| 1. Make This World Go Away |
| 2. Just Six Men |
| 3. Queen Of Makaha |
| 4. Uncle Joe |
| 5. Kanak Attack |
| 6. Pule Kakou featuring Na Waiho'olu'u O Ke Anuenue |
| 7. Love Me |
| 8. La Elima |
| 9. Hawaiian Buffet |
| 10. Haole My Love |
| 11. You Will See |
| 12. Far Away |
Editorial Reviews
About the Artist
"The Big Men" return to the Island Music scene with their follow up CD entitled "You Will See", following their debut compact disc entitled "It's A Miracle" in 1997. Upon receiving much acclaim in the Islands for their heart felt tribute to Israel Kamakawiwaole called "Bradda Iz", they return to the airwaves with a very powerful 2nd CD simply entitled, "YOU WILL SEE". With a unique blend of traditional Hawaiian music reminiscent of the Makaha Sons of Ni'ihau, mixed with reggae sounds of Aswad, with a little touch of Darren Benitez, "You Will See" promises to fulfill even the most finicky tastes for Island Music.
The common thread woven throughout most of the score is a simple, monophonic melody on the violin, heart-rendingly lifted from the page by the talented Hilary Hahn. The melody strongly evokes Gregorian plainsong, which is very appropriate to the subject matter of Shyamalan's film. It may also remind listeners of twentieth-century composers who have returned to and incorporated those older musical modes (particularly the medieval Phrygian mode) into their own music; I'm thinking of people like Arvo Pärt and Ralph Vaughn Williams (also a film composer). Even more striking, however, is the debt Mr. Howard owes to Philip Glass. Listen to his (Glass's) Violin Concerto or to his own score for the film, The Hours, and see if you don't hear it. The minimalist arpeggiation on the violin is unmistakable.
A couple of the other tracks (e.g., "Those We Don't Speak Of" and "It Is Not Real") will absolutely make your hair stand on end. They still give me goosebumps every time I listen to them. It's some of the most effect "fear" scoring I've ever heard, making particularly good use of the percussion section. Altogether, this is a versatile, remarkable score I can very highly recommend.
It was with this score that he really caught my attention. The central theme of the film is a love story, and the characters just happen to be caught up in a nightmarish scenario. The score reflects this perfectly; some of the pieces are classically romantic, quiet pieces, while others are thunderous and frightening to reflect the danger and terror portrayed in the film.
James Newton Howard's later works, like "King Kong" (2005) and his co-score with Hans Zimmer on "Batman Begins" (2005) continued to show that he is rightly considered one of Hollywood's A-list composers for big films.
While there are a couple pieces in the score that are a little more high-octane in terms of suspense, most of the music is very low-key. Still suspenseful, even spooky at times, but in a very understated and thoughtful way. In some ways similar to Howard's score for 'Signs', which also used repeated rhythms and themes throughout in different ways, the music for 'The Village' differs from the standard "scary movie" score by having pieces which establish a real emotional depth and presence. 'The Village' is a film about love and loss, and much of the music expresses those themes perfectly.
A big part of how the music gets to the depths of emotion is the solo violin performances of Hilary Hahn, present to some extent in almost every piece. From the opening strains of "Noah Visits," the first piece on the CD, her violin speaks the language of the heart and draws the listener into a beautiful world of haunting music, inescapable and compelling. I am amazed by her versatility here. From the fast rhythmic notes of "The Gravel Road" to the high strains of "I Cannot See His Color" to the final, bittersweet tones of "The Vote," Hahn's violin creates a steady thread through the whole score, unifying it and making it unique at the same time. I've listened to several of Hahn's classical performances as well, but I have to say that of what I've heard, her performance for 'The Village' may be her most unique and most compelling yet.
The combination of James Newton Howard's compositions and Hilary Hahn's lush performance have created some beautiful music for 'The Village'. Whether you love the movie or hate it, or even if you're just looking for some rich orchestral music with a beautiful violin performance, this score is well worth owning and listening to many times over.
Anyway another reason for me purchasing this album was the main titles for the film I love the ochestration. My favourite song on this album would have to be One Song followed by with A Smile and a Song.
And number 5 (a piece of music) I can't remember what it's called but it is creepy too the part that has snow white running through the woods.
Someday my prince will come is nice too. Adriana's voice is a little high and annoying sometimes though. But it's still nice to listen to. I listen to this album alot it's very nice and I like to listen to the version of One Song that is played at the end of the movie.
Queen:(laughing)it's not for you, it's for snow white
anyways, bye-bye
While the Lee Boys could be technically classified as 'gospel', they (mostly) convey their univeral spiritual message through music rather than words so it appeals to everyone, leaving the spiritual interpretation up to listeners like me. And I find that the sheer life-giving, life-affirming, positive energetic frenzied power of the Lee Boys (and the emotional depth of the more contemplative Amazing Grace - a Sacred Steel standard) makes this record worth having. And while one might also call this Christian Rock, I certainly view it as much more rock than Christian. As a lifelong fan of the Southern Rock of the Allman Brothers, Skynyrd, and now Derek Trucks, North Mississippi All-Stars and the Drive-by Truckers, this music slides comfortably right onto the Southern Rock train - so it's not surprising that the Lee Boys have performed on tour with all of the above. In fact, anyone nurtured on a seemingly long-faded, blues-rock tradition will find the music of the Lee Boys like a refreshing drink from a newly re-flowing well.
On the downside, 'Say Yes' doesn't add a lot to the overall Sacred Steel repertoire; several tracks are well-known 'standards' to those who have a growing collection of Sacred Steel records. One curious addition here is Happy and You Know It, that while cetainly not your kindergartner's version, nonetheless seems more curious to me than original. Also, the vocals on this one are a bit weaker than, for example, recordings by the Campbell Brothers, but I doubt if many folks pick up Sacred Steel recordings for the vocals anyway and the playing here does not disappoint. Overall, this record is an essential for all Sacred Steel fans and anyone who loves good time, feel good, upbeat, rock-n-roll played - you might say - solidly 'in the key of life'. Rock on Lee Boys and Rock on Sacred Steel!
