Ragtime - The Musical (1998 Original Broadway Cast)
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Free Music Notes for Ragtime - The Musical (1998 Original Broadway Cast)
Free Music Review: Brian Stokes Mitchell and Audra McDonald! Enough Said!
Hit: 5 Stars
Growing up in North Carolina has not allowed me to see any shows on Broadway. I have never seen this show, and only bought it after watching the PBS special, "Creating Ragtime." I've had it since this summer and saying that I love it doesn't go far enough. I love it! I'm obsessed! I'm fanatical over it! In particular, this show features the talents of two of the most talented African-American performers around. If you don't know who I'm talking about, I'll put it this way. Brian Stokes Mitchell (Coalhouse Walker Jr.) and Audra McDonald (Sarah. Enough said! Those two magnificent voices will literally send chills down your spine and cover you with goosebumps from head to toe. (If you need more proof, purchase "George Gershwin: The 100th Birthday Celebration featuring Michael Tilson Thomas, The San Francisco Symphony, and these two gifted singers singing songs from 'Porgy and Bess.'" They are amazing together. These two recordings will make you believers, I'm sure.) Who knew that the man who played Trevor on "Fresh Prince of Bel Air" was blessed with such a wonderful voice? The man is my idol. And the beautiful McDonald is only 28 years old, and she has deservedly been awared three Tony Awards, including one for her role as Sarah in "Ragtime." (By the way, who was that actor who beat BSM for the Tony? I'll never be convinced that he deserved it over Stoke's performance.)When you buy it, immerse yourself in the entire album! It's great! But if you want a special treat, check out the songs, "His Name Was Coalhouse Walker," "Gettin' Ready Rag," "Henry Ford," "Your Daddy's Son," "The Courtship," "New Music," "Wheels of a Dream," "The Trashing of the Car," "Justice," "President," and "Till We Reach That Day" from the first disc. Then put on the second disc and take a listen to "Coalhouse's Soliloquy," "Coalhouse Demands," "Sarah Brown Eyes," "He Wanted To Say," "Look What You've Done," and finally, "Make Them Hear You." There'll be goosebumps. I promise.Free Music Review: THIS should be the way musicals appear on CD!
Hit: 5 Stars
The wonderful thing about this recording is that nearly the entire show is captured on disc. Often with cast recordings, so much occurs between the songs that the essence of the show is diluted. Here, you really get a sense of the operatic scope of the production.All the other reviews justly laud the performers...they sing while acting amazingly well. I don't have much to add there. Believe the hype...they're awesome.
I'd like to compare this to the previous iteration of the show. "Ragtime" was originally released as a "highlights" style single disc. The opening song was edited, as was the closer. It appeared a year or so earlier, and the performances are different. The latter disc is NOT an edited version of the former.
The "songs only" version is interesting in that those versions work just fine. The edited 'Ragtime' intro plays better as a song when it's edited. It just loses a ton in exposition and drama. When you have the urge to hear a song, like "New Music" or "Wheels Of A Dream", the former one is actually a tad better. But only when you consider the songs OUT of context.
Listening to this longer version, the performers tell a story. It flows from beginning to end; the songs meld together effortlessly. The story of "Ragtime" is phenomenally well told, and it's a crime that so much was excised previously. I mean, how could you really appreciate this musical without "Sarah Brown Eyes"? That's one of the many songs absent on the "highlights" version.
So, if you only have the first, you NEED the full CD.
If you have the complete version, you're missing something, but not much.
Free Music Review: Just like that tune simple and clear...
Hit: 5 Stars
When I first put on 'Ragtime' I just couldn't get all these other, rather enthusiastic reviews. I stopped immediately after the long 'Progolue' did get on my nerves, but I gave it a second chance later on. Boy, am I glad, I did! Like said in the song 'New Music' the tunes are mostly simple and clear but wonderful. Nevertheless, I am convinced that this isn't everybody's cup of tea. If you are (like me) very fond of those powerful scores like Phantom, Les Miz, Jekyll & Hyde you may find it difficult to get used to this musical style. Although I like the 'Prologue' in the meantime it took quite some time to do so and there are still some songs on the CD I never listened to. The following songs, however, are brilliant: Goodbye, my love / Journey on / Crime of the century / His name was Coalhouse Walker / Gettin' Ready Rag / Henry Ford / The courtship / New Music / Wheels of a dream / The night that ... / President / Till we reach that day / Coalhouse Soliloquy / Our Children / Sarah Brown Eyes / He wanted to say / Back to before / Make them hear you. Especially 'New Music' and 'Back to before' are my new all-time classics! Reading reviews, I've always found it helpful to know, which other musicals are preferred by the one who writes the comment. Well, here's a selection of my taste and how I rank different musicals (1* - not so good, 5***** - very good): Phantom, Les Miz, Miss Saigon, Jekyll & Hyde, A new brain, Ragtime (*****), Scarlet Pimpernel, Martin Guerre, Side Show (****), Lion King, Titanic (***), Rent, Falsetto(s)/land (**) Sunset Boulevard, Parade (*), simply awful: Into the woods!
Free Music Review: In the Age of Sondheim, this piece stands beside his work and doesn't pale at all.
Hit: 5 Stars
"Ragtime" utilzes so many different elements. From a compositional stand point, the music begins as does the story. We have three different classes of people and three different styles of music. As the musical proceeds and the classes begin to mingle and then clash, the music does the same thing. This is a subtle element of brilliance; most audience memebers wouldn't catch this. This piece comes as close to opera as does "Sweeney Todd". The recording includes a Orchestra Suite at the end that is so well written that it stands beautifully on it's own and doesn't sound like a last minute Overture. Each character is well defined by musical motif. The cast is outstanding with the very best singers and actors available to Broadway and Lincoln Center. Marin Mazzie sings the remarkable "Back To Before" and Audra MacDonald "Your Daddy's Hands" making them songs that will stand as monuments to theatre the way that "People" does for Streisand, "Rose's Turn" For Merman, "Hello Dolly" for Carol Channing. The musical skill of the orchestra is remarkable, whether it's the pianist, the clarinet sounding like an Eastern European standard. Or the remarkable first violin who climbes up a scale to bring a piece together at the end for a pitch so beautifully played at the top of the instrument's range. The songs themselves are spectacular; each piece develops and we do hear character development themes; each repeated motif in a song has thickened and developed along with the character, so we never ever feel as though the score was written hastily. "Ragtime" is a musical that defies the old line, "Theatre in New York is Dead."Free Music Review: THIS is the musical that should have won the Tony!
Hit: 5 Stars
Forget about "The Lion King!" "Ragtime" is far superior, and you can tell from the opening number! There are so many cast recordings that have a character or two that I don't like, or singers who aren't my favorites, but this one--there's nothing to complain about (except for a stanza of lyrics that was cut between the concept recording and this one in Coalhouse Walker's song "Make Them Hear You," but that is a very minor complaint that I will just have to live with :-) ). The singers on this recording are absolutely fabulous! Three time Tony winner Audra Macdonald takes my breath away everytime I hear "Your Daddy's Son." (Incidentally, if you're a fan of Audra, she has her debut solo CD out, which I recommend. It's definitely different than what I expected!). Brian Stokes Mitchell is by far the stand-out male vocalist on the CD--he's got such an amazing and incredibly clear range. His duets with Audra are spine-tingling. "The Night that Goldman Spoke at Union Square" is a great song showing off Steven Sutcliffe and Judy Kaye as Younger Brother and the anarchist Emma Goldman. Marin Mazzie as Mother is extraordinary, especially in "Back to Before." This CD is full of wonderful solos, duets, and chorus numbers--far too many to mention and praise in under 1000 words! It's a great investment! The CD comes with a libretto so you can be sure not to miss one of Lynn Ahrens' captivating lyrics while you let Stephen Flaherty's beautiful music work its way into your head. You will not be disappointed by this CD!