Conference cookie::notes$archive:cd_v1

    I saw a 2-disk set of the Chess soundtrack somewhere.
    Don't know what was on it, but two disks should include all 90 minutes.
    
    -Scott

    re:.1
    
    That's the original studio recording. I have that. I'm asking for
    a comparative assessment of the Broadway Cast recording.
    
    --- jerry

    
    
    I bought the Broadway Cast recording last night.  I do not know
    what the extra track is since the record does not have a song listing
    on the back cover.  Anyways, the CD (singular) contains 72 minutes
    of music.  Most of the songs are very American sounding, as opposed
    to the orginal soundtrack that came out 4+ years ago.  The lyrics
    are easier to understand and in some cases better than the original.
    However, the best comparison is the song One Night in Bankok.  It
    cannot compare to Murray Heads version.  There are some songs that
    are missing, most notably the Opening Ceremony/Arbiters song.  Too
    bad, it was one of my favorites.
    
    After I finish listening to it, I'll write more.  I personally think
    the original is better.
    
    Neal
    

	This is the first I've heard of a Broadway cd of Chess so I obviously
don't have the thing and haven't heard it.  I figured I'd write cause I saw the
show (it's great but this isn't the place for a full review) and thought I'd
post my view on the actual music. 

	I've had the 2 disc British show for about a year and a half.  When I
went to New York to see the show The first thing I found I had to do was gear
down my expectations.  The sound of the music wasn't as full as I would have
liked it.  Most of this was probably due to the fact that there was no studio
processing between me and the music so things such as mistakes in playing and
mixing could not easily be corrected.  I saw the show in it's first week so
there were both types of mistakes. 

	Another thing that really shocked me was that the actual story is very
different.  Because of this, songs are rearanged (in some cases deleted).  The
first deletion you notice is that the first song on the disc is completely cut. 
The opening ceremony is very reworked (mostly missing except for the merchants
and the diplomats).  Bankok is in the middle of act one rather then the
beginning of act two. The lyrics to the end game are so changed as to completely
reverse the meaning! 

	I am not nocking the Broadway show.  It's a great production.  it would
probably be even better if I was unfamiliar with the story.  Even so, the plot
changes, lyrical changes, song reordering, and just simple thrill of BROADWAY
kept me on the edge of my seat.  I'd be very interested to know if they added
any of the Broadway-only music to the disc.  There's not much of it, but one of
the tunes is one of the best in the show! 

    
    	RE: -.1
    
    		I saw the show on Broadway a couple of months ago, and
    someone just lent me the cassette of the London cast, so I would
    be very interested in knowing more about the differences you mentioned,
    and if this is not the proper place for it, just post a pointer
    to where I can find this info.
    
    							Mauricio
    

    What "London Cast"?
    
    If you're referring to the original double album (with Murray
    Head), that is not a London Cast album, but a studio album,
    recorded before any stage production was ever mounted.
    
    --- jerry

    Jerry, I haven't seen or heard the New York show yet, so I can't
    compare it with the original recording.
    
    -pd

    This poor show has been having a tough go at New York.  I understand
    the London production has been quite well received, but the creators
    wanted to change it for the New York opening.
    
    The book was rewritten, song sequence was rearranged, new sets were
    designed (to reflect the new purpose of the show).  After all this
    CHESS ran for only a couple of months and closed.
    
    I found it interesting that in the latest TONY awards, CHESS wasn't
    nominated in _anything_ except for Judy Kuhn's performance.  And
    it's been a p*ss poor selection of Broadway shows lately, I'd have
    thought they would at least throw something to CHESS.
    
    Anyway, there is more discussion in the MEIS::THEATRE notesfile, 
    #13 and #282.

    >R.Michael

    I saw _Chess_ on Broadway not long ago, and I was bitterly
    disappointed. I was looking for the same story that has been playing
    in London, with most of the same songs. For some reason known only
    to Tim Rice & Co., the show was butchered for the Broadway production.
    The most upsetting thing was the complete change in the show's ending.
    Freddie (The American) winds up winning the championship, and the
    Russian (Anatoly) crawls back to Russia, tail between his legs.
    One of the most powerful things about the original studio recording
    of _Chess_ (the 2-cd set) were the closing songs, "Endgame" and "You
    and I/The Story of Chess". The Russian's realization that chess
    is the only thing that is important to him ("...finding out at last
    my one true obligation") is missing in the Broadway version. Also,
    the fact that the role of the Arbiter (my favorite) was reduced
    to a simple spoken role was a great loss. The song "Embassy Lament"
    was also conspicuously missing from the Broadway version.
    
    All in all, if you enjoy the 2-cd studio version of _Chess_, I'd
    warn you to stay as far away from the Broadway version as is humanly
    possible. Need I say more?
    
    Lisa (just visiting, really)
    taking all of the power out of the show. 

    re: .9
    
>    taking all of the power out of the show. 

    I don't know where that came from. Please disregard it.
    
    Lisa (how embarrassing!)