This latest entry in the "Sacred Steel" series features a six-piece family band from Florida pursuing the romping, stomping, exhuberant, ecstatic frenzy of the style. If you like the original "SACRED STEEL" collection, you'll definitely dig this disc as well.
This collection focuses on the early part of their career, their Philly sound period. Among the hits included here are TSOP (their only American number one hit) and When will I see you again (their only British number one hit). Other great songs including Dirty old man, Year of decision and Take good care of yourself, the last two of which charted high in the UK.
After they switched labels to Ariola, their British hits included Golden lady, Jump the gun, Giving up giving in, Woman in love, The runner and My simple heart. You must look elsewhere if you want those tracks.
As a collection of their Philly sound music (the only part of their career that most Americans are interested in), this is brilliant.
The version I would like to see on CD is from the album "Maybe" 5:37 Roulette (SR-42050) or the "45" "Maybe" 5:37 Roulette (19924) bw "You're The One" which ever information is helpful.
I'm not a writer so I will probably not do the album justice but I encourage everyone to listen to them. PURE GENIOUS!! This is the first CD in a long time that I have listened from beginning to end without skipping and loved every minute.
Belshazzar was not a great success at the box-office, although this may have had more to do with difficulties in the casting than because it was deemed insufficiently biblical for oratorio, which seems to have been the fate of Hercules. It seems to me to be perfectly well described as oratorio in other ways too, with (for one thing) the extensive use of the chorus that we find in, say, Samson but not in Hercules. The one passage that cries out for visual effects is of course the apparition of the moving finger itself. Even here the composer can go a long way with sheer power of suggestion, by the strange unaccompanied violin figure creeping upwards and the frightened brevity of the vocal numbers. Otherwise for me Belshazzar is as much an oratorio as Samson is. It has the same librettist too, the crusty and formidable Jennens, who had also collaborated with Handel on Saul and on Messiah itself. Jennens' full text is not provided, but I think if you read the synopsis first and then follow the work from the headlines to each number you will have no difficulty in catching the words, so clear is the enunciation by soloists and chorus alike. As usual, Handel was driven to make alterations to the score for practical reasons. He had been a little concerned about its length, roughly 2 hours and 50 minutes in this performance, but where he wishes to be expansive he gives us full measure - two arias in Act I scene 4 take well over 7 minutes each. The liner-essay (a good one, by Anthony Hicks) goes into the issue of the version of the score used here, and I personally have no problem with it.
I have no faults to find with the performance in any way. Pinnock is an established specialist, the instruments are period instruments and vocal cadenzas at the end of the arias are kept minimal. Anthony Rolfe Johnson, James Bowman and David Wilson-Johnson are tried and trusted Handel singers and at their best here, and Nicolas Robertson and Richard Wistreich in the smaller parts are every bit as good. The part of Cyrus is a soprano part, taken by Catherine Robbin, and when I thought I heard just one touch of strain in `Destructive War' in the final scene she makes up for it instantly in her superb duet with Arleen Auger in the following number. Auger as Nitocris the mother of Belshazzar has the biggest part, and she covers herself with glory all the way through.
The recording is perfect, and when I saw an aria entitled `Destructive War, thy limits know' near the end I felt a sharp sense of irony in the year 2005. Cyrus, Handel, Jennens, you should all have been living at this hour.
It was worth the wait.
The concept is great. The packaging is great. The recording is great. Disc five is really cool for an ALW aficionado. There are a few real gems on it; my favorites are Petula Clark's "I Could Have Given You More" and "Benedicite."
I've always thought "Gus the Theatre Cat" made a great medley on the piano with "Unexpected Song" and "I DOn't Know How to Love Him," but wished there was an alternate lyric to match the other two songs. Now that I know there *is*, and it's a good lyric, it's a dream come true.
The melody of "Benedicite" is one of my favorites from _Sunset_ (the book mis-identifies it as "SUrrender"; it's actually "The Lady's Paying" and "Eternal Youth is Worth a Little Suffering"). The lyrics are the canticle from Daniel 3, which comes up every odd Sunday in the Divine Office, so it's nice to have cool music to sing it with.
I haven't bought _By Jeeves_ or _THe Beautiful Game_ yet, to it was great to sample them.
There are other parts of the CD taht aren't found in my collection. I like CD 4 "The Hits."
But the selections on CDs 1-3 don't make sense.
First, any self-respecting ALW fan has the Original London Cast of _Phantom_, so six tracks are totally useless. Why not draw from the Canadian cast with Colm Wilkinson? Or pull out some obscure recordings never published.
Why two different tracks with Michael Ball singing "Love Changes Everything", yet they're hardly any different?
On Disc 5 is "It's Only Your Lover Returning," sung by Julie Covington. It's an early draft of the song (Lloyd Webber and Rice went through several suggested titles) and quite nice. The very thing one expects on a Boxed Set.
So why have the Julie Covington "Don't Cry for Me" on disc 1?? The only difference is a few words, but it's otherwise identical. Why not Elaine Paige or Patti Lupone or Madonna?
The _Evita_ section is otherwise the best, choosing a sample from each major recording, though I'd have chosen slightly differently (as above).
There is a great selection of "Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer" from the Sydmonton festival, using the original music that was changed when _Cats_ went to Broadway_. It would have been nice if they'd included more recordings from Sydmonton, like the original lyric of "All I Ask of You" shown on the second DVD to the _Phantom_ movie.
With so many great actress-singers who've played Norma Desmond, why does the collection beat us over the head with Glenn Close?
