Customer Reviews

Baker Street, A Musical Adventure of Sherlock Holmes (1965 Original Broadway Cast)

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Fascination with "Baker Street, a Musical Adventure of Sherlock Holmes" during the years since the final curtain came down at the Martin Beck Theatre on the night of November 14, 1965 has grown to the point that Decca Broadway has finally released - for the first time on CD - the long out-of-print original cast recording. All of us who share an interest in the history of the American musical should raise a glass of stout and say, "Well done, mates."

I've probably listened to my LP no more than once or twice, but "Baker Street" always has maintained a special place in my memory. It is, after all, one of the two recorded shows that features my all-time favorite actress/singer - and fellow Nebraskan - Inga Swenson. First appearing in "The New Faces of 1956," she went on to win the 1957 Theatre World Award for "The First Gentleman" and understudied Julie Andrews ("Camelot") before receiving her first Tony nomination for "110 in the Shade." ( In spite of its wonderful Tom Jones/Harvey Schmidt score and Ms. Swenson's outstanding performance, RCA has had the chutzpah to drop the OC recording from its catalogue. Go figure.)

I must admit that I was disappointed the first time I listened to the CD. For the most part, the score sounded derivative and uninspired. What disappointed me most was the fact that, as wonderful as Ms. Swenson is, the songs she is given to sing can't hold a candle to those in "110 in the Shade." Furthermore, one gets the impression, just from listening, that the creators of this show never really decided what the focus should be. Instead of ending Act I with a dramatic musical spot, it ends with a "Perils of Pauline" ticking time bomb. Additionally, the final number, sung by a band of thieves, falls quite some time before the end of the show, which ends with Holmes disappearing into the fog, presumably on his way to America in romantic pursuit of Irene Adler (Ms. Swenson).

Only after reading the published script (Doubleday & Company) and listening for a second time, did I come to appreciate the way the musical numbers fit into the play. Not only was I able to better appreciate the songs, but now, for the life of me, I can't get "What a Night This Is Going To Be" out of my head!!!

With Oliver Smith's Tony-winning sets, Motley's period costumes and the Bill Baird Marionettes enacting the Diamond Jubilee parade, it must have been a fun show to see. But 1965 was the year of "Man of LaMancha" & "Sweet Charity;" "Hello, Dolly" & "Fiddler on the Roof" were still going strong. "Baker Street" closed after 311 performances, with a loss to its investors.

Recommended, especially because of Inga Swenson. ALSO recommended is "Holmes and Watson Sing," Ken Mandelbaum's expert critique of the "Baker Street" CD and fascinating background of the show. If you buy this recording - and I hope you will - then you must read this article. You can find it at www.Broadway.com.

I had heard some bad reviews about this show, but as a Broadway fan with over 150 shows in my collection, decided to give it a chance. I might add that I am also a big Sherlock Holmes fan. Maybe that helps. I was then rather put off to see that even the liner notes did not have anything good to say about the show or score. So, with low expectations, I gave it a listen and was pleasantly surprised. The score has a certain charm and wit, with excellent performances, and that distinctive Broadway sound from the fiftie's and early sixties. I actually found myself humming along to a number of songs. Definitely worth a listen.

I was lucky enough to see this lush musical twice - once on opening night and the second time when they changed Inge Swenson's opening number (I thought that "I'm in London Aagin" a much better and more appropriate opening number for Irene). I sorry though that the second number was not put on as an extra on this CD for posterity - it may never have been recorded. I have been waiting for years for this to appear on CD - well worth the wait. Inge Swenson is absolutely glorious and well balanced against the cold, clear portrait of Fritz Weaver's Holmes. Then there is the exhuberance of Teddy Green, who also brought his great presence to Darling of the Day. The musical may have been a 'flop' but I am sure that those who saw and loved it will always have fond memories of a 'hit'. An intriguing score with the soaring voice of Swenson so very memorable. It will more than likely never be revived to the level it was originally produced but thank you Decca for bringing this marvelous musical to life again on CD! Now how about "A Time For Singing".

Okay, so a musical "adventure" on Sherlock Holmes was probably an impossible idea, but the cast album shows that intermitantly the impossible was attained. It's a great surprise to find that songs about deductive reasoning work quite well ("It's So Simple" and "The Pursuit"), and "What a Night This is Going to Be" is a bouyant complex number that sweeps you up in the adventure. Inga Swenson provides a lot of panache in her numbers, and Fritz Weaver does about as well as anyone could as a "musical" Sherlock Holmes. And for Broadway Collectors, how can you pass up a show that had Tommy Tune and Christopher Walken as white haired dancing assasins, and Peter Sallis (Wallace of Wallace and Gromit fame)as Dr. Watson (and he does nicely with a simple tender song called "A Married Man")! The photos in the booklet spark the imagination to provide oppulent visuals as you listen, and the Don Walker orchestrations provide a lot of wit and verve that make even the routine numbers enjoyable. If, like me, you have a weakness for the oddities of American Musical Theatre, "Baker Street" is likely to provide a lot of enjoyment.

A singing Sherlock Holmes? It happened in 1965 with BAKER STREET, the ill-fated, ill-conceived Broadway musical written by Marian Grudeff and Raymond Jessel, with book by Jerome Coopersmith. Taking as it's starting point the original "Sherlock Holmes: A Scandal in Bohemia" by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the final product bore a closer similarity to a second-rate variation on "My Fair Lady", with Holmes and Watson accompanied by lovely singer Irene Adler, traipsing all over London, closely pursued by arch-enemy Professor Moriarty.

