Customer Reviews

Ultimate Broadway

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Over 50 years of Broadway magic comes blazing forth in this amazing comprehensive CD set. "Ultimate Broadway" lives up to its title, treating listeners to 40 of the most heart-stopping, thrilling, and sensational show-stoppers of the greatest shows the stage has ever seen.

Beginning with Alfred Drake's lusty "Oklahoma!," the show credited with revolutionizing the Broadway musical, we are taken along for a dazzling two-hour ride through Broadway history. There are the unforgettable classics: Ezio Pinza's magnificent baritone wrapping around "South Pacific"'s treasured "Some Enchanted Evening," and Gertrude Lawrence exuding charm with Yul Brynner over the musical question "Shall We Dance?" from "The King and I." There is Julie Andrews' soaring coloratura flying with "My Fair Lady"'s "I Could Have Danced All Night." The ethereal beauty of "West Side Story"'s "Maria" and "Tonight." Robert Preston crashing his way through "Seventy-Six Trombones" from his star-making performance in "The Music Man." The queen of the Broadway musical, Ethel Merman, turning into a paramount with "Gypsy"'s "Everything's Coming Up Roses." Mary Martin's plaintive paean to the most beautiful sound in all the world, "The Sound of Music." Robert Goulet shows why he will always be the penultimate performer of the love ballad "If Ever I Would Leave You" from "Camelot." And Carol Channing's unforgettable swagger into the Harmonia Gardens to the tune of "Hello, Dolly." The irrepresible Zero Mostel winking his way through "Fiddler On the Roof"'s "If I Were a Rich Man."

And that's just the first side.

Barbra Streisand becoming Barbra Streisand with "People," her showstopper from "Funny Girl." John Cullum's glorious "On a Clear Day You Can See Forever." Richard Kiley's faithful knight Don Quixote, vowing his eternal conquest for "The Impossible Dream" as the "Man of La Mancha." "Mame," the irrestibly catchy title tune of the 1966 smash. Liza Minnelli, who was not in the original Broadway production, but who thrills with her sensational rendition of the title song from the 1972 film soundtrack of "Cabaret." Judy Collins, another performer not in the original cast of "A Little Night Music," but who is intensely moving with her rendition of Stephen Sondheim's popular hit "Send in the Clowns." Before Catherine Zeta-Jones electrified movie audiences with "All That Jazz," Chita Rivera smirked and cackled it to fantastic effect in "Chicago." "One," the unforgettable production number from "A Chorus Line." Andrea McArdle with "Tomorrow" from "Annie." "Memory" from "Cats"...Michael Crawford's haunting "The Music of the Night" from "Phantom of the Opera." Elaine Page stepping in for Glenn Close with a rhapsodic "As If We Never Said Good-bye" from "Sunset Boulevard." And the undying "Seasons of Love" from "Rent."

The classics are well represented, but there are also many delightful sides to this musical feast. Ray Bolger's inimitable "Once In Love With Amy," from "Where's Charley?" is an old-time treat, along with Carol Channing gnashing her way through "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend" from "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes." There is also a pre-"Law and Order" Jerry Orbach, waltzing through the lilting "Try to Remember" from "The Fantasticks." There is the spinning "Aquarius," as originated in "Hair," the divine Patti LuPone in the performance of her career as "Evita," pleading "Don't Cry for Me, Argentina." Jennifer Holliday's jaw-dropping "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" from 1982's "Dreamgirls." And there is Aretha Franklin shining with "I Dreamed a Dream" from the epic "Les Miserables."

This is not only the perfect collection of Broadway memories, but it is a wonderful introduction to the genre for newcomers. And they will be as intoxicated and enchanted by these glorious performances, all beautifully preserved on these sharp, clear soundtracks. There is something for everyone here: from the sentimental theatergoers of years past to the new generations finding a whole new world through the musical theater. Trust me: for theater buffs, this is the only Broadway CD you'll ever need. And for the rest of you: welcome to a wonderful, wonderful ride.