Paul Miles Kingston must be set for life in royalties, for the number of albums the original recording of "Pie Jesu" has appeared on. "Amigos Para Siempre" is nice, but it reminds me of Shari Lewis's "The Song that Doesn't End," especially when it's been used on so many compilations.
In short, this is a great collection for the obscure material, if you can get it cheap. But for a boxed set, it's a poor sampling, drawn mostly from the most familiar recordings.
Over the years many compilations of his work have emerged. In the late 80-is and early 90-is it was the "Encore" series and lately the one-disc collection called "Gold". The one in question here can be considered one of the best currently on the market. First, it includes a 3-disc selections from all of his shows, minus the latest one, i.e., "The Woman in White", which, considering the triviality of the score, is no great lost. The fourth disc covers some of his most known songs sung by the famous artists. Then, there is the fifth disc with previously unreleased material, most of which are the songs ALW wrote with Tim Rice for various artists during the 70-is. The disks are all neatly packed in a hardcover book that features 67 pages of pictures and text with information about each of ALW's shows. One of the other assets here is the perfect sound quality, since all of the tracks have been digitally remastered.
Here are my basic impressions and comments regarding the material on the discs:
* Disc #1 has the selections from "Jesus Christ Superstar", "Evita", "Cats" and "Song & Dance". The Superstar material mostly comes from the Concept Recording. Although the songs sound beautiful as always, their orchestration is a bit dated now. Only Steve Balsamo's "Gethsemane" from the 1996 revival cast has a modern rock sound. "Evita" comes with the material from all of the major recordings: London, Broadway and the movie productions, as well as the Concept album. No objections here; since this is one of ALW's most satisfying works, every song is just perfect, although Patti LuPone, the Broadway and overall the best Evita, is left with only a couple of lines. With the selections from "Cats", however, I have some doubts. A plus to the choice of the "Jellicle ball" impressive orchestral sequence from the 1998 movie version and "Mister Mistoffelees" from the 1981 London cast. One of the best known ALW's songs, "Memory", also comes from that album. It's a pretty version and Elaine Paige's rendition cannot be matched, but why include this when the definite version, featuring an 80-piece orchestra and Elaine Paige with much better interpretation, can be found in the same movie version. Thusly, one has to buy Elaine Paige's latest 2-disc compilation "Centre Stage: The very best of Elaine Paige" to get that one. And "Gus the theatre cat" is more a recital than a song, so there was not much point in including that. Marti Webb brings her vocal charm to the "Song & Dance" sequence, Sarah Brightman sings "Unexpected song" with her famous soprano, but as much as I like her version, Bernadette Peters, who was in this show on Broadway is strangely left out here.
* Disc # 2 starts with "Starlight Express". This was never one of my favorite ALW's shows; the plot is even lighter than in "Cats" and the 1984 original cast recording is terribly dated. Yet, here we have one terrific duet, "I am starlight" from the original together with three songs from the later revivals and it seems that fresh orchestrations were just the thing Starlight needed. My favorite remains a touchy ballad, "Next time you fall in love". "Requiem" is the most solemn of all ALW's compositions, written in 1985 to commemorate the death of his father. Placido Domingo's tenor rides together with the chorus all the way through the strong "Hosanna", only to be joined by Sarah Brightman in the final moments of this song. She then gives an echoing deliverance of "Pie Jesu". What can be said of ALW's next show, "The Phantom of the Opera"? A phenomenon in its own right, it's easy to see from the six numbers included here why this is one of the best and most beloved musicals of all time. The cast, the music, the story - everything is perfect. Although "Aspects of love" was never a popular hit, it does have some of the most beautiful love melodies ALW has ever written. "Love changes everything" sung by Michael Ball is probably one of the best tunes ever about love. The rest of the selected material here has a dreamy love flavor and the melodies find their way into your brain in the best Lloyd Webber way.
* ALW's first musical, "Joseph and the amazing Technicolor dreamcoat" was more successful in its revival form than the original from the 70-is. The three songs included here are sung by the show stars, Jason Donovan and Donny Osmond. Maria Friedman was not a lucky choice to play the narrator, as the track from the 1998 movie version shows. "By Jeeves" was ALW's only big flop when it came to the stage in the 70-is. The 1995 revival sounds much better though, full of funny numbers in the best manner of the musical comedy. "Travel hopefully" remains one of the show's highlights on this compilation. "Sunset Boulevard" comes next. "Sunset" remains for me one of Webber's best scores; lush and beautiful. I listen to the original cast recording with Patti LuPone all the time. However, here most of the songs are performed by Glenn Close. A big mistake. If you've ever listened the American premiere recording with her, you'll know what I am talking about. She may have a strong stage presence, but her vocal abilities are too limited, and her aggressive approach to the role lacks any subtlety. Therefore, the two big numbers from this show, "With one look" and "As if we never said goodbye" are ruined by the fact she can't sing. The same goes for the American Joe Gillis, who was played by Alan Campbell. Luckily, Patti LuPone and Kevin Anderson, the original Norma and Joe from the London production, make their brief entrance here with the "Perfect year"; enough to show how better they are. The funny thing is, on the jacket and inside of it, Glenn Close and Alan Campbell are credited as performers in this song as well. If this was a mistake on ALW's part, it was a good one. The next ALW's show, "Whistle down the wind" was never a critic's dear and yet the audiences rushed in to see it in London. The score brings back ALW to his rock and roll roots of the seventies and the story is quite interesting. But the selections here are not the happiest, since the cast recording boasts with much better songs. And finally, "The Beautiful Game". Again, we have one of those ALW's shows that is worth in its individual parts rather than as a whole. "Our kind of love" and "Let us love in peace" are two catchy ballads. The latter is a nice amalgam version not available elsewhere. The two other tracks here I could live without.
