Sweeney Hyde
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Which Recording Has the Best Orchestrations?I, much like Quique, am a huge stickler when it comes to orchestrations. I was just curious which orchestra you all prefer of the many many recording there are of the show?
If you could please tell me your favorite of the English language recordings and the foriegn recordings and then best between the two groups I would love you very much!
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lesmisloony
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I'd say the TAC and CSR are the best I've heard. In that order.
*shrugs*
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Vanessa20
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I like the TAC best overall, though I might prefer the CSR's faster tempos in some places.
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Anno_Domini
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Uh, sorry but could you give me the de-acronymed versions of "TAC" and "CSR"
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Sweeney Hyde
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Tenth Anniversary Concert and Complete Symphonic Recording
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Orestes Fasting
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I love the orchestrations on the Belgian recording.
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Quique
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Well, they all have the same John Cameron orchestrations (with the exception of some slightly different ones in the Belgian album), so to me, it's really a question of which recording features a better mixing job.
I can't choose just one, but the Paris revival, Belgian, Duisburg, and original Swedish all boast fantastic audio engineering.
Amongst the English language ones, the OBC recording is clearer and better mixed, though the CSR beats all others in terms of orchestra size, obviously. Though its mixing is quite poorly done--it's all strings and anything else can barely be heard, especially the woodwinds and guitars.
I don't think I dislike any recording though, even the ones that have terrible mixing (Austrian album, anyone?). They all have their own unique feel and 'flavor.'
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Quique
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Least favorites include:
Dutch album - The orchestra sounds like it's 7368378763 miles away. Such a shame since it sounds gorgeous.
10th Anniversary Concert: You can barely hear the string ensemble.
Madrid album: They merely used the orchestral tracks originally recorded for the Danish album.
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Orestes Fasting
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| Quique wrote: | | I don't think I dislike any recording though, even the ones who have terrible mixing (Austrian album, anyone?). |
The mixing was just one of that album's problems. And I'm not even talking about the really regrettable lyrics this time--CAPSLOCK!JAVERT, anyone?
(Besides, the mixing on the Dutch one was worse. Yeeech.)
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Quique
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Hahaha, yes, Austrian Javert's screaming his own name is annoying.
I agree. The Dutch one is indeed worse. Even the vocals are badly engineered and mixed. Sounds like the vocals were recorded in a cardboard box.
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Moci
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I always listen to the Paris recording for orchestrations, the Belgian which is a close second sounds better in the 'big' moments (One Day More, DYHTPS etc.), but I always think that Paris is better overall as it's more delicate when required as opposed to the always present 'oomph' in the Antwerp recording.
Talking about the orchestra on the CSR, does anyone else reckon that the orchestra is a bit 'off' in On My Own- particularly the harp which doesn't sound as if it's playing correctly all the time?
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Quique
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| Moci wrote: | | Talking about the orchestra on the CSR, does anyone else reckon that the orchestra is a bit 'off' in On My Own- particularly the harp which doesn't sound as if it's playing correctly all the time? |
The harp player needs to have her fingers cut off. XD She did a terrible job! Sounds like she had oil on her fingers, lol.
Also the guitar is barely audible in most of the recording, and the few times it is heard, only the upper registers are captured, which results in a 'pingy,' shrill sound.
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Kragey
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The TAC has the best orchestration. CSR could've been great, but like Q said, it's poorly mixed.
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Sweeney Hyde
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Is there anything specific about the TAC recording besides the size of the orchestra and mixing that make it so superior?
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Quique
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More observations:
The Argentine *coughsoundboardcough* is a must for any orchestration fan. While it's not professionally mixed, it beautifully captures the live show's sound design. Most of the instruments are clearly heard, as are the vocals. Unfortunately, my copy has a lot of clicks and pops in it, but that's forgivable considering it's not an official album.
The TAC is excellent for listening to the often obscured guitar. Though you can't hear the harp, which is a shame as John Cameron has beautifully harmonized it with the guitar.
Has anyone heard the guitar during Fantine's arrest (during the exchange between Valjean and Fantine)? Absolutely friggen gorgeous. Most recordings tuck them away in the background, but it can be heard clearly on the Argentine and Paris revival albums (well, not Fantine's arrest but during the "freedom is mine" section of the prologue), and somewhat clear on the TAC album.
I can't rave enough about the Paris revival album. Absolute engineering perfection. The Belgian one is thrilling as well. The Swedish one does a very poor job mixing the vocals (they sound shrill), and the overall tempo is rushed, but they've mixed the orchestra suberbly.
The OLC and Israeli albums have a warmth to them that I love. Though too bad the OLC recoding has a tiny string ensemble.
The CSR sounds echoey and distant. The mixing consists of left to right mixing. Almost as if they split the whole thing into two tracks and placed them extreme right and left with no middle. The brass is very nice, but, as I mentioned before, the woodwinds, guitar, and harp are tucked away in the distance somewhere. The strings are often too loud. There is very little warmth and bass in this recording. This would be OK if it were a live recording, but it's not. In fact, it's very reminiscent of the live Japanese recordings (which, btw, I love). Studio albums should have a higher standard of quality.
Omg, I LOVE this topic! lol.
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