Customer Reviews

The Scarlet Pimpernel: Encore! (1998 Broadway Revival Cast)

5 star:		(21)
4 star:		(15)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

As a big Pimpernel and Frank Wildhorn fan, the only reason I was purchasing the CD was for the four new tracks. I already have everything else on it between the orginal broadway cast album, the concept album, and Linda Eder's It's Time. While the album was worth it for me to get the stage version of I'll Forget You, sung by the lovely Rachel York, if I had to choose between the encore and the orginal broadway cast albums, the OBC would always win. Rex Smith's version of Falcon and the Dive and Where's the Girl have little emotion or compassion and even less singing, while Terrence Mann's interpretations are sweeping and heart wrenching and have the fantastic, powerful voice to match. Mann makes you see why the man has had two Tony nominations and why he has orginated so many Broadway roles. Rachel York's singing on Storybook is beautiful as always but may not be worth shelling out the money for if you already have Christine Andreas fun version of the song on the OBC. The Encore CD is a nice addition the the strange history of Pimpernel but not necessarily a needed one.

While composer Frank Wildhorn's liner notes on this latest addition of "The Scarlet Pimpernel" is dedicated to "the fans", it's also a tribute to the many talented cast members of this great Broadway show which has had several resurrections and soon to be released US tour. Having the pleasure of listening to Christine Andreas, Peabo Bryson, Linda Eder, Terrence Mann, Douglas Sills, Rex Smith and Rachel York on one Broadway CD is a gift to any Broadway music lover. I have the OBC recording of "The Scarlet Pimpernel" and this addition provided a rare opportunity to listen to other renditions of the shows beautiful lyrics & score. I loved Rachel York's robust and enthusiastic rendition of "Storybook" and her emotional and passionate "I'll Forget You", which was not on the OBC recording, is worth it alone. Rex Smith also adds emotion in his version of "Falcon in the Dive" which adds an extra dimension to the song's message of determination and obsession. Where else does a Broadway musical score provide the listener a rare opportunity to hear two lead actors sing their version of one of the show's hit songs, "Where's The Girl". Closing the CD is a gift of two songs from Linda Eder. The "You Are My Home" ballet with Peabo Bryson is well orchestrated and Linda's romantic "Only Love" leaves this listener wanting more of Wildhorn and his "Encores".

The strength of this CD depends on just how much you loved SP 2.0. My love for that retooled production, or Pimpy 2.0 as it is affectionately called, is 100%. I was not only enthralled at the story unfolding but also totally lost in the beautiful music and story. I have both the SP Concept album and the OBCR. What this CD offers (that the OBCR does not) is a chance to relive one scene that for me had the most resonance. With the song "I'll forget you." Marguerite (Rachel York), on the eve of her execution, tries in vain to forget her true love; Percy aka the Scarlet Pimpernel. It is a touching ballad, performed with intense passion and just the right amount of sorrow and regret for a love, unfulfilled. The other "new" songs, while well done, are performed with just as much panache in the OBCR. It would have been such a treat to have a completely new cast recording that reflected the new production more accurately. Alas... So then, you ask, if you already have the OBCR is this new version worth it on the strength of one song? For me the answer is quite obvious: Absolutely!

I bought "The Scarlet Pimpernel" original Broadway album after listening to "Jekkyl and Hyde" : It became one of my favourite musical without seeing it. Then I bought "The Scarlet's Concept album" : I loved the extra songs and Linda Eder's fabulous voice. Then came the "Encore album" with new cast R.York and R. Smith who add there personal touch to this grand musical. This album is for : 1. Scarlet Pimpernel's addicts (just like me) who want to posess all it's music 2. People who don't posess "the Original Broadway Album"

Those who know this album know that it is rather unique - a reshuffling of songs from other "Pimpernel" cast albums, with a handful of new songs added in (recorded by Rachel York and Rex Smith). Others have pointed out this difference, and discussed its pros and cons. I am writing now to warn everyone that the MP3 tracks listed on this product are NOT ALL CORRECT.

Many of the tracks (copies of the same ones from the Scarlet Pimpernel Original Broadway Cast recording) are indeed listed correctly. However, tracks 2 (Storybook), 6 (Falcon In The Dive), 9 (Where's The Girl), 20 (You Are My Home) and 21 (Only Love) as posted, as of this writing, are NOT the versions of those songs from this album. They should be recordings of the songs by Rachel York, Rex Smith, Linda Eder and Peabo Bryson, and instead they are the tracks from the OBC with Christine Andreas, Terrence Mann and Gilles Chiasson. It's all well and good if those are the tracks that you want, but they're not the right tracks that are on the "Encore!" album!

I have written in to customer support twice to ask that these be changed, waited several weeks after each time (I did get a semi-automated reply saying someone would work on it), but the incorrect tracks are still listed. So I just wanted to put this warning out there, so that people aren't confused or misled by what they can buy. This applies only to the MP3 downloads available for this album, as they stand as of this writing. I sincerely hope that Amazon will correct the issue.