* Disc # 4 has the songs from all the above shows performed by different artists. The assembled tracks have their pros and cons. For example, we have some previously unreleased stuff, like Dame Kiri Te Kanawa's operettic rendition of "The heart is slow to learn", or a stunning and epic "A kiss is a terrible thing to waste" from "Whistle down the wind", performed by The Metal Philharmonic Orchestra. Then again, what was the point in including almost identical tracks as the ones on the previous disks? So we have Michael Ball again singing "Love changes everything" with only a bit different orchestration; Sarah Brightman comes out again with the same Phantom duets, but only with the different male singers. It would be much more appropriate to include tracks from the Toronto Cast of the Phantom, with Colm Wilkinson. Other pop deliverances (Tina Arena's "Whistle down the wind", Barbra Streisand's "As if we never said goodbye", Boyzone's "No matter what" and many more) were wisely chosen. Patti LuPone is again nowhere to be found and Petula Clark's "With one look" sounds too worn-out.
* The last disc is probably the one that will be of most interest to Lloyd Webber aficionados. It consists of entirely previously unreleased material ALW for the most part wrote for various artists during his early years, with Tim Rice. Some of these tunes, not successful as a singles, were later used in his shows. Thus "Down thru' summer" became "Buenos Aires"in Evita, "Try it and see", an unsuccessful attempt for the Eurovision was used for "King Herod's song" in "Superstar" and so on. Some of these songs are nicely made pop songs: "Make believe love", ALW's first recorded composition, for which he provided the lyrics; "Goodbye Seattle", sung by Paul Raven, who later became Gary Glitter; "Come back Richard, your country needs you", from a never made musical, sung here by Tim Rice, or Latin flavored "Magdalena", with Tony Christie singing. My all time favorite here is a song called "It's easy for you", sung by none other than Elvis Presley himself. Lloyd Webber and Rice sent him a demo recording that he accepted and recorded this live version a couple of weeks before he died. It's amazing to hear how his voice remained in the perfect shape. Also, there is a track of Andrew Lloyd Webber singing "Policle dogs and Jellicle cats" while plying the piano. His voice doesn't sound bad at all.
Taken as a whole, this compilation makes a perfect birthday or Christmas present to any fan of Andrew Lloyd Webber shows, or just anybody interested in some of the best tunes from the modern era of the musical theatre; despite the flaws I mentioned above. To the former, it may just be the final addition for the Andrew Lloyd Webber collection.
Opera") and the longest-running show of all time ("Cats"), the man whose homes are filled with three Grammys, five Oliviers, a Golden Globe, and Oscar and too many other honors and hosannas to mention, the man knighted in 1992 certainly doesn't need an introduction. Now Decca Broadway pays tribute to Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber with "Now and Forever," a spectacular 5-CD set compiled and produced by Sir Andy himself. It's cheaper than a
ticket to "The Producers" ... and more much exciting. This treasure trove contains highlights from all of Webber's shows, and a bonus disc of tunes sung by Betty Buckley, Barbara
Streisand, Jose Carreras, Boy George, Charlotte Church, Madonna, Tom Jones, Petula Clark, even Elvis! A must for lovers of theatre---and good music.
The cuts from the musicals are great but are likely owned by ALW fans as they are on the original cast albums. And I'm glad that there were tunes included from the composers most recent efforts which have yet to make it beyond London (Whistle Down the Wind, Beautiful Game).
My only complaint is the inclusion of way too many tracks by Sarah Brightman. She must've received a great divorce settlement that included having tunes on any ALW collection until the end of time!! Her interpretations of some of the tunes were limp and uninspired. I would've much rather heard casts from around the world rather than yet another song by this disdainful soprano! How about Colm Wilkinson's version of "Music of the Night" from the original Canadian cast of "Phantom"? Or Michael Crawford's version of "Unexpected Song"? What? No Betty Buckley from "Sunset Blvd."? And of course there are songs you KNOW are going to be on the collection before you even listen to it as they have been on EVERY ALW collection for the past decade or so.
A great collection but too much Sarah Brightman!
"The Big Men" return to the Island Music scene with their follow up CD entitled "You Will See", following their debut compact disc entitled "It's A Miracle" in 1997. Upon receiving much acclaim in the Islands for their heart felt tribute to Israel Kamakawiwaole called "Bradda Iz", they return to the airwaves with a very powerful 2nd CD simply entitled, "YOU WILL SEE". With a unique blend of traditional Hawaiian music reminiscent of the Makaha Sons of Ni'ihau, mixed with reggae sounds of Aswad, with a little touch of Darren Benitez, "You Will See" promises to fulfill even the most finicky tastes for Island Music.
There are 12 songs featured on the latest project, including the ever popular Na Waiho'olu'u O Ke Anuenue making a guest appearance on "Pule KaKou", an Eddy Arnold classic, "Make This World Go Away" and a very special song dedicated to Chad "Akebono" Rowan entitled "Far Away". "You Will See" makes its debut on KCCN FM100 & HAWAIIAN 105 beginning Feb. 10th and will be sure to get a lot of attention!
Band Members: Kurt Kipapa - (Lead Singer, Ukulele) Kurt was born and raised on Waikane Road. Lived in Hawaii 39 years and has been playing music for about 25 years. He's played with various Island groups such as Hokua, and 3 of a kind. Na Kane Nui was formed in 1996. Kurt also works for the city & county as the caretaker of Sherwoods in Waimanalo. Proud father of 10 keikis, along with his wife Jolyn he's been married 21 years. A graduate of Castle HS in 1978, he's also played in Japan, Anaheim, Vegas, San Francisco, Oregon, and throughout Hawai'i.
Kaleo Kelilikoa - (Background Vocalist, Bass) Born & Raised in Leeward Oahu, Kaleo grew up and graduated in Waianae, Class of 1978. He's played music for about 15 years with groups such as Kulia, Mixed Blend, and the Waianae Homestead Connection, to name a few. Currently a single braddah, Kaleo is truly an entrepreneur of the finer foods of the islands!
