[dolbinau]

What is the best recording of "Merrily we roll along?"

[Sweeney Hyde]

I think that the Off-Broadway revival is far far far superior to the OBCR....like...it's not even a contest.

[what_the_heck013]

I agree with Sweeney. While the original has better orchestrations, it's really low quality. The new one also has all the changes that (I believe) are in the version that MTI currently licenses and that is frequently performed.

[Sweeney Hyde]

I also think that for the most part the cast in the revival is better sounding than the originals...I do LOVE hearing Jason Alexander sing Sondheim though.

[what_the_heck013]

^Dude, seriously I almost listed that as one of the things I like about the OBC.

But it's one of the

ONLY

things.

[Dvarg]

The OBCR is (as with all SJS shows) obligatory in a cast recording collection. Especially since it's such a legendary flop production. It also has the cut songs.

The Leicester (?) recording has all the transitions, and seems to reflect most of the "definitive" changes, and has Maria Friedman (which I at times love at times hate).

I almost never listen to the off Broadway recording. It has some inexplicable choices (like the substitution of synths for whistling in Growing Up - wtf?), the very un-Mermanesque version of the Merman-parody He's Only A Boy and such. It also has hideous orchestrations. But it has one of the best logos for a Sondheim show, imo