Martin Guerre (1999 UK Tour Cast) [Cast Recording]

Joanna Riding, Martin Guerre (Related Recordings), Gareth Snook, Claude-Michel Schonberg, Maurice Clarke, Matthew Cammelle, Stephen Weller, Alain Boublil, Michael Bauer | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 14, 1999)
• Original Release Date: September 14, 1999
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Cast Recording
• Label: Dreamworks
• ASIN: B00000K3WS
• Also Available in: Paperback
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (68 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #207,209 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Live With Somebody You Love

2. Your Wedding Day

3. The Deluge

4. I'm Martin Guerre

5. Without You As A Friend

6. Death Scene

7. God's Anger

8. How Many Tears

9. Welcome To The Land

10. Don't

11. The Holy Fight

12. The Revelation

13. The Day Has Come

14. The Courtroom

15. Who?

16. All That I Love

17. The Imposter Is Here

18. The Final Witness

19. The Verdict

20. Justice Will Be Done

See all 26 tracks on this disc

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

It was supposed to be the last in Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg's trilogy of worldwide hits following Les Misérables and Miss Saigon, but Martin Guerre had a bumpy road between its West End debut in 1996 and its aborted attempt to open on Broadway in spring 2000. This 1998 recording of the U.K. touring cast is vastly different from the original 1996 album (now out of print), with a simplified plot, almost entirely new lyrics, and new singers (including Stephen Weller, Matthew Cammelle, and Joanna Riding, who played Julie in the 1993 London revival of Carousel).

Best known from a 1982 French film (as well as an Americanized remake, Sommersby), the story is based on a documented court case from 16th-century France in which a man claiming to be Martin Guerre apparently returned to the village and wife he had left years earlier, but no one was sure if he was the same man they remembered. This musical version bypasses the mysterious elements of that plot in favor of a passionate story of love, friendship, and religious persecution, reinforced by three powerful new songs--"Live with Somebody You Love," "Without You as a Friend," and "How Many Tears." Veteran Les Mis patrons will enjoy the familiar soaring melodies and rousing choruses, but the show's passions often become overheated, and because it's sometimes difficult to totally sympathize with these variously flawed characters, ultimately Martin Guerre is not as emotionally involving as Boublil and Schönberg's earlier works. Still, this recording is notably superior to the original version, and with the show's immediate future in limbo, this might be the last word on Martin Guerre for a while. Accordingly, those interested in the current state of musical theater--and of course Boublil and Schönberg fans--will want this album. --David Horiuchi

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing!, November 1, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Martin Guerre (1999 UK Tour Cast) (Audio CD)

I've been a fan of Martin Guerre since hearing the 1996 recording last year. That was the recording I fell in love with, and so I was a little sceptical to hear this new version. I knew that the show had gone through a ton of changes and wasn't sure that I would like that. And on first listen of the '99 CD, I didn't. But after a while it started to grow on me. The performers are all much better than the majority of performers on the OLC. Sure, Jérôme Pradon's Guillaume on the OLC was amazing, but Maurice Clarke is almost as great! And Matt Cammelle is 10,000 times better than Iain Glen! I miss some of the old songs like "Welcome Home" with all its exuberance and "Me", which although it is essentially "Who?", is a much better song. But the new show has numbers like "Live With Somebody You Love" that just blow you away. After I got used to the new recording and started, I believe, to like it even more than the old, I still missed the energy of the OLC. It seemed to be missing that vitality that had really made me fall in love with the show. But after having seen Martin Guerre in Minneapolis this past weekend, I've found that the new version really is as full of life as the old - it just wasn't translated quite as well to the recording. The one complaint that I really have about both recordings is that they don't include enough music! There are some great pieces in the show that are not on either recording, and I wish that there was a more complete one. Two bits in particular are "Dear Louison" and "Benoit's Lament", both of which are wonderful songs not included on the '99 CD. Benoit is very much a crowd favorite - it seems strange that they would only include one of his songs("Who?") on the latest recording. Overall, the '99 recording is absolutely amazing - wonderful singers and beautiful music. But the show is 100 times more astounding in person!

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars There Is No Imposter Here, September 18, 1999

By 

Ben Fink - See all my reviews

This review is from: Martin Guerre (1999 UK Tour Cast) (Audio CD)

Whenever changes so drastic are made in a musical, there's bound to be some things people don't like. The new Martin Guerre does have some flaws, but, for that matter, so did the old one. It's true, a lot of the courtroom scenes and the Catholic/Protestant struggle were better played in the old story, but several sections have been greatly improved. Disregard the track listing printed above -- they are for the old version. The new version of "The Imposter is Here" is much sharper and better arranged, the new songs for Martin and Arnaud "Live With Sombody You Love" and "Without You as a Friend" are wonderful pieces. The inclusion of the jail sequence ("Why?") and Betrande's persecution by the village make the climax of the show infinitely more powerful, and, contrary to popular opinion, I think "How Many Tears," "Don't," and "Who?" are definite improvements over "When Will Someone Hear," "Tell Me to Go," and "Me" from the old recording. Overall, both recordings are great and worth buying, each having some parts better and some parts worth than the other. You won't regret purchasing this CD.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Not Bad., December 30, 1999

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Martin Guerre (1999 UK Tour Cast) (Audio CD)

The music was well done, but after hearing the American cast at the Kennedy Center with Erin Dilly, Hugh Panaro and Stephen R. Buntrock, I am not sure I can listen to the CD again with as much enjoyment. If you're simply a fan of the musical itself, then go for it. In the grand scheme, it isn't bad. Otherwise, wait to see if another version with the American cast emerges.