Customer Reviews

Sondheim Sings, Vol. 2: 1946-1960

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This recording is really great. But I doubt it has relevance for any other than us hard core fans.

Most of the songs are really good. Some are unexpectedly tuneful, some are literally breathtaking. Most are witty and touching, as one expects from Sondheim songs.

One highlight is the incredible list song A Star Is Born, which seems to go on forever and forever, constantly topping itself in inventiveness. It has to be heard to be believed!

I recommend this CD to people who are more than average interrested in Sondheim music. For people who ae not yet hard core fans of his, I recommend becoming one before purchasing this CD.

....if your friend is a musical theatre lover, and a lover of Sondheim. They will be crazy for it. It is simple, charming; and a recording of the roots that brought us so many of Sondheim's greatest hits later in his life.

Well, you'd never buy this for Stephen Songheim's singing voice! This probably should be the first volume of the series, since it has reviews of his earlier work, but the songs here are very obscure indeed. Almost all of them are student works, or works written for friends etc. They are really interesting to hear especially as a historical curiosity, (although I don't think I will be playing the CD again without skipping the cut "10 years old" which is basically just annoying).
I found that after a few hearings the cd really grows on you. It is not surprising however that these musicals in general were never produced, if these were the only performances heard by backers etc.
P.S. classics should consider having professional performing musicians perform the never before recorded songs to get a better idea of their merit.

Mr. Sondheim is a phenominal composer/lyricist...none better in my book. Mr. Sondheim, however, can't sing a lick. There are a thousand great Broadway voices who would have killed for the opportunity to present these early works. Mr. Sondheim chose to kill them himself.