Sings Sondheim
$16.89
Amazon.com
Recorded live at the Prince Music Theater in Philadelphia, this double CD is one heck of an extensive tribute to Stephen Sondheim. Backed only by Paul Ford on piano, Mandy Patinkin gets through nearly three dozen songs penned by the Broadway master. Some are obvious (excerpts from Sunday in the Park with George, in which the singer created the title role), others less so (“If You Can Find Me I’m Here” from Evening Primrose). Patinkin is often mocked for his shivering falsett… More >>
I received this disc the same day a “Philip Quast Live at the Donmar”. The Quast disc has its own flaws (and I dont wish to compare the two performers) but it has been strung together in a more thoughtful manner, with witty imagination and using a more dangerous in the choice of songs, which is really where this disc fails. The songs here are generally enjoyable though rather standard, and the lack of cohesion (running the songs together doesnt count) means I just dip into the discs listening to a few favourites, rather than enjoying the whole show.
Rating: 2 / 5
At last! I can say that I know what a castrato being tortured with a power drill while an infinite number of monkeys scrape an infinite number of fingernails across an infinite number of blackboards sounds like. Thanks, Mandy!
Rating: 1 / 5
Hate to join the chorus of neigh-sayers, but jeeeez! I have to agree that with the exception of a few cuts (such as “Hyphenated Harriet”) Mandy is a vocal bull in a china shop — what he doesn’t shatter he … on. What should have been a tribute (I love Sondheim, but do we need ANOTHER anthology recording of oft sung songs?)is more like a wake. Mandy seems intent on becoming the male Ethel Merman — if you can’t hold the note, belt it out with a misplaced vabrato and maybe no one will notice. I REALLY wanted to like this recording, but is truly horrible. If the pipes are gone, Mandy, I hope you get back to acting.
Rating: 2 / 5
I have always admired Patinkin, who is a fine actor. His choices of song repertoire are always interesting. His interpretive skills are such that in the past he has been successful in performance as a singing actor, though his vocal instrument itself is not much and his approach is entirely instinctive, as he is not a trained musician. He, I gather, cannot read music. Sondheim’s songs in particular are difficult for even the best music reader to learn, and when a non-musician learns them it’s a real achievement.
This album, however, is so vocally dreadful that I wonder: what was the man thinking to allow this release? Does he coach with anyone (most performers, actors and singers, do) and if he does, what does his vocal coach say to him? What did Sondheim say? What was the record company thinking? His high tenor voice is thin and unsupported most of the time, with a wide, wobbly vibrato, making him sound like an ancient, rather than a man of 50. When Mr. Patinkin sings above a mezzo-forte the wobble gets wider and the sound is forced. Anything below the low F in the tenor range is pushed, and the sound loses focus, sounding bloated and unpleasant. The singing is badly out of tune much of the time. The song interpretations lack subtlety and are dreadfully mannered, to say the least, even to the point of self-indulgent showing off.
This is not recommended, escept as the record of the decline of a fine artist.
Rating: 1 / 5
I have every recording Patinkin appears on, even if he’s only on one track; I adore his voice, his flair, his emotion, his ability to deliver a song.
But (much of) this recording is disappointing, mainly because Mr. Patinkin’s voice in the lower range sounds muddled and forced, as though he’s lost ability to control it (however, the more falsetto sounds are as clear and sharp as ever).
And I don’t care for the format of this performance. Live recordings should have live audience reactions: one (often unrelated) song after another without applause had me wondering when–if ever–was the audience was going to be allowed to react.
Also, while I’ve never had the privilege of attending a Patinkin concert, I imagined that–above all– he would be passionate. Perhaps he was. But what (mostly) comes across on the CD is a somber–almost technical–performance.
I hope he’s healthy, that mixed quality of singing on this recording was just a fluke, and that his next CD will be a Five-star as all his previous ones have been
Rating: 2 / 5