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 enlarge | Creators: Stephen Sondheim, Raul Esparza, Barbara Walsh, Keith Buterbaugh, Matt Castle, Robert Cunningham, Angel Desai, Kelly Jeanne Grant, Kristin Huffman, Amy Justman
Label: Nonesuch
Category: Music
List Price: $20.98
Buy New: $13.41
You Save: $7.57 (36%)
New (22) Used (7) Collectible (1) from $9.79
Avg. Customer Rating:  58 reviews
Sales Rank: 5859
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.3
Dimensions (in): 5.6 x 5 x 0.7
MPN: 106876
UPC: 075597999136
EAN: 0075597999136
ASIN: B000LV6R4G
Release Date: February 20, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: All products brand new and factory sealed.
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| Customer Reviews:
| Showing reviews 56-58 of 58 | | « PREV 1 ... | | |
 Doyle-izing worked! February 21, 2007
10 out of 13 found this review helpful
First off, let me say that part of the reason for the five stars is because I saw the revival recently and I can honestly say that most of what is done on the cd is EXACTLY like the show. Actors have not dropped their characters just to do a recording.
As for the cd itself...For one thing, John Doyle's concept proves itself on this cd. The score does not sound watered down, but becomes more intimate than ever, which really works for this show. Secondly, "Getting Married Today" never sounded better (or faster) than it does here. As for the accusation that Barbara Walsh cannot get Stritch out of her head, trust me you couldn't be more wrong. Walsh's "Lady's Who Lunch" becomes more biting and bitter than anything before it.
Now on to Raul's Bobby. He does things with this character that boggle the mind as far as his acting goes. As for his singing, I will admit that through a lot of the cd I did not find him to be singing at his best, but when he sings "Being Alive," just try not to melt. It is seriously one of the most beautiful things I've ever heard. And as far as the high note on "Someone is Waiting," just know that it is not Mr. Esparza showing off, it is a choice made by a music director, and it WORKS!
While anyone who loves showtunes or Sondheim should own the original, this is a much welcomed addition, and beats out both of the 1990's recordings by far!
Company Re-Imagined February 21, 2007
9 out of 12 found this review helpful
There are some stunning moments on this recording, especially Raul Esparza singing, "Marry Me a Little" and "Being Alive". The ensemble work is very satisfying. Beyond the vocal talent, the instrumental accompaniment that is provided by the actors is sometimes incredible (but at other times, mediocre).
The least satisfying portion of this show is the deadening dialogue that permeates some of the songs; especially the otherwise wonderful number "Another Hundred People". At least this is a faithful recreation of the problem plaguing the Broadway show.
The orchestrations by Mary-Mitchell Campbell are masterfully done, they have been crafted to fit the playing capabilities of the actors (and part of the fun of the live stage performance); listen to "What Would We Do Without You?" towards the end and realize that there are only a handful of actor/musicians playing instruments while the rest are singing. It is brilliant! I would highly recommend this recording.
3.5 Stars...with an Extra .5 for the Immortal Score February 21, 2007
26 out of 46 found this review helpful
This Broadway revival recording of the seminal Stephen Sondheim score of "Company" is a major disappointment, and this is NOT the best sung recording of this score, as the Amazon reviewer claims. That honor remains with the original cast. To begin with, this recording is bland and a bit mushy. The arrangements are fuzzy and even irritating at times (the jazzy intro to "Side By Side" is the best {worst} example of this). Worse still, the performances are virtually characterless, so one voice melds into another and you don't know who you're listening to. The original had Dean Jones at the top of his game as Bobbie, the immortal Elaine Stritch, the classic trio of Donna McKechnie, Susan Browning and Pamela Myers, the iconic Beth Howland and the underrated Charles Kimbrough at their best. Not all great singers (though Jones, McKechnie and especially Myers belie that assumption), but each actor put a very personal stamp on her / his performance. This recording cannot compare.
Examples abound. "You Could Drive a Person Crazy" literally does that. Aside from lacking the tight, precise harmony of the original, the "do-dos" have been replaced by the instruments played by the performers - big mistake because it robs the song of its off-the-wall quality. In addition, Kelly Jean Grant chooses to punch the line "...likes to pull the hooks out of fish", which robs one of the funniest lyrics in the song its impact by overstating it, a chronic problem on this recording. Raul Esparza does a fair job as Bobbie, but even he can't resist the high note at the end of "Someone is Waiting", which is simply a show-off move. His voice is not up to most of the material, though he does get to sing "Marry Me a Little", a song that should never have been cut from the original, and he does a nice turn on this number. Unfortunately, it seems that Barbara Walsh can't get Elaine Stritch out of her head, which is a surprise, both because she's capable of so much more and she reinforces that Stritch's "Ladies Who Lunch" will never be topped (a belief I don't ascribe to - Stritch was great, but she ain't the only ballgame in town).
Most damaging to this recording are the dialogue passages, which are read with about as much vigor and inflection as the pledge of allegiance in any elementary school. Worse yet, because the book represents vignettes rather than a linear story line, these passages are totally dispensible as they add nothing to the cohesiveness of the score. Most damaging is "Another Hundred People." The dialogue that may work onstage totally destroys the song's structure on this recording. Listen to Pamela Myers on the original to discover a phenomenal song rendered by an extremely talented actor / singer.
So why 4 stars? This is one of Sondheim's most precise and memorable scores. The original, sharp Jonathan Tunick orchestrations are sorely missed, but the score itself remains the magnificent, challenging work it has always been. That alone makes this CD a worthwhile purchase; one that I will listen to again and again and, maybe one day, come to love just as I do the original.
And no, all of you who are damning my review, I am not an OBC purist. I bought this CD at 9AM the morning it was released, wanting to love it because the score is so great and Doyle's "Sweeney Todd" revival of last season was a classic example of reinventing a classic. This recording doesn't cut it, and that's that.
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