The original 1971 FOLLIES will NEVER be duplicated. A few productions got a few elements right in the casting (the Long Beach production surpassed the original in its supporting old timers: Susan Johnson, Ima Sumac, Denise Darcel, etc). But the original FOLLIES was like the original MY FAIR LADY: The right people in the right place at the right time.
Follies is the only Sondheim show I was unable to see on Broadway and the original cast album--well, we know about that. So this is the first time I have ever really heard the show. I am very grateful to you for that and I know many others will feel the same. This would have been lost without your efforts.
I found a little ten second section of "Lucy" I forgot to edit back in - like writing a play, this seems like it will never be done. But you get the drift.
The Sondheim Tribute concert from early 1970s (1972) includes complete performances of some of the numbers that were not on the cast album. There is a performance of "One Last Kiss" and "Too Many Mornings" with "Perfect Little Kingdom" (which was dropped out of town). Dorothy Collins does "Losing My Mind" and Alexis Smith does "Will I Leave You". My favorite, though, is Chita Rivera and Donna MacKechnie as the backup girls in "Buddy's Blues".
I just came across this yesterday and am blown away by your talent. I have two bootlegs of the show, one from the soundboard but they don't compare with the work you did putting this together. It's too bad that Sondheim didn't go for your idea of doing the entire show. I am so impressed, thanks for your hard work. And you're right, Hal Prince mad a terrible mistake not hiring Columbia to do the album.
Thank you so much - I've since improved it and IT'S PERFECT NOW GODDAMMIT! I know someone who knew everyone involved and in fact the story is that Sondheim early on played the score for Lieberson - and he rejected it! Saying it was a step backwards into pastiche and he wouldn't record it! Prince being blamed was to cover the embarrassment of this, I guess. What I did was think, "If I was God' and hadn't made that mistake, how would I have recorded it..." There are at least I think four or five live tapes Sondheim made, in crude stereo. I 'mixed' it from that, as well as I could - oddly enough the technique almost more visual than aural. Reading the graphs of the sounds and knowing what they are. I developed my skills to create a decent demo of my own play, "Blitzstein Strikes Back", at the time most of the available recordings of his songs were from acetates, scratchy 78s and LPs. I didn't know where it would take me - and oddly of course since Sondheim and Blitzstein couldn't stand each other. I suspect they had a major conflict during the creation of "West Side Story", to which Marc contributed in ways never attributed - when he and Lenny were still close as, well, lovers. PS I did do the whole show, he just didn't get behind trying to issue some version of that. I'm sure he hired someone to do what I do for his private enjoyment. But a reply would have been nice...
THANKS AGAIN! I'm one of those Follies fanatics who wishes he had been of an age to see the original production. I'm a set designer and years ago I saw Boris Aronson's original set model in an exhibit at the Nyack Library. I've been hooked on finding out as much as I could about the show since then. Thanks for your amazing work reconstruction these original performances. To bad the original album didn't!
You might know then, that the model is owned by NYPL at Lincoln Center, and that LOC are the proud owners of the Florence Klotz collection with the costume sketches in it.
With Mr Sondheim's passing today November 26,2021......I found myself listening to this COMPLETE recording of the LOVELAND section and complete ending to the show...my favorite show...."Today's loss is colossal...Thank you for the journey that me and so many have taken because of your genius and heart! Very few playwrights or composers or lyricists have made similar contributions...in all modern Western theatre.....To Mr Sondheim: "Hey up there...whatda ya say up there?..
Thank you! Thank you!! Thank you!!! An amazing job! I saw the original at Broadway's Winter Garden Theatre. Nothing can compare to it. The OBC recording is botched but treasured by myself and countless others. And that gigantic billboard that loomed over the theatre's marquee - memories I will treasure forever!
Absolutely outstanding! I know replying to a decade old video is meaningless but this is amazing, very rare to hear the original Live,Laugh, Love in such good quality
I can't thank you enough for your labor of love in putting together this Loveland sequence. The sound is great and all flows together seamlessly.The original cast was the best!
@Ilenowsmusic - I enjoyed reading your response. It mirrors mine completely. 40 years have passed so quickly and seeing and hearing these vids takes back so pleasureably.
Thank you SO MUCH for restoring and sharing this. I never got to see this production, and it’s one of my biggest regrets. His passing today leaves an unfillable hole in the theatre art form. It will never be the same again. RIP Stephen, MASTER of theatre. You will be missed more than you will ever know down here, but heaven has now gained the greatest writer of theatre, and anything performed up there will shine brighter than anything we can ever do down here theatrically again.
