best LM recording

convict24601 · best LM recording

I've heard all 4 English recordings. I like them all very munch and it's hard to choose...So for me, they're all close behind. But here is my order:

1. Tie: TAC and CSR - very complete with strong voices (despite some different opinions i like both casts equally)
2. OBC -Most modern between the OBC and OLC - overall a good cast.
3. OLC - only here because its slower, the sound quality isnt anything to write home about and some of the old wording is confusing... Otherwise, it a great album .. The cast is actually a bit stronger than the OBC.

Fantine

I have heard the TAC, Paris Revival and OFC. Some clips from the CSR.

While the TAC is my fave English recording, I highly enjoyed the OFC too. I think that the OFC is hardly comparable to any of the other recordings because it is so different.

Kragey

I don't mean to be nasty, bu--well, actually, I do. Please spell "Japanese" right.

TAC is overrated.

Fantine

javertsw

I agree, the TAC is overrated.
Some of the performances I dislike, and most of the ones I do like I prefer on other recordings.

The OLC is my favourite:
- My favourite cast. Roger Allam and Frances Ruffelle are perfect in their roles.
- I love the original orchestrations, especially 'Stars'. (Stars should never have been changed!)
- There is so much more passion in this recording than you hear in others. In the TAC, in the chorus numbers, it is a choir trying to sing perfectly. This sounds boring to me. On the OLC, however, all the actors are singing exactly like they would be if they were performing the show on stage.
- I like the slow speed in numbers like 'The Confrontation'.

renthead4402

I chose the CSR just because I like to hear everything. I don't like skipping over things.

digitalxdoll

OLC is mine. I love it.
i find the OBC intolerable.
TAC is good, but i agree its overrated
CSR is quite good, but i don't like Gary Morris.

I also like the OFC, and the Paris recording. I like my Japanese recordings too.

Colle

For me it is a three way tie between the TAC, CSR, and the Japanese Red cast.

The TAC has a special place in my heart because it was how I was introduced to Les Mis. Ruthie Henshall is still one of my favorite Fantine's , and Lea Salonga is still one of my favorite Eponine's. I liked the CSR because it is a recording of the whole show as it was at the time. I brought the Japanese Red Cast because I wanted to hear Kaho Shimada as Eponine in Japanese. She is even stronger in this recording, and the rest of the cast is pretty good for the most part.

Bex

ah for me it's got to be the CRS, mainly because you get the whole thing!! although it is very closerly followed by TAC

Aimee

DarthRevan00m9

CSR rocked the HOUSE!!

LesMisForever

Hello

3 cheers to the most discussed topic Very Happy

My choice is TAC (second would be Paris revival). The OFC is really different, and it should be obtained for the die hard fans.

"L'aire de misere" is an incredible song, and it was the corner-stone for the show according to the composer.

Superstar83

I used to love the TAC but I've grown tired of it lately. I'm not as hugely keen on Lea's Eponine like I used to be, she sounds too posh for my liking (don't hate me!). Her voice is beautiful and lovely, don't get me wrong, but she comes across as too classy in her portrayl. Also, my main problem with TAC is that it just cuts far too much.

I think my favourite recording now days is the CSR. It has more in it than the other recordings do and the cast are great (though I do miss Ruthie Henshall terribly). I like CSR so much too if only because it's the most complete.

convict24601

I agree with all who said that CSR is great because it's complete. I'm a perfectionist (completist) and it's weird listening to the OBC/OLC and in some parts, the TAC with some parts missing. However, I am not that big of a Gary Morris fan (though he has his moments.)

digitalxdoll did bring up a good point - London's recording odes have a very full sound. Especially considering the time that it was made. (The Ensemble is at par with CSR's many times - i e Master of the House.)

What I like about having so many recordings to choose from of the same show is that each recording has somthing good to bring to the table, and each has one thing about it that stands above the rest. (Even the boadway cd )

PS - Kragey - Sorry, I cant spell for beans. I'm guessing theres at least one spelling mistake in this post.

Fantine

Bex

olly

I love the CSR because it is complete, and I love most of the cast, but despise Gary Morris. Philip Quast is my favorite Javert.

The OLC comes next, because mostly I love the slower tempo of the numbers, such as 'The Confrontation', and I love Roger Allam, and the original orchestration of 'Stars'.

Then the TAC because you get to see the singers. I love most actors there - Philip Quast, Colm Wilkinson, Antony Warlowe.

