Simon Patterson

If Dickon's vocal inflections was a steak, it would even be too overdone for my dog to eat. Mary seems to follow suit in her duets with Dickon, but produces well when she is paired up with someone who knows what they're doing. Shame, because "Winter's on the Wing" and "Wick" are my favorite songs from the Broadway cast version. Coincidentally, my least favorite songs on the London version are "Winter's on the Wing" and "Wick."

Everyone else seemed to do a good job though. I didn't play this CD expecting it to be the same (or as good) as Broadway, and it seems to be a decent rendition with enough subtle changes that I ask myself which version I want to listen to each time I go to play it now.

I am very familiar with three different casts for Lucy Simon's "Secret Garden", the Original Broadway Cast, with Daisy Eagan and Patinkin; the Aussie Cast, with Anthony Warlow and Philip Quast (both of Les Mis fame); and this, the London Cast.

Honestly, of the three, this is my least favourite. Were I to create a dream cast, I would add John Cameron Mitchell, Luker, and Eagan to the Aussie cast. While I loved Quast in this, Mary was too "American Idol" for me, and Luker's oddly haunting lilt was lacking. Eagan's petulance and fundamental "childishness" was also abscent. While this version more closely tracks the book, it lacks in many other areas. If you want the book; buy the book or the motion picture. If you want the show; go with the American or Aussie versions (though the Aussie cast can be difficult to find).

This is not the one I had hoped to get. I had a Secret Garden cassette years ago that I have misplaced and was hoping this was it. It was not.
So...I ordered another one (different cover) and it was worse!! No vocals at all. I give up.

A friend lent me this recording of "The Secret Garden," and I have to say I was very underwhelmed. Phillip Quast, who I loved on the "Les Miserables" Symphonic Recording, just sound like he's capable of the vocal demands of the role of Archibald Craven. Most of his songs on this recording are in noticably lower keys than the original, which, for me, robs the songs of their emotional impact, or power. Also, at times he seems to be trying too hard to be "emotional." For me, this was a disappointing version of this wonderful show.

I bought this CD because it got a couple of very high ratings but it's really not that good. The arrangements are all new and though I do like some of them for the most part I found this version of the musical to be hollow and soulless. Songs that I really liked in the original are no where to be found. To begin with 'Clusters of Crocus' is completely gone which really disappointed me as I found it a hauntingly beautiful doorway into the world of 'The Secret Garden.' 'The House Upon the Hill' is also missing which is a great shame because I felt it set the stage of Misselthwaite Manor perfectly. 'There's A Man' is gone as well robbing you of a great deal of insight into the characters of Archie, Neville, Lily and Rose. And most of the songs that remain are somehow missing something essential. 'If I Had A Fine White Horse' has lost it's charm, 'Winter's on the Wing' has lost it's wonder, 'Wick' has no magic, and most terrible of all, 'How Could I Ever Know' is devoid of it's ethereal enchantment. As for the performers, I think Daisy Eagan from the original Broadway cast made a far better Mary in regards to acting and singing. And the Lily on this album is a pale shadow of the remarkable performance given by Rebecca Luker in the Broadway version. Alison Fraser and John Cameron Mitchell from the Broadway cast also made a better Martha and Dickon. As I said I did like some of the new arrangements, 'Prologue,' 'Garden Suite 1' and 'The Storm' for example. And I did like some of the performances on this CD, Colin is actually better and Archie is very good though he lacks a bit of Mandy Patinkin's panache. However, the majority of the songs are definitely inferior to what you find on the Original Broadway Cast recording. So, unless you are an absolute 'Secret Garden' diehard don't waste your money on this, get the Broadway version of the musical.

All of the songs on this CD are beautiful, and the CD is even labeled showing their choice of music dedicated to different parts of a wedding, but you don't have to use them as suggested. I arrived to Clarke's Trumpet Voluntary, less traditional than Wagner's Lohengrin but no less thrilling, and I thought it appropriate given the setting of a late a.m. garden wedding. We made our hasty exit to Handel's Arrival of the Queen of Sheba, which I have loved since I was a little girl and even though is called "'Arrival' of the Queen of Sheba", it was my wedding and I did it the way I wanted. Do it YOUR way, to music YOU love. It's your day! Good luck!!!!

I love this cd! I actually own "Baroque for Bathtime" which is why I thought of this cd for my future sister-in-law. I think it will make a perfect little pre-wedding gift!

I love this cd! Its probably one of the better buys I made concerning my wedding. Like most people, I have no idea what classical music is appropriate for a wedding, and for the wedding I hope to have. Listening to this cd has helped me make more intelligent choices and be more informed especially when I'm dealing with the church music director. I feel more confident knowing that I am familiar with the choices before me.

The renditions of the music is wonderful too. I always thought the Bridal Chorus from Lohegrin too "common" but listening to the orchestra and choir on this cd has changed my mind--its a beautiful interpretation of the song that's sure to bring a tear or two.

Short and sweet: I am looking for wedding music to be played while guests are being seated, and I'm only having 2 songs sung by actual vocalists. Just listening to the music for reviewing is enough to bring tears to my eyes. My wedding is coming up in April 2000, so there is a lot of emotion going on inside of this bride-to-be. All in all, so far it is a beautiful album.

Quite a few years back I played the part of Charlie Hildebrand for the LOC's performaces at the Fulton Opera House. After those shows, I followed my phillosophy on not looking back at the past, so the shows faded from mind fairly quickly.

Fast forward to 2004. I become reminded of Street Scene thanks to another mention of Weill and put it upon myself to look up "Street Scene" on cd. No store carried it locally, but got a copy through special order.

The performace and recording is top notch. And Charlie is still my favorite character, for obvious reasons. Street Scene is probably one of the greatest overlooked operas around.

Four stars for the cd set, one star for nostalgia.

I never realized what singing talent Catherine Zeta Jones had until I heard her on this CD!! Right after I went on [another internet retailer] and bought some of her other CDs! ((By the way, Amazon.com employees, you should sell her other CDs here)) :) The other songs are good too.

I can't help wondering why Street Scene is not listed among all the other 40's-50's Broadway shows. It was, quite simply, the first work of operatic bredth produced on a Broadway stage. The sheer musical richness of Weill's score is truly stunning; he manages to sustain musical interest over the entire show. I can say without hyperbole that the score is comparable to Porgy and Bess. Weill ranges from spooky psychological songs (like Lonely House) to pseudo-"Broadway" numbers (like Wrapped in a Ribbon), to mock opera (the hilarious ice cream sextet, which some call Weill's thank-you to America), to real opera (like Anne's Aria), to jitterbug, swing, blues, chorales, on and on. The only real problem with the score is the lyrics: Langston Hughes (whose praises as a poet hardly need to be sung by little me) proves to be a terrible lyricist, and his (and Elmer Rice's) prosaic, mis-accented, occasionally non-sensical words often impale the music. Also, Rice's basic story (which one can follow fully on this CD; every line of dialogue is here) is hokey, and attenuated in the extreme. Still, the score is wonderful. This recording is the definitive version, and not only because its the only one that preserves the whole score. The cast is generally excellent (although some of the singers, especially the ingenue-if you can call it that-couple, are jarringly old for their parts; and as opera singers they cant all really be expected to give fully-fleshed performances.) The orchestra is lush and full (although i must quibble on one point - for some reason every song keeps the beat with a high-hat, which is awfully inappropriate at times.) All in all, this recording is an excellent buy, a great (if not perfect) recording of a treasure of the musical theater.