Wonderful Town: First Complete Recording (1998 Studio Cast) [CAST RECORDING] [BOX SET]

Leonard Bernstein, Betty Comden, Adolph Green, Wonderful Town (Related Recordings), John Owen Edwards, JAY Masterworks Editions, Rebecca Luker

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 3, 1998)
• Original Release Date: November 3, 1998
• Number of Discs: 2
• Format: Cast Recording, Box set
• Note on Boxed Sets: During shipping, discs in boxed sets occasionally become dislodged without damage. Please examine and play these discs. If you are not completely satisfied, we'll refund or replace your purchase.
• Label: Jay Records
• ASIN: B00000DHY8
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #329,630 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
Recorded in 1998, this two-CD set is a complete document of 1953's Wonderful Town. Rebecca Luker and Karen Mason play Eileen and Ruth Sherwood, the two Ohio transplants trying to make it in New York. Mayhem ensues--and so does love, of course. It must burn many contemporary songwriters that Leonard Bernstein and his lyricists Betty Comden and Adolph Green came up with the entire score in five weeks. Five weeks! The lengthy opening number, "Christopher Street," completely captures the city's raucous energy, and then there's over a dozen others that are just as thrilling, such as "100 Easy Ways," "A Little Bit in Love," "Conga!" and "Swing!" Comden and Green are at their most bitingly funny, and Bernstein's music is a marvel of jazzy syncopation and bursts of brassy energy. The whole thing's a barrel of fun. --Elisabeth Vincentelli

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Complete indeed!, August 28, 2000

By	JCS "oh, the aroma...." (Ann Arbor, MI United States) - See all my reviews

This recording of Wonderful Town is fabluous. Extraordinary playing and singing all the way around. I have just completed a run of this show (as music director/conductor). While I understand those who prefer the orignal w/Rosalind Russell (I have that one, too), this recording in its completeness is unbeatable. Every measure of the score is present on this recording. This is especially helpful, since the available piano vocal score is nearly unplayable at the keyboard due to both scoring and manuscript difficulties. Even with talented rehearsal accompanists, we ended up teaching every bit of the choreography straight from this recording, with virtually no changes in the orchestra once they came in to production. I highly recommend this item, especially if you are thinking of doing this show!

14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful recording, worthy of a classic musical, July 30, 1999

By	"path31783" (NJ) - See all my reviews

Wonderful Town easily ranks among West Side Story, The Music Man, and all the other greatest musicals of the fifties and sixties; why it has been utterly forgotten by most is beyond me. Leonard Bernstein delivers one of the theater's best scores (when has he not?); the overture has more personality than many more successful shows have in their entire scores. This recording is the perfect representation of an amazing show. True, there is nothing particularly wrong with the original; however, this one is even better. Rosalind Russel gave a brilliant performace- or so Im told - but she is fundamentally an actress, and although her voice is passable, she couldnt really do justice to the fantastic songs, chosing to use her personality more than her singing ability in many instances. Nothing wrong with that. But here we have Karen Mason, who, while not as forceful a personality as Russel, has just enough no-nonsense attitude to pull off the part, and boy, can she sing. Rebecca Luker is the perfect Eileen- she combines a lovely voice with ditzy charm, just what her songs require. Ron Raines and Gregg Edelman both sing perfectly. Add to all this the presence of the National Symphony Orchestra, which allows Don Walker's sparkling orchestrations to shine far more than could any pit band, and you have a fantastic recording of Leonard Bernstein's fantastic score.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars At last, a fresh and complete recording of a great show!, February 17, 1999

By A Customer

At long last, a complete recording of "Wonderful Town" has been done. With the best of the new Broadway singers. Rebecca Luker as Eileen is all around passionate and sweet, with a lovely voice and Ron Raines, is brilliant, in a class of the male Broadway stars of the 60's. And with Karen Mason in the Rosalind Russell role of Ruth, gives it a new meaning, Russell was not a singer but Mason is. She puts the comedy where it belongs, in the song and the emotions when needed. She does not merely sing the song, she performs it. There's much more in here than any CD has and with the little more, the story line is there. This is a classic recording, and why not reasemble these performers for a revival. mlop