Customer Reviews

Sondheim on Sondheim

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"Sondheim on Sondheim" is a highly sophisticated, well-executed showcase. Delving into the creative genius that has come so naturally to Mr. Stephen Sondheim, Shakespeare's musical theater equivalent, for more than half a century, the James Lapine-helmed production both informs and massively delights in generous doses.

Nothing can substitute for seeing a production done live, but the sparkly-clean, intrepid cast performs just as vigorously, professionally and with vested intent to please on record as on stage.

Sondheim's insights lose nothing from the live production - to hear rather than see him speak (he was recorded earlier and projected onscreen) does not dilute the effect his offerings have as they add context for the material performed. Even facts long known by musical theater buffs (such as the saga that involved finding the right song to open "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum" and the dear truck songs that resulted) are worth hearing again directly from Mr. Sondheim, who is self-effacing if not particularly sentimental.

It is no surprise that the astounding Barbara Cook comes across best. Her warm, inviting, compassionate, angelic way of phrase makes her featured spots - "Take Me to the World" and "Send in the Clowns" among them - reason enough to listen. Finding a more remarkable singer would be like walking up to a stranger on the street and correctly guessing his name is Irving.

Tom Wopat, who has rightly garnered great acclaim from musical theater audiences in the past two decades, shines especially on the achingly beautiful "Finishing the Hat" from "Sunday in the Park with George," as does the ever-photogenic and neatly poised Vanessa Williams on the likes of the contemplative "Good Thing Going" from "Merrily We Roll Along," even though she oversells the subtle, less-is-more ballad "The Best Thing That Has Ever Happened" from "Road Show."

The young upstarts who complement the big-name stars possess remarkable vocal ranges, yet (except in the case of Euan Morton) their collective young age shows - these are musical theater actors who were trained to sing with technical precision that is professionally and sharply executed but lacking for warmth, nuance and sincerity - a common problem in the newer crop of performers. This mattered less on stage - the production was elaborate and pleasing to the eyes - than it does on disc. "Something's Coming" best exemplifies this. No fingerprints are made. They sing like glittering automatons.

Norm Lewis' "Being Alive" (from "Company"), for example, glides and soars with his marvelous vocal range. Sometime after listening, however, one is left with a sensation not unlike having consumed a large ice cream float. It was highly impressive, but did it ring true and sincere? Was it healthy? No.

It should be conceded, of course, that when young performers are sharing the stage with Cook it makes it all the more arduous a task to come through with equal warmth, emotional availability and unstudied-ness.

In such a well-wrought, crisply envisioned context such as "Sondheim on Sondheim," however, these points only mildly dilute the quality. Anyone who admires or wants to know more about the musical theater marvel is sure to be satisfied by this engaging, generous revue that informs nearly as much as it entertains.

This amazing theatrical event appeared on Broadway for one brief moment, actually a limited run of 76 performances, and was the major buzz among musical aficionados in the spring of 2010. Seeing and hearing Sondheim on Sondheim was one of those rare experiences that made your heart, mind and soul react so spontaneously that you had to check in with yourself after the fact to realize what you just gone through. Being in the company of Stephen Sondheim himself, then 80, talking about his work via video interview, punctuated with performances by some of the Broadway greats of all time was truly a singular gift to be cherished - knowing full well that you would never be able to experience it again.

But! When this recording was released, it was another gift. This 2-CD set captures every performance and provides the same emotional high that being there did. What is astounding about this recording, beside the indelible performances, is the audio quality painstakingly reproduced for the listener. Nothing is lost. The balance between the vocals and the rich textures of the orchestra are perfect. That in itself is a rare and sorely missed commodity in today's Broadway Cast albums.

If you never got a chance to experience this once in a lifetime historic event "live," this CD will take you there. From the very entertaining evolution of "A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum," to the heartbreaking contextually-based "Children Will Listen," to the mature reading of Barbara Cook's "Send In The Clowns," I can't say enough about this show. PS Classics did it perfectly: Sondheim Captured!

