BEst JCS recording

[massofmen]

Posted: 1/4/12 at 2:16pm

Australian.

[SeanMartin]

Posted: 1/4/12 at 2:28pm

Of the ones I've heard, probably the Paris recording.

[Idiot]

Posted: 1/4/12 at 2:30pm

Australian concert recording, hands down.

http://www.amazon.com/Jesus-Christ-Superstar-Australian-Highlights/dp/B000007174

Updated On: 1/4/12 at 02:30 PM

[LALALand]

Posted: 1/4/12 at 2:44pm

Nothing touches the original concept recording. All the rest are lifeless imitations.

[temms]

Posted: 1/4/12 at 2:45pm

The original concept album with Murray Head and Yvonne Elliman, which also boasts the best orchestra it's ever had (the London Symphony.) The other recordings more modern and have their pros/cons but the concept album is the one I'll always come back to. The original intention can't be beat, even if it lacks the extra verse/key change to "Hosanna" and the pretty but (IMO) useless "Could We Start Again, Please."

It's 1970s rock studio brilliance all around, never captured quite the same in any other recording.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 1/4/12 at 3:15pm

The original is still my favorite and I've always found it to be the most vibrant and thrilling. I'll never forget seeing a regional production when much to my surprise, I got to witness Barry Dennen playing Pilate. He was simply incredible and after almost 20 years, sounded EXACTLY the same.

I remember liking the 1992 Australian recording, but I haven't listened to it in a long time. I'm also fond of the 1996 London recording.

[Rabekriegerin]

Posted: 1/4/12 at 3:17pm

"Could We Start Again, Please" never made sense to me till I saw the Amstetten staging. I fell for it, hard. Alas now when I see other versions, it leaves me... disappointed?

That being said, I really am a fan of of Koen Schoots's orchestrations for the 2011 Vienna concert cast.

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 1/5/12 at 2:07am

The original concept for me too. I do like the film soundtrack a lot too (and I rarely pick movie soundtracks as favorite versions of a score) partly because it includes Could We Start Again Please which I do miss in the original recording. The 1990s London one isn't bad either, and there are some interesting things in the original Broadway highlights--though JCS is one of the few ALW scores (Evita might be the other) I find pretty unsatisfying to listen to highlights only of. .

[ClapYo'Hands]

Posted: 1/5/12 at 2:21am

The 1973 Movie Soundtrack.

Carl Anderson remains the very best in my opinion.

And of course, that also has the fantastic "Then We Are Decided"

[My Oh My]

Posted: 1/5/12 at 12:19pm

Brown album. Has just the right attitude musically, doesn't take itself uber seriously, the cast are delicious vocally and emotionally AND their sound perfectly gels with the style. Technically, it is remarkably timeless in its engineering, not bearing any of the trademark artifacts heard in recordings of the era. Could have easily been recorded and released today.

I enjoy the film soundtrack and "Could We Start Again, Please?" is missed in the Brown album, but the Brown album's overwhelming cohesiveness and quality over others makes it KING.

Updated On: 1/5/12 at 12:19 PM

[Tsao5]

Posted: 1/5/12 at 1:49pm

Australia. Great voices and great (and different) arrangements. Herod's song is
a highlight.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 1/5/12 at 2:05pm

Yvonne Elliman is still my favorite Magdelene. I've never seen or heard a more heartfelt and genuine rendition of I Don't Know How to Love Him.

[gvendo2005]

Posted: 1/5/12 at 4:17pm

I love a lot of recordings, don't get me wrong. And the concept recording and film soundtrack rate very highly. I love elements of all of them, really (yes, even the ones with Paul Nicholas or Dave Willetts). But I think that the best JCS recording has yet to be made.

Over the past several years, I've developed my own staging and my own idea for each vocal performance cobbled together from a variety of listening as a JCS connoisseur, and I want the opportunity one day to try it out. At some point, I'm gonna get in Audacity and cobble together the vocal performance takes in a "mash-up" tape that gives a rough idea of the show I picture. But even that won't be quite right.

Still, look for it, in the near future!

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 1/5/12 at 10:28pm

I'm not completely happy with any of them, but I do love the new 2011 Vienna concert cast. Hopefully they record the new Broadway revival. If it's complete that would probably end up being my favorite. I thought "Could We Start Again, Please?" was kind of brilliant in this version with no ensemble and Mary, Peter and Judas singing it.

Updated On: 1/5/12 at 10:28 PM