I would give the album itself 4 stars. But my rank for the MP3 download offering is 1 star, as long as this problem persists.

This CD includes tracks from the 1992 concept album and the 1998 Original Broadway Cast, but has the added bonus of 4 songs by the "Marguerite" and "Chauvelin" of the 2nd Broadway cast, Rachel York and Rex Smith. Rachel has a beautiful voice, and I am glad her versions are preserved for everyone to hear. I think Chauvelin sounds better as a baritone, but it was nice to have Rex's versions to remind me of the show that ran in New York last winter and spring. This CD is a great starter for anyone who is debating which version to purchase, as the song line-up is closer to that of the version of the show that will be touring the country beginning in 2000. Douglas Sills' big songs are all included, and those of course are worth the price of the CD alone!

When I got the OBC of the Scarlet Pimpernel in the summer of '98, it lived in my car's audio system and got me happily through a number of traffic jams. The music is singable and entertaining. "Encore" continues in this vein, and features the wonderful vocals of Rachel York on "Storybook" and "I'll Forget You", the two best of the four new tracks. I confess to having seen this musical 14 times-6 each of version 1 and version 2, twice for SP3. While I loved Christine Andreas as Marguerite (SP 1), I think Rachel York personifies and sings the character best of all the Marguerites I've seen. Pimpernel fans have their own preferences for favorite actor/actress in the major roles, and I have mine. In the most perfect of worlds, we could have our favorites on the various tracks and in different combinations, but that's of course impossible. I would have liked to hear Rex Smith as Chauvelin singing "Madame Guillotine" with the ensemble. I preferred Terrence Mann's "Falcon in the Dive", and in person I liked Rex's "Where's the Girl?" better, but the recording seems to lack the same depth as the sound in the Minskoff. I wish the-powers-that-be could have coaxed Douglas Sills back into the studio, and we'd have the evolved version of "Prayer" to listen to, as well as the wedding version of Douglas and Rachel singing "You Are My Home". This is why I've given the recording 4 stars, rather than 5. It's certainly worth purchasing. Now if we could only have a recording of SP 3.0--their version of "The Riddle" is superb!

Being a pimpernel fan for about four years now (unlike many others, I was actually hooked by the book), I was incredibly excited to get the CD today. However, I will admit that the combination of stars from the two productions was a little strange (especially since I have voices of Christine Andreas and Terrence Mann ingrained in my head, yet I saw the Rachel York and Rex Smith version of the play). I felt that Rex Smith was wonderful with my favorite song "Where's the Girl?" (although I can't say that I like it better than Terrence Mann's version... the two are very different), but tried MUCH too hard with "Falcon in the Dive" to get an urgency and excitement across, and he ended up coming in late, holding notes too long, and spoke/sang entire parts (but, as I remember, he did the same thing on stage nearly a year ago, only on a smaller scale). Rachel York made her voice rather dreamy at points in Storybook (which, I admit, is part of the idea of the song), but its simpering sweetness at times overwhelmed me. All the same, it's an excellent song and I thought she did it very well only, once again, she tried too hard. "I'll Forget You" is reasonably haunting and very beautiful. I will DEFINITELY say something I had thought was impossible; for the Rex Smith and Rachel York renditions, the orchestrations are magical. I don't know who did the changes (perhaps even Wildhorn himself), but the ethereal changes put these songs on another level. For that very reason is it difficult to combine these altered ballads to the powerful songs of before. All the same, THE CD IS WORTH HAVING.

You will miss out on Rachel York's fine display of Margueritte in the revised version of 'Storybook' and the new 'I'll Forget You,' but Rex Smith, although an outstanding performer, is not an outstanding replacement for the thunderous voice of Terrence Mann, and all the other songs, including Doug Sills's pieces, are the EXACT SAME recordings as on the original cast recording. I must backtrack and give Rex Smith a little more credit...He is awesome in 'Falcon in the Dive' and 'Where's the Girl?,' delivering a tremendous amount of emotional fire in his interpretations of the songs, without 'overdoing it.' But Rex is a soft and colorful tenor who cannot quite bring to life that 'evil, ex-lover' sort of character that T.Mann does with his rich baritone voice. But as I said, both men are absolutely remarkable at what they do! ...I wonder why the new cast leads (York and Smith) were not used in all of the songs...i.e.'When I Look at You,' 'The Riddle,' 'Where's the Girl-reprise.' Very beautiful music here and no songs nor performances are by any means less than average but it's too similar to the OBC version. If you are new to this musical, buy the original version!

This is such a wonderful c.d. and might I add a great gift idea for any Boradway lovers. THe two Linda Eder Bonus tracks are wonderful and a must have. Rachel Yorks two songs, storybook adn I'll Forget you are priceless. You can listen to them again and again and again and again. Rex Smith Chauvelin songs add an extra FIRE taht the OBC c.d. does not have. DOuglas Sills is amazing as well. If you are considering buyign this c.d. I just wanna say BUY IT! Buy it for friend, for yourself, anyone. It's absolutely amazing. Even my voice teacher was amazed with Rachel York's singing. ENCORE to ENCORE!