© The Sondheim Review Summer 1998 Paper Mill cast records Follies CD By Sean Patrick Flahaven
The mezzanine level of the mammoth Edison Hotel in midtown Manhattan might seem an unlikely place to hear the score of Follies performed by a 35-piece orchestra and a cast of 40. Yet in eight three-hour sessions, spread over June 1,2 and 5, 1998, the cast of the Paper Mill Playhouse revival recorded thirty-two songs – the entire score plus a few extra musical treats – for a definitive album. Due to the high cost of actors' and musicians salaries and studio time, cast albums are usually recorded in one or two days. The ambition this time was to record the entire score, including extensive dance numbers and cut songs, as performed by a professional cast who had actually been performing the show. In order to capture every nuance of the score, a new orchestra, larger than at Paper Mill, was selected by veteran music coordinator Seymour Red Press and orchestra/conductor Jonathan Tunick from among the finest players on Broadway. With everything in place, the orchestra assembled in the Edison Recording Studio at 9 am on Monday for the downbeat of the never-before-recorded full version of "Bolero D’Amour." Among those filling the control room were Stephen Sondheim, Paul McKibbins, his music administrator; Robert Sher, who was producing the album for TVT records, and Robert Johanson, who directed the Paper Mill production. “Ah, But Underneath”, written for the London production in 1987 and interpolated into the Paper Mill production, was recorded, as was “The Story of Lucy and Jessie”and the cut song “Uptown, Downtown," all written for the same dramatic point in the show. Dee Hoty, as Phyllis, recorded them almost back-to-back in a series of tour-de-force performances. Other cut songs that were newly orchestrated for this recording were: "Bring on the Girls", the original opening number, now arranged as a duet for Roscoe (Vahan Khanzadian) and Young Roscoe (Peter Davenport); “Pleasant Little Kingdom”, Ben (Laurence Guittard) and Sally's (Donna McKechnie) original lead-in to "Too Many Mornings"; “All Things Bright and Beautiful”, Ben and Sally's duet written for the opening scene of The Girls Upstairs; and “Can that Boy Foxtrot!” Carlotta's (Ann Miller) vamp, cut in the Boston tryout. “That Old Piano Roll”, a solo for Buddy (Tony Roberts) from The Girls Upstairs and “Who Could Be Blue/Little White House”, a gorgeous Kern-style duet for Young Ben (Michael Gruber) and Young Phyllis (Meredith Patterson), later replaced by “You’re Gonna Love Tomorrow” were recorded with the original piano-vocal arrangements. Three numbers written for the 1987 London production, “Loveland” (revised), “Country House” and “Make the Most of Your Music” were not recorded and will not be included on the album. Other cut songs, such as “It Wasn’t Meant to Happen” and “The World’s Full of Boys/Girls” were also not included for reasons of space on the CD. The atmosphere during the sessions was serious but enthusiastic. Usually, each number was rehearsed briefly, followed by two or three takes. Occasional vocal mistakes were patched in digitally during the orchestra breaks. Intimidating as it was for the performers to try to record their permanent, definitive interpretations of songs from such a monumental score with a dozen people listening for the slightest mistake, many turned out wonderful performances in just one or two takes. Sondheim was strict with the younger performers, correcting their pronunciation of various words to cement internal rhymes, but more accommodating with the older stars. Ann Miller's occasional modifications of the melody were forgiven, since she lent authority to “I'm Still Here” and raunchiness to “Can That Boy Foxtrot!". McKechnie and Guittard bravely worked a few hours overtime perfecting their duets to the orchestra tracks recorded earlier in the day on Friday. Few voices gave out, but repetition took its toll on the high notes. Luckily, with several takes and digital technology, notes or entire sections can be pasted together to make a final performance. With the dance music for “Who's That Woman?”, all of “Beautiful Girls” and a slightly revised “Bows” section, this recording, to be released by TVT in the fall, is the most complete of any that have been recorded. main Follies page

The mezzanine level of the mammoth Edison Hotel in midtown Manhattan might seem an unlikely place to hear the score of Follies performed by a 35-piece orchestra and a cast of 40. Yet in eight three-hour sessions, spread over June 1,2 and 5, 1998, the cast of the Paper Mill Playhouse revival recorded thirty-two songs – the entire score plus a few extra musical treats – for a definitive album.