Herman Cossier - (Background Vocalist, Guitar) Herman was born and raised in Waimanalo, then he moved to Hau'ula and graduated from Kahuku HS in 1973. His major influences would be Santana, and Country Comfort. Skilled in playing several different instruments, Herman has played with Herm & Don, 3 of a kind, Mana, and Point to Point. The Big Boys of Island Music are destined to be one of Hawai'i's greatest musical talents to hit the islands since the Makaha Sons. "You Will See"!!!!!
Product Description
Destined to be an Island Music favorite, Na Kane Nui offers "old school" harmonies, with smooth grooves with a little bit of an up-beat dance-able beat. Kind of like listening to the Makaha Sons and Maxi Priest.
You Will See,Na Kane Nui,Olinda Road -- Navarre --,Hawaiian
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The Village
Manufacturer: Hollywood Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD  Movie Scores
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ASIN: B0002IQJSC Release Date: 2004-07-27 |
Tracks:
- Noah Visits
- What Are You Asking Me?
- The Bad Color
- Those We Don't Speak Of
- Will You Help Me?
- I Cannot See His Color
- Rituals
- The Gravel Road
- Race To Resting Rock
- The Forbidden Line
- The Vote
- It Is Not Real
- The Shed Not To Be Used
Amazon.com
In the wake of his Sixth Sense triumph, young director M. Night Shyamalan shrewdly marketed himself as a marquee draw, a thriller auteur in the vein of Hitchcock and DePalma. In the process he's also run headlong into one of Hollywood's truest adages: There's no such thing as a sure thing. But while his tale of an isolated hamlet ringed by mysterious, threatening 'others' met with tepid reviews and disappointing box office, it also underscored another filmmaking truism: So-so films can still be blessed with magnificent musical scores. This hauntingly beautiful, yet thoroughly contemporary orchestral soundtrack by James Newton-Howard distinguishes itself at every turn, becoming a clear standout in the ongoing collaboration between the composer and Shyamalan. While similar fusions of minimalist and post-modern musical influences can sometimes seem not much more than hollow intellectual exercises, Newton-Howard inhabits his hypnotic arpeggios and droning rhythms here with an evocative undercurrent of the mysterious and mystical. The composer leans heavily on solo violin to conjure a mock folk tradition of indistinct origins, wedding it to a contemporary classical sense that's as seamless as it is distinguished. -- Jerry McCulleyCustomer Reviews:
Moody, haunting, beautiful -- brilliant!.......2007-08-02
The common thread woven throughout most of the score is a simple, monophonic melody on the violin, heart-rendingly lifted from the page by the talented Hilary Hahn. The melody strongly evokes Gregorian plainsong, which is very appropriate to the subject matter of Shyamalan's film. It may also remind listeners of twentieth-century composers who have returned to and incorporated those older musical modes (particularly the medieval Phrygian mode) into their own music; I'm thinking of people like Arvo Pärt and Ralph Vaughn Williams (also a film composer). Even more striking, however, is the debt Mr. Howard owes to Philip Glass. Listen to his (Glass's) Violin Concerto or to his own score for the film, The Hours, and see if you don't hear it. The minimalist arpeggiation on the violin is unmistakable.
A couple of the other tracks (e.g., "Those We Don't Speak Of" and "It Is Not Real") will absolutely make your hair stand on end. They still give me goosebumps every time I listen to them. It's some of the most effect "fear" scoring I've ever heard, making particularly good use of the percussion section. Altogether, this is a versatile, remarkable score I can very highly recommend.
tapestry of color.......2007-07-28
Excellent Score -- Very Unique.......2007-02-22
It was with this score that he really caught my attention. The central theme of the film is a love story, and the characters just happen to be caught up in a nightmarish scenario. The score reflects this perfectly; some of the pieces are classically romantic, quiet pieces, while others are thunderous and frightening to reflect the danger and terror portrayed in the film.
James Newton Howard's later works, like "King Kong" (2005) and his co-score with Hans Zimmer on "Batman Begins" (2005) continued to show that he is rightly considered one of Hollywood's A-list composers for big films.
One of the few good things about this wretched film.......2006-11-05
The score elevates the film.......2006-08-09
While there are a couple pieces in the score that are a little more high-octane in terms of suspense, most of the music is very low-key. Still suspenseful, even spooky at times, but in a very understated and thoughtful way. In some ways similar to Howard's score for 'Signs', which also used repeated rhythms and themes throughout in different ways, the music for 'The Village' differs from the standard "scary movie" score by having pieces which establish a real emotional depth and presence. 'The Village' is a film about love and loss, and much of the music expresses those themes perfectly.
A big part of how the music gets to the depths of emotion is the solo violin performances of Hilary Hahn, present to some extent in almost every piece. From the opening strains of "Noah Visits," the first piece on the CD, her violin speaks the language of the heart and draws the listener into a beautiful world of haunting music, inescapable and compelling. I am amazed by her versatility here. From the fast rhythmic notes of "The Gravel Road" to the high strains of "I Cannot See His Color" to the final, bittersweet tones of "The Vote," Hahn's violin creates a steady thread through the whole score, unifying it and making it unique at the same time. I've listened to several of Hahn's classical performances as well, but I have to say that of what I've heard, her performance for 'The Village' may be her most unique and most compelling yet.
The combination of James Newton Howard's compositions and Hilary Hahn's lush performance have created some beautiful music for 'The Village'. Whether you love the movie or hate it, or even if you're just looking for some rich orchestral music with a beautiful violin performance, this score is well worth owning and listening to many times over.
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Walt Disney's Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs: Classic Soundtrack Series
Leigh Harline Manufacturer: Disney ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Movie Scores
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ASIN: B000001M4D Release Date: 2001-09-25 |
Tracks:
- Overture - Larry Morey/Frank Churchill
- Magic Mirror - Leigh Harline
- I'm Wishing/One Song - Adriana Caselotti/Harry Stockwell
- Queen Theme - Frank Churchill
- Far Into The Forest - Larry Morey/Frank Churchill/Paul J. Smith/Leigh Harline
- Animal Friends/With A Smile And A Song - Adriana Caselotti
- Just Like A Doll's House - Frank Churchill/Paul J. Smith
- Whistle While You Work - Adriana Caselotti
- Heigh-Ho - The Dwarf Chorus
- Let's See What's Upstairs - Frank Churchill/Paul J. Smith
- There's Trouble A-Brewin' - Larry Morey/Frank Churchill/Leigh Harline
- It's A Girl - Leigh Harline/Frank Churchill
- Hooray! She Stays - Frank Churchill
- Bluddle-Uddle-Um-Dum (The Dwarfs' Washing Song) - The Dwarf Chorus
- I've Been Tricked - Leigh Harline
- The Dwarf's Yodel Song (The Silly Song) - The Dwarf Chorus
- Some Day My Prince Will Come - Adriana Caselotti
- Pleasant Dreams - Paul J. Smith/Frank Churchill
- A Special Sort Of Death - Leigh Harline
- Why Grumpy, You Do Care - Frank Churchill/Leigh Harline/Larry Morey
- Makin' Pies - Leigh Harline/Larry Morey/Frank Churchill
- Have A Bite - Leigh Harline
- Chorale For Snow White - Frank Churchill
- Love's First Kiss (Finale) - Frank Churchill/Leigh Harline/Larry Morey
- Music In Your Soup - The Dwarf Chorus
- You're Never Too Old To Be Young - The Dwarf Chorus
Amazon.com essential recording
Disney's Snow White, the world's first animated musical feature (1937), is still a standard in the industry. Though 1930s recording technology was primitive by today's standards, the Disney music studios have always used the available technology to its fullest, and this recording still stands up. The mature but hauntingly childlike Adriana Caselotti as Snow White is a unique vocal presence, and the songs include "Whistle While You Work," "Heigh-Ho," and "Some Day My Prince Will Come." The score is nearly as great an accomplishment as the film itself. --John SanchezCustomer Reviews:
The Churchill's are very talented persons........2007-02-13
One Song.......2006-02-19
Anyway another reason for me purchasing this album was the main titles for the film I love the ochestration. My favourite song on this album would have to be One Song followed by with A Smile and a Song.
And number 5 (a piece of music) I can't remember what it's called but it is creepy too the part that has snow white running through the woods.
Someday my prince will come is nice too. Adriana's voice is a little high and annoying sometimes though. But it's still nice to listen to. I listen to this album alot it's very nice and I like to listen to the version of One Song that is played at the end of the movie.
good soundtrack for halloween.......2005-07-14
Queen:(laughing)it's not for you, it's for snow white
anyways, bye-bye
REMasterpiece!.......2003-01-21
In the liner notes I read the original soundtrack only consisted of five songs, the five songs we hear sung in the film. "One song/I'm Wishing", "Hi Ho", "The Yodeling Song", "Some day my prince will come", and "Whistle while you work". Over the years, the instrumental musical score was thrown in to create a wonderful masterpiece of a soundtrack.
I highly recommend purchasing this. If you like the music from the movie, you will love this. After hearing this for the first time(I've now heard it at least 100, thanks to my 2 yr. old), the movie is brought out to be more of a musical adventure as well as a wonderful story to be told.
This is my son's favorite c.d., and he has so much fun dancing and singing along.
A Magical, Delightful Soundtrack.......2002-10-07
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Say Yes
The Lee Boys Manufacturer: Arhoolie Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General
| Christian & Gospel
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ASIN: B0007NFLKO Release Date: 2005-03-22 |
Tracks:
- Say Yes!
- Joyful Sounds [Instrumental]
- Walk With Me
- Come on Help Me Lift Him Up
- Call Him by His Name [Instrumental]
- If You're Happy and You Know It
- You've Got to Move
- Tribute to Calvin Cooke [Instrumental]
- Let's Celebrate
- Amazing Grace
- Lee Boys Praise Jam [Instrumental]
Customer Reviews:
The Lee Boys - Sacred Steel rocks again!.......2006-09-01
While the Lee Boys could be technically classified as 'gospel', they (mostly) convey their univeral spiritual message through music rather than words so it appeals to everyone, leaving the spiritual interpretation up to listeners like me. And I find that the sheer life-giving, life-affirming, positive energetic frenzied power of the Lee Boys (and the emotional depth of the more contemplative Amazing Grace - a Sacred Steel standard) makes this record worth having. And while one might also call this Christian Rock, I certainly view it as much more rock than Christian. As a lifelong fan of the Southern Rock of the Allman Brothers, Skynyrd, and now Derek Trucks, North Mississippi All-Stars and the Drive-by Truckers, this music slides comfortably right onto the Southern Rock train - so it's not surprising that the Lee Boys have performed on tour with all of the above. In fact, anyone nurtured on a seemingly long-faded, blues-rock tradition will find the music of the Lee Boys like a refreshing drink from a newly re-flowing well.
On the downside, 'Say Yes' doesn't add a lot to the overall Sacred Steel repertoire; several tracks are well-known 'standards' to those who have a growing collection of Sacred Steel records. One curious addition here is Happy and You Know It, that while cetainly not your kindergartner's version, nonetheless seems more curious to me than original. Also, the vocals on this one are a bit weaker than, for example, recordings by the Campbell Brothers, but I doubt if many folks pick up Sacred Steel recordings for the vocals anyway and the playing here does not disappoint. Overall, this record is an essential for all Sacred Steel fans and anyone who loves good time, feel good, upbeat, rock-n-roll played - you might say - solidly 'in the key of life'. Rock on Lee Boys and Rock on Sacred Steel!
Great Sacred Steel.......2005-10-17
Lively, impassioned gospel music.......2005-03-31
This latest entry in the "Sacred Steel" series features a six-piece family band from Florida pursuing the romping, stomping, exhuberant, ecstatic frenzy of the style. If you like the original "SACRED STEEL" collection, you'll definitely dig this disc as well.
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The Best of the Three Degrees: When Will I See You Again
The Three Degrees Manufacturer: Sony ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Disco
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ASIN: B000002ADL Release Date: 1996-06-04 |
Tracks:
- When Will I See You Again
- Long Lost Lover
- Can't You See What You're Doing To Me
- Lonelier Are Fools
- I Didn't Know
- Here I Am
- T.S.O.P. (The Sound Of Philadelphia)
- Dirty Ol' Man
- Love Is The Message (Single Version)
- Take Good Care Of Yourself
- If And When
- Year Of Decision
- Everybody Gets To Go To The Moon (Live)
- Get Your Love Back
Customer Reviews:
The Philly sound period.......2004-10-30
This collection focuses on the early part of their career, their Philly sound period. Among the hits included here are TSOP (their only American number one hit) and When will I see you again (their only British number one hit). Other great songs including Dirty old man, Year of decision and Take good care of yourself, the last two of which charted high in the UK.
After they switched labels to Ariola, their British hits included Golden lady, Jump the gun, Giving up giving in, Woman in love, The runner and My simple heart. You must look elsewhere if you want those tracks.
As a collection of their Philly sound music (the only part of their career that most Americans are interested in), this is brilliant.
When Will I See You Again My Favorite Song "Maybe".......2004-04-17
The version I would like to see on CD is from the album "Maybe" 5:37 Roulette (SR-42050) or the "45" "Maybe" 5:37 Roulette (19924) bw "You're The One" which ever information is helpful.
The TRUTH about The Three Degrees.......2003-07-22
The problem? These girls had two career phases, utterly irreconcilable to most of their fans. Phase one is The Three Degrees most of us know and love: the Philly International years. They were to this label what The Superemes were to Motown, but their monster hits "When Will I See You Again" (1973), "TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia)," (1974) and their grace notes on Tom Moulton's brilliant 1977 remix of "Love Is The Message" did not commercially sustain.
Still, every album they cut on this label is worthwhile. Even minor R&B hits like "Take Good Care Of Yourself" (1975) still send a chill up the spine with their corny but wistful power.
When the hits dried up, the girls teamed up with Giorgio Moroder, the Italo-German wunderkind who made Donna Summer. Most fans of the 3D's early years HATE these records. I like one of them.
The earlier records are better music overall, but the first album cut they with Giorgio ("New Dimensions," 1978) has a thrilling side-one suite. Think of "Givin Up/Givin In," "Lookin' For Love," and "Falling in Love Again" as the Three Degrees five years later...no longer spring chickens, angry with the downside of the love they used to coo about, but not quite through with it.
Side two is notable for "The Runner," a big disco hit in early 1979. Too bad the second album they cut with Moroder, "3D" (1980) is mostly junk, in the same Eurodisco vein.
An ideal compilation would include most of "New Dimensions," plus one or two sweet singles these girls cut before they hit big, including their 1970 remake of The Chantals' ballad "Maybe."
Alas, soul sisters rarely get their due...
The brief reign of the Three Degrees as disco queens.......2003-06-15
The Three Degrees.......2003-04-10
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Greatest Songs from the Musicals
Various Artists Manufacturer: Soho ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General
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ASIN: B000077JS0 Release Date: 2002-10-21 |
Tracks:
- Aquarius [From Hair] - Steve Brooker, NSO Ensemble, , Caroline O'Connor
- If I Can't Love Her [From Beauty and the Beast] - Ethan Freeman, National Symphony Orchestra, Martin Yates
- I Could Have Danced All Night [From My Fair Lady] - Katrina Murphy, National Symphony Orchestra
- Can You Feel the Love Tonight? [From The Lion King] - John Barrowman, National Symphony Orchestra, Martin Yates
- What I Did for Love [from a Chorus Line] - National Symphony Orchestra, Catherine Porter, Martin Yates
- This Is the Moment [From Jekyll and Hyde] - Gary Mauer, National Symphony Orchestra, Martin Yates
- All That Jazz [From Chicago] - Paulette Ivory, Julian Kelly, Katrina Murphy, National Symphony Orchestra, Sally Ann Triplett
- Impossible Dream [From Man of La Mancha] - Ethan Freeman, National Symphony Orchestra, Martin Yates
- America [From West Side Story] - National Symphony Orchestra
- Written in the Stars [From Aida] - Simon Bowman, NSO Ensemble, Sally Ann Triplett, Martin Yates
- Mame [From Mame] - Jerry Lanning, National Symphony Orchestra, Martin Yates
- Some Enchanted Evening [From South Pacific] - Thomas Allen, John Owen Edwards, Philharmonic Orchestra
- I Am What I Am [From LA Cage aux Follies] - Janet Glazener, Leslie Uggams
- One Song Glory [From Rent] - Sean McDermott, Martin Yates
Tracks:
- Phantom of the Opera [From The Phantom of the Opera] - Ethan Freeman, Claire Moore, National Symphony Orchestra, Martin Yates
- I Dreamed a Dream [From Les Miserables] - National Symphony Orchestra, Jacqui Scott, Martin Yates
- Bui Doi [From Miss Saigon] - Ethan Freeman, National Symphony Orchestra, Martin Yates
- As Long as He Needs Me [From Oliver!] - National Symphony Orchestra,
- Time Warp [From the Rocky Horror Picture Show] - Anita Dobson, NSO Ensemble, Martin Yates,
- Memory [From Cats] - Kim Criswell, National Symphony Orchestra, Martin Yates
- Why God Why [From Miss Saigon] - Graham Bickley, National Symphony Orchestra, Martin Yates
- I Know Him So Well [From Chess] - Katrina Murphy, NSO Ensemble, Sally Ann Triplett, Martin Yates
- One Day More [From Les Miserables] - National Symphony Orchestra, Martin Yates
- Peggy Sue [From Buddy Holly Story] - Dominic Curtis
- Empty Charis at Empty Tables [From Les Miserables] - Graham Bickley, National Symphony Orchestra, Martin Yates
- Dancing Queen [From Mamma Mia!] - Julian Kelly, NSO Ensemble, , Caroline O'Connor
- All I Ask of You [From The Phantom of the Opera] - Andrew Halliday, , National Symphony Orchestra, Martin Yates
- We Will Rock You [From We Will Rock You] - Martin Yates
Tracks:
- It's a Grand Night for Singing [From State Fair] - National Symphony Orchestra
- If I Were a Rich Man [From Fiddler on the Roof] - Jerry Lanning, National Symphony Orchestra
- I Talk to the Trees [From Paint Your Wagon] - Ethan Freeman, National Symphony Orchestra, Martin Yates
- Over the Rainbow [From The Wizard of Oz] - Gillian Bevan, , John Owen Edwards, , Royal Shakespeare Company
- Bless Yore Beautiful Hide [From Seven Brides for Seven Brothers] - Hal Fowler, National Symphony Orchestra, Martin Yates
- Grease [From Grease] - John Barrowman, NSO Ensemble, Martin Yates
- Woman in Love [From Guys and Dolls] - Gregg Edelman, , Emily Loesser, National Symphony Orchestra
- Secret Love [From Calamity Jane] - Debbie Gravitte, National Symphony Orchestra
- Quintet [From West Side Story] - National Symphony Orchestra
- I Will Always Love You [From the Best Little Whorehouse in Texas] - Salena Jones, John Pearce
- Money, Money [From "Caberet"] - Maria Friedman, National Symphony Orchestra, Jonathan Pryce
- If My Friends Could See Me Now (Sweet Charity) - Jacqueline Dankworth, National Symphony Orchestra, Martin Yates
- Thank Heaven for Little Girls [From Gigi] - Ron Moody, National Symphony Orchestra, Martin Yates
- Singin' in the Rain [From Singin' in the Rain] - Craig Barna, National Symphony Orchestra, Paul Robinson
Customer Reviews:
You'll be disappointed.......2006-09-02
Pretty good musical mix.......2006-03-10
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Handel: The Masterworks (Box Set)
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ASIN: B00062FLI8 Release Date: 2004-11-30 |
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Will See You Now
Cagedbaby Manufacturer: Southern Fried ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General
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ASIN: B0007KVE0S Release Date: 2005-08-15 |
Tracks:
- Hello There
- Disco Biscuit
- 16 Lovers
- Berlin
- Amplified Heart
- Never See More
- Golden Triangle
- Against The Wall
- Evolution
- Marmalade
Album Description
Southern Fried Records (Fatboy Slim) present the first original album of the solo project Caged Baby that was producer by Tom Gandey. Features 10 tracks. 2005.Album Details
Sounding Like the Love Child of a Musical Orgy Involving the Pet Shop Boys, Talking Heads, Prince, the Beloved and Inxs, Cagedbaby Deliver their Debut Album.Customer Reviews:
One of my favorite albums of the past two years!.......2007-03-27
INTOXICATING.......2006-03-18
I'm not a writer so I will probably not do the album justice but I encourage everyone to listen to them. PURE GENIOUS!! This is the first CD in a long time that I have listened from beginning to end without skipping and loved every minute.
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Handel: Belshazzar
Manufacturer: Archiv Produktion ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Minuets
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| Handel, George Frideric
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ASIN: B0001ZWGHY Release Date: 2004-06-15 |
Tracks:
- Overture
- Vain, Fluctuating State Of Human Empire!
- Thou, God Most High, And Thou Alone
- The Fate Of Babylon, I Fear, Is Nigh
- Lament Not Thus, Oh Queen, In Vain!
- Behold, By Persia's Hero Made
- Well May They Laugh/Oh Memory! Still Bitter To My Soul
- Opprest With Never-Ceasing Grief
- Dry Thoes Unavailing Tears
- Be Comforted: Safe Though The Tyrant Seem/Methought, As On The Bank Of Deep Euphrates
- Now, Tell Me, Gobrias
- Behold The Monstrous Human Beast
- Can You Then Think It Strange
- Great God! Who, Yet But Darkly Known
- My Friends, Be Confident
- All Empires Upon God Depend
- Oh Sacred Oracles Of Truth!
- Rejoyce, My Countrymen
- Sing, Oh Ye Heav'ns!
Tracks:
- Let Festal Joy Triumphant Reign!
- For You, My Friends
- The Leafy Honours Of The Field
- It Is The Custom, I May Say, The Law
- Recall, Oh King! Thy Rash Command
- They Tell You True
- Oh Dearer Than My Life, Forebear!
- By Slow Degrees The Wrath Of God
- See, From His Post Euphrates Flies!
- You See, My Friends, A Path
- Amaz'd To Find The Foe So Near
- To Arms, To Arms! No More Delay!
- Ye Tutelar Gods Of Our Empire
- Let The Deep Bowl Thy Praise Confess
- Where Is The God Of Judah's Boasted Pow'r?
- Call All My Wise Men
Tracks:
- A Singony (Allegro Postillions)
- Ye Sages! Welcome Always To Your King/Alas! Too Hard A Task The King Imposes
- Oh Misery! - Oh Terror! - Hopeless Grief!
- Oh King, Live For Ever!
- No! To Thyself Thy Trifles Be
- Yet, To Obey His Dread Command
- Oh Sentence To Severe!
- Oh God Of Truth! