dilettantehsondheimiana

Like the slowly-moving Sondheim nerd that I am, I bought the original cast recording of A Little Night Music recently (as well as Follies), to compliment the English studio recording I have. Boy, talk about getting used to different versions of the same piece. This one (American) seems damned slow--like a 40s Mormon Tabernacle choir version of The Messiah versus a contemporary period instrument version taken at 1/2 time--and the diction less fascinating. The *acting* is better in some of the dialogue, despite that, Glynis Johns is wonderful in everything, and the guy playing Henrik just made me bark a laugh out loud due to his very undistinguished yelp in "Later." I wonder if Sondheim didn't like him and put that in as a challenge. It's tough--louder than any other note in the piece--always sends me running for the volume, even if it lasts just 3-4 secs. Little reedy yelpy help help.