The one thing that BAKER STREET has in it's favour is a fabulous cast, including Shakespearean veteran Fritz Weaver as Sherlock Holmes, Martin Gabel as Moriarty, Peter Sallis as Watson and Inga Swenson as Irene.

Fresh from the national tour of "110 in the Shade", Inga Swenson shines with the lion's share of musical numbers, including "I'm in London Again" (cut shortly after the opening), "Letters" and "Finding Words for Spring". "I'd Do It Again" is the perfect 11 o'clock number. "Cold Clear World" is an ideal summation of the Holmes character, and Weaver delivers handsomely as well.

For all BAKER STREET's similarities to "My Fair Lady", Weaver and Swenson had the last laugh, when they were quite ironically reunited for the 1968 City Center revival. BAKER STREET also faced some competition from other musicals of the 1965 season ("Half a Sixpence", "Fade Out-Fade In" and "Golden Boy"), but gamely hobbled along for 313 performances at the Broadway Theatre, moving to the Martin Beck shortly before it closed.

Decca Broadway's CD premiere of the original cast album is crisply remastered. Bonus tracks comprise of Richard Burton's take on "A Married Man"; and Kai Winding's orchestra performing "Baker Street Mystery" (adapted from the "London Underground" sequence).

I have had the record album of Baker Street for years, but have not been able to play it for a loooong time. My parent's owned a copy, and around the time of my early teens when I got into Sherlock Holmes, I listened to it and was quite delighted with it.

I purchased the cd with some trepidation, not knowing if it would have the same affect on me now that I am in my early 40's. Although a song that I loved back in the day, does not resonate with me now...others do. All in all a delightful musical.

If you are into musicals one can hear elements of "My Fair Lady" and "Oliver!" as well as early hints of "Sweeney Todd" types of musical stylings.

What makes this an even better cd is the booklet that describes the show, its changes, and its problems.

If you are into classic musicals and/or a true Sherlock Holmes fan you will probably enjoy this.

My mom used to listen to the LP of this soundtrack all the time, and I have been looking for it on CD for years. Some of the songs are boring, but there are a few catchy ones like "Letters" and "Jewelry" that I was dying to have. I wish I could have seen the actual theatrical production, that always makes the songs better, when you know what is going on while the people are singing!

I mentioned casually to my daughter last night that I was looking for this. She promptly searched Amazon and downloaded it as a Christmas present for me. My parents took me to see the Broadway production when I was in high school. I am a Sherlock Holmes fanatic, and greatly enjoyed the show. I had the LP, and in the course of several dozen moves I lost it. I am so very happy that my daughter found it and replaced it for me. My father did not enjoy musicals, or Broadway plays, very much, but he took the family to see Baker Street and Man of La Mancha because I really wanted to see them. Listening to the cast albums from these shows brings back happy memories.

Baker Street was the first Broadway show I saw as a child and I was totally taken with the magical atmosphere that was presented on stage. Fritz Weaver was perfect as Holmes, Inga Swenson was charming, and Peter Sallis was amusing as Watson. Plus Tommy Tune and Christopher Walken were in the chorus. The show had wonderful sets and costumes and puppets, to delight a young boy like me. Is this a great musical? Not really. But the songs work well within the show and the book was a lot of fun. I'm so glad this is available on CD because it really is a special show.

1. There were two Broadway shows that somehow unfairly did not get the "press & praise", or whatever, to get the attention of the theatre-going public to catch on and become smash hits.

2. Luckily for us, there were recordings of these two Broadway shows on lp.

3. Sadly, for those of us who enjoyed those old lp albums and wished and waited for years and years for them to be remastered to cds, it seemed we would never be able to enjoy these "lost" scores ever again.

4. Now, through some lucky stroke of unlikely chance, we have recently been twice blessed with the remastering and release of BOTH of them on compact disk! All I can say is "There IS a God!" and also "Thank You", "Thank You", "Thank You" to those responsible for the "saving" and "preservation" of these two works by digitizing and releasing them for us again.

One of these two works is "Cyrano" with the great portrayl by Christopher Plummer of certainly one of the greatest characters in all literature. This show sadly closed after only a very few performances. The songs, while not really "great" are certainly quite listenable--but ONE, is spectacular and makes it worth the cost of the whole album, and that is "You Have Made Me Love"--what a winner it is!

The second of these works is "Baker Street" with Fritz Weaver and Inga Swenson. Luckily, I was fortunate enough to see this one before it closed, also, shortly after it opened. I could never understand why it did not catch on. Weaver and Swenson were simply marvelous, it was exciting, funny, and had great tunes and catchy lyrics. I dispaired for years over the non-release of this show on compact disc. I even wrote Universal, who has the rights to Decca's catalogue, and they blew me off. Then, out of the blue this spring there it was listed as a pre-release on amazon here! I immediately went to my local music shop and ordered a copy. And guess what.......there is a bonus track of the Great Richard Burton singing the best song from the show "A Married Man"!

If you love Broadway Cast albums, you need these two disks. If you remember the shows, you need these two disks. And lastly, if you are totally unfamiliar with these two works, you need these two disks. In short--You Need These Disks! Period!

Take my word, both of these albums are wonderful "keepers" that you will listen to over and over, both because they are unusual and not so well known, and also because they are truly great works. I wish you much happy listening to them. ~operabruin