so that THE FROGS would be released quicker. The tempos are done at a very quick, uneasy pace. I love Neil Patrick Harris's voice, but it's a tenor voice, and this role calls for more of a dramatic baritone. Theresa McCarthy sings beautifully, but we are not allowed time to savor her performance with the brisk tempos. If you want to hear the *best* version of PRIMROSE, I place my money on the Liz Callaway-Gary Beach version on the SONDHEIM AT THE MOVIES album (Varese Sarabande), good tempos and excellent vocal performances.

And, as is ALWAYS the case with anything Nonesuch releases, the packaging is beautifully done, enough to buy the album for that alone.

This album is a must--but only for the true Sondheim fanatics.

"The Frogs" is here at last, and just stunning.

The choral music that makes up most of the score is thrilling, rich, complex, sometimes bouncy but slightly ominous, sometimes sensuous, sometimes terribly melancholy. As another reviewer mentioned, there is one number that almost sounds like it could fit right in with the score of "Hair," of all things. But not quite, it's still Sondheim. Elsewhere, certain sections and phrases remind me of similar ones in "Into the Woods" and "Merrily We Roll Along." But mostly this is not only unlike any other Sondheim, there's probably nothing else quite like it in the work of any other Broadway composer.

Jonathan Tunick's orchestrations are the best work he's done in a while. As opposed to "Saturday Night," where his work was a little disappointing, he's right at home here, with orchestrations that constantly prick the ear, creating gorgeous instrumental combinations.

The choral and orchestral performances are very clean and elegant, perhap a bit too much so. More rowdiness might be welcome at certain points, but I'm not really complaining.

The "name players" have relatively little to do. Nathan Lane delivers an intelligent, sensible performance, making Dionysus somewhat effete, but he doesn't sound very spontaneous and I get a little tired of his mannerisms. No matter, though. He's certainly acceptable. Brian Stokes Mitchell makes the most of his brief contributions. Davis Gaines, whose recent work I've thought was awful, delivers a stunning, wrenching performance of "Fear No More." Some people feel that he's giving another one of his over-the-top, vocally mannered performances, but I don't.

And the "Evening Primrose" songs receive their best recording yet. With another superb set of Tunick orchestrations, fine conducting (the speedy tempo on "When?" is just what is needed for that song), and excellent performances by Neil Patrick Harris (much better here than he was in "Sweeney Todd") and Theresa McCarthy, what more do you need? If you're a Sondheim fan, probably not much. Although at only 46 minutes, I'm greedy for more. Wasn't there something more they could have put on this CD to fill it out? But this is the most enjoyable 46 minutes I've heard on any CD in a long while. Very highly recommended.

Been waiting more years than I care to say to hear a complete "Frogs," and now can see that it's true: we should be careful what we wish for.

The lyrics are typically funny, sharp, and right on. But the music really lacks Sondheim's typical playfulness, zest, and passion. The choral stuff sounds like student work (not in the sense of being technically undercooked, obviously, but in the sense of being more academic than entertaining or moving--it feels straitjacketed, as if hemmed in by a too-conscious concern for getting it right rather than good), and the songs tend to be dirge-like, in contrast to the similar attempt at "period" stuff in Forum: almost all of which is ebulliant, frothy, and all that. Nathan Lane sounds fine, if a bit not fully in character, probably due to the nature of putting together a studio recording. But his Xanthias seems miscast - heroic rather than slave-like. Ah, well...

As to Primrose; it's much more lively stuff, but a bit forced lyrically. Also, the girl sounds nice, but Neil Patrick Harris, in particular in the first number, sings with poor quality, raspy and whiny, and hasn't a clue about his character. He comes off like a kid in his High School's year end musical.

And besides, we've already got a really nice Primrose with Mandy Patinkin and Bernadette Peters. Wouldn't it have been nice, instead, to have a recording, as lovingly packaged, of the very entertaining stuff from Dick Tracy?

This recording is arguably one of Sondheims greatest! The Frogs, which appears here with a brilliant cast (Nathan Lane, Brian Stokes Mitchell among others) is one of Mr. Sondheims oddest pieces of theater. Although it was recently revived on Broadway with a new book by Mr. Lane and that recording is probably better, the entire first half of this recording (which is The Frogs) is brilliant for nostalgias sake and for the amazing expierence of the music itself. Mr. Sondheim has created such music for The Frogs! Very grandiose and stunning!

But it is really the final four tracks on the album (The Evening Primrose) that shines. The Evening Primrose is also an interesting Sondheim show but this one is quite possibly worth the price of the album itself. This recording (the only LEGAL one i know of) of the show is... well... perfect. The music is Sondheim at his best, the singers (Neil Patrick Harris plays the lead) are terrific and it just sounds glorious!

The Frogs might be an interesting and entertaining reason to purchase this album but it will The Evening Primrose that will make you scream with joy!

this is a simply awesome cd. i especially enjoyed the choral music in the frogs, one of sondheim's most chorus oriented plays. while many of his other plays are chorus heavy, none feature such interesting pieces as evoe or the frogs, both of which i would love to perform as a choir member myself. my only complaint in that area is the tenor section on this recording. every time there was a tenor solo section they started accenting every syllable in a way that made me for some reason think of a renegade spy in a bad adventure flick. kind of like the stereotypical men's choir kind of thing, like you're too excited about something other than the music... i dunno how to explain it, but just listen to 'evoe' at the part where the tenors enter with 'dionysos...'and you'll know what i mean. it bothers me.

evening primrose is an awesome score, not written for the people singing it here. however, it's nice to have a recording of it, especially 'if you can find me, i'm here' which isn't exactly one of sondheim's greatest songs, but one of my favorite male solos of his, along with 'later' from a little night music, 'giants in the sky' from into the woods, 'the ballad of czolgosz' from assassins, any three of the 'joanna' s from sweeney todd, and 'class' from saturday night.

i don't really reccomend this to someone not familiar with sondheim's work, but for anyone at all that is, don't hesitate to buy this.

There are two reasons why I label this CD "Definately Needed"

First of all it is the first time that "The Frogs" and "Evenign Primrose" have been presented in their entirety. Serveral of the songs have been swiped and used in other albums, but not all of them together.

Secondly because this is one darn great album. You have the exquisite talents of Nathan Lane and Brain Stolkes Mitchel, along with Neil Patrick Harris ... . The way they perform the music is like it was written for them (like Sweeney Todd for Angela Lansbury).

However, it is early and special Sondheim. If you haven't listened to something of his that is a little more excessable you may not have the stomach for this particular set of songs.

It's about time these two jewels made it onto a recording, and it's been well worth the wait. Throughout his creative lifetime, Sondheim has crafted the most interesting and intelligent music ever written for the theater, and it's amazing to think how (comparatively) early these pieces came in his career. The orchestrations are wonderful and the vocals (for the most part) are winning. One might ask for a little more power from Neil Patrick Harris and some genuine emotion from Theresa McCarthy, but these are minor quibbles. Worth the price of the whole CD are "Fear No More", "I Remember", and "Take Me to the World". Bonuses are the dialogue snippets from "Frogs"-- Nathan Lane and Stokes: who could ask for anything more? Thank you, Steve!