The idea of a "BWAY Hits" album is not new, but this one wants to be the best. The song selection is based on those songs that went on to achieve billboard popularity. But that doesn't mean the songs are particularly well-chosen, and anyone with more than a passing interest will question the selections. Is it right to choose "Oklahoma" over "People Will Say We're In Love," "Everything's Coming Up Roses" over "Some People," "People" over "Don't Rain on My Parade," "If I Were a Rich Man" over "Sunrise, Sunset?" You decide. It's terribly subjective. What I can't understand is why some alternate recordings were chosen over their cast recording equivalents. Why is "The Party's Over" taken from the movie soundtrack? Same for Liza's recording of "Cabaret." And the "No Business Like Show Business" recording is taken from the inferior 1966 Lincoln Center revival, even though the CD tries to maintain chronologic sequence--and again, Merman's great songs were overlooked. What about "I Got Lost In His Arms," or the magnificent "Anything You Can Do" duet? (And if you're going to include revivals, where are the "Anything Goes" revivals, or even the wonderful 1992 "Guys and Dolls" revival?) Even more inexplicable are the Judy Collins version of "Send in the Clowns" instead of Glynis John's sublime cast recording, and--most baffling of all--Aretha Frankling doing a live concert recording of "I Dreamed a Dream." Randy Graff and Patti LuPone aren't good enough? I wonder if Glenn Close was slighted intentionally, since Elaine Paige appears for Sunset Boulevard. And why were certain shows slighted completely? There's not a trace of "Sweet Charity," "The Pajama Game," "Guys and Dolls," "Kiss Me, Kate" or "How to Succeed...," much less the "second-tier" shows that didn't have "big hit songs." I think the intent with this album is two-fold. One, expose the kids who think theater started in 1987 to a history of musical comedy, starting in 1943 (it should have started in 1931, but that would mean 3 cds). Second, use the popular songs to sell cds--which is why you'll find "Some Enchanted Evening" instead of "A Wonderful Guy" or "Cockeyed Optimist," "Camelot" instead of "I Loved You Once in Silence," and "Mame" instead of "Bosom Buddies." Again, subjective... but theater fans will see my point. This is not a bad collection, for the most part. But a collection has to be judged by its choice of entries, not the quality of its songs. These are all classics, of course, and mostly above criticism. And it may indeed be a good start for beginners--Lord knows they need the help. But collectors and enthusiasts looking for great compilations already have a wealth to choose from--the best of all of them being the 18-cd Lincoln Center "Original Cast" collection, with the 4-cd Smithsonian collection and 10-cd "Celebrate Broadway" collection following close behind.

A 2-disc set worthy of its "ultimate" title, this compilation pleases casual and serious musical fans alike. It's a great introduction to over 50 years of Broadway hits, and it captures the spirit and change of American musical theater through the twentieth century - from Rodgers and Hammerstein's pioneering "Oklahoma!" to Jonathan Larsen's ground-breaking "Rent," and every hit in between. This collection not only allows you to sample the great shows and songs but also the premiere recordings. Featured artists include Carol Channing, Ethel Merman, Mary Martin, Julie Andrews, Chita Rivera, and Elaine Paige among many other brilliant stars. Most tracks come from the original Broadway cast recordings, with some surprises. Aretha Franklin has a smoky, and stunning, rendition of "I Dreamed a Dream" from "Les Miserables."

There are too many notable performances to list them all, but among the standouts are: "Oklahoma" - Alfred Drake, "There's No Business Like Show Business" - Ethel Merman, "Some Enchanted Evening" - Ezio Pinza, "Shall We Dance," - Gertrude Lawrence and Yul Brynner, "I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face" - Rex Harrison, "Tonight" - original cast of "West Side Story," "Seventy Six Trombones" - Robert Preston, "Camelot" - Richard Burton, "If I Were a Rich Man" - Zero Mostel, "The Impossible Dream" - Richard Kiley, "All That Jazz" - Chita Rivera, "Tomorrow" - Andrea McArdle, "Memory" - Elaine Paige, "Music of the Night" - Michael Crawford, and "Rent" - original cast.

This is a solid compilation album that won't disappoint with its breadth of talent, variety, and style. Nor is it top heavy with any one artist, composer, or lyricist. You'll also find a fair set of liner notes that attempts to place the musical and songs in context; includes some original production photos.

