curlyhairedsoprano91
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Topic which will likely Fail -- Compare Recordings!I saw this on Abaisse ... which I am not a member of, but y'all probably are. This may qualify as a dead-horse thread. But hey, I'm bored and kind of sick. So, whatever.
Pick two recordings ... or more ... at least two, and go role by role and compare the talent. I, as of yet, only have English versions, so I'm boring. But if this, indeed, is not a dead-horse thread, and people actually decide to post here, don't hesitate to bring in different languages.
Recordings:
OBC
TAC
OLC
CSR
Valjean: Tie OBC and OLC
Same guy. Colm is Colm, and, while he's not my favorite Valjean ever, he's pretty darn good. ... Well, he was pretty darn good. Until his vocal cords started sounding about 90. Which was around the TAC recording ...
Javert: TAC
Quast is basically perfect in his TAC performance. WAY better than on the CSR (except for Stars).
Fantine: TAC
RUTHIE. Patti LuPone is pretty good, I think. But I think Ruthie's voice is gorgeous.
Cosette: OLC
Rebecca Caine just sounds perfect for the part. ...Perfect. I love Judy, but Rebecca's voice is sweeter, which works for Cosette. Very well. And Tracy Shayne just sucks. At the beginning, it's like, "okay, this isn't so terrible ..." but then her voice just progresses further and further into her nose and AUGH!!
Marius: TAC
I know Michael Ball was on the TAC, CSR, and OLC, but since we're going by specific performance and not by performer ... his voice matured really really nicely between 1989 and 1995, and his TAC Marius was emotionally rich. And amazing.
Eponine: OLC
Frances was good on both the OLC and the OBC, but some of her pronunciations were really weird on the OBC. And her "Plumet Attack" on the OLC was pretty spectacular.
Enjolras: OBC
With the exception of his massively failed "we shall overcome their power" when he basically choked on his own voice, Maguire on the OBC was really, really awesome. Especially the "one more day before the storm." ... Wow.
Thenardiers: TIE TAC and CSR.
The chemistry between Armstrong and Galloway was great. And they're very Hugoesque. But ... I like Gay Soper and Barry James (that was his name, right?) a lot.
Gavroche: CSR
Ross McCall. Love his voice.
Little Cosette: OBC
Donna Vivino was pretty rockin'. Little girl with a head-voice, woohoo!
Grantaire: OBC
Crivello is awesomeness. And he sounds waaay more drunk on the OBC than on the TAC.
Also, I basically hate the OBC Montparnasse. He sounds like a 60-year-old chain smoker. It made me cry a little inside.
Anyway ... it looks like I like the OBC the best. Except I don't, 'cause David Bryant killed it.
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lesmisloony
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From my abandoned xanga:
Monday, June 27, 2005
Okay, I'm feeling like a dork, so I'll just go ahead and put this... I've been listening to all my LM CD's, to the Attack on Rue Plumet, and I'm deciding which of the Patron-Minette are the best. So here it is-
TAC: I love Babet, the nasal little guy in the top hat. He's exactly my vision of Babet, and he's what I use for Babet in Charmer of the Shadows. I think he's perfect.
I adore Montparnasse... he's really hot. He's the one in the brown Enjy vest. I don't like his clothes, but he's still hot and a good 'Parnasse.
I like Brujon, but I would like him better as Gueulemer. Assuming that they replaced Gueulemer with Brujon because it was easier to say, then he's perfect. A really big scary guy with a deep voice... He's my inspiration for Gueulemer in Charmer.
Claquesous... you've got to be kidding me. That little hyper guy is supposed to be the Phantom-esque ventriloquist who's face is never seen? Pur-leez.
As for all Montparnasses:
OLC: Same guy as the TAC = very good. Possibly my favourite.
OBC: HAHAHA! You've got to be kidding me. He's more of a Gueulemer.
CSR: Not bad. Probably my second favourite.
