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Post by fleurdelys on May 12, 2009 7:25:21 GMT -5
I know that there isn't a real production of this musical and only a concept albums that's already out for some months...but it just made such a huge impression on me, that I would like to hear some other comments and how you find these CD.
I, for myself have to say that it's the first time since I discovered the music from Elisabeth (+/- 3 years ago) that I was captivated by a musical CD already by the first time I listen to it.
I love the rocksound in most of the pieces, especially the rather unharmonious chords in "dornen eines sommer", I adore the lyrics , and especially the combination of the rather light music (I have to say I had expect something like Passion from Sondheim) and the heavy texts makes it work so well for me.
Thomas Hohler has a wonderful voice, especially for being so young. I really like the sadness in his voice by "Wenn Rosenblätter fallen". And it's wonderfull to hear how caring he sounds in the duet with Pia Douwes.
I've seen him as Rudolf in Elisabeth in Belgium and there he confirmed the good impression I had about him after hearing this recording.
Lucy Scherer does a good job too, with zart and "ploztlich und unerwartet" althought she sounds in that second song a bit sharp at the end, but she really made the message clear.
I always thought there couldn't be a song Pia Douwes would sing more emotional then her 'mijn leven is van mij'. She shows me I was wrong, with both her "Abschied nehmen" and "Dornen eines Sommer". She shows the fysical decline of Rose and her will to die at the end, in a very touching way.
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Post by Fantasma da Opera on May 12, 2009 9:42:31 GMT -5
Honestly the only song that I really liked was "Wenn ich an dich denke". All the rest is in a style of music that its not my style AT ALL ... And "Aufklärungsgespräch" is absolutly outrageous...I don't know who how on earth can someone record such a thing...  |
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Post by Cia on May 12, 2009 11:05:48 GMT -5
I don't see anything outrageous in Aufklärungsgespräch, people listening to the CD are likely to be old enough to know that there's a thing called sex. I don't often listen to the song, though, simply because it breaks the mood of the other songs. Besides, there are much "worse" songs about sex out there - at least this one has some real and useful information compared to what you can hear on MTV where people are like bunnies.  I especially like the melancholy songs of the CD like Wenn ich an dich denke, Abschied nehmen and the title song. Pia is awesome, this must be one of my favourite CDs with her. The whole idea of the musical is refreshingly different and it would be interesting to see someday how it works on stage. This proves nicely that musical lyrics don't have to be fluff, they can also tell serious stories. |
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Post by Milady on May 12, 2009 13:34:48 GMT -5
I'm in love with the concept album and have been since it came out. I can't listen to it very often, though, because it cuts me to the quick. I'm beginning to doubt I'll ever get through "Abschied nehmen" or any of the last three songs without crying. A devastating album, but only because it's that good.
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Post by fleurdelys on May 12, 2009 14:52:27 GMT -5
I'm in love with the concept album and have been since it came out. I can't listen to it very often, though, because it cuts me to the quick. I'm beginning to doubt I'll ever get through "Abschied nehmen" or any of the last three songs without crying. A devastating album, but only because it's that good. That's exactly what happens with me too when I listen to the CD. Listening the whole albums through is a guarantee for crying your eyes out  |
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Post by Andreas on May 13, 2009 13:14:45 GMT -5
I've just listened to a few songs of the musical now on YT because of this thread.... it's absolutely stunning!
That's musical theatre of the highest niveau!
Amazing lyrics that really tell a story, and of course a touching, honest story! I have to admit that I don't think that the music is catchy, but somehow the lyrics are a lot more important than the music when telling such a story.
And Aufklärungsgespräch is just a very honest song. Who couldn't imagine that embarrasing situation.
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Post by Andreas on May 13, 2009 13:33:11 GMT -5
ah, what I forgot to write:
I could not imagine that musical in a big musical house.. somehow I got the feeling from the music that it would work better in a small theatre.
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Post by Valancy on May 14, 2009 4:44:54 GMT -5
The thread has reminded me to listen to the album a bit more, somehow I wasn't in the right mood when I got it so I hadn't got around to listenting to it much. I also really like it, now that I've spent a bit more time with it. The story is really touching and the lyrics are poignant and have so much life and emotion in them. I agree it's a difficult CD to listen to because there's so much painful emotion in it. The rock sound of many of the pieces appeals to me, too, and in other songs the understated, calm tunes suit this kind of a story and allow the lyrics and the story come first. The performers are really excellent, I'm particularly struck by Thomas Hohler (perhaps because I hadn't heard much from him before so he's an unknown talent to me), but Pia Douwes is also impressive in conveying the sadness of the story. I can scarcely listen to Dornen eines Sommers because it's so painful, but at the same time it's painful in a good way. Lucy Sherer is very good, too.
I agree with Andreas, this would be a piece for a small theatre rather than a big one. And not big sets and spectacular stage effects, it's something where the actors, the story and its emotions are the main thing. It's a musical which could easily be done also in small places that haven't got much resources for spectacular-looking shows, if they've just got good actors who can carry the story.
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Post by Martina on May 14, 2009 5:13:21 GMT -5
I saw the cd on Soundofmusic, but since I didn't know what it was I did not get it, though I noticed that it has Pia in! But after all your enthusiastic remarks, I may have to go and get it...  |
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Post by Andreas on May 14, 2009 8:55:31 GMT -5
Someone uploaded all the songs on youtube - so you could listen a bit to them first to know if you want that CD I totally agree with Valancy in everything she said ;D Now we just need a theatre that wants to stage that musical. [edit] sorry, I forgot again half of the things I wanted to say... First I want to say a word on Pia Douwes in this concept album: amazing!! I've never been such a huge Pia fan (ok.. the one time I saw here live was stunning.. but I don't worship her as others do ) but in this album I can see why people love her so much. And this musical is really what the musical world needs at the moment: no jukebox musical, no fluffy content, just an honest musical where the story comes to the fore. |
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Post by minavanhelsing on May 17, 2009 11:56:53 GMT -5
I agree--I speak almost no German, myself, but I adore the musical and it has me sobbing every time. I've actually never listened to a single album so many times in a row...
I'd like to see it in a small, intimate theatre setting...It just feels so real and relevant and honest to me, as a show...
I'd like to read the original novel, but I don't think it's ever been translated out of the Dutch, and my Dutch is worse than my German...
A problem, though--I couldn't imagine it with any other cast. It would need to be Pia and Thomas and Lucy, for me.
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Post by Valancy on Apr 26, 2011 14:12:15 GMT -5
There's going to be a production in German, starting in Kehrwieder Theater in Hamburg in October 2011 and moving on to Theater Akzent in Vienna a couple of weeks later. The cast will be Carin Filipcic (Rose), Sascha Kurth (Till) and Jana Stelley (Iris). There's also a cast recording coming out, with some new songs compared to the concept recording. It will come out on May 18 and can already be pre-ordered at Sound of Music.
There are some sound clips available on the musical's official YouTube channel:
I want this!
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