This is a wonderful collection of songs, some of which aren't heard very often any more (especially the delightful "Once In Love With Amy" which was previously unavailable on CD). It makes for a great intro to the genre, and I'm pleased that it has prompted other listeners to explore further.

As others have mentioned, the biggest plus to the discs is using original casts for all but two cuts (Judy Collins' "Send In The Clowns" and Arethra Franklin's horrid "I Dreamed A Dream"). Sure, there are excellent shows that aren't represented, but people need to realize that BMG/Arista is only going to include the songs that are already in their catalogue rather than negotiating rights from other labels. Even with that limitation, it's definitely worth owning.

At 16 years old, I am officially a Broadway aficcionada. I've been involved with musicals and shows all my life, so purchasing this CD (even at $$$) was a real treat.
An interesting tidbit about this album is that the 2-disk set goes chronologically (i.e. in the order of that particular show's debut on Broadway). The first songs on the album, even if included in wonderful shows like "Carousel" and "Oklahoma!", do not strike my interest, maybe because the quality of the recording isn't that great. My favorite songs are around the middle of each album, particularly those from "The King and I" and "West Side Story" because the audio is so clear and crisp. Disc 2 is a bit more risky with its selection of songs, including non-traditional Broadway singers like Aretha Franklin and more offbeat, less mainstream showtunes.
Overall, a great CD set with an awesome selection of tunes. A perfect gift for any theatre snob. :)

The liner notes suggest that this music be shared with your children. My son loved it, but he got embarrassed quickly when his baby boomer parents started dancing around the house singing "Shall We Dance", and high kicking to "One" from Chorus Line. My suggestion...buy two;one for you, one for the kids. Then get in the car, head for the highway, pop in your copy and sing along loudly till you heart's content. No one will hear you, no embarrassed kids,and you'll have the time of your life. With one exception (out of 40)all these songs simply demand that you belt out each tune along with the singer(s). The music chosen for this cd is simply that good. Can't wait for Ultimate Broadway II.

There are lots of Broadway compilations out there, but this one is far and away the best, for three principal reasons. First, the selection of songs is phenomenal, with maybe one or two exceptions, every song here is a classic of the theatre. Second, almost all the songs are performed by the original cast, not some obscure or inferior revival or knockoff. (The one exception to this, Judy Collins performing Send in The Clowns, is perfectly acceptable) Finally, the sound quality is outstanding, it is hard to believe some of the recordings are from the 40s. A phenomenal introduction to Broadway for anyone, a great disc to own even if you have separate CDs for the great musicals, and also a great way to introduce your kids to the magic of Broadway.

This is my first Broadway cd but it brought me into a genre that I now could not possibly live without. I listen to only half the songs on each cd; however the songs I do listen to on these cd's I enjoy immensely. From the first disc, "Oklahoma" is a rousing opening number; other enjoyable songs include the pair of famed songs from 'West Side Story' "Tonight" and "Maria", "The Sound Of Music", "I Could Have Danced All Night" & "I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face." My personal favorites from that disc are the songs from 'West Side Story' and "Everything's Coming Up Roses" from 'Gypsy.' The second disc doesn't fail to disappoint. The most upbeat of these songs are "One" from 'A Chorus Line', "Tomorrow" from 'Annie' and "All That Jazz" from 'Chicago.' But some of the better ones include a dazzling "Seasons of Love", a pretty sounding "Send In The Clowns" and "I Dreamed A Dream", which sounds different but still well done. I love the intensity of some of the songs on these discs; you feel as though you are there, with much of the music having intermittent background chatting between notes. I highly recommend this disc, because it's something I listen to daily. Only two drawbacks...not enough 'Les Miserables' or 'West Side Story'!

This CD is so wide-ranging, with the majority of the performances being the original artists, that I found it to be not only musically terrific but an education too. The atmosphere of each various performance comes across even when just hearing the audio. It's easy to see why the shows played such long runs when hearing the original energy and appeal from these famous Broadway performers. If you only buy one Broadway CD in your life, make it this one.

If you love Broadway and want a variety of songs from different musicals without spending a lot of money this is the CD to buy. The assortment of songs from so many musicals is great! Terrific for any occasion from parties, to cleaning the house, to listening to on the computer while searching the web, to just relaxing! This is a keeper!