PRC: Pretty ridiculous. He sounds like those guys on the Michael Ball Chitty CD who sing "Get Vulgar" or whatever that song is. BUT in French he has two whole lines! Not only the equivalent of "Go home, Ponine, go home, you're in the way!" but he says "V'la son terier!" at the beginning of the song.
Anyway, that's my appraisal of the TAC Patron-Minette and every other Montparnasse I can think of. I don't think he says anything on the OFCA, though. I should check... *wanders away*
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mastachen
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Are we limited to legal recordings?
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curlyhairedsoprano91
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Teehee. Not necessarily.
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mastachen
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Ahh well, in that case:
Valjean: John Owen-Jones. I have one of him from 2005. His Bring Him Home is orgasmic.
Javert: Philip Quast TAC - need I say more?
Fantine: Lea Salonga - Broadway - I love everything about her performance.
Enjolras: Aaron Lazar - Same audio as the Lea Salonga one.
Marius: Hayden Tee - 2005 audio
Thernardier: Barry James - CSR - To me, this guy is probably the best recorded Thernardier that I have.
Madame Thernardier: Jenny Galloway - TAC - She's hilarious. In every way.
Eponine: MARISSA MCGOWAN!!!!!!!!!!!! Her singing, I think, is beautiful. I had the good fortune of seeing her live, and she's a wonderful actress. And she was really nice 
Cosette: Rebecca Caine - OLC
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curlyhairedsoprano91
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Well, obviously JOJ. I was comparing the recordings I own ... but JOJ is basically WOW.
And I like the CSR Gavroche a lot ... perhaps more than OBC...*adds him*
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Vanessa20
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These are my for-the-moment opinions. They're subject to change.
Recordings:
OFCA
OBC
CSR
TAC
Paris revival
Duisburg
Valjean: Tie OBC and Paris revival
I still haven't heard my ideal Valjean on recording, but OBC Colm and Robert Marien probably come the closest. I prefer the smoothness of Robert's voice, but he doesn't have Colm's weight or maturity.
Javert: Tie CSR and TAC
Quast is the best. I like him equally well on both recordings, though for some reason I've been listening more to his TAC "Stars" lately.
Fantine: Tie TAC and Duisburg
Ruthie and Cornelia Drese are both incredible.
Cosette: Tie OBC and Duisburg
Judy and Deborah Dutcher are probably my overall favorites, though I like Rebecca too.
Marius: CSR
I love all of Michael Ball's performances, but I think the CSR is the overall best, even though he's more emotional in the TAC. On the OLC his voice is a little thin in places and in the TAC he's a little too old.
Eponine: Paris revival
Stephanie Martin is the easiest Eponine to listen to. Her voice isn't shrill, breathy or rough, but I don't associate it with Disney princesses either.
Enjolras: Tie OBC, CSR and Duisburg
I can't decide. I love Maguire, Warlow and Martin Berger, even though they're totally different from each other.
Thenardiers: TAC
I agree that Armstrong and Galloway are the overall best, even though Leo Burmester and Barry James are scarrier than Armstrong is.
Gavroche: Tie OFCA, OBC and CSR
Fabrice Bernard is the best "street-tough" Gavroche, while Braden Danner and Ross McCall are the best "cute" Gavroches.
Little Cosette: Tie OBC and CSR
I can't decide whether I prefer Donna Vivino's "cuter" voice or Marissa Dunlop's "prettier" voice. I like them both.
Grantaire: Tie OBC and Paris revival
I agree that Crivello is awesome, but Renaud Maux blows me away with how well he conveys Grantaire's character, even to a non-French speaker like me.
My favorite recording is the TAC and my least favorite is the OLC, but I like them all and probably listen to them all equally often.
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EponineMNFF
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Ooh this is fun! I think I'll restrain myself to legal recordings. <.< >.> <.<
Recordings:
OBC
OLC
TAC
OFCR
I'm not even comparing with the CSR because the cast sucks so much.
