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Any recording of the original show would be of dubious origin and probably un-listenable sound.
To my knowledge, only two songs from the show have been included on commercial recordings :
1. The song "Beyond My Wildest Dreams" was included on the Varese Sarabande CD 'Unsung Musicals II' (a Bruce Kimmel-produced disc!), sung by Michelle Nicastro (hope the spelling's right); and -
2. The song "Something More" was included on a CD by a young singer called Kristopher McDowell (I forget the label but the CD turns up now and again on eBay).
Be pleased to hear about any other "versions" of songs from this production.
- James.
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No CD cast album was produced, but I believe David Spear told me that a sound board recording was made. The opening number was done on one of the Tony broadcasts, and, as noted, I recorded Beyond My Wildest Dreams with original cast member Michelle Nicastro.
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I saw MERLIN on Broadway, chiefly because of the Bernstein score. It was a followup show for Doug Henning, after his previous MAGIC SHOW had been a decent success. MERLIN, however, was a mess, superficially about Merlin’s conflict with some evil enchantress, played by Broadway veteran pro Chita Rivera, who was the best thing in it. She had a lot of fun, looking kind of like Maleficent, and swooping her cape around her. Henning was sweet, but certainly no actor, and his singing was more effort than accomplishment. Best moment in the evening was when he made a real white horse disappear on one side of the stage, only to reappear immediately on the other.
Sad to say, Bernstein’s songs were unmemorable, though I do remember the use of the ondes martinot, a lot. I had hopes, because I’d enjoyed Bernstein’s previous show, HOW NOW DOW JONES, a lot, having seen it 3 times! There was never a legit release of MERLIN; if I’d bought it, I doubt I’d have listened to it much.
The show was not a success.
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It's a shame it never got a cast album. I would like to hear the music/lyrics even just for a camp curiosity.
According to IBDB after nearly two months of previews it did run for nearly six months. Surprising it didn't get a cast album after running that long.
In the same Broadway season 'Dance a Little Closer', 'A Doll's Life' and David Shire's 'Baby' got cast albums (though I assume they may have been recorded long after closing?).
Is/was the score to 'Merlin' that bad?
I saw DANCE A LITTLE CLOSER in previews. It had so many problems it actually closed after opening night, prompting Broadway wags to refer to it as “Close a Little Faster.”
But it had a magnificent score, with music by Charles Strouse, who’d also written the music for BYE BYE BIRDIE and ANNIE, and book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner, who had done the same for BRIGADOON, MY FAIR LADY, and CAMELOT. The score for DANCE A LITTLE CLOSER has outlasted the show it accompanied, and songs from it have since bern performed by others. I am grateful it was released on CD.
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