The Sound of Music (1959 Original Broadway Cast) [CAST RECORDING]

Theodore Bikel, The Sound Of Music (Related Recordings), Rodgers & Hammerstein, Mary Martin

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 15, 1998)
• Original Release Date: November 1959
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Cast Recording
• Label: Sony
• ASIN: B00000AG6Y
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (36 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #9,331 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Most of the civilized world identifies this Rodgers and Hammerstein classic with the Robert Wise film, one of the most successful movie musicals of all time ("The Sound of Money," critic Pauline Kael termed it). Which is why this recording can be so disconcerting. Not only are there different tunes ("How Can Love Survive," "Laendler," "No Way to Stop It," but no "Confidence" or "Something Good," both written for the film), but Captain Von Trapp is played by heavyset folksinger Theodore Bikel, a far cry from young Christopher Plummer. Mary Martin was not only much older than the film's Julie Andrews, she wasn't even British! Then again, neither was the real Maria--and the stage version is, in many ways, more faithful to the Von Trapp Family Singers' true story. --Bill Holdship

Product Description

Asian Exclusive! Gold Edition of the 1965 original soundtrack written by Rodgers & Hammerstein features 22 tracks including a bonus disc of 6 Music Box Version tracks: 'Do-Re-Mi', 'Edelweiss', 'The Sound Of Music', 'The Lonely Goatherd', 'So Long, Farewell' & 'Sixteen Going On Seventeen'. RCA. 2005. --This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars PURE BROADWAY MAGIC!, September 2, 2000

By	Peter Prainito (Lombard, IL USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Nowadays most people are familiar with the SOUND OF MUSIC from the wonderful 1965 motion picture starring Julie Andrews, which just received it's DVD debut this August. The DVD along with the 35TH Anniversary Edition (2 CD) Motion Picture Soundtrack, also recently released, are real winners.

But how many people have heard the 1959 Original Broadway Cast recording starring Mary Martin? Not as many, I suspect. The subject of this review is a treasure that any true SOUND OF MUSIC buff MUST own. This digitally re-mastered recording sounds so fresh and vibrant that you would think it was just recorded!

Mary Martin's singing is lovely and constrasts nicely with that of Julie Andrews. As with most Broadway musicals, there are several songs that were not in the movie: "How Can Love Survive", "No Way to Stop It", and "An Ordinary Couple", which are all great. You won't find "I Have Confidence" or "Something Good" here, since these songs were written by Richard Rodgers alone (Oscar Hammerstein had already passed away) for the motion picture. No big loss in my opinion, as these songs are rather weak anyway.

The liner notes that come with the CD are informative, complete with cast photos. Along with the soundtrack come two bonus tracks which are like icing on the cake. My favorite is a beautifully performed orchestral medley lasting 16 minutes called "The Sound of Music-A Symphonic Picture for Orchestra". The other bonus track is a lively rendition of "Do-Re-Mi" performed by the Mitch Miller choir and the Sound of Music kids. Did I mention that this CD is at a bargain price too?

With all it has going for it, this SOUND OF MUSIC is worth it's weight in gold. This is a disc that you will return to often with the greatest of pleasure. HIGHLY, HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is the real deal, March 31, 2000

By	Douglas A. Greenberg (Berkeley, CA USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Julie Andrews was the definitive Eliza Doolittle (and should have played her in the movie version of "My Fair Lady"), but the role of Maria in "The Sound of Music" belongs to the Queen of the Broadway Musical, Mary Martin. What a voice! What delivery! The stage version of the *musical aspects* of "The Sound of Music" simply outshines the Hollywood version, in my opinion. Not only is this because of the stellar performances by Mary Martin and Theodore Bikel, but because for some strange reason, the producers of the movie removed some fine songs (e.g., "There's No Way To Stop It") and substituted cheesy and unmemorable ones in their place. Why? The movie was a highly entertaining presentation of the *story* of the von Trapp family, but if you want a cd that presents the best version of the *music* from this terrific show, get the Broadway version!

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If you grew up with the movie, you may want to stick with it, July 24, 2001

By	Bradley Cooper "brubis" (Santa Monica, CA United States) - See all my reviews

While I am a HUGE fan of this recording of "The Sound of Music," I fully understand why people are passionate about the film soundtrack. I have many friends who grew up watching the film, own the soundtrack and have never heard the Original Cast Album. I have never urged them to listen to this album because I know they will not enjoy it. Unfortunately, they don't know what they're missing. While Mary Martin's voice, for some, takes some getting used to, she does a wonderful job with Maria's songs. This "Do-Re-Mi" is almost exactly the same as the film version and, in my opinion, exceeds it. I prefer Theodore Bikel's Captain to Plummer's. Naturally there are also the wonderful "How Can Love Survive?" and "No Way to Stop It" to recommend this album. But the main reason for fans of the show, film and musicals in general to listen to this album is the wondrous Patricia Neway! In "Maria" and especially in the rousing rendition of "Climb Ev'ry Mountain," she sings circles around the inferior Peggy Wood (Was Wood dubbed?)! Neway alone is reason enough to listen to this original, wonderful recording of one of Rodgers and Hammerstein's lesser shows that somehow became the most popular musical of all time (through its film version).