Valjean: TAC
I adore Colm Wilkinson. I adore him so much that I named a major character in my fanfic after him. I know; I'm creepy. Anyway, I think he's fantastic, but he gets a LOT better over those ten years.
Javert: TAC
I just love Quast. Love love love him. And I like him more on the TAC, maybe because I can see him on the dvd, so it's more emotional.
Fantine: TAC
I don't really have an explanation for this one. I just like her. Haha.
Cosette: OLC
Just because I really dislike Judy Kuhn as Cosette. The CSR hardly even counts.
Marius: TAC
I agree with everything curlyhairedsoprano91 said.
Eponine: French Concept Recording
The first time I heard her sing, I didn't really like her voice, but it really grew on me. I think it's cool for the character.
Enjolras: TAC
I love Maguire. My basic theory is that everybody got better by the TAC.
Thenardiers: TAC
Agree with curlyhairedsoprano91
Gavroche: French concept recording
I LOVE THIS KID! I don't know why. I just love his voice for the role.
Little Cosette: OLC
Her voice is so said and tiny. I don't have that much of a preference though, as long as it's not the CSR.
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Kragey
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| EponineMNFF wrote: | | Ooh this is fun! I think I'll restrain myself to legal recordings. <.< >.> <.< |
Ditto, although I have to step out of bounds a bit for some of them, like JOJ and Sutton Foster. =X I'm ignoring the school version.
TAC = Tenth Anniversary Concert
CSR = Completely Symphonic Recording
CO = Copenhagen
CZ = Czech
DU = Duisburg
FC = French Concept Album
JB = Japanese Blue
JA = Japanese Rec
MA = Madrid
NE = Netherlands
NHS05 = My Highschool!
OBC = Original Broadway
OLC = Original London
PR = Paris Revival
SW = Swedish
TV = Tel Aviv
VI = Vienna
And I'm going to be lazy and not list reasons right now.
Valjean: JOJ </fangirl>
Javert: CSR
Fantine: VI
Cosette: TV, OLC
Marius: NHS05, CSR, PR
Eponine: Sutton Foster, OLC, CSR
Enjolras: CSR (HOLYSHITWARLOW!!!)
Thenardiers: CSR, NHS05
Gavroche: OBC
Little Cosette: No real preference, to be honest, as long as they look cute and don't screech like miniature harpies.
Wow, I didn't even need to write half of that crap. OFF TO THE SLOE GIN I GO!
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Quique
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I'll copy Kragey, as I am also lazy, lol.
Valjean: Randall Keith
Javert: CSR
Fantine: Elinore O'Connell (2nd NT)
Cosette: TAC
Marius: Rodrigo de la Rosa (Mexico)
Eponine: Sutton Foster (3rd NT)
Enjolras: CSR
Thenardiers: Drew Eshelman (Broadway & 1st NT) and Gina Ferrall (Broadway; 1st, 2nd and 3rd NT)
Gavroche: CSR
Young Cosette: CSR
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windbelle
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I'll also copy the above ones, plus one note: ADC = Australia Day Concert.
Valjean: JOJ, SW
Javert: TAC
Fantine: Lea Salonga, Debbie Byrne(ADC)
Cosette: OLC, Marina Prior (ADC)
Marius: CSR, SW
Eponine: Sutton Foster, OLC, PR, Linzi Hately
Enjolras: CSR and ADC, FC, Aaron Lazar, Kevin Earley
Thenardiers: TAC
Gavroche: TAC, ADC
Young Cosette: TAC
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soph-les-mis
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hmm, I must really listen to the other recordings.. I only have TAC 
but to supplement this thread, I could say that the whole cast in the TAC is brilliant. Though I don't really fancy Colm that much.. He is a good singer, and I don't have a problem listening to him, but JOJ's voice is so much more powerful, in a way.. I can't explain it. I just think Colm's voice is a bit too old. Maybe I should listen more to his younger singing.
I have until recently never heard anyone sing Javert better than Philip Quast, and I've spent too much time on YouTube searching, without result. Philip is just THE Javert. 
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soph-les-mis
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hmm, I must really listen to the other recordings.. I only have TAC
but to supplement this thread, I could say that the whole cast in the TAC is brilliant. Though I don't really fancy Colm that much.. He is a good singer, and I don't have a problem listening to him, but JOJ's voice is so much more powerful, in a way.. I can't explain it. I just think Colm's voice is a bit too old. Maybe I should listen more to his younger singing.
I have until recently never heard anyone sing Javert better than Philip Quast, and I've spent too much time on YouTube searching, without result. Philip is just THE Javert.
I think I'll wait with the others until I've heard the rest..
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javertim
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VALJEAN
English: Colm Wilkinson (OBC)
Overall: Robert Marien (PRC)
JAVERT
English: Philip Quast (TAC) or Roger Allam (OLC)
Overall: Patrick Rocca (PRC)
FANTINE
English: Ruthie Henshall (TAC)
Overall: Louise Pitre (PRC)
YOUNG COSETTE
English: Zoe Hart (OLC)
Overall: Girl on the PRC
MADAME THENARDIER
English: Jenny Galloway (TAC) or Jennifer Butt (OBC)
Overall: Mary-France Roussell (PRC)
THENARDIER
English: Alun Armstrong (OLC) or Barry James (CSR)
Overall: Laurent Gendron (PRC)
GAVROCHE
Braden Danner (OBC)
Overall: Boy on the OFC
ENJOLRAS
English: Anthony Warlow
Overall: See above
MARIUS
English: Michael Ball (CSR)
Overall: Jerome Pradon (PRC)
EPONINE
English: I like them all
Overall: Stephanie Martin (PRC)
GRANTAIRE
English: Like them all
Overall: I'm going to say Clive Carter (OLC) because he doesn't turn Grantaire into a babbling clown.
I'd say the TAC is the best English recording, although I really love the OLC and -- to a lesser extent -- the CSR. Overall, though, absolutely nothing beats the PRC.
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Orestes Fasting
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And Cosette...?
(Not to mention that as good as the PRC is, nothing excuses the way Patrick Rocca mumbled his way through the role.)
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Quique
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I <3 Louise Pitre from the PRC.
Also, most of the Japanese 1994 blue cast recording Cosette has a lovely, rich voice.
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Timmy_Wishes he was Quast
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Am i the only one who compares random characters like the Factory foreman?
I don't like the CSR foreman, he's not "Butch" enough. As much as i enjoy McCarthy live, i'm not a fan of him on the TAC, i like the OLC.
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curlyhairedsoprano91
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| Timmy_Wishes he was Quast wrote: | Am i the only one who compares random characters like the Factory foreman?
I don't like the CSR foreman, he's not "Butch" enough. As much as i enjoy McCarthy live, i'm not a fan of him on the TAC, i like the OLC. |
I liked a lot of the minor parts on the TAC ... I liked the foreman, Montparnasse, Feuilly, the bishop, and the old hag ("what you think you're at, hangin' round me pitch?"). I liked the pimp ("leave the poor old cow! Move it, Madeleine!") on the OBC kind of a lot.
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javertim
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| Orestes Fasting wrote: | And Cosette...?
(Not to mention that as good as the PRC is, nothing excuses the way Patrick Rocca mumbled his way through the role.) |
Poor Cosette. My favorite is Rebecca Caine from the OLC.
You know, when I first got into Les Mis and obtained the PRC, I didn't like Rocca very much. I thought he just sounded bland. However, with time I have grown to really love his performance. So straight-forward and powerful. And I love the operatic take on Javert -- Rocca really has a voice! I honestly don't know what you mean by "mumbled his way through the role." I think his reading is very true to the spirit of the character.
Quast, for all his ingenuity and brilliance, is far from the character that Hugo wrote. I know this is a musical and a totally different art form from that which is the epic original, but that's how I usually weigh my favorites: faithfulness to the author's intent. That Javert is cold, unemotional, and almost robotic -- Rocca has this covered by his delivery. However, Javert should also make you feel uneasy and utterly exposed, as that's the effect he has on Valjean. I feel that the nonstop power of Rocca's voice accomplishes this feat in spades.
But that's just what I think ...
P.S.: Cornelia Dresse (Duisburg recording) and Gema Castano (Madrid) are also really amazing Fantines. I'd be fine with with either one of them or Pitre.
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lesmisloony
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I cannot STAND PRC!Javert. His vibratto is ridiculous and makes his stuff unlistenable, imo. And overall, the PRC is my definite favourite recording, the one I listen to more or less 24/7, so it hurts to keep skipping Stars...
OFCA!Javert, Jacques Mercier, makes me giggle uncontrollably. He's so... rabid.
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Kragey
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| soph-les-mis wrote: | | Though I don't really fancy Colm that much... |
Great actor, but his voice drives me up a wall. It's kind of like Angela Lansbury though: she drives me nuts when I first hear her singing something, but after listening to her sing and getting used to it, I really like her...mostly because, again, the acting rubs out the not-so-great singing.
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curlyhairedsoprano91
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I am full well ready to be stoned for this, however ...
I think Colm's singing is way better than his acting. Perhaps that's only because I only saw the TAC, and I've heard his voice sounding way better than it did there. But his "Bring Him Home" on the TAC ... contrary to having me in tears, I was trying so hard not to laugh. Because his acting was so overdone.
However ... JOJ pwns. 
Just my tuppence!
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Kragey
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| curlyhairedsoprano91 wrote: | | However ... JOJ pwns. |
Well, obviously.
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lesmisloony
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Listening to the closing Bway cast right now... I'd forgotten how much I loved Randal Keith! He has such a rich voice, like... I want to fall from a great height and land on it...
*needs sleep*
But, I mean... forserious. JOJ = love, but... so does RK...
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EponineMNFF
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| lesmisloony wrote: | Listening to the closing Bway cast right now... I'd forgotten how much I loved Randal Keith! He has such a rich voice, like... I want to fall from a great height and land on it...
*needs sleep*
But, I mean... forserious. JOJ = love, but... so does RK... |
RANDALKEITHLOVE
For serious. I adore that guy.
You know who else's Valjean I loved?
VICTOR HAWK OMG
I saw him understudy in June and I was blown away. He had me in tears by "What Have I Done." He did flub a line or two, though. It was kind of amusing, because I was mouthing along and then suddenly oh so thrown off. But still. Victor Hawk seriously owns my soul. The fact that he can sing Valjean and also sang Brujon so low blows my mind.
EDIT: Rereading that post, I realize that it should probably be in the fangirling thread. Oh well. <.< >.> <.<
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lesmisloony
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Waitwaitwait... was he that Brujon who just sort of... growled the whole part in a no-key limbo?
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bigR
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I always find impossible to compare someone I have watched perform (even if it is only a video or a concert like TAC) with someone I have only listened to.
Sometimes someone has a really expresive voice that works really well on a recording, but when you see them in a video they leave you cold, because they are bad actors or you just don't like their performances, and what you see influences how you listen to them.
It also works the other way round. They are voices I know would make me not like the actors if it was just a recording. For example Adam Jacobs, even though I really like his marius when I watch it.
And I'm talking just videos and audios recordings. If you've seen someone live the difference is even bigger. There is something that never comes through in a recording and then, some actors seem to lose more strengh from live to video than others
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lesmisloony
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| Quote: | Sometimes someone has a really expresive voice that works really well on a recording, but when you see them in a video they leave you cold, because they are bad actors or you just don't like their performances, and what you see influences how you listen to them.
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*coughTerrenceManncough*
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