Cabaret (Original Broadway Cast) [CAST RECORDING]

John Kander (Composer, Orchestra), Bert Convy (Performer), Edward Winter (Performer), Howard Kahl (Performer), Jack Gilford (Performer), Joel Grey (Performer), Lotte Lenya (Performer), Peg Murray (Performer), Tresha Kelly (Performer), Fred Ebb (Artist)

Product Details

• Performer: Bert Convy, Edward Winter, Howard Kahl, Jack Gilford, Joel Grey, et al.
• Orchestra: John Kander
• Composer: John Kander
• Audio CD (June 2, 1998)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Cast Recording
• Label: Sony
• ASIN: B000007OHR
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #59,588 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
This original cast recording of Kander & Ebb's Cabaret is tough to beat: Jill Haworth as Sally Bowles, Joel Grey as the Master of Ceremonies, and Lotte Lenya as Fraulein Schneider all turn in classic performances that set a high-water mark for future reinterpretations. Lenya's "So What?" and "It Couldn't Please Me More" hark back to the dark cabaret work composed by her late husband, Kurt Weill, while other tunes ("Telephone Song," "Two Ladies") are much more upbeat. One of the best surprises found on this version--featuring liner notes by author Ken Mandelbaum--are the four previously unreleased (and fascinating) Kander & Ebb demo cuts and four brief intros for songs. The eight rarities are all low-fidelity but highlight the songwriting process of the pair nicely. --Jason Verlinde

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Classic!, December 14, 1999

By A Customer

Those who know "Cabaret" only from the popular movie version staring Liza Minnelli are missing quite a lot. The original Broadway cast recording is a delight fom start to finish. With a cast lead by Lotte Lenya as Fraulein Schneider, Jack Gilferd as Herr Schultz, Jill Haworth as Sally, Bert Convy as Cliff, and Joel Grey as the emcee, we know we are in good hands from the first note of music. The recording starts with Grey's definitive version of "Willkommen," in which the sinister emcee invites us into the seemingly lovely, but downright evil world of Berlin in the early 1930's. From then on, it's a string of hits, including well known songs like "Tommorrow Belongs to Me," "If You Could See Her," and the title song. This recording also has lesser known, but equally wonderful songs not included in the movie, such as "So What?," "Perfectly Marvelous," "Married," and my personal favorite: "Meeskite." The movie version may be silver, but this is gold. Buy it today, and enjoy "Cabaret" in all it's original glory.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Original "Cabaret", July 14, 2005

By	AJK (Chicago, IL) - See all my reviews

While the 1972 movie starring Liza Minnelli is probably the most well-known version of "Cabaret", this 1966 Broadway version is where it all started.

Led by a talented cast, including Jill Haworth (Sally Bowles), Lotte Lenya (Fraulein Schneider), and the incredible Joel Grey (Master Of Ceremonies), this Kander & Ebb musical is excellent and contains a classic score.

Best tracks include:

Wilkommen (Mr. Grey's signature song)
Two Ladies
It Couldn't Please Me More
Tomorrow Belongs To Me
The Money Song
Married
If You Could See Her
Cabaret

One should note, however, that two classic "Sally Bowles" songs were added for the movie: "Mein Herr" & "Maybe This Time".

This is a great cd! ... but if you want a version that includes these songs, try the movie soundtrack or the 1999 Revival Cast (which also includes "I Don't Care Much").

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Perfectly Marvelous Recording, January 7, 2003

By	Wayne Rossi (Mount Holly, NJ United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Ah, Cabaret. The Original Broadway Cast Recording isn't the same as the show you can see on Broadway today, or the 1972 film - but it's still remarkable in its own right. True, the script left out Cliff's bisexuality, but that doesn't really affect the recording. And what a recording it is!

Joel Grey starts matters off with "Willkommen," and this sets the tone for the rest of the recording. Grey, whose impish performance was recreated for the film, is still remarkable fun. His numbers are fun, yes, but they also make brilliant, dark commentary on the show's events - particularly "If You Could See Her," even though that used a compromise line in the very end. Jill Haworth plays the immortal character of Sally Bowles with style, and her rendition of "Cabaret" is stunning. We don't hear much of Bert Convy's Cliff (it's mostly a speaking role), but his solo "Why Should We Wake Up?" is a treat nonetheless.

Then, we have the "comic couple" of the traditional musical - played here by Lotte Lenya and Jack Gilford as Fraulein Schneider and Herr Schultz, respectively. Lenya was a legend, and with good cause - from the first note of "It Couldn't Please Me More," you will doubt that anybody else could ever play Fraulein Schneider. And while I'm not all that fond of "Meeskite," Gilford is wonderful in the beautiful duets "It Couldn't Please Me More" and "Married." It's worth noting that there is some beautiful choral work here, particularly on the song "Tomorrow Belongs to Me" - which is a lovely, lingering number all about the Nazi message. It's with "Tomorrow..." that we really feel the underlying sickness of Cabaret, and its true genius.

There are a few numbers I don't care that much for - "The Money Song" and "Meeskite" in particular (the revival did away with them, so I'm clearly not alone) - but every other number on this recording is solid gold. And even the lesser songs on this album are excellent. Cabaret is, I think, the greatest American musical of all time...and this is as good a starting point as the new recording or the movie on DVD. And if you're a fan of the revival or the film, there's more joy to behold here.

It's worth noting that the album has a great ear for every song, and sounds fresh and crisp - like it was recorded yesterday. This is probably the best album in the Columbia Broadway Masterworks series, in no small part thanks to the fact that Goddard Lieberson produced the original, and his successor Thomas Z. Shepard was behind the remastering. And the great part is, these albums are only $$! So there's no reason not to pick it up.