h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Ho hum, nothing interesting to say, really, except that I'm rather bored. Shall I recommend some CDs? Oh, all right then...

Recent (well, recently purchased by yours truly) theatre-related recordings which I think are rather good:

'Myths and Hymns' by Adam Guettel, which is a recording of some of the songs which made up the concert 'Saturn Returns'. Featuring names such as Audra MacDonald and Mandy Patinkin (in a very restrained, sane-sounding fashion for a change) as well as the composer, this is a really quite unusual collection of songs. As the name implies, some of the songs are hymns (lyrics taken from an old hymnbookcalled 'The Temple Trio') and versions of various Greek myths, such as those of Icarus and Pegasus. Some of the songs are a bit blah, but the good ones more than make up for it. 'Icarus' is a delightful discovery of a song about father-son relationships, pride and what have you.

Matt Bogart's CD 'Simple Songs' is also rather wonderful, in a completely different way. Bogart is apparently a Boradway performer, and the CD includes some songs he's sung on stage, along with random other showtunes. Bogart has a really nice voice, and includes some great songs. 'Proud Lady' from 'The Baker's Wife' comes across brilliantly, as does his rendition of 'Simple Song' from Leonard Bernstein's Mass. He does a version of the Soliloquy from 'Carousel' which always sounds a bit odd out of context, but his rendition of 'I Could Write a Book' from 'Pal Joey', where it's re-imagined as a comedic duet is a gem.

And finally, the 1943 cast recording of Rodgers and Hart's 'A Connecticut Yankee'. This is fairly old-fashioned, but it's worth it for 'Thou Swell' and the comedy lyric to end all comedy lyrics in the form of 'To Keep My Love Alive' where sorceress Morgaine Le Fay tells of how she's had many husbands, but never cheated on any of them, because she did them all in for the reason mentioned in the song title. A classic with some quite preposterously funny rhymes.

That's enough rambling for now...

David

I've always wanted to see A Connecticut Yankee, but I didn't realize there was a cast recording from 1943, since it was written years before. (I should have known, though, since I can practically name the page number of Musical Stages (Rodgers' autobiography) where he mentions the revival and that song. Kind of sad, because that song was the last song Hart ever wrote before he died. Yes, I'm still full of random musical trivia.)
Good recommendation.

It's sung by Vivienne Seagel (have I spelt that correctly?) on the recording, who is delightful.

The CD also includes some random tracks from 'Higher and Higher' and 'By Jupiter' (there are only nine Connecticut Yankee tracks) as well, which are equally fascinating, though not quite as fun. One of them, 'Everything I've Got', is clearly a duet, but has only one singer, so it sounds as if she changes her mind half way through for no reason at all!