Kragey

flying_pigs

Mine would have to be OLC, it was the first Les Mis I introduced to and is really good in my books. It has some great voices and orginal versions of some songs and original songs too!

However, this recording is not perfect and I, personally, don't think there is such a thing as a perfect recording.

The_Wicked

A paradox indeed... I would have to say (like almost everyone else) the TAC (I like calling it "The DREAM Cast" though). Anyway, Michael Ball is simply amazing as always and I thought he and Lea Salonga had really good chemistry together. I hate OBC Marius. I HATE HIM. Philip Quast is the best Javert I have heard to date because he is just so passionate about his character. Ruthie Henshall is the best Fantine to me. I do like the OBC Cosette better than Judy Khun though. And Frances Ruffelle IS Eponine to me. Lea Salonga has a gorgeous voice but yes I believe she is too proper for Eponine. I LOVE TAC Gavroche to death. And Colm... well Colm is Colm and I love him. He can't play any other part really (oh how he tries though) but he is Valjean to me. He just is.

Colle

For those who say that Lea Salonga is too "classy" as Eponine, I will say I kind of see your point but than I don't. Let me explain more, Lea's overpronoucation at times, especially during "On My Own," are enough to hide how pretty Lea's voice actually is, for me anyway. Also, the anger and thoughness Lea brings to the role, at times, does help too. Still, I believe I can see that Lea's approach would not work for everyone, but it still does for me.

About the cuts in the TAC, since I have seen the show(twice), I agree the cuts are a little disappointing. I would have loved to have seen Lea in the "Robbery" scene and "Eponine's Errand." Micheal Ball is great on the CSR in the "Wedding" scene, so I would have liked to have seen him in that scene. Probably the best part of Judy Kuhn's "In My Life"(where Cosette is trying to get Valjean to talk about there past) was cut too.

DarthRevan00m9

What amazes me is that there are so many different recordings and each one is different in both good and bad ways.

Fantine

DarthRevan00m9

Ya unless you like took all the recordins and some how shoved them onto one big recording lol.

Orestes Fasting

I find the PRC best overall--I think there's only one performance on the whole CD that is anything short of wonderful, which is a higher overall standard than any of the English recordings. Not to mention it sounds beautiful in French, and the finale is indescribable. Mmmmm. I suppose I'd put the TAC second, because while there are some standout singers on it, better individually than their PRC counterparts, there are also some people who annoy the hell out of me, and a couple whom I prefer on other recordings. I also love the Duisburg highlights.

olly

B3TA07

^Michael Maguire.

For me, it's CSR all the way. I think disliking Gary Morris is even more overrated than the TAC. He is great.

The Very Angry Woman

Kragey

The Very Angry Woman

No, not at all! Just make sure you have a cooperating stereo with double tape decks.

Kragey

The Very Angry Woman

Well, I was assuming you were going to do the entire thing the way I did eons ago. (Come on, that's more adventurous.)

Kragey

Adventurous, maybe, but tedious? Math class makes my life tedious enough already.

Not to hijack the thread: for all of the anti-OBC ranting I hear, I think Frances Ruffelle had a strong performance.

B3TA07

Timmy_Wishes he was Quast

Ruffelle and Kaho...they seem to sum up Eponine. I First owned the TAC and liked the characters thoroughly. Lea was therefore my fisrt Eponine, comparing her to Ruffelle and Kaho is like Chalk and Cheese. No doubt Lea has the best "sound" in terms of acuuracy and overall appeal, but the former(s) both seem to have a more niave approach to Eponine, that is more accurate to the novel, particulary when you consider Eponine's dieing words "I think i was a little bit in love with you...." Sad

Quast IS Javert but i love Rodger Allam's interprtation, there is something about his harsh brutality of singing (Bad phrasing but its not a "pleasent" sound as such). Now i struggle when it comes to JVJ, Colm is the original but there is something "About" Garry Morris that makes me think...."YES" at some points, but Colm still holds the definitive BHH. Barry James is a Chilling Thenardier, much darker than the bubbly charcater protayed by Alun Armstrong. The same can be said of Gay Soper, although i prefer her over Jenny Galloway and Sue Jane Tanner because her voice is shrill to annoy anyone and you can see how people can suffer at her hands! Anthony Warlow is Enjolras, I WOULD die for him!!! Cossette has to be Rebecca Caine (OLC) she just soars through the notes like they don't exist! WOW! Most other Cosettes in my opinion become shrill and winny! (wasn't Judy Kuhn OBC Cossette ,The_Wicked?!) Marius...well Micheal Ball is good, although i do like to hear different interprtations (OBC and Manchester Highlights) he probably is the definitive Marius! I think i've covered most of the roles there! Mine is probably the CSR as it is the ENTIRE show!!!
Though i wish I could have the following cast on recording:
JVJ : Sean Kingsley! (i know not mentioned above but he took you through every step on JVJ's reformation!)
Javert: Quast
M.T : Gay Soper
T : Barry James
Ep. : Ruffelle
Enj. : Anthony Warlow
Mar. : Ball
Cos. : Caine

