Original Passion

Jonathan Frank, talkinbroadway.com, March 8, 2002
Tomlinson possesses a strong, laser-tight voice that works well with the more pop-tinged numbers.

Product Description
Original Passion is a collection of contemporary musical theatre and pop songs, all with the common theme of passion. Always wanting to support new talent, Katie has included four original songs written by up and coming composers. We are proud to note that part of the proceeds from each sale of Original Passion (and other TMCWorks CDs) benefit the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.

Original Passion

Original Passion,Katie Tomlinson

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Average customer rating: didn't play Love Without Reason I have got two defective Passion CD!! Goregous Operetta Original and Powerful Stuff

Passion (1994 Original Broadway Cast) Stephen Sondheim , Donna Murphy , and Marin Mazzie Manufacturer: Angel Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Musicals | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music Contemporary Musicals | Musicals | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music General | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music Similar Items: A Little Night Music (1973 Original Broadway Cast) Anyone Can Whistle (1964 Original Broadway Cast) Follies (Highlights from the 1971 Original Broadway Cast) Stephen Sondheim's Passion (Original Broadway Cast) Company - A Musical Comedy (1970 Original Broadway Cast) ASIN: B000002SLC Release Date: 2002-11-19

Tracks:

1. Happiness
2. First Letter
3. Second Letter
4. Third Letter
5. Fourth Letter
6. I Read
7. Transition
8. Garden Sequence
9. Transition
10. Trio
11. Transition
12. I Wish I Could Forget You
13. Soldiers' Gossip
14. Flashback
15. Sunrise Letter
16. Is This What You Call Love?
17. Soldiers' Gossip
18. Transition
19. Forty Days
20. Loving You
21. Transition
22. Soldiers' Gossip
23. Farewell Letter
24. No One Has Ever Loved Me
25. Finale

Amazon.com

Based on the Italian movie Passione d'amore, Stephen Sondheim's Passion is a story of obsessive love. Giorgio (Jere Shea), a soldier, and Clara (Marin Mazzie), a woman with a husband and child, are deeply in love, but their idyllic happiness is disrupted when Giorgio is transferred to another post. Here, he meets Signora Fosca (Donna Murphy), a homely and ill woman who is the cousin of the regiment's commanding officer. Fosca soon falls in love with Giorgio and pursues him relentlessly, saying "Loving you is not a choice / It's who I am." He is repulsed and resists her advances, but eventually, he succumbs to the power of her love.

Rather than a succession of individual songs strung together by dialogue, Sondheim's score is a constant flow of gorgeous music. (The original theater program listed no individual songs.) The plot is conveyed by song, some dialogue, letters between the characters, and a group of soldiers that serves as a Greek chorus. The result is more of a chamber opera than a conventional musical. Passion won Tonys for Best Musical, Best Score, and Best Book of 1994, and Murphy also won a Tony for her powerful performance as Fosca. Mazzie is in glorious voice as Clara, and Shea brings a pretty voice and a wooden personality to Giorgio. --David Horiuchi

Customer Reviews:

didn't play.......2007-02-21

received the cd in a cracked case which is always irritating. But when the cd didn't play, it was time to start shopping locally again.

Love Without Reason.......2006-12-16

This is my favorite Sondheim musical. For me that's a big statement, but this musical is beyond brilliant. Based on a 19th century Italian novel that was later made into a film, the dark nature of this story might alienate some listeners at first. We open on a scene where Giorgio, a handsome young soldier is bidding farewell to his beautiful mistress, Clara- he has been sent to a remote outpost. They are young and in love but Clara is married. Still they are hopeful for their future. When Giorgio arrives at his new location he finds a remote, provincial town where his Colonel lives with his cousin Fosca, a repulsive, terminally ill woman. Fosca falls hopelessly in love with Giorgio and the love triange makes up the crux of the plot.

Many listeners may have a hard time understanding why Giorgio's affections turn from the beautiful young (albeit married) Clara to the sickly Fosca, but the lyrics and the score weave such a spell that you are caught up in it. Love here is not necessarily a happy thing. Yes, the opening song, a duet sung by Giorgio and Clara, is an ode to the joy of being in love, but Giorgio's idea of love progresses to something darker and deeper as he comes to know Fosca more and more. As Clara attempts to schedule her affair with Giorgio around her husband, Giorgio arrives at a conclusion that his feelings were something else:

Love isn't something scheduled in advance
Not something guarenteed
You need
For for fear it may pass you by
You have to take a chance
You can't just try it out
What's love unless it's unconditional?
Love doesn't give a damn about tomorrow and neither do I!

He comes to know his feelings for Clara as "Love within reason/ that isn't love". At the same time Fosca is literally staking him, which at first he resents and later relents to an idea of:

Love without reason
Love without mercy
Love without pride or shame
Love unconcerned with being returned
No wisedom, no judgement, no caution no blame

It is Fosca that loves him with this completeness, and he can't help but return it.

Many of the songs are letters written from one character to another and that stucture takes some getting used to. In fact it's hard to isolate individual songs here. Each one flows into the next to create the effect of a unified whole. At the end all the characters sing bits of each song in the show as Giorgio reads Fosca's final letter to him they come together in a musical climax before fading out, leaving only Giorgio and Fosca softly singing "your love will live in me"

Marin Mazzie is a gorgeous Clara who's voice shimmers in a luminious way. As Giorgio Jere Shea sounds fine but falls rather short emotionally. He hits all the notes but with little feeling (Michael Ball of the London cast is far better, I think). However as the doomed, dark Fosca Donna Murphy gives one of the most stunning performances I've ever heard. Her understated performance is devistating. Her voice is perfectly suited to the scare and we have one of those all too rare perfect combinations of actor and material.

I have got two defective Passion CD!!.......2006-07-10

I ordered a Passion CD but when I tried to play on all my players (Computer, Bose) it would "screw-up" on the first 8 or 9 tracks. I returned and Amazon quickly replaced. But when I the second CD it also did the same thing. I returned the CD and Amazon would not send a replacement due the fact that all may be defective. They did refund my money. Hopefully the manufacturer will get this fixed.

Goregous Operetta.......2006-03-26

If you're a fan of regular book musicals, this one is not for you!!! Passion is an operetta style love triangle that is complex, poignant, and beautiful. Stephen Sondheim's brillaint score ties the entrie musical together, which again helps him keep his genius status. The clever weaving of songs, scenes, and, most interestingly, letters, make for a great cast album.

As for performances, it's the females who own this show. Marin Mazzie is as glorious as ever as Clara (she's even better in Ragtime), and Tony-winner Donna Murphy brings all of the emotion forward in her portrayal of Fosca.

For those who are used to the usual Sondheim, this one may dissapoint. Others, however, will love this opera of love.

Original and Powerful Stuff.......2005-11-20

I saw "Passion" on Broadway and was angry and at the time disappointed. There aren't any set pieces. It's one act and told with a seeming simplicity that is deeper than the deep, blue sea.
As a collector of Broadway Cast recordings, I made myself buy the OBC of "Passion" and only by listening to the score did I finally get what Sondheim was striving to accomplish. Every time he takes on a new show Sondheim goes where other composers fear to tread. And, because he is the foremost world-class composer of this generation, everything he writes causes quite a stir. And "Passion" is no exception. There is nothing like it, just like there is nothing like "Follies," "Company," "Pacific Overtures," "Merrily We Roll Along," "A Little Night Music," "Assassins," "The Frogs," and "Bounce." And there never will be because as long as he continues to write Sondheim will always expand the envelope of the American Musical form.

Thank God he does.

Average customer rating: Praise! the passion shines through Amazon is by far the best!!!! Good songs, regardless of who wrote them A Good Album With Some Noteworthy Tunes.

Passion of the Christ: Songs (Original Songs Inspired by the Film) Various Artists Manufacturer: Lost Keyword ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Christian Rock | Christian & Gospel | Styles | Music General | Christian & Gospel | Styles | Music Gospel | Christian & Gospel | Styles | Music Christian Contemporary Music | Christian & Gospel | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music Similar Items: The Passion of the Christ (Score) The Passion of the Christ: Songs Inspired By The Great Divide Left Behind: World at War The Passion of the Christ (Widescreen Edition) ASIN: B0002L582M Release Date: 2004-08-31

Tracks:

1. I See Love - Third Day, Steven Curtis Chapman, MercyMe
2. Relearn Love - Scott Stapp, The Tea Party, 7Aurelius
3. Truly Amazing - P.O.D.
4. New Again - Sara Evans, Brad Paisley
5. Rainy Day - Big Dismal
6. The Passion - Lauryn Hill
7. How Many Lashes - Kirk Franklin featuring Yolanda Adams
8. The Empire - MxPx featuring Mark Hoppus
9. Finding My Own Way - Charlotte Church
10. Miracle of Love - BeBe Winans, Angie Stone
11. To Give Love - Dan Lavery
12. Reason I Live - Big Dismal

Customer Reviews:

Praise!.......2006-05-24

Praise all the artists in this album for a truly Christian but suitable for the secular ear album!

Keep the Good Work to POD, 3rd Day, Creed etc. We need more LOVE of the DIVINE kind on the Radio and on MTV!

the passion shines through.......2005-11-30

Alright, I wasn't the one to think that a movie like "The Passion of the Christ" (which I did cry when I saw it, like everyone else who was with me when I saw it) would have a soundtrack with actual songs... I thought it would be an instrumental CD. However, while on this lovely website :) I found this CD while looking for stuff on P.O.D. (featured on the CD), bought it, and never regretted it. The tracks on this CD are:

1. I See Love - Third Day, Steven Curtis Chapman, MercyMe
2. Relearn Love - Scott Stapp (former "Creed" vocalist), The Tea Party, 7Aurelius
3. Truly Amazing - P.O.D. (the best song on here)
4. New Again - Sara Evans, Brad Paisley
5. Rainy Day - Big Dismal
6. The Passion - Lauryn Hill
7. How Many Lashes - Kirk Franklin featuring Yolanda Adams (not bad)
8.The Empire - MxPx featuring Mark Hoppus
9. Finding My Own Way - Charlotte Church
10. Miracle of Love - BeBe Winans, Angie Stone
11. To Give Love - Dan Lavery
12. Reason I Live - Big Dismal

Overall: I was very impressed with the song selection and will definitely be listening to it for a long time.
Overall rating: infinity/100 (my usual rating for CDs this good)

Amazon is by far the best!!!!.......2005-08-22

I had a very speedy delivery!! My CD was shipped to me the very next week, and that was standard shipping!!!! Thanks, Amazon:)

Karen-Salisbury, MD.

Good songs, regardless of who wrote them.......2004-11-19

For the reviewer who thinks that every Christian is perfect or that only fundamentalist bible thumpers like yourself can write songs that glorify God, this CD is all about the music and it does a great job of capturing some of the beautiful themes in Mel Gibson's film. It's been in my player all day and I love it!

A Good Album With Some Noteworthy Tunes........2004-09-04

When the world first learned Mel Gibson was shooting "The Passion Of The Christ" in Italy few people suspected it would be one of the top 10 films of all time in the American box office, much less one of those movies that would have an accompanying CD featuring various popular artists. The film was a masterpiece of sight, sound and feeling and here is one of the few CD tie-in albums that was actually inspired by watching the film instead of being pre-packaged for a simultaneous release. True, John Debney's score album is the superior work, a rich, skillfull work of art in itself. "Original Songs Inspired By The Film" is surely better than the previous song collection which featured artists you wouldn't normally connect with the film (Bob Dylan?). The real secret reason a lot of people will be purchasing this CD is to see how former Creed frontman Scott Stapp does solo (and of course die-hard Creed fans will buy it JUST BECAUSE Stapp is a featured performer). As a solo artist Stapp is actually a bit impressive. "Relearn Love" has all the country meets gospel meets heavy metal flourishes that made Creed so popular. It's a good song with a sense of emotion and has some soaring moments of celestial chord playing. Stapp's voice hasn't suffered from his recent notorious alcohol excesses and there's still hope for this guy's career. The album is a mix of secular and Christian artists. Representing for the Christian category are Third Day with Steve Curtis Chapman and Mercy Me and P.O.D. who I guess could still be called a Christian band. The Day, Chapman and Me collaboration, "I See Love" is an effective, optimistic song that pays faithful homage to the film's messages and ideas. It's one of the album's best moments. P.O.D.'s "Truly Amazing" has some moments of real evocative instrumentals but the lyrics are strange and the song dies down when it takes on the feel of a love song disguised as a Christian anthem. Charlotte Church delivers a classically popish "Finding My Own Way" that reveals a surprising, pleasant side of her. Kirk Franklin and Yolanada Adams give us one of the weaker moments with "How Many Lashes," a somewhat cheesy stab at Christian R&B (does this guy always have to start the song sounding like a street-wise Socrates?). MxPx and Mark Hoppus roar in with "The Empire," it's a sometimes strange but not too bad attempt at Punk with poetic aspirations. One of the reasons the album falls short of expectations is because we expect a more visceral experience from the artists. "The Passion Of The Christ" is one of the great, epic and theological cinematic works of our time and the album feels too soft and simple. There's nothing here you can't find in any other Christian album or Gospel collection sound-wise. The first three opening tracks have so much promise that you're let down by the end result. In the end the album is for the collectors and Scott Stapp fans.

Average customer rating: Incredibly moving Appreciation Not original Beautiful Soundtrack Buy Peter Gabriel's Passion

The Passion of the Christ (Score) Manufacturer: Sony ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Movie Scores | Soundtracks | Styles | Music Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music Soundtracks | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Similar Items: The Passion of the Christ: Songs Inspired By Kingdom of Heaven The Passion of the Christ (Widescreen Edition) Gladiator: Music from the Motion Picture Passion of the Christ: Songs (Original Songs Inspired by the Film) ASIN: B0001ENY6M Release Date: 2004-02-24

Tracks:

1. The Olive Garden
2. Bearing The Cross
3. Jesus Arrested
4. Peter Denies Jesus
5. The Stoning
6. Song Of Complaint
7. Simon Is Dismissed
8. Flagellation / Dark Choir / Disciples
9. Mary Goes To Jesus
10. Peaceful But Primitive / Procession
11. Crucifixion
12. Raising The Cross
13. It Is Done
14. Jesus Is Carried Down
15. Resurrection

Amazon.com

Mel Gibson staked $30 million and his superstar reputation on this painstakingly bloody interpretation of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, all the while dodging charges of anti-semitism and fostering excruciating cinematic gore at the expense of Christ's message (a notion that also begs some uncomfortable questions about this version's S&M undertones). But because the film's dialog plays out in ancient authentic language dialects, John Debney's musical score takes on an even more central dramatic role. In some ways an unlikely choice as composer (having cut his teeth on many a lightweight comedy and kidflick) Debney nonetheless rises to the challenge, first conjuring up a synth-laden soundscape whose gothic moodiness should be familiar to admirers of the work of Lisa Gerrard, then seasoning it with indigenous instruments, booming percussion and ancient modalities that give the score an almost palpable sense of time and place. As did Jeff Danna on his earlier score for the gentler, de facto companion piece, The Gospel of John, Debney eventually gets 'round to genuflecting towards some Hollywood choral and melodic traditions (the Gospels themselves having arguably helped lay the original foundations for Tinseltown's venerable three-act structure), but there's nothing cheap about his music of triumph and redemption, rooted as ever in roiling currents of ancient spiritual mysticism. Gibson's vision of the Passion has had many second-guessing his motivations and choices, but Debney's rich, evocative score proves there's nothing wrong with his ears. -- Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews:

Incredibly moving.......2007-06-13

I wish I knew all the names of the instruments that are being played in the score because they are absolutely mesmerizing! What an amazing score to accompany an amazing movie. Never a dull moment, I find myself being moved by the overall emotion of the music. The great thing about epic scores is that they manage to stir up some feelings within you of power, pride, and faith. It manages to inspire some in many different ways. I think that's the most important thing here. You can call it mood music or just simply uplifting. For me, the best way to listen to a score like this is with a great pair of headphones and a clear mind.

Appreciation.......2007-04-15

This has to be the most touching score to a movie I have ever appreciated.
Watching the movie was one thing but then listening to the score blew me away. I could find myself crying just hearing the music and placing it at the point in the story.
What a range of music. So well done and so different. The song selection for the different scenes in the movie just fit. It is as if each song was the perfection for its placement in the movie.
The score can hold it's own in itself but together they are as one.

Not original .......2007-02-16

I recently purchased both The Passion of the Christ soundtrack and Peter Gabriel's Passion. I really wanted to like The Passion of the Christ score, as I loved the movie. Regrettably, John Debney's music is so much like Peter Gabriel's superb Passion soundtrack, used in 1988's The Last Temptation of Christ that it becomes a farce. It even uses Gabriel's long-time collaborator, vocalist and double violinist Shankar, whose unique sound was also used on Gabriel's Passion. The producers also used a piece from Gabriel's Rabbit Proof Fence soundtrack for The Passion's 2003 teaser trailer. There's no doubt that Debney has copied Gabriel. Also the highlight of The Passion of the Christ is a theme virtually identical to one from John William's Born on the Fourth of July soundtrack.

So buy Gabriel's Passion over The Passion of the Christ, it is a magnificent score and far more original.

Beautiful Soundtrack.......2007-02-03

For me the most inspiring track is "Resurrection". I remember the day that I saw this movie for the first time almost 3 years ago. My friend and I stayed until the end of the credits only to listen to this track. It's my candidate for best final scene in a movie. Now , 'Resurrection" (as the rest of the album) is in my Creative Zen Vision M and I listen to this beautiful piece of music everyday. It's really inspiring. Buy it!!!
P.S. There are so many Jews here and there writing a lot of negative reviews about this soundtrack and the movie. Don't pay any atention to that. This soundtrack and the movie are masterpieces.

Buy Peter Gabriel's Passion.......2007-01-16

Anyone who knows Peter Gabriel's Passion would agree with me in saying that John Debney's score has taken liberally from Gabriel's incredible work, and a few have written as much in the Online reviews for this item. Do yourself a favor, buy Peter Gabriel's Passion. Even though The Last Temptation of Christ may not have been the best movie, the soundtrack was, one of my favorites. I listen to it often, and each time it takes me to another place.

Another plug along Christian movie lines, The Mission by Ennio Morricone, a masterpiece.

Average customer rating: A Great Cajun and Zydeco Compilation

Passion Fish: Original Soundtrack Mason Daring Manufacturer: Daring Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music 1990s | By Decade | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Indie Music | Stores | Music Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Indie Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Passion Fish The Balfa Brothers Play Traditional Cajun Music, Vols. 1-2 ASIN: B000001CY4 Release Date: 1993-09-22

Tracks:

1. La Danse De Mardi Gras - Balfa Brothers
2. Oh Negresse - John Delafose, Eunice Playboys
3. Attack Of The Mutant Guitars - Duke Levine Group
4. I Know - Duke Levine, James MacDonell, Stuart Schulman
5. Grand Mamou - John Delafose, Eunice Playboys
6. Bayou Pon Pon - Le Trio Cadien
7. Photos - James MacDonell
8. Bayou Night - Stuart Schulman
9. Poor Man's Two-Step - John Delafose, Eunice Playboys
10. Chantelle Arrives - Duke Levine, James MacDonell
11. Zydeco Queen - Willis Prudhomme, Zydeco Express
12. Out Of Business - Duke Levine
13. Spaghetti Western - Mason Daring/ Larry Luddecke
14. Bwana's Garden - Loup Garoux

Customer Reviews:

A Great Cajun and Zydeco Compilation.......2002-05-06

I have many Cajun CD's including a few compilations, but this is by far the best compilation I have found. It's clear that John Sayles cared about getting the music for this movie set in bayou country right, and that he selected the music with the same care that he uses in crafting his films. The soundtrack includes a range of great uptempo Zydeco tunes as well as some haunting Cajun melodies by some of the best performers in these genres. Other songs included on the CD that were done for the soundtrack fit right in with these Zydeco and Cajun greats, unlike some soundtracks where the "soundtrack" stuff is just filler. The only bum track on the CD is the last one, Bwana's Garden, on which the CD first loses its authentic and rootsy feel and veers into bland Cajun-inflected pop territory. Definitely a good addition to any Cajun music collection.

Average customer rating:

In the Heat of the Night (Original Release) Pat Benatar Manufacturer: Chrysalis Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Classic Rock | Styles | Music ASIN: B000NFK912

Product Description

This is the original 1984 release on the Chrysalis label. Tracks are: 1. Heartbreaker 2. I Need A Lover 3. If You Think You Know How To Love Me 4. In The Heat Of The Night 5. My Clone Sleeps Alone 6. We Live For Love 7. Rated X 8. Don't Let It Show 9. No You Don't 10. So Sincere

Average customer rating: Worth having because of Honey... One of the best Sondheim compilation CD availiable Honestly, Why Bother?

The Musicality of Sondheim Stephen Sondheim , Carolee Carmillo , Sean McDermott , Judy Kaye , Julia Migenes , Susan Egan , Emily Loesser , Stephen Bogardus , Elisabeth Welch , Caroline O'Connor , and Don Stephenson Manufacturer: Jay Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Musicals | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music General | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music Broadway & Vocalists | Indie Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: The Musicality of Kander & Ebb The Musicality of Porter The Musicality of Rodgers & Hart Musicality of Andrew Lloyd Webber Musicality of Lerner and Loewe ASIN: B0000640NQ Release Date: 2002-05-07

Tracks:

1. Broadway Baby (Follies) - Carolee Carmello
2. Anyone Can Whistle (Anyone Can Whistle) - John Barrowman
3. Lovely (A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum) - Emily Loesser and Don Stephenson
4. Being Alive (Company) - Stephen Bogardus
5. Liasons (A Little Night Music) - Elisabeth Welch
6. Wait (Sweeney Todd) - Judy Kaye
7. Loving You (Passion) - Sean McDermott
8. Honey (Cut: Merrily We Roll Along) - Jacqueline Dankworth, Maria Friedman, and Michael Cantwell
9. Lion Dance (Pacific Overtures) - ENO Orchestra
10. I Remember (Evening Primrose) - Julia Migenes
11. Stay with Me (Into the Woods) - Caroline O'Connor
12. Sooner or Later (Dick Tracy) - Susan Egan

Customer Reviews:

Worth having because of Honey..........2006-09-20

... the Lion Dance and the fact that some of these arrangements work well out of context. Some of these songs in their original arrangements are diffiicult to listen to on their own. Regretfully, some of these arrangements are a little cheesy (for example the saxophone solo in this version of Loving You).

All in all, this is an okay compilation of some Sondheim songs, but definately one to get after having bought all the original Broadway cast recordings.

One of the best Sondheim compilation CD availiable.......2002-08-25

I love this CD, every track is a winner. Get it.

Honestly, Why Bother?.......2002-07-31

All in all, this is a pleasant enough compilation. There are no embarassing moments. The performers all acquit themselves nicely. But in the long run, there's really little to recommend this above the rest of the many tributes and reviews recorded of Sondheim's music. No new interpretations. No amazing performances. No inspired song choices. Nothing special here, folks.

Average customer rating: No Passion Here Excellent, and more complete, interpretation For musical lovers everywhere Passion tends to be either loved or hated by its audience (p London cast recording sucks !

Passion (1997 London Cast) Stephen Sondheim , Michael Ball , Maria Friedman , and Helen Hobson Manufacturer: First Night ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Pop | Styles | Music Contemporary | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music General | Musicals | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music Contemporary Musicals | Musicals | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music Traditional Vocal Pop | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music London Philharmonic Orchestra | ( L ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Similar Items: Company (2006 Broadway Revival Cast) Sweeney Todd (2005 Broadway Revival Cast) Michael Ball - Alone Together (Live at the Donmar) Grey Gardens - A New Musical (2006 Original Broadway Cast) Collection ASIN: B000026A17 Release Date: 1997-01-01

Tracks:

1. Happiness
2. First Letter
3. Second Letter
4. Third Letter
5. Fourth Letter
6. Fosca's Entrance
7. Garden Sequence
8. Transition
9. Fifth Letter
10. Scene Seven, Part One
11. Scene Seven, Part Two (Clara's Letter)
12. I Wish I Could Forget You
13. Soldiers' Gossip
14. Flashback
15. Sunrise Letter
16. Is This What You Call Love?
17. Soldiers' Gossip (reprise)
18. Nightmare
19. Forty Days
20. Loving You
21. Scene Twelve
22. Scene Thirteen (Farewell Letter)
23. Just Another Love Story
24. No One Has Ever Loved Me
25. Scene Fourteen
26. The Duel
27. Finale

Amazon.com

Based on the 1981 Italian film Passione d'amore, Stephen Sondheim's multiple Tony Award-winning musical/chamber opera Passion follows a self-centered soldier, Giorgio (Michael Ball), whose idyllic happiness with a married woman, Clara (Helen Hobson), is interrupted by his transfer to another post. There, he meets Signora Fosca (Maria Friedman, best known these days for the video production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat), a homely and ill woman who soon falls in love with Giorgio and pursues him relentlessly. Giorgio believes he would never leave the beautiful Clara, but he underestimates the power of Fosca's passion. "Loving you is not a choice, it's who I am," she tells him, in Sondheim's rich tapestry of a score that is less individual numbers than a constant flow of gorgeous melodies, dialogue, letters between the characters, and a group of soldiers that serves as a Greek chorus.

After a 1996 London revival, the same cast recorded the score live in concert at the BBC Hippodrome in 1997. Ball is perfectly cast as Giorgio, and Friedman and Hobson excel, even if they can't quite match Tony-winner Donna Murphy and Marin Mazzie of the original Broadway cast. It's almost a moot point, though, because the original Broadway cast recording is currently out of print (although a video version is available). So if you want Passion, this is your only option, and it's a good one. --David Horiuchi

Customer Reviews:

No Passion Here.......2007-01-27

No, No, No, Absolutely AWFUL. I am a huge fan of Passion and it is my favourite Sondheim score. Please do not waste your money on this garbage. Maria Friedman is terrible and after listening to her ridiculous over acting I am happy to throw this CD in the bin. NO feeling, NO Passion. I would give this no stars if I could.

Excellent, and more complete, interpretation.......2007-01-04

I own the DVD and CD of the original Broadway cast performance. Jere Shea, Marin Mazzie and Donna Murphy are al great. I bought this recording to see what new actors could bring to the musical. The performances are as good as the original cast and, more importantly, there's more dialogue on the CD (this is a concert version, I believe). The additional material adds depth to the recording and the CD is a must for any Sondheim fan. As an aside, the extended version of "No One Has Ever Loved Me" that was cut from the U.S. production (the audio is available on the DVD) is included in the London recording. It doesn't sound as awful as it does on the CD.

For musical lovers everywhere.......2005-08-22

I have not seen either the broadway or London version of this show. There is not a song that really stands out but it has moved up to my second favourite musical of all time. As I said there are no catchy numbers but it is addictive. It was like reading a book and not wanting to put it down. Michael Ball, Helen Hobson and Maria Friedman are excellent. I wish with all my heart that I could have seen this on the London stage. If you like musicals you will love this.

Passion tends to be either loved or hated by its audience (p.......2004-10-30

I found the American orchestra slightly synthesized where as the London recording has a wonderfully classical orchestration that fits the piece to the tea. The numbers flow from one to the other without any detectable breaks. As others before have said, I find the whole piece more operatic than musical theatre. I imagine that opera companies will take to performing Passion like they've done with Sweeney Todd and A Little Night Music. His composing ability is at its top form comparable to any modern classical composer.
I do challenge the people who say the musical contains no songs to look deeper than the surface. There is the Love that Flies duet, I Read solo, I wish I could forget you, and Happiness. Everything, the song, the dialogue, and the music, is about the scene. The craft of construction is more Wagnerian than pop like your Stephen Schwartzes (who I like by the way). Each is crafted with beautiful melodies that twist the subtle changes in lyrics. As an example "just another love story that's what they would claim" to "Just a simple love story needn't end the same" (probably misquoting, but you get the idea). Georgio with the same theme makes an about face in his concept of love. Sondheim has used his lyrics extremely well in revisiting the same melodies with new shading completely changing the meaning. The desperation and pain in Fosca with the first statement of the melody is restated by Georgio as his desperation and pain toward the end of the musical. The king of lyricists, he remains strong and firm with scepter in hand.
I found that the London cast tends to act more and read lines less. Some of the scenes on the Broadway recording sounded read as opposed to really acting the musical. Maria Friedman's voice is rough and dispirit while singing and husky while speaking. I believe it works well for the tragic Fosca. Michael Ball, clearly the star of this recording whether you are listening or just looking at the cover, dominates the recording with vocal power. Jere Shea's Georgio is a wilting flower compared to Ball and his force of will. He is no victim in this recording. Helen Hobson has a nice soprano voice, a good contrast to Friedman's, but sinks into the background in this recording. I read once, as said by the director of the Kennedy Center's production of Passion in 2003, that the musical requires a balance between the three leads. He said Donna Murphy so wonderful in her performance destroyed the Broadway production because she overshadowed the other performers. That is why I don't find the dueling divas in this production distressing. It is the conflict between Georgio and his choice of Clara or Fosca. I am not sure what Hobson could have done to be more prominent, but she does a good job in the recording.
The first time I listened to this musical I hated it. I didn't get it. It wasn't until the third time I listened to it; I actually began to enjoy the skill and craftsmanship. Passion is not a passive musical it requires active listening. Now I think it is wonderful and endearing.

London cast recording sucks !.......2003-12-01

Vastly inferior to the wonderful Broadway cast recording. Both of the female leads in the London cast are not up to par as vocalists or as actors. Michael Ball gives a rather one-note performance with nowhere near the "passion" of Jere Shea. A travesty of a brilliant score.

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Strawberry Lass Manufacturer: Paul Epstein ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | International | Styles | Music International Folk | International | Indie Music | Stores | Music ASIN: B00007AKKT Release Date: 2002-09-01

Tracks:

1. Wild Ponies of Chincoteague
2. Wellington's Porch
3. Hannah on the Mountain
4. Appalachian Morning
5. Corner House/Fort Hill/Potterfield
6. Penina's Wedding
7. Virus
8. Rita's Rambles
9. Leapin' Liz
10. Strawberry Lass

Album Description

12 original fiddle tunes written by Paul in a variety of styles. While most are Celtic or Appalachian influenced, there is also one in Klezmer mode and plenty of swinging improvs slipped in. Paul's rich fiddle is backed with an interesting variety of rhythms on guitar and he is joined on one medley of tunes by mandolinist, John Longwell. Strawberry Lass is a moving and lilting waltz that ends the disk.

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Bach.. St. John Passion. Performed on Original Instruments. Manufacturer: Newport Classic ProductGroup: Classical Binding: Audio CD ASIN: B000M757Z4

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Panorama: Passion for Piano, Vol. 2 Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Dances | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Franz Joseph Haydn | Haydn, Franz Joseph | ( H ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Liszt | Liszt, Franz | ( L ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart | Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus | ( M ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Mendelssohn | Mendelssohn, Felix | ( M ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Poulenc | Poulenc, Francis | ( P ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Prokofiev | Prokofiev, Sergei | ( P ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Ravel, Maurice | ( R ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Rubinstein | Rubinstein, Anton | ( R ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Rachmaninov | Rachmaninov, Sergei | ( R ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Domenico Scarlatti | Scarlatti, Domenico | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Schubert | Schubert, Franz | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Robert Schumann | Schumann, Robert | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Scriabin, Alexander | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Tchaikovsky | Tchaikovsky, Peter Ilyich | ( T ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Etudes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Fantasies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Rondos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Character Pieces | Short Forms | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Impromptus | Short Forms | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Nocturnes | Short Forms | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Sonatas | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Sonatinas | Sonatas | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Scriabin, Alexander | Composers | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Rogi, Pascal | ( R ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Compilations | Classical | Styles | Music Deutsche Grammophon: Music | Specialty Stores | Music Similar Items: Panorama: Passion for Piano ASIN: B00005IB67 Release Date: 2001-08-14

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