Oklahoma! (1952 Studio Cast) [Cast Recording, Original recording remastered]

Richard Rodgers (Composer), Oscar Hammerstein II (Composer), Lehman Engel (Conductor), Nelson Eddy (Performer), Virginia Haskins (Performer), Kaye Ballard (Performer), Portia Nelson (Performer), Lee Cass (Performer), David Atkinson (Performer), Wilton Clary (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Nelson Eddy, Virginia Haskins, Kaye Ballard, Portia Nelson, Lee Cass, et al.
• Conductor: Lehman Engel
• Composer: Richard Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein II
• Audio CD (March 9, 1993)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Cast Recording, Original recording remastered
• Label: Sony
• ASIN: B0000028YI
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #318,282 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Overture

2. Oh, What a Beautiful Morning

3. The Surrey With the Fringe on Top

4. Kansas City

5. I Cain't Say No

6. Entrance of Ensemble

7. Many a New Day

8. It's a Scandal! It's a Outrage!

9. People Will Say We're in Love

10. Pore Jud Is Daid

11. Lonely Room

12. Out of My Dreams

13. The Farmer and the Cowman

14. All Er Nothin'

15. People Will Say We're in Love (Reprise)

16. Oklahoma!

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful recording of a Broadway masterpiece, March 28, 2002

By 

Pope (United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Oklahoma! (1952 Studio Cast) (Audio CD)

This 1952 Sony/Columbia studio cast recording of Rodgers and Hammerstin's OKLAHOMA is an excellent example of the classic show. A fine cast have been assembled for this recording, including Nelson Eddy as Curly, Virginia Haskins as Laurey, Kaye Ballard as Ado Annie, and Portia Nelson as Aunt Eller.

All of the wonderful original orchestrations are used for this album; when Columbia would revisit this score for a new stereo album in 1964 with John Raitt and Florence Henderson (please see my review of that CD), all new orchestrations would be devised that would, IMO, become the downfall of an otherwise exceptional album.

This was part of a series of cast albums Columbia recorded in the early-mid 1950s for LP records. Others in this series were GIRL CRAZY and BABES IN ARMS (both with Mary Martin), THE BOYS FROM SYRACUSE, and BRIGADOON (with Shirley Jones and Jack Cassidy). This album was released on LP records and thus did not require the songs to be sped up or truncated to adhere to the limited playing time of a 78-RPM side. As such, the songs are performed closer to their original tempos here, and the performances sound so much more natural than on the 1943 original cast recording. More music is included as well. This recording is in monaural, but I have no gripes about the sonic quality of the CD--the recording has been nicely transferred.

I believe this album is not currently in print (I was able to find a new copy today at a local record store; I assume it's been there for quite some time). With the various OKLAHOMA albums available, there's no special reason to search the world over for a copy of this one, but if a copy should show up in the local used CD store, definately give it a try!

1 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Oklahoma at it's GREATEST, July 21, 2000

By 

DCornia (ID) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Oklahoma! (1952 Studio Cast) (Audio CD)

If you liked the movie Oklahoma and are looking for a CD with all your favorite Oklahoma songs on it; this is the one for you. I have throughly enjoyed it myself. Don't leave this site without adding this wonderful CD to your collection.