Thank you for all your hard work on this recording! I wonder if Mr. Sondheim has heard it?? It's really great and captures a wonderful part of theater history! There were only a few people who experienced the original "Follies" cast and musical..... they were so lucky! It is a legend and this compilation makes it all the more special! Thanks for sharing!
My ICM agent on my "Blitzstein Strikes Back" sent Sondheim a sample of it via Ted Chapin to see if he might want to try to issue it in some way. He got no response I know of.
Agreed, fantastic work here. I second a "The Right Girl" reconstruction- I've tried my hand at it several times, but it's one of the more difficult ones because of the varying tempos between the two studio recordings and the tinny orchestration of the soundboard (even more difficult if you're intent on keeping the coda, which I am). I'd love to see what you could do with it.
I've put up some other parts, though I've improved most of them since. See my 'channel'. The whole thing's done though I keep finding small things to improve.
In tribute to the late Stephen Sondheim, they need to reissue the OBC as a 2-CD set as should've happened the first time, since we now know these extracted clips still exist and CAN BE REMASTERED.
Wow this sounded incredible! What a labor of love you did. Only 424 views :( We can make this go up if you like? I am seeing the show Wednesday and are so looking forward to it. To have seen this orginal production must have been something quite special.
I marvel at your work and dedication. When I bought the Original album I remember the record store owner told me that if I wanted a more complete version I would have to buy the reel-to-reel tape. Did you use any of that? Thanks so much.
Fantastic. Absolutely Fantastic. I sure hope you are working on the other songs. I'd love to hear your reconstructions of "Who's That Woman" or "The Right Girl" Also, I was curious as to what second studio recording you used? Terrific work, as always, and I wait with bated breath for the next installment! Thank you for giving this to us.
@Merkin4pres64 Oh I would if I could. There is someone on RUclips who has done just that with sections, but he used live audio (recorded separately) instead of the studio or restored version like my audio. If you search Buddy's Blues a remarkable live version comes up, you see the full staging. Reasonable - Follies - fanatic; those are not words that belong together.
@Merkin4pres64 I'll work on it. Actually there is really good live and rehearsal footage of the OC (some of it from LA) if you search RUclips. Would be nice to merge with these recordings, but not a skill of mine.
Where on Earth did you find this? I didn't think this was even around anymore or never recorded! Now all we need is the full ah, Paris/Broadway Baby sequence, as well as the full Who's That Woman?! Why can't they just reissue the OBC as a 2-disc set if necessary since these elements ARE out there! Bruce Hanson's wonderful re-master was a fine start and sounds glorious but only the cuts of the original release were abailable to him.
I created it - or recreated it. My ICM agent the late Mitch Douglas sent a sample to Sondheim through Ted Chapin to see if they might want to create a commercial recording in this vein (you could have an orchestra record the missing sections or license them from an existing recording). I suspect Sondheim just hired someone he knew to do the same thing - but not as well as I did, of course. And I did the whole score and have posted versions of the other reconstructed songs. I never post the very final versions, and these are from years ago, but check my channel. I got two marriage proposals from this when first posted, but when the proposers were tested for virginity it turned out they might be.
Phenomenal! I'm spreading the word these remixes are here and most people are absolute agog! Thanks so much for rescuing these delights from what could've been the musical comedy trash heap!
I saw the original production, and it was everything you might have heard. Subsequent revivals, well intentioned, made “Follies” just another musical. Sorry, but that’s true. The last one I saw didn’t even have a platform for the dancer/ghosts in the “Mirror, Mirror” number.
Again replying to an old video, but I found this absolute gem here: ruclips.net/video/NAQVRPYWm0s/видео.html Might be of service to see the genius that is Follies
This is really great, but what are the two studio recordings you used? Obviously, one of them is the official original cast recording from Capitol, but what's the other one?
Actually a few, using the instrumental sections that best fit it - though most of the bridging material is cleaned and mixed from crude two-track stereo live tapes Sondheim made. He made a few. I think Collins knew she was being recorded when she threw in that fillip to the bridge of "Losing". I got the sound so good in some sections it sounds like it's from a studio recording, WHICH WAS NOT EASY.
@@jonthesYTthanks, but you said your sources included two STUDIO recordings, and I don't understand what was the other studio recording besides the OBC album?
Hi JonthesYT! I’m compiling a definitive (in my opinion) final Sequence from Sweeney Todd. It includes the OBC, the 1982 video, and the New York Philharmonic Concert. Can you give me some tips on the transitions from the lesser quality sound of the tape to the higher qualities of the recordings? I’m pretty much keeping consistent with casting: Sweeney: George Hearn, Lovett: Angela Lansbury, etc.
Well, the odd thing I've found is that it is mostly a visual technique (so my past as a painter helps). You can usually match the volume by matching the size of the sound graph (you should be roughly close). Also you have to EQ some sources, but that shouldn't be a problem with those. You have to breathe as we as if you were singing it AND conducting it because the audience will hear if there is enough 'space' for the breaths even if they can't tell you that's what they are hearing. And I have a program which takes out clicks, which is useful because no matter how brilliantly you edit - unless there is complete silence on both sections you're joining - there will be a click at the join. Hope that helps, send me a link when you finish it.
PS As an acting student I saw "Sweeney" four times (it was cheap at TKTS until it won the Tonys) and when I ran into Angela Lansbury (who I'd seen in "Mame" as a child) I blurted that out. She said, "FOUR TIMES, GOOD GOD!" and spun away. Which I thought was very funny even then.
It doesn't get any better than this. It was a sin to have cut the album and eliminate so many great moments.
The original 1971 FOLLIES will NEVER be duplicated. A few productions got a few elements right in the casting (the Long
Beach production surpassed the original in its supporting old timers: Susan Johnson, Ima Sumac, Denise Darcel, etc). But
the original FOLLIES was like the original MY FAIR LADY: The right people in the right place at the right time.
I saw the original on Broadway 3 times. What a cast! What a show! I have always adored it. Sondheim at his richest and most lush.
A masterpiece.
Follies is the only Sondheim show I was unable to see on Broadway and the original cast album--well, we know about that. So this is the first time I have ever really heard the show. I am very grateful to you for that and I know many others will feel the same. This would have been lost without your efforts.
I found a little ten second section of "Lucy" I forgot to edit back in - like writing a play, this seems like it will never be done. But you get the drift.
Wow!! So beautiful to hear the whole sequence. Thank you!
You're welcome.
The Sondheim Tribute concert from early 1970s (1972) includes complete performances of some of the numbers that were not on the cast album. There is a performance of "One Last Kiss" and "Too Many Mornings" with "Perfect Little Kingdom" (which was dropped out of town). Dorothy Collins does "Losing My Mind" and Alexis
Smith does "Will I Leave You". My favorite, though, is Chita Rivera and Donna MacKechnie as the backup girls in "Buddy's Blues".
What a treat to enjoy this on Sondheim’s birthday!
You're welcome. As an actor by nature love applause.
I just came across this yesterday and am blown away by your talent. I have two bootlegs of the show, one from the soundboard but they don't compare with the work you did putting this together. It's too bad that Sondheim didn't go for your idea of doing the entire show. I am so impressed, thanks for your hard work. And you're right, Hal Prince mad a terrible mistake not hiring Columbia to do the album.
Thank you so much - I've since improved it and IT'S PERFECT NOW GODDAMMIT!
I know someone who knew everyone involved and in fact the story is that Sondheim early on played the score for Lieberson - and he rejected it! Saying it was a step backwards into pastiche and he wouldn't record it! Prince being blamed was to cover the embarrassment of this, I guess. What I did was think, "If I was God' and hadn't made that mistake, how would I have recorded it..."
There are at least I think four or five live tapes Sondheim made, in crude stereo. I 'mixed' it from that, as well as I could - oddly enough the technique almost more visual than aural. Reading the graphs of the sounds and knowing what they are. I developed my skills to create a decent demo of my own play, "Blitzstein Strikes Back", at the time most of the available recordings of his songs were from acetates, scratchy 78s and LPs. I didn't know where it would take me - and oddly of course since Sondheim and Blitzstein couldn't stand each other. I suspect they had a major conflict during the creation of "West Side Story", to which Marc contributed in ways never attributed - when he and Lenny were still close as, well, lovers.
PS I did do the whole show, he just didn't get behind trying to issue some version of that. I'm sure he hired someone to do what I do for his private enjoyment. But a reply would have been nice...
THANKS AGAIN! I'm one of those Follies fanatics who wishes he had been of an age to see the original production. I'm a set designer and years ago I saw Boris Aronson's original set model in an exhibit at the Nyack Library. I've been hooked on finding out as much as I could about the show since then. Thanks for your amazing work reconstruction these original performances. To bad the original album didn't!
You might know then, that the model is owned by NYPL at Lincoln Center, and that LOC are the proud owners of the Florence Klotz collection with the costume sketches in it.
For what it's worth, the Musa project is planning in a foreseeable future to publish a critical edition of the full score.
With Mr Sondheim's passing today November 26,2021......I found myself listening to this COMPLETE recording of the LOVELAND section and complete ending to the show...my favorite show...."Today's loss is colossal...Thank you for the journey that me and so many have taken because of your genius and heart! Very few playwrights or composers or lyricists have made similar contributions...in all modern Western theatre.....To Mr Sondheim: "Hey up there...whatda ya say up there?..
Thank you! Thank you!! Thank you!!! An amazing job! I saw the original at Broadway's Winter Garden Theatre. Nothing can compare to it. The OBC recording is botched but treasured by myself and countless others. And that gigantic billboard that loomed over the theatre's marquee - memories I will treasure forever!
Absolutely outstanding! I know replying to a decade old video is meaningless but this is amazing, very rare to hear the original Live,Laugh, Love in such good quality
I can't thank you enough for your labor of love in putting together this Loveland sequence. The sound is great and all flows together seamlessly.The original cast was the best!
Thank you so much! I hope the work continues to restore Follies. Now . . . if we could only merge the video rehearsals to the music. . . .
WOW. It's so clear!
Thank you. This compellation makes one appreciate the orchestrations even more.
You have done a unbelievable job - I am a true fan!
Incredible addition to history--thank you!
@Ilenowsmusic - I enjoyed reading your response. It mirrors mine completely. 40 years have passed so quickly and seeing and hearing these vids takes back so pleasureably.
Just wonderful.
Thank you then and now!
Bravo! Yes, keep up the great work! The soundboard sounds so much better than the version I've heard before.
Thank you SO MUCH for restoring and sharing this. I never got to see this production, and it’s one of my biggest regrets. His passing today leaves an unfillable hole in the theatre art form. It will never be the same again. RIP Stephen, MASTER of theatre. You will be missed more than you will ever know down here, but heaven has now gained the greatest writer of theatre, and anything performed up there will shine brighter than anything we can ever do down here theatrically again.
Wonderful reconstruction.
This is wonderful! I have the latest revival's OBC, but this truly surpasses that or any other! Thanks for your hard work and for sharing!
This is amazing. truly sounds incredible. Thanks!
Thank you for all your hard work on this recording! I wonder if Mr. Sondheim has heard it?? It's really great and captures a wonderful part of theater history! There were only a few people who experienced the original "Follies" cast and musical..... they were so lucky! It is a legend and this compilation makes it all the more special! Thanks for sharing!
My ICM agent on my "Blitzstein Strikes Back" sent Sondheim a sample of it via Ted Chapin to see if he might want to try to issue it in some way. He got no response I know of.
Bravo! Great audio and stereo. Thanks for making the effort to share.
Thank you! I'm happy I discovered this.
That's amazing work. Great job!
Agreed, fantastic work here. I second a "The Right Girl" reconstruction- I've tried my hand at it several times, but it's one of the more difficult ones because of the varying tempos between the two studio recordings and the tinny orchestration of the soundboard (even more difficult if you're intent on keeping the coda, which I am). I'd love to see what you could do with it.
Brilliant !
I've put up some other parts, though I've improved most of them since. See my 'channel'. The whole thing's done though I keep finding small things to improve.
In tribute to the late Stephen Sondheim, they need to reissue the OBC as a 2-CD set as should've happened the first time, since we now know these extracted clips still exist and CAN BE REMASTERED.
Wow this sounded incredible! What a labor of love you did. Only 424 views :( We can make this go up if you like? I am seeing the show Wednesday and are so looking forward to it. To have seen this orginal production must have been something quite special.
I marvel at your work and dedication. When I bought the Original album I remember the record store owner told me that if I wanted a more complete version I would have to buy the reel-to-reel tape. Did you use any of that? Thanks so much.
Fantastic. Absolutely Fantastic.
I sure hope you are working on the other songs.
I'd love to hear your reconstructions of "Who's That Woman" or "The Right Girl"
Also, I was curious as to what second studio recording you used?
Terrific work, as always, and I wait with bated breath for the next installment!
Thank you for giving this to us.
thank you!
@Merkin4pres64 Oh I would if I could. There is someone on RUclips who has done just that with sections, but he used live audio (recorded separately) instead of the studio or restored version like my audio. If you search Buddy's Blues a remarkable live version comes up, you see the full staging. Reasonable - Follies - fanatic; those are not words that belong together.
@Merkin4pres64 I'll work on it. Actually there is really good live and rehearsal footage of the OC (some of it from LA) if you search RUclips. Would be nice to merge with these recordings, but not a skill of mine.
Where on Earth did you find this? I didn't think this was even around anymore or never recorded! Now all we need is the full ah, Paris/Broadway Baby sequence, as well as the full Who's That Woman?! Why can't they just reissue the OBC as a 2-disc set if necessary since these elements ARE out there! Bruce Hanson's wonderful re-master was a fine start and sounds glorious but only the cuts of the original release were abailable to him.
I created it - or recreated it. My ICM agent the late Mitch Douglas sent a sample to Sondheim through Ted Chapin to see if they might want to create a commercial recording in this vein (you could have an orchestra record the missing sections or license them from an existing recording). I suspect Sondheim just hired someone he knew to do the same thing - but not as well as I did, of course.
And I did the whole score and have posted versions of the other reconstructed songs. I never post the very final versions, and these are from years ago, but check my channel.
I got two marriage proposals from this when first posted, but when the proposers were tested for virginity it turned out they might be.
Phenomenal! I'm spreading the word these remixes are here and most people are absolute agog! Thanks so much for rescuing these delights from what could've been the musical comedy trash heap!
@@jonthesYT❤
I saw the original production, and it was everything you might have heard. Subsequent revivals, well intentioned, made “Follies” just another musical. Sorry, but that’s true. The last one I saw didn’t even have a platform for the dancer/ghosts in the “Mirror, Mirror” number.
Again replying to an old video, but I found this absolute gem here: ruclips.net/video/NAQVRPYWm0s/видео.html
Might be of service to see the genius that is Follies
AMEN to MonessenBandMan and THANK YOU
@Ilenowsmusic Don't make me get all Shatner with you.
This is really great, but what are the two studio recordings you used? Obviously, one of them is the official original cast recording from Capitol, but what's the other one?
Actually a few, using the instrumental sections that best fit it - though most of the bridging material is cleaned and mixed from crude two-track stereo live tapes Sondheim made. He made a few. I think Collins knew she was being recorded when she threw in that fillip to the bridge of "Losing". I got the sound so good in some sections it sounds like it's from a studio recording, WHICH WAS NOT EASY.
@@jonthesYTthanks, but you said your sources included two STUDIO recordings, and I don't understand what was the other studio recording besides the OBC album?
@@malp1 It was actually more than two, and I have revised this since with newer 'discoveries'. Different cast recordings made since.
@@jonthesYT so did you just take some orchestral music from those?
WOW
where would this be cut into the cd
❤️
Many thanks to jonthesYT!
How come I can't open this or any of your a amazing Follies videos anymore?
I just played it. I have no idea.
Ok. I'll try again
I just tried and it said video is not available.
Oh wait! Maybe it's because I'm on my android! Usually it says if that's the problem, I'm gonna check my laptop!
Hi JonthesYT! I’m compiling a definitive (in my opinion) final Sequence from Sweeney Todd. It includes the OBC, the 1982 video, and the New York Philharmonic Concert. Can you give me some tips on the transitions from the lesser quality sound of the tape to the higher qualities of the recordings? I’m pretty much keeping consistent with casting: Sweeney: George Hearn, Lovett: Angela Lansbury, etc.
Well, the odd thing I've found is that it is mostly a visual technique (so my past as a painter helps). You can usually match the volume by matching the size of the sound graph (you should be roughly close). Also you have to EQ some sources, but that shouldn't be a problem with those. You have to breathe as we as if you were singing it AND conducting it because the audience will hear if there is enough 'space' for the breaths even if they can't tell you that's what they are hearing. And I have a program which takes out clicks, which is useful because no matter how brilliantly you edit - unless there is complete silence on both sections you're joining - there will be a click at the join.
Hope that helps, send me a link when you finish it.
PS As an acting student I saw "Sweeney" four times (it was cheap at TKTS until it won the Tonys) and when I ran into Angela Lansbury (who I'd seen in "Mame" as a child) I blurted that out. She said, "FOUR TIMES, GOOD GOD!" and spun away. Which I thought was very funny even then.
@@jonthesYT thanks!
@@jonthesYT Are you using Audacity? cause that’s what I’m using.
The video is up on my channel now.