The_Wicked

I suppose she was... Kudos to you for pointing that out to me. She just sounds better on the OBC I guess. Although she has a completely different quality to her voice... I just can't pinpoint it... I agree Frances Ruffelle has her best sound on the OBC and I think she owns that role too. Although I do genuinely like her voice. It's pretty to me. I found out HIS name... David Bryant. Well David Bryant can burn in hell because he ruined that character!!! AGGGHHHH!!! I'm cool. I also like Leo Burmester as Thenardier. He just creeped the devil outta me.

The Very Angry Woman

Timmy_Wishes he was Quast

Whoops...thanx for the spelling error! I shall amend my post!

Kragey

I don't see Frances' Eponine as naive at all...however, hearing her live is very different from hearing her on a studio recording. Kaho, however, was definitely a more "innocent" and misunderstood Eponine, and she's one of my favorite portrayals.

Now, considering that Frances Ruffelle is like the definitive Eponine, I still think Sutton Foster absolutely owned the part. Nobody got me more in to the character than her, nor has anyone ever belted out "On My Own" so perfectly.

It's rather harsh to say someone can "burn in Hell" for portraying a character in a manner you don't like. I wasn't fond of his Marius, but his voice isn't horrible. I didn't like Terrence Mann's Javert, either, but I'm not running around damning him for it.

Elin

My favorites:
Prague 2004 (live and complete)
Stockholm
Paris revival
Concept album

Moci

olly

Is there a recording, besides the TAC, with Michael Maguire as Enjolras?

Mademoiselle Lanoire

flying_pigs

Bex

going back to the point about fav eponine's in my mind Kaho is fantastic! not only is her devlivery of practically every note ideal, she doesnt even speak english!

It's during 'on my own' in the CSR on 'pretending' it sends shivers down my spine every time! it sums up the song in one word!

The_Wicked

To Kragey: Obviously I'm not actually damning someone to burn in Hell for their portrayal of a fictitious character. I'm simply being dramatic (as actors are quite prone to doing) and saying that he was simply... poor in the part. I am sorry if I gave you the wrong impression. And I completely agree with you on Sutton Foster. Never have I heard "On My Own" sung so well. By anyone. Ever. Sutton Foster is amazing and I wish there was a recording of her as Eponine but, alas, there is not...

To Mademoiselle Lanoire: Yes, thank you we have already established that. *see 7 posts above yours*

Kragey

LesMisForever

Hello

I am not fan of Frances. I am Lea's fan. But i have to agree with "Kragey". Based on the live clips i have seen, she is much better than on the cast recordings.

convict24601

Please... Send me those live Frances clips. I'd love to hear them.

Kragey

Sairin

Out of these, Paris Revival. I rather like the TAC for my Ruthie Henshall and Philip Quast though.

eponinelover

Hi. I picked Paris Revival, because I like Robert Marion. Actually, I don't have any problem with the whole cast except Stephanie Martin. Her scream in Attack On Rue Plumet makes me cringe, but her Mon Histoire isn't that bad. It's just I think her voice is too sweet for an Eponine to me.
I also like the CSR, but Gary Morris also makes me cringe. Kaho is my fav Eponine, but, again, I don't like her scream. I'd have to say my favorite scream is on the OLC (Frances Rufelle) My fav JVJ is Colm, my fav Enjie is Anthony Warlow, my fav Cosette is Judy Cunn, and my fav Marius is Michael Ball.
As incredible as it may seem, I do not own the TAC, but I have borrowed it from the library, both in CD and VHS.

The Very Angry Woman

Fantine

Mademoiselle Lanoire

Fantine

No not really actually, I just found it amusing.

I didn't quite like her on the TAC... But that's it. I think she's amazing as Pocahontas.

happyguava

I love the CSR. You get to hear the whole thing, and it has dear Anthony Warlow Very Happy

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