On Broadway SONDHEIM ON SONDHEIM was a master class with our most revered composer/lyricist. I would have happily stayed for another 2 1/2 hours and still not have had enough of his scintillating anecdotes and backstage gaucherie. Why then has PS Classics double CD proven to be so disappointing?

There are a number of technical problems, must crucially the balance. When Sondheim is talking I want to hear every word but the musical underscoring often makes it hard to focus on what he is saying. The disc has been intelligently tracked but I do wish they had used more of his commentary. This is especially missed in the transition to "Children Will Listen." In the show Sondheim recounted a horrifying letter written to him when he was in his 50's by his aged mother who expressed regret that she had ever given birth to him. Although the track does include him discussing the rocky relationship he had with his mother, it omits this crucial story.

Also omitted from the recording is Vanessa Williams' terrific rendition of "Ahh But Underneath" that was featured on a number of TV Talk shows while the production was running. The number was a high spot in the second half of the show but is nowhere t be found on the cast album.

The recording also cuts the first act final, so that disc one ends with a series of songs from PASSION. Now, PASSION is (in my opinion) a ravishingly beautiful score and I welcome any chance to revisit it, but it does not make for a good closing to the first disc.

If there were rights problems that prevented the inclusion of these sequences you would think the producers would have included a note to that effect in the booklet, but there is none. So we have to assume that the material included her was specifically chosen. The combined total of both discs is 107 minutes. In addition to Sondheim's commentary, there are some fine performances by Barbara Cook, Tom Wopat, Leslie Kritzer, Norm Lewis, Euan Morton , Erin Mackey and Matthew Scott. Some of the arrangements are the originals, others were completely reconceived for this production. Overall, however, the recording isn't nearly as good as it should have been, and that's the disappointment.

I was in college with Sondheim and have followed his art since West Side Story which was my first NYC musical. His musical ideas were the more important to me because many showed the foibles growing up in our generation. His words as part of this recording were engaging because I thought I knew what made him great. I didn't. It is his humility and humanity.

For me the CD representation of NYC musical was perfect...technically and musically. And it never upstaged the man. Wish I was there.

Quite inadvertently, I was at the opening night of "Sondheim on Sondheim" this past April at the Studio 54 Theater. Don't get me wrong, I am a Sondheim fan, but I guess Sondheim revues have been so prolific for the past few decades that it was relatively easy to secure a front mezzanine seat. The Broadway show was an intriguing synthesis of spoken biography (from the composer himself) and archival footage on multi-LCD screens interspersed with Sondheim-penned performances from a stellar Greek chorus of eight. Coinciding with his 80th birthday, the concept of the tribute was a bit contrived, and there was a bit of a PBS air about the whole approach. However, between the expert vocal executions and the presence of Sondheim, who comes across as clever, avuncular and a bit pixilated, this pristine 2010 two-disc recording is quite a treat.

The result represents a mix of classics and songs cut from the original productions for which they were written. Regardless, they are all pure Sondheim and beautifully delivered. None of the performances can be considered definitive, but the consistency in quality throughout the show genuinely enriches the Sondheim songbook overall. The legendary Barbara Cook - and that exalted adjective is necessary in this case - is 82 years old and sings with particular grace and emotional dexterity. Her open, slightly wizened renditions of "Take Me to the World" and the old warhorse, "Send in the Clowns" are mesmerizing. Having just wrapped up her four-season run on Ugly Betty, Vanessa Williams proves again what an accomplished singer she can be, and she keeps up with Cook on a breathtaking duet of "Losing My Mind" and "Not a Day Goes By".

Euan Morton (Boy George in 2003's Taboo) completely submerges his Scottish accent and injects his eccentric style, especially on "Franklin Shepard, Inc." from Merrily We Roll Along. Leslie Kritzer is a superb comic singer, especially on the amusingly hard-edged "Now You Know" and the manic "Gun Song". Tom Wopat - yes, the The Dukes of Hazzard guy - showcases his booming voice on some of the showier numbers like "Finishing the Hat" from Sunday in the Park with George. However, it's the relatively unknown Norm Lewis who provides the recording's arguable high point with a powerful performance of "Being Alive", even though admittedly, he doesn't have the benefit of the book from the original show, Company, to give it more emotional heft like Raul Esparza nailed just two seasons back in the show's minimalist revival.

There is one original composition in the show, a comical tune called "God", which opens the second act and makes fun of not only Sondheim's revered legacy but his idiosyncratic approach to songwriting. As with the show, there are just a few things that don't quite work on the recording. For example, Williams' performance of one of my favorites, "Good Thing Going", is certainly pretty enough but feels wrong in perspective since the lyrical context makes it feels like it should be sung by a man in the throes of regret. Moreover, some memorable moments from the show have been cut from the recording, such as Cook's classic "In Buddy's Eyes" from Follies, Wopat's stirring "Epiphany" from Sweeney Todd, and Erin Mackey's shining turn on "Do I Hear a Waltz?", a collaboration with Richard Rodgers that Sondheim comically regrets in hindsight in the show. Still, Sondheim fanatics should rejoice that we have this cast recording for posterity.

You have Barbara Cook, you have Steven Sondheim--what could be bad? Pretty much nothing. A great compilation, well done with Ms. Cook's beautiful clarity shining through. It's a shame to have Pacific Overtures and Sweeney Todd missing, but I can't be greedy. Having Mr. Sondheim offering background between numbers adds so much to the weight of the music. Had a little trouble adjusting to the duet of "Losing My Mind" on top of "Not a Day Goes By", but it gets better with each listening. Loved hearing the special Merman song. This album is a treat to hear again for both the musical performance and for hearing the composer opening little windows on himself.

I was lucky enough to get to see this show on Broadway, so naturally I wanted to pick up the cd. I was not disappointed with the show or the cd! This collection of Sondheim songs includes many of his more well-known numbers as well as some rather obscure ones. But the best part of this cd is hearing the narration by the man himself. His stories about growing up with a unloving mother, being taken in and mentored by Oscar Hammerstein and his writing techniques are fascinating.
The cast on this disc is magnificent! Of course, Barbara Cook is a living legend. Her voice is still amazing. Vanessa Williams and Tom Wopat are wonderful. My favorite song on the disc is "Being Alive" sung by Norm Lewis. I bawled when I heard it at the show and I tear up every time I hear it on the cd! The rest of the cast, although less well known than the others I've mentioned, were fantastic.
If you are a Sondheim fan at all, this is a "Must Have"!

First, I'm a huge Sondheim fan, so please realize that when you read further.

While the singing on these two disks may not be the best Broadway has to offer, I found this collection both interesting and delightful. If you're wanting a straight Broadway musical, then don't bother buying this CD collection. These two CDs really provide the listener with interesting insight into how Steven Sondheim (or as one song refers to him "God") creates modern musical master pieces. From gigantic hits to Broadway flops, this album is a wonderful collection of notable Sondheim favorites and many new songs that never appeared in other collections. Of course, the songs themselves are interwoven with actual narrative from Sondheim himself where he discusses every thing from the only autobiographical song he ever wrote to the type of legal paper he prefers when writing.

Does the world need another Stephen Sondheim revue? With this new recording of Sondheim On Sondheim the answer is most emphatically YES! Not only is the material well arranged and beautifully sung, it comes with introductions, background, and trivia from the composer himself -offering insights and points of view even long-time fans may have missed. Barbara Cook is glorious, as always, and the entire cast is a delight. Those who saw the show in the theatre may quibble over changes to the playlist or the running order, but this is a truly historical document nonetheless. It is also an engrossing and very moving listening experience. The sound and packaging are first rate, with lyrics and photos that help bring the theatrical experience to life. This one is a must-have for theatre lovers!

I enjoyed the show and enjoy the recording even more. It's so well done. A treat! Two songs (at least) that were in the show aren't on the recording, and I wonder why they weren't included - Barbara Cook's performance of "In Buddy's Eyes" and Vanessa Williams's performance of "Ah, But Underneath." There would have been room for them on the CDs. Does anyone know why the two songs are missing?