Due to the high cost of actors' and musicians salaries and studio time, cast albums are usually recorded in one or two days. The ambition this time was to record the entire score, including extensive dance numbers and cut songs, as performed by a professional cast who had actually been performing the show.

In order to capture every nuance of the score, a new orchestra, larger than at Paper Mill, was selected by veteran music coordinator Seymour Red Press and orchestra/conductor Jonathan Tunick from among the finest players on Broadway.

With everything in place, the orchestra assembled in the Edison Recording Studio at 9 am on Monday for the downbeat of the never-before-recorded full version of "Bolero D’Amour." Among those filling the control room were Stephen Sondheim, Paul McKibbins, his music administrator; Robert Sher, who was producing the album for TVT records, and Robert Johanson, who directed the Paper Mill production.

“Ah, But Underneath”, written for the London production in 1987 and interpolated into the Paper Mill production, was recorded, as was “The Story of Lucy and Jessie”and the cut song “Uptown, Downtown," all written for the same dramatic point in the show. Dee Hoty, as Phyllis, recorded them almost back-to-back in a series of tour-de-force performances.

Other cut songs that were newly orchestrated for this recording were: "Bring on the Girls", the original opening number, now arranged as a duet for Roscoe (Vahan Khanzadian) and Young Roscoe (Peter Davenport); “Pleasant Little Kingdom”, Ben (Laurence Guittard) and Sally's (Donna McKechnie) original lead-in to "Too Many Mornings"; “All Things Bright and Beautiful”, Ben and Sally's duet written for the opening scene of The Girls Upstairs; and “Can that Boy Foxtrot!” Carlotta's (Ann Miller) vamp, cut in the Boston tryout.

“That Old Piano Roll”, a solo for Buddy (Tony Roberts) from The Girls Upstairs and “Who Could Be Blue/Little White House”, a gorgeous Kern-style duet for Young Ben (Michael Gruber) and Young Phyllis (Meredith Patterson), later replaced by “You’re Gonna Love Tomorrow” were recorded with the original piano-vocal arrangements.

Three numbers written for the 1987 London production, “Loveland” (revised), “Country House” and “Make the Most of Your Music” were not recorded and will not be included on the album. Other cut songs, such as “It Wasn’t Meant to Happen” and “The World’s Full of Boys/Girls” were also not included for reasons of space on the CD.

The atmosphere during the sessions was serious but enthusiastic. Usually, each number was rehearsed briefly, followed by two or three takes. Occasional vocal mistakes were patched in digitally during the orchestra breaks. Intimidating as it was for the performers to try to record their permanent, definitive interpretations of songs from such a monumental score with a dozen people listening for the slightest mistake, many turned out wonderful performances in just one or two takes.

Sondheim was strict with the younger performers, correcting their pronunciation of various words to cement internal rhymes, but more accommodating with the older stars. Ann Miller's occasional modifications of the melody were forgiven, since she lent authority to “I'm Still Here” and raunchiness to “Can That Boy Foxtrot!". McKechnie and Guittard bravely worked a few hours overtime perfecting their duets to the orchestra tracks recorded earlier in the day on Friday. Few voices gave out, but repetition took its toll on the high notes. Luckily, with several takes and digital technology, notes or entire sections can be pasted together to make a final performance.

With the dance music for “Who's That Woman?”, all of “Beautiful Girls” and a slightly revised “Bows” section, this recording, to be released by TVT in the fall, is the most complete of any that have been recorded.

main Follies page