Cabaret – Original Broadway Cast Recording

   Telling the story about romance between young writer and Sally Bowles, an American girl in Berlin in the beginning of nazi-regime has quite a long staging tradition. First was Christopher Isherwood’s 1939 short novel Goodbye to Berlin. The first stage production in 1951 was a play by John Van Druten I am a Camera in 1951. It was written on the basis of Christopher Isherwood’s story. Then in 1955 it was captured for the cinema after the script by John Collier and directed by Henry Cornelius. The plot was more complicated than in Van Druten’s play but still following The Berlin Stories by Christopher Isherwood. Author of the stories was also one of main movie characters. Movie was received by critics rather coldly but many saw it as inspiring.
   The story by Joe Masteroff, with lyrics by Fred Ebb and music by John Kinder created musical called Cabaret. In 1966 it become the instant hit on Broadway reaching in next years the total number of 1165 performances. This cast won eight Tony Awards of 11 nominations in 1967. Two years later it was transferred to West End, where it runs to 336 performances. In 1972 musical Cabaret went to cinemas in movie version directed by Bob Fosse with Lisa Minelli, Michael York and Joel Grey. Fosse, Minelli and Grey won Academy Awards – the three of total ten nominees and eight Oscars won by the movie. Joel Grey has Tony for Broadway performance and Oscar for movie role of Master of Ceremonies. Success of the movie made possible the triumphant march of the musical through the world scenes.

Cabaret – Original Broadway Cast Recording (1966)

   An important role in promotion of the musical played the album with original cast recording published by Columbia Masterworks in mono (KOL 6640) and in stereo (KOS 3040). Original Broadway production gave twenty years-old Jill Haworth immediate position of a star. She played the role of Sally Bowles with great ease and imitating skills giving great acting opportunities for her partner Bert Canvoy who is playing an Englishman in Berlin. Most famous actress in this cast was Lotte Lenya, wife of legendary Kurt Weill, singer known for many songs defining the musical associations with pre-war Berlin. She played the role of Fräulein Schneider. But real revelation was Joel Grey, who connected professional acting with great personality perfectly fitting to the role of Master of Ceremonies, the host making the cabaret works.

   Great job made composer John Kander and arranger Dan Walker who made this orchestrations fitting to musical sensitivity of the 60’s and still mimic cabaret small orchestra with a little bit of jazzy taste. The Money Song is in its prior shape, with refrain sounding like diction exercise. Despite Joel Grey is great, this song was recomposed for movie version and in new shape became great hit. Imitating possibilities helped to create song Tomorrow Belongs to Me which is so close to German folk tunes, it’s hard to believe it was composed in 60’s. In movie this fragment was given the additional task, joint singing attracts new singers and develops into manifestation. From today some parts look like having too much orchestral power, but this is specific problem with strings in time this musical was created. When Jill Haworth sings title song Cabaret, the great hit of these years, it’s hard to believe how complete her identification with the 30’s style is.

Fiddler on the Roof – The Original Broadway Cast Recording

   One of most successful musicals in the history of musical theatre was Fiddler on the Roof, joint work by composer Jerry Bock, lyricist Sheldon Harnick and writer Joseph Stein. First stage production by Harold Prince in Imperial Theatre has been directed by Jerome Robbins and won nine Tony Awards. This production as first musical in the history exceeded three thousands of performances and gave record rate of return – $1 574 for every invested dollar. Since its premiere on Broadway in 1964, depicted in New York Times as “filled with laughter and tenderness”, triumphal march of the work begun. In next two decades this musical became basic repertoire position on the scenes around the world. The crowning achievement was the success of movie adaptation produced and directed by Norman Jewison.  

   The story was originally was titled Tevye, as it was based on Sholem Aleichem’s story Tevye the Milkman (טבֿיה דער מילכיקער). The definitive title Fiddler on the Roof has been taken from Marc Chagall painting The Fiddler and symbolizes power of survival in hostile environment and permanent unbalance. One can say this is the very beginning of identity discourse in pop-culture and early example of redefining history of roots and family myths. There are also indications this is only 21st century point of view and in sixties the story has been understand rather as a history of father’s love, which led him to accept daughters will, even if their choices were unacceptable. The classic conflict between generations can be seen more universally, as a contrast between modern culture and limitations in religious and traditional way of living. It was the clearest perspective to interpret this text in sixties and seventies.

Original Broadway Cast – Fiddler on the Roof (1964)

   Since introduction of long playing gramophone records, important element of Broadway premiere became original cast recordings. Opening September 22, 1964, Fiddler on the Roof became the great success, and it was strictly connected with RCA Victor LP released at the same time in mono and stereo and produced by George R. Marek. This gramophone record can be great document of Fieddler on the Roof first stage performances. Main character Tevye was sung by Zero Mostel and maybe he sounds little bit naïve but this magnifies the touching empathy of heroic attempts to understand and his wise decisions. This attitude makes Tevye maybe closer to the hero of Sholem Aleichem’s story than any later production.
   Zero Mostel and Maria Karnilova who has played his wife Golde are perfect pair. Both won Tony awards for best acting. Roles of three daughters played Joanna Merlin, Julia Migenes and Tanya Everett and the second; Hodel was debut role of Julia Migenes, great opera singer known from Carmen movie and Paris world premiere of Angels in America by Péter Eötvös. Noteworthy singer is young revolutionary Perchick played by Bert Convy. After half year this performance still sounds perfectly and it is hard to believe almost 50 years passed by. Among many versions and performances the first is always worth to remember. This album is not only the nice piece of musical art but also a perfect document of the time its sound and feeling.