CD Review by Playbill (Steven Suskin) 1st June 2014 This new studio recording not only fills out the score, it gives us the opportunity to hear Weill's distinctive orchestrations (which are only moderately audible on the primitive recording). The best of Venus is very good indeed, headed by one of Weill's not-very-many standards, one that ranks among the finest Broadway love songs ever: the haunting "Speak Low" ("When You Speak Love"). Martinâand Erricoâalso triumphed with "That's Him," a simple, "quiet" number which altogether stops the busy show in its tracks. ("You know the way you feel about the 'Rhapsody in Blue?' That's him" goes Nash's lyric.) The other big ballads are "Foolish Heart," a waltz for Venus, and "West Wind," which is sung by the third member of the romantic triangle at the story's heart._x000D_Jay has done a fine job on this recording, bringing us a golden score that we really haven't quite heard. Errico is joined by Brent Barrett as Rodney Hatch, the modern-day (circa 1943) barber who Venus falls in love with; Ron Raines as Whitelaw Savory, the modern art aficionado who falls in love with Venus; and the aforementioned Vicky Clark. Also on hand are Judy Kaye and Lauren Worsham. The two-disc set also includes three songs that were cut prior to the opening, "Vive La Difference," "Who Am I," and "Love in a Mist."
Tracklisting
Disc One:
1.OVERTUREbr /National Symphony Orchestrabr /2.NEW ART IS TRUE ARTbr /Savory, Attendant and Studentsbr /3.ONE TOUCH OF VENUSbr /Molly and Girlsbr /4.VENUS AWAKENINGbr /Rodney and Venusbr /5.Scene One: CURTAIN MUSICbr /Molly, Stanley and Savorybr /6.HOW MUCH I LOVE YOUbr /Rodney and Gloriabr /7.VENUS ENTRANCE 1br /Rodney and Venusbr /8.MRS. MOATS FALLSbr /Mrs. Moats, Rodney and Venusbr /9.I'M A STRANGER HERE MYSELFbr /Venusbr /10.FORTY MINUTES FOR LUNCH - BALLETbr /National Symphony Orchestrabr /11.INCIDENTALbr /National Symphony Orchestrabr /12.WEST WINDbr /Savory and Venusbr /13.WAY OUT WEST IN JERSEYbr /Rodney, Mrs. Kramer, Gloriabr /14.WAY OUT WEST IN JERSEY encorebr /Rodney, Mrs. Kramer, Gloriabr /15.THAT'S HOW I AM SICK OF LOVEbr /Rodney and Gloriabr /16.ONE TOUCH OF VENUS reprisebr /chorusbr /17.VENUS ENTRANCE 2br /Savory and Venusbr /18.FOOLISH HEARTbr /Venus and Savorybr /19.FOOLISH HEART DANCEbr /National Symphony Orchestrabr /20.THE TROUBLE WITH WOMENbr /Taxi, Savory, Stanley and Rodneybr /21.GLORIA DISAPPEARSbr /Venus and Gloriabr /22.SPEAK LOWbr /Venus and Rodneybr /23.ARTIST'S BALLbr /National Symphony Orchestrabr /24.DOCTOR CRIPPENbr /Savory, Mrs. Kramer, Police Lieutenant, Rodney and Venus_x000D_Disc Two:_x000D_1.ENTR'ACTEbr /National Symphony Orchestrabr /2.VERY, VERY, VERYbr /Mollybr /3.VERY, VERY, VERY reprisebr /Mollybr /4.SPEAK LOW reprisebr /Rodney and Venusbr /5.CATCH HATCHbr /Savory, Molly, Taxi, Stanley, Mrs. Kramer and Anatoliansbr /6.THAT'S HIMbr /Venusbr /7.WOODEN WEDDINGbr /Rodney and Venusbr /8.VENUS IN OZONE HEIGHTS - BALLETbr /Venus and Rodneybr /9.BACCANALEbr /Chorusbr /10.STATUE RETURNSbr /Savory, Rodney and Girlbr /11.FINALETTObr /Savory, Rodney and Girlbr /12.VIVE LA DIFFERENCEbr /Victoria Clark, Ron Raines and Melissa Erricobr /13.WHO AM I?br /Ron Rainesbr /14.LOVE IN A MISTbr /Melissa Errico
