Part V of V

Chorus and Orchestra: The Broadway recording is done with a reduced orchestral set, using synthesizers as if it were a standard pit. The full orchestrations of the other two recordings give the music a lusher, more believable quality that's also more enjoyable. The Complete recording is the cleanest of the three, which lets you hear every note of the score as it was meant to be heard, but the impact of the live performance on the Tenth Anniversary recording can't be beat for excitement (even though it's a little sloppier than the other two).

At the End of the Day, Broadway (MP3, 572KB)
At the End of the Day, Complete (MP3, 571KB)
At the End of the Day, Tenth Anniversary (MP3, 565KB)

Interaction: Because there was no complete dream cast on any one recording, the interaction between actors can be hit or miss. The Broadway recording is unmemorable, but the other albums contain several well-done moments. Of particular note are the sequences where Philip Quast interacts with the best actor or actress in the other roles.

Javert and Valjean, Tenth Anniversary (MP3, 825KB)
Javert and Thenardiér, Complete (MP3, 799KB)

Completeness: The Complete recording (obviously) shines in this category, because it contains every single note of the score across three discs. As a composer it's interesting to hear everything that the composer intended with full orchestrations, without the cuts normally associated with Highlights albums and live running times. Coming in second would be the Tenth Anniversary recording which does a good job of hitting all the interesting spots without going overtime.

Overall: In the end, it comes down to a tie between the Complete and the Tenth Anniversary recordings. The only redeeming feature of the Broadway recording is Eponine. If you're looking for a comprehensive recording with decent actors and solid sound balance, I'd recommend the Complete recording. However, the nature of live performances gives the Tenth Anniversary recording an energy that's hard to mimic in the studio.

During the writing of this Special Feature week, it was announced that Les Miserables would end its run on Broadway in March 2003, sixteen years after it opened. I hope you found this week's updates interesting and enjoyable, or at the least, distracting. I'll close off with a few extra sound clips. The first is just for kicks. The second shows how effectively the composers handled dramatic structure to insert a light-hearted moment in an otherwise tense situation (although personally I think the Little People would be more at home on a 70s episode of Sesame Street than in its current spot). It's effective even if a little ridiculous.

How to sing like a Lead Trumpet, Tenth Anniversary (MP3, 170KB)
Javert's Discovery, Complete (MP3, 1.09MB)

Note: All of these MP3s are not recorded at the highest quality, so as to make downloads slightly faster. If you want to borrow the original recordings, just let me know.