Customer Reviews

I Remember Mama (1985 Studio Cast)

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4 star:		(2)
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I was fortunate enough to see this wonderful musical when it premiered on broadway... and while Liv Ullman's performance was astounding... this studio recording of the music is still wonderful...mainly because of Rogers' melodies. Just lovely. Many of the songs remind me of The Sound of Music score. He never lost his touch... and Charnin(Annie's creator)comes up with some memorable lyrics. "You Could Not Please Me More" is a classic Rogers love song. Treat yourself to this little known gem.

Even though this is not Richard Rodgers' best score, it is much much better than most of the recent scores and cast albums from Broadway. If you like Rodgers, get it because it is always tuneful and faithful. If you love Rodgers, you must have it because it is his last score and it is the last of the big Broadway scores. A must for all lovers of Broadway and Richard Rodgers

"Music by Richard Rodgers." That says it all. This CD is a delight for the ears. The play may not have been a commercial success, but Richard Rodgers at the end of his life was still Richard Rodgers. The songs are great: from the nice, simple, wistful title song, to the upbeat "A Little Bit More" (my favorite), the Hundred-Million-Miracles-type song "Ev'ry Day (Comes Something Beautiful)", the humorous "A Writer Writes at Night", the mature old-married-couple love song "You Could Not Please Me More", the very lonely, downbeat "When", and so on.

These songs deserve a place of honor in the Richard Rodgers canon, and anyone who likes classical Broadway music should get a copy of the recording of this little-known musical. Although there was no original Broadway cast album made, we should be thankful that at a recording was eventually made of it.

I REMEMBER MAMA was the last major score written by Richard Rodgers. This musical fairly signalled the end of an era in many ways. The score is delightfully-domestic and homespun, a real gem. This is the World Premiere cast album of the score, featuring the original Broadway cast, augmented by Sally Ann Howes (replacing Liv Ullman) in the title role of Mama. Sally Ann Howes (BET YOUR LIFE, CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG, PAINT YOUR WAGON) is ideally suited to the role, instantly at home with the score, and her sparkling soprano is well-showcased. Surrounding Howes is a strong cast including Ann Morrison (PEG), Sian Phillips (PAL JOEY), Patricia Routledge (DARLING OF THE DAY), Elizabeth Seal (IRMA LA DOUCE), Gay Soper (PHANTOM OF THE OPERA), George S. Irving (IRENE) and George Hearn (LA CAGE AUX FOLLES).

The score for the show was later augmented with contributions from Raymond Jessel ("A Little Bit More", "Uncle Chris", "Easy Come, Easy Go"). The lyrics were written by Martin Charnin (ANNIE). John van Druten's play easily lends itself to the musical theatre stage, with all the emotion, humour and sincerity that it brought to life (the play originally starred Mady Christians as Mama). Standout numbers in the overall-strong score include the Aunts' hilarious "A Most Disagreeable Man", Mama's "When?", Katrin's "I Remember Mama" and "A Writer Writes at Night". A must-own for all Broadway fans.

It's not WEST SIDE STORY neither ANYTHING GOES. But it's very attractive, with some beautiful songs and melodies. The story is somehow old fashioned but in the positive sense of the word, i.e., nostalgic and sweet. It perfectly matches in the so-called "beautiful Broadway loser". An ideal gift for elders and very appealing for younger generations interested in the history and development of the musical.