Five great recordings

Sondheim in the studio

Company 1970

Dean Jones, Elaine Stritch et al Sony Classical SK65283 Everything feels on the line, if mostly under the surface, in this fantastic original Broadway cast album. Follies 1985

Elaine Stritch, Carol Burnett, Barbara Cook et al

RCA RCD2-7128

A concert performance with a once-in-a-lifetime cast: Elaine Stritch’s ‘Broadway Baby’, Carol Burnett’s ‘I’m Still Here’ and above all, Barbara Cook’s ‘Losing My Mind’ are its Holy Trinity. Into The Woods 1987

Sony 82876 68636-2

Another wonderful original Broadway cast (and one of the first instances of rap in a Broadway musical), funny and dark – often at the same time.

A Little Night Music 1996 Siân Phillips, Judi Dench,

Patricia Hodge et al

Tring TRING001, 1996

Judi Dench’s rendition of ‘Send In The Clowns’ is heartbreaking, but she also has wit and force aplenty in this marvellous National Theatre recording.

Sweeney Todd 2000

George Hearn, Patti Lupone, Neil Patrick Harris et al

New York Phil NYP 2001/2002 The greatest Sweeney, George Hearn, came out of retirement for this superbly cast New York Philharmonic performance, conducted by Andrew Litton.