Greatest Story Ever Told

Greatest Story Ever Told

Track Listings

1. New Kind of Love

2. Don't Look Down

3. She Knows

4. Burn Me Down

5. Light of the World

6. Slow Down

7. Wave

8. Day and Night

9. Never End

10. Nothing

11. There at All

Tracks:

Introduction
The Raw And Searing Flesh
On With The Show
Drunk Mouth Kitchen Smile
Alert The Audience!
Fireflies
The March Of The Elephants
Chapter 13: The Hero Appears
Hesitation Station
The Revisionist
The Ramblin' Boys Of Pleasure
A Wishful Puppeteer
The Disaster March
Outro

Customer Reviews:

Pure cr@p.......2007-05-09

If you ever wanted to know what orc music sounds like then buy this album. Just a bunch of obscene, profane, over-produced studio gibberish. Cultural sludge.

Underrated.......2006-09-28

like my title says, I think this album is underrated. I love this record, one of my favorites, I don't think I skip a track when I listen to it. The lawrence arms are one of the greatest bands ever. Peroid. Yeah it's their slowest and blah blah blah, f*ck you, this album rules.

The Larry Arms.......2006-01-28

The Lawrence Arms tried out some new stuff on this record and it worked great. The record, while not a concept record, is based loosely on the book "The Master and The Margarita." Chris and Brendan's songs follow each of the two main characters. Chris has the slower songs as usual, while Brendan takes the 1 minute blasts. Overall a great album for any fan of the Chicago music scene. On a side note, Brendan really does say, "Oh sh*t oh f*ck it's dicks to suck, so bend me down, I'll pucker up" on Hesitation Station....take that as you will.

Goo Goo dolls revisted.......2005-10-29

The obvious musical reference is the Goo Goo Dolls pre-wimpy love-song-sell-out era. If you like the how the vocalists switch then check out the GG Dolls first release. Anything after that is Bon Jovi in the making...

I am drunk.......2004-09-14

This album surpassed my expectations of what Lawrence Arms could be, now Chris is a full fledged member of the band and he's getting just as many songs as Brendan and it works with great. The album has a grand theme and it seems like a book rather than an album. the songs are awesome and Brendan is even more aggrsssive in this album. He has like one minute blast songs while Chris has like 4 minute songs that are very mellow. This was probably the best album of 2003 in my opinion.

Epics: The History of the World According to Hollywood

Average customer rating:

EPICS THAT DO NOT DISAPPOINT
Interesting selections . . .
"Epics featuring The City Of Prague Philarmonic Orchestra ~ 60 years of film scores"

Epics: The History of the World According to Hollywood

Manufacturer: Silva America
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Cantatas | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Movie Scores | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

Orchestral Pop | Easy Listening | Pop | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

The Essential Elmer Bernstein Film Music Collection
Jerry Goldsmith: 40 Years of Film Music
The Incredible Film Music Box
The Magnificent Westerns
The Longest Day: The Ultimate World War Movie Theme Collection

ASIN: B0009KIYCW
Release Date: 2005-09-06

Tracks:

Pre- Historic: One Million Years B.C.
The Ancient World: The Ten Commandments
The Ancient World: Alexander
The Ancient World: Sodom And Gomorrah
The Ancient World: The 300 Spartans
The Ancient World: Troy
The Ancient World: Alexander (Eternal Alexander)
The Might Of Rome: Quo Vadis
The Might Of Rome: The Robe
The Might Of Rome: Demetrius And The Gladiators
The Might Of Rome: Cleopatra
The Might Of Rome: Antony And Cleopatra
The Might Of Rome: Gladiator (Suite)
The Might Of Rome: Gladiator (Now We Are Free)

Tracks:

The Fall Of Rome: Masada
The Fall Of Rome: Spartacus (Main Theme)
The Fall Of Rome: Spartacus (Love Theme)
The Fall Of Rome: The Fall Of The Roman Empire (Pax Romana)
The Fall Of Rome: The Fall Of The Roman Empire (Overture)
Biblical Epics: The Greatest Story Ever Told
Biblical Epics: Jesus Of Nazareth
Biblical Epics: Ben-Hur (Parade Of The Charioteers)
Biblical Epics: Ben-Hur (Love Theme)
Biblical Epics: The Silver Chalice
Biblical Epics: The Passion Of The Christ
Medieval Europe: The War Lord
Medieval Europe: El Cid (Love Theme)
Medieval Europe: El Cid (Overture)
Medieval Europe: The Vikings (Suite)

Tracks:

Medieval Europe: Flesh & Blood
Medieval Europe: The Last Valley
Medieval Europe: Prince Valiant
Medieval Europe: Taras Bulba
Pirates & Swashbucklers: The Sea Hawk
Pirates & Swashbucklers: The Crimson Pirate
Pirates & Swashbucklers: Pirates Of The Caribbean
Pirates & Swashbucklers: Captain Blood
Kings & Queens: The Lion In The Winter
Kings & Queens: Henry V (1989)
Kings & Queens: Henry V (1944)
Kings & Queens: Mary Queen Of Scots
Kings & Queens: The Private Lives Of Elizabeth And Essex

Tracks:

Heroes: Excalibur - O Fortuna
Heroes: First Night
Heroes: The Adventures Of Robin Hood: March Of The Merry Men
Heroes: Braveheart
The New Worlds: Mutiny On The Bounty
The New Worlds: 1492 - Conquest Of Paradise
The New Worlds: Captain From Castle
The New Worlds: The Mission
The New Worlds: The Alamo
The British Empire/The Orient: The Charge Of The Light Brigade
The British Empire/The Orient: Lawrence Of Arabia
The British Empire/The Orient: Zulu
The British Empire/The Orient: The Last Samurai
The British Empire/The Orient: Exodus

Customer Reviews:

EPICS THAT DO NOT DISAPPOINT.......2007-05-14

WHAT A BRILLIANT IDEA TO TAKE HOLLYWOOD'S COLLECTION OF HISTORICAL EPIC MOVIES, EXTRACT THE BEST PORTIONS OF THE SCORES AND COMBINE THEM FROM THE DAWN OF MAN TO THE RECENT PAST. I PARTICULARLY ENJOY THE SUITES FROM GLADIATOR, BRAVEHEART AND THE VIKING. THE REPRODUCTION OF THESE SCORES BY THE CITY OF PRAGUE PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA AND CHORUS IS BRILLIANT, AND THE RECORDING WAS EXCELLENT. I ONLY WISH THERE WERE EIGHT DISCS INSTEAD OF FOUR TO COVER THE VOLUMES OF SCORES THAT COULD NOT BE INCLUDED. LET'S HOPE FOR A VOLUME II.

Interesting selections . . ........2006-12-15

This compiiation album makes an excellent gift for that person wanting to discover great, epic scores. I'm surprised, however, that Vangelis' Alexander is included in this one. Not bad, just surprised.

The reason I give this album 4 out of 5 stars is because of the swashbuckler section. How is it that CutThroat Island - one of the greatest epics in history - was scrubbed out of the list? Pirates of the Caribbean is included on the selection but nothing from Debney's masterpiece?!

Yes, that is a huge compilant. If you haven't discovered CutThroat Island, I suggest you get it then you'll understand my frustration. Still, this album is a great buy and worth looking into!

"Epics featuring The City Of Prague Philarmonic Orchestra ~ 60 years of film scores".......2005-09-07

When I think of the "Golden Age of Hollywood", many composers come to mind...you gave the usher your ticket in the theater and sat down, knowingly you were going to get your moneys worth...when the curtain opened and you heard those first few notes...you sat back, watched and listened as the film score and orchestra worked their magic...now we have the ultimate from Silva Screen Classics "EPICS:THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD ACCORDING TO HOLLYWOOD", featuring a four disc set of the essential film scores of the past 60 years...covering several decades right and up to the present 2005.

There are compilations and then there are "Compilations" beginning with a classics that even the youngsters today recognize...sweeping scores that capture the drama, mystery, adventure, action and romance...one great cue after another, it doesn't get any better than this...many nominated and winners by the Academy for Best Original Score...

Silva Screen Classics as usual, has put quality into this 4-CD-Set featuring The City Of Prague Philarmonic Orchestra and the Crouch End Festival Chorus conducted by Kenneth Alwyn, Paul Bateman, James Fitzpatrick, Mario Klemens and Nic Raine. Recorded in "Dolby Surround" with the new technology of "HDCD", this is a "film-score-buffs" dream, one to treasure now and years to come...this collection is aimed directly at the "Serious Film Score" music fans and collectors...Silva is as always, perfect in every way...just the way we like 'em!

Total Time: 4-CD-Set ~ Silva America 1170 ~ (9/6/2005)

Average customer rating:

Alfred Newman's Final Epic Bow
Soundtrack, entire film score and composer ~ Alfred Newman

The Greatest Story Ever Told (Score)
Alfred Newman
Manufacturer: Varese Sarabande
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Jesus of Nazareth (Score)
King of Kings
Ben-Hur - A Tale Of The Christ: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (1959 Version)
Sodom & Gomorrah
The Egyptian

ASIN: B0002VESPU
Release Date: 2004-09-14

Tracks:

Jesus of Nazareth
Prophecy
Voice in the Wilderness
Come Unto Me
Great Journey
Time of Wonders
There Shall Come a Time to Enter
New Commandment
Hour Has Come
Into Thy Hands
Triumph of the Spirit (Handel's Messiah)

Tracks:

Overture - Main Title [#]
And the Word Was God/Trumpets Announce the Dawn/The Three Magi [#]
Nativity/The Infant Massacre [#]
Flight into Egypt [#]
Ophel Quarters [#]
Hosanna [#]
I Will Make You Fishers of Men [#]
Lilies of the Field [#]
Jerusalem, Jerusalem/Jesus on Lazarus' Porch/Matthew the Tax Collector
Rise and You Shall Walk [#]
Misty Night/Trimuphant Return to Capernaum [#]
Who Do Men Say That I Am? [#]
Jesus and His Mother [#]
Jesus Leaves Nazareth [#]
Prayer by the Jordan [#]
Lazarus Come Forth [#]

Tracks:

Entr'acte
Judas and Caiaphas/Judas Leaves Caiaphas [#]
Garden of Gethsemane/Aram, The First Witness [#]
I Am the Son of God/Jesus Before Pilate/Crown of Thorns [#]
Via Dolorosa [#]
Resurrection and Acension [#]
Exit Music [#]

Customer Reviews:

Alfred Newman's Final Epic Bow.......2004-10-12

Varese Sarabande has again done credit to the genre of great film scores with their recent release of the expanded (if not full) Alfred Newman score for George Stevens' production of "The Greatest Story Ever Told" (Newman and Stevens had also worked together on "Gunga Din," one of Newman's best efforts). The film title missed the mark a bit as far as the film is concerned. This is probably not the greatest of the Bible epics, but it is an interesting entry nevertheless. For those of us who live in the area of Lake Powell and southern Utah it is a trip to view this film with its very familiar Red Rock backdrops filling in for Palestine. And the acting was in many cases first rate. Newman's score was also an enormous plus. Perhaps not one of his best, it was certainly a great score. Based largely on a major theme that is clearly reminiscent of his earlier score for "The Robe," this is a major triumph, as is this three disc presentation. Nicely packaged and produced at an unbelievable price, this is a must for film score buffs. Disc one contains the original soundtrack recording (with updated sound)including Handel's chorus from "The Messiah" which Stevens' insisted upon using instead of Newman's own ending. Curiously, Newman's choral "Exit Music" would have been a much better fit for the film and is included here. Discs two and three include the majority of Newman's original score, as he intended it. It is really majestic stuff, although much of the score took a sombre tone. I cannot wait to enjoy this score driving down the Burr Trail. It is music that mataches the grand landscape, and the greatest story ever told.

Soundtrack, entire film score and composer ~ Alfred Newman.......2004-10-10

Varese Records presents Alfred Newman's score for "The Greatest Story Ever Told" (1965/196 mins), George Stevens directs an epic that shares the story and life of Jesus Christ ~ featuring Max Von Sydow [Jesus], Dorothy McGuire [Mary], Claude Rains [Herod the Great], Charlton Heston [John the Baptist], Angela Lansbury [Claudia], Donald Pleasence [Satan, the Dark Hermit], David McCallum [Judas Iscariot], Sidney Poitier [Simon of Cyrene], Telly Savalas [Pontius Pilate], Martin Landau [Caiaphas], Robert Blake [Simon the Zealot], Jamie Farr [Thaddaeus], Roddy McDowell [Matthew], Jose Ferrer [Herod Antipas] and John Wayne [Centurion] and many more with memorable performances ~ yet at the time of release, received low praises for the director and cast.

The music, yes the music is where this film shines...Alfred Newman, one of the most respected composers of his time was given the assignment ~ it was Newman who gave us the "20th Century Fox" fanfare theme...also a number of other film scores "Anastasia", "Diary of Anne Frank", "Captain from Castile", "Gunga Din", "How The West Was Won", "How to Marry A Millionaire", "The Keys of the Kingdom", "Man of Galilee", "Mark of Zorro", "Nevada Smith", "The Razor's Edge", "The Robe", "The Song of Bernadette" and "Wuthering Heights" ~ all of them were winners.

The Greatest Story Ever Told is here complete for the very first time and has everything from "Original Soundtrack Album" and then the "Entire Film Score" on the last two discs...making this a three disc "film-score-buffs" dream come true ~ completely remastered, with liner notes that will tell all the inside scoop from author, screenwriters, director and composer...just the way we like 'em!

Total Time: 3-CD-Set ~ Varese Records 66604 ~ (9/14/2004)

Average customer rating:

It's a bad CD!
Finally!
A very complete summary of Alfred Newman's film music
"Man of Many Melodies...Alfred Newman!"

Man of Galilee

Manufacturer: Silva America
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

The Essential Elmer Bernstein Film Music Collection
Alfred Newman: Captain from Castile
Epics: The History of the World According to Hollywood
Flags of Our Fathers (Widescreen Edition)

ASIN: B00005NGXS
Release Date: 2001-08-28

Tracks:

20th Century Fox Fanfare
How To Marry A Millionaire: Street Scene
The Diary Of Anne Frank - Suite: Ov
The Diary Of Anne Frank - Suite: Live In Hope
The Diary Of Anne Frank - Suite: The First Kiss
The Diary Of Anne Frank - Suite: Persecution/Finale
The Mark Of Zorro: Overture
Anastasia: Main Theme
The Song Of Bernadette: Overture
How The West Was Won - Suite: Prld/The Land
How The West Was Won - Suite: Cleve And His Mule
How The West Was Won - Suite: Intermezzo
How The West Was Won - Suite: Cheyenne Attack And Aftermath/Finale
How The West Was Won - Suite: How The West Was Won

Tracks:

Captain From Castile: Conquest
The Keys Of The Kingdom: Overture
Nevada Smith: Main Title
The Razor's Edge - Suite: Main Title
The Razor's Edge - Suite: Seduction
The Razor's Edge - Suite: India
Wuthering Heights: Cathy's Theme
Man Of Galilee: Prologue
Man Of Galilee: The Promise Of The Holy Spirit
Man Of Galilee: Rejoice
Man Of Galilee: The Great Journey
Man Of Galilee: Miriam's Song
Man Of Galilee: Sunrise Of The Third Day

Customer Reviews:

It's a bad CD!.......2002-06-06

It's a bad CD! It isn't Alfred Newman!...The choir is the worst choir I ever hear! The singers have horrible voices....
If you want hear the true Newman , buy the available originals in SAE, Rhino and Tsunamy labels

Finally!.......2002-04-17

I cant tell you how pleased I am that this collection is coming out! I have been trying for several years to replace my vinyl copy of just "The Diary of Anne Frank" with no success. I found the original in a cut out bin at a camera store when the own stopped carrying records back in the 60's. It has a flaw on the first band of the "b" side, but it is still quite valuable(yes I still have it, and have no intention of parting with it. Thank you for releasing even this portion of a great film score. Any chance that the full score will be reissued on CD??

A very complete summary of Alfred Newman's film music.......2001-11-23

This is a very good two-CD edition of the best of Alfred Newman's film music. Moreover, it includes several suites not available before, such as "The Razor's Edge", "The Keys of the Kingdom", "How the West was won", "The Diary of Anne Frank", plus the magnificent new Cantata "Man of Galilee", adapted from music of "The Robe" and "The Greatest story ever told". It includes also the overture of "The Mark of Zorro", that well deserved to be included in a Newman-Anthology (though it had been previosly relesed by the same label in a separate CD). Regarding other tracks, for instance "Cathy's Theme" from "Wuthering Heights" or "Conquest" from "Captain from Castile", in my opinion the tempos are very slow, though the versions are also good. In the particular case of "Conquest" I prefer other recordings, with more strength, such as Newman's symphonic suite, Korngold-Gerhard's recording, and Naxos'recording by Richard Hyman in "Majestic Marches", which includes not only the famous march but also the prelude of "Captain from Castile".
The only single contrary comment deals with the information booklet. I detected some "inventions" in the text. For instance the author speaks of Mexico as being part of South America, while most of Mexico (especially today's Mexico City) is in North America (only the Yucatan peninsula is in Central America), and says the Spanish conquerors cross the "pampas", while the "pampas" are not in Mexico, but thousands of kilometers to the South. They are huge and completely plain land extensions, without mountains, located in the South Cone of South America, especially in Patagonia. Obviously this mistake is not important, but it is convenient to avoid geographic confusions.

"Man of Many Melodies...Alfred Newman!".......2001-10-18

Alfred Newman (3/17/1901 - 2/17/1970), brother to Lionel Newman, uncle to Randy Newman, and father of two well known sons Thomas and David Newman, both accomplished composers in their own right...but the man who composed early in the '30s such great scores as ~ "Street Scene"(1931)..."I Cover The Waterfront"(1933)..."The Call Of The Wild"(1935)..."Stella Dallas"..."The Prisoner Of Zenda"(1937)...then came 1939, when he composed not one, or two or three, but nine great scores "Beau Geste", "Drums Along The Mohawk", "GUNGA DIN" (one of my all-time favorites, from any composer that lived or living today), "The Hunchback Of Notre Dame", "The Rains Came", "The Real Glory", "They Shall Have Music", "Wuthering Heights", "Young Mr. Lincoln"(another high on the list, starring Henry Fonda)..."Grapes Of Wrath"(1940)..."Blood & Sand"(1941)..."How Green Was My Valley"(1941)..."The Black Swan"(1942)..."Heaven Can Wait"(1943)..."My Friend Flicka"..."A Tree Grows In Brooklyn"(1945)..."Gentlemen's Agreement"(1947)..."A Letter To Three Wives"(1949)..."Down To The Sea In Ships"(1949)..."Prince Of Foxes"(1949)..."Twelve O'Clock High"(1949)..."All About Eve"(1950)(classic film, great cast)..."David & Bathsheba"(1951)..."With A Song In My Heart"(1952)(the Jane Froman Story, with Susan Hayward)..."The Robe"(1953)..."The Egyptian"(1954)..."A Man Called Peter"(1955)..."Love Is A Many Splendored Thing"(1955)..."The Seven Year Itch"(1955)..."Anatasia"(1956)..."The Diary Of Anne Frank"(1959)..."How The West Was Won"(1962)(then came CINERAMA, three cameras and sound that put you in the picture)..."The Greatest Story Ever Told"(1965)..."Airport"(1970)(this was Newman's last film), I've touched only the surface of his composing career, which involved arranging all the music for 20th Century-Fox studios, where Mr. Newman was music director.

Newman's scores gave the audience what they wanted ~ warmth, sensual, inspiring, haunting melodies...a gift of telling a story without words, best to hear the music through tempo and rhythms, which produce peaks and valleys, thus this is life, and our favorite composer was obviously successful and a master of "International Melodies", many of which appeared in his filmscores.

Silva America's 2-CD-Set, featuring The City Of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Kenneth Alwyn, Paul Bateman and Nic Raine and the Crouch End Festival Chorus(Choir Master-David Temple). Recorded in "Dolby Surround" with the new technology of "HDCD", "film-score-buffs" with flip their wigs on this compilation...composing over 150 film scores and countless arrangements for other composers, this legacy of such dedication will always be with us through CD's, such as this one ~ ALFRED NEWMAN!

You might try other Silva America releases, all worthy of a good listen ~ "The Godfather Trilogy"(SSD-1121)..."The Lion in Winter"(SSD-1131)..."Gone With The Wind:The Essential Max Steiner Film Music Collection"(2-CD-Set)(SSD-1132)..."John Barry:The Collection"(4-CD-Set)(SSD-1128)...please check out my reviews on amazon.com/music.

Tracks:

Mary Was The First One To Carry The Gospel
New Star Shining
Reaching
Little One
It's Still The Greatest Story Ever Told
The Christmas Song
Mary, Did You Know?
Go Tell Everyone
Hand Of Sweet Release
He Started The Whole World Singing

Amazon.com

You always know what you're getting with Bill Gaither and company: four-part harmonies, inspirational Southern gospel songs, and a craft finely honed over many years. Still the Greatest Story Ever Told, 1999 Dove Award winner for best Southern gospel album, serves up 10 classic-sounding songs geared for the Christmas holiday season. The opening track, "Mary Was the First One to Carry the Gospel," offers a pleasing Gaither vocal arrangement with hand-clapping, toe-tapping rhythm. Church-music fans will quickly recognize "Mary, Did You Know?" and everyone should appreciate the take on "The Christmas Song." Worth the price of admission: listen to Gaither and friends Mark Lowry, Guy Penrod, and David Phelps soar high on "Reaching" and "Hand of Sweet Release." -- Michael Lyttle

Customer Reviews:

good stuff.......2005-07-07

This is the first CD with David Phelps, and unfortunately they don't feature him much. This is a VERY good Christmas CD, one that you will play in the summer. 'Mary did you know' is awesome, and so are 'Hand of sweet release' and 'Go tell everyone.'

Great GVB Christmas Album.......2002-09-02

I have always loved the GVB music and this album was not a disappointment. There are so many great songs and the Gaither Vocal Band belts them out as they would a regular album. This is an album that can easily be listened to all year around. I highly recommend this album!

A GOOD ALBUM.......2001-12-06

THIS IS A GOOD ALBUM, HOWEVER I THINK, BACK HOME IN INDIANA, TESTIFY, SOUTHERN CLASSICS II, LOVING GOD LOVING EACH OTHER WERE BETTER ALBUMS...THE HARMONY ON THIS ALBUM IS NOT AS GOOD...SOME OF THE VOICES ARE TOO PROMINENT, ESPECIALLY THE TENOR...SONG SELECTION IS VERY GOOD...I LIKED THE ALBUM OVERALL...IT IS JUST THAT SOME OF THE VOICES NEEDS TO BLEND BETTER...

BEAUTIFUL!!!!.......2001-09-04

This album is one of the best albums I've ever heard, period. Not just for Christmas, or Southern Gospel, or Gaither Vocal Band. The production is superb. The singing is fantastic. It's just one of the best!!! Only one word can describe this album...beautiful!!

The gems of this album are "Mary, Did You Know?" (penned by Mark Lowry), which showcases the power of these mens' voices, and "Hand Of Sweet Release," a moving song that tells how a little baby born in a manger was the one who would save us all.

If you don't own this album, BUY IT!! You will DEFINITELY be pleased!!

Christmas Music You Can Enjoy All Year Long!.......2000-10-28

The Gaither Vocal Band has become the #1 selling male quartet in America, and this release is a perfect representation of why. This CD can be listened to all year and not get tiring. Guy Penrod has one of the great lead voices anywhere and he is allowed to shine on many of the songs. Do yourself a favor and buy this for yourself for Christmas!

Average customer rating:

Light Classics for Christmas
Not the Original

Christmas Festival
Christmas Traditional , Alfred Newman , Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , Mykola Dmytrovich Leontovych , Alexander Konstantinovich Glazunov , Frederick Delius , Thomas Benjamin ("Tommy") Banks , Johann Sebastian Bach , Sergey Prokofiev , Charles Gounod , Leopold Mozart , Anonymous , George Frideric Handel , and Richard Hayman
Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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$7 - $10 | Today's Deals | Holiday Music | Special Features | Music

Under $7 | Today's Deals | Holiday Music | Special Features | Music
Similar Items:

Joy to the World

ASIN: B0000014BO
Release Date: 1994-02-15

Tracks:

A Christmas Festival (Medley)
What Child Is This? (Greensleeves)
The Greatest Story Ever Told
Three German Dances: Sleigh Ride
Carol Of The Bells
The Seasons: Winter, Vars I-II-III-IV
Sleigh Ride
Gift Of The Magi
Mein Jesu
Lt. Kije: Sleigh Ride
Ave Maria
Sheep May Safely Graze
Sleigh Ride
O Sanctissima
The Messiah: Hallelujah

Customer Reviews:

Light Classics for Christmas.......2002-12-07

This is one of two holiday discs that pops conductor/arranger Richard Hayman recorded for the budget classical label Naxos (the other being entitled "Joy to the World" which is a fine, and admittedly more "up beat", companion disc). The performances are very strong and it starts off with Leroy Anderson's medley of popular Christmas carols. Other highlights include Frederick Delius' rarely heard "Sleigh Ride" which nicely depicts a moolit sleigh ride, quite a departure from Leroy Anderson's more popular composition but equally as effective. There are also some unique pieces here which you don't come across too often such as the excerpts from the scores to "The Greatest Story Ever Told" and "Gift of the Magi" and the "Winter" movements from Glazunov's "The Seasons".

All in all a relaxing "pops" program of holiday themed music with some nice departures from the usual fare.

(I too am familiar with the Boston Pops 'A Christmas Festival' CD on RCA Gold Seal - conducted by Fiedler, which is still available, and is another excllent CD. The selections are totally different and to me both are worthy additions to any holiday music collection.)

Not the Original.......2002-10-15

Leroy Anderson put out an album of Christmas music titled "A Christmas Festival". Unfortunately, this is not it. This album has one recording of a song by the same name, and even it is not conducted by Leroy Anderson and his orchestra. I cannot say that we have been duped as the contents of this album are plainly listed by Amazon. It's just a shame that it is not the original, and it uses the title, which is misleading. Overall, this is basically classical music compositions, slow and dreary to the ear. Guaranteed to put you right to sleep.
If anyone knows where to find the original "Leroy Anderson's A Christmas Festival" on CD, please tell me.

Average customer rating:

Greatest Story Ever Told

Manufacturer: Gulcher
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

New Wave | New Wave & Post-Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000CA81RW
Release Date: 2005-04-12

King of Kings & Highlights From the Greatest Story Ever Told

Average customer rating:

King of Kings & Highlights From the Greatest Story Ever Told
Miklos "Rozsa
Manufacturer: MGM
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000L9YCL8

Product Description

2 on 1 original soundtrack recordings. Uk Import with 16 tracks from King of Kings and 9 tracks from the Highlights from the Greatest Story Ever Told.

The Greatest Story Ever Told: Original MGM Motion Picture Soundtrack [Enhanced CD]

Average customer rating:

Newman's least impressive score - derivative and uninspired
PEERLESS
SIMPLY PUT
THE GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD
Of breathtaking beauty

The Greatest Story Ever Told: Original MGM Motion Picture Soundtrack [Enhanced CD]
Alfred Newman
Manufacturer: Rykodisc
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00000AEQ9
Release Date: 1998-08-25

Tracks:

Jesus Of Nazareth
A Prophecy
A Voice In The Wilderness
Come Unto Me
The Great Journey
A Time Of Wonders
There Shall Come A Time To Enter
A New Commandment
The Hour Has Come
Into Thy Hands
The Triumph Of The Spirit (Handel's Messiah)

Tracks:

Overture-Main Title
And The World Was God/Trumpets Announce The Dawn/The Three Magi
The Nativity/The Infant Massacre
Flight Into Egypt
Ophel Quarters
Hosanna
I Will Make You Fishers Of Men
Lillies Of The Field
Jerusalem, Jerusalem/Jesus On Lazarus' Porch/Matthew The Tax Collector
Rise And You Shall Walk
Misty Night/Triumphant Return To Capernaum
Who Do Men Say That I Am?
Jesus And His Mother
Jesus Leaves Nazareth
Prayer By The Jordan
Lazarus, Come Forth

Tracks:

Entre'act
Judas And Caiaphas/Judas Leaves Caiaphas
Garden Of Gethsemane/Aram, The First Witness
I Am the Son Of God/Jesus Before Pilate/Crown Of Thorns
Via Dolorosa
Resurrection And Ascension
Exit Music

Amazon.com

Soundtracks to the life and death of Christ have always been a mixed bag, but Alfred Newman had at least set the dramatic parameters by composing music for previous Biblical films. This is among Newman's last underscores, which he wrote under ailing health and much production pressure. Like its subject, it is grand, somber, ceremonial, but at times so epic that it is off-putting. The sheer size of this carefully assembled collection--three discs--can also make it dull to listeners who are anything but ardent film-music scholars or rigid fetishists. Not much loud fanfare here; instead a more gentle adoration. It is a classically Hollywood string sweep with flutes and harps as well as a noticeable nod to Samuel Barber's "Adagio" on the "Jesus of Nazareth" theme. --Joseph Lanza

Customer Reviews:

Newman's least impressive score - derivative and uninspired.......2004-08-26

First, let me say I respect and am delighted by the other reviews on this site, which laud this scoring achievement as a great success. I am pleased when music moves anyone.

However, I must offer another view and one that is not laudable. I am a great lover of Alfred Newman's film scores. I consider him the very best film composer, who ever lived. Indeed, I place three of his scores in the "ten best scores ever written" list - THE SONG OF BERNADETTE, THE ROBE, THE EGYPTIAN.

Oddly enough these films were highly dramatic and romantic explorations of the effect of faith on individual lives. The stories were dramatic, the scores were filled with heart-rending melodies and driving rhythmns. To a lesser degree, another score by Newman for a faith film - A MAN CALLED PETER, was also successful, both romantically and dramatically.

I contend that films about the life of Jesus are not inherently dramatic. Therefore scores to these films have no rocks to stand on. Almost everyone, Christian and non-Christian alike, knows all or most of the events of the life of Jesus- there are no surprises. If anything, we are OVER-familiar. Except for the violence of turning over the money changers' tables in the temple and the dramatic turns of his final hours from being captured, his life is a simple, quiet one of learning and teaching. There is nothing dramatic or romantic in this life.

Miklos Rozsa, whose score to BEN-HUR I consider another of the ten best ever written for film (again another film about the effect of faith on individuals) also failed when scored another film based on the life of Jesus - KING OF KINGS.

For me both Newman's THE GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD and Rozsa's KING OF KINGS are mediocre scores, both in the genre and in the filmographies of the composers.

Newman's score is highly derivative. As the main theme and leitmotiv for Jesus he borrows Barber's theme for his Adagio for Strings. For his one march theme he builds on a theme he used in THE ROBE. All else is quiet, simply scored andante writing- competent underscoring, but merely that. A number of his cues are lifted from prior cues he used in THE ROBE and THE EGYPTIAN.

The CD packaging, long out of print and now reissued for fans of Gibson's THE PASSION, is impressive - three discs - one the studio re-recording that served as the original lp release - two and three the respectiv first and second acts of all of Newman's original scoring for the film. The only flaw is that timings are not given for the individual cuts. I supply this below:

THE GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD
(Alfred Newman) 1965

TOTAL PLAYING TIME - 3 DISCS - 2: 25: 31
DISC ONE: 50:25

JESUS OF NAZARETH (3:32)
A PROPHECY (3:19)
VOICE IN THE WILDERNESS (4:59)
COME UNTO ME (2:08)
GREAT JOURNEY (2:21)
TIME OF WONDERS (2:08)
THERE SHALL COME (4:03)
A NEW COMMANDMENT (2:55)
THE HOUR HAS COME (3:16)
INTO THY HANDS (7:17)
TRIUMPH OF THE SPIRIT (3:21)

DISC TWO: 1:00:19

OVERTURE/MAIN TITLE (4:37)
AND THE WORD WAS GOD (3:10)
THE NATIVITY (5:58)
FLIGHT INTO EGYPT (1:34)
OPHEL QUARTERS (2:15)
HOSANNA (1:51)
FISHERS OF MEN (1:42)
LILLIES OF THE FIELD (2;25)
JERUSALEM (7:56)
RISE (5:19)
MISTY NIGHTS (6:44)
WHO DO MEN SAY I AM? (3:52)
JESUS AND HIS MOTHER (3:02)
JESUS LEAVES NAZARETHH (2:30)
PRAYER BY THE JORDAN (2:27)
LAZARUS, COME FORTH (4:50)

DISC THREE: 34:47

ENTR'ACTE (2:41)
JUDAS AND CAIAPHAS (2:30)
GARDEN OF GETHSEMANE (7:35)
SON OF GOD (3:45)
VIA DOLOROSA (11:13)
RESURRECTION/ASCENSION (4:24)
EXIT MUSIC (2:36)

It's not a bad score, just minor. Certainly many people love it, so I am probably in the minority.

PEERLESS.......2004-04-10

One of the most lyrically soaring soundtracks a film composer has ever brought out, The Greatest Story Ever Told belongs in a class of its own.

After almost forty years, Alfred Newman's masterwork retains all of its beauty and majesty. I think it is possibly the finest music the movies have ever produced.

HIGHLY recommended.

SIMPLY PUT.......2003-03-18

SIMPLY PUT......IT IS THE BEST OF THE BEST!!..SIT BACK,TURN THE LIGHTS DOWN,PUT ON THE HEADPHONES AND I PROMISE YOU,...YOU WILL FIND A PEACE THAT YOU COULD NOT FIND ELSEWHERE!!...SIMPLY PUT...

THE GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD.......2002-11-30

Recently I discovered a rare motion picture score of a long forgotten monumental film "THE GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD".
I don`t know if the movie is still "being show on tv circuits" nowadays. The film soundtrack however unfortunately is no longer available, only in certain antique shops perhaps. What fascinates me here is the breathtaking way the composer illustrates each scene so brilliantly. As if one could actually see what happens on the screen. Close your eyes, listen to the sound and you actually can "see" "THE GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD"
A masterpiece by Alfred Newman

Of breathtaking beauty.......2000-04-30

I was at first apprehensive to buy this set, as I own the original LP, which -as beautiful as it is- is a re-recording in mono. This set I feared would just be a polished digital version of that LP, augmented with some laserdisc/DVD-soundtrack derived cues (people who own a copy of the ALdebaran Productions 3+ hours soundtrack CD set of Ben-Hur will know what I'm talking about: it's very disconcerting to have a sudden stereo-to mono shift in mid-track...not to mention truly barbaric fade-outs, cut-ins and cut-offs...and I also paid a LOT of money for THAT one).

However, I was pursuaded by the review below to try this set anyway, and OH MY GOD! It's worth EVERY PENNY! It contains not only the originally released soundtrack (the afore-mentioned re-recording) in glorious stereophonic sound, but two (TWO!) discs containing the original movie soundtrack cuts never ever heard before (as far as I know). These were apparently saved by famous Hollywood choral director Ken Darby (a long-time associate and friend of Alfred Newman) and God bless him for it!.

The tracks have been lovingly rearranged in a symphonic segue in brilliant stereo sound.

This collection gives a great insight in the original intention of Newman as the tracks flow flawlessly one into another to create an amazing musical tapestry of introspection and quiet grandeur, far more a unity than in the original release. That this quiet power comes off so clearly is even more remarkable considering the movie itself (in my opinion) is gargantuan and patchy at best. Newman's score (by far the best part of it) is in complete and utter juxtaposition to it.

(Collector's note: compare this score to Miklos Rozsa's 'King Of Kings' -unfortunately not (yet?) available through Amazon- for a completely different, musical as well as spiritual, take on Jesus)

A lovely last surprise: this set is a multimedia project: it even contains the original movie trailer! If this isn't getting your money's worth, I don't know what is.

Highly, HIGHLY recommended.

Second Greatest Story Ever Told
Average customer rating:
Second Greatest Story Ever Told
Jackson Code
Manufacturer: Mds
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD
ASIN: B00000JA11
Release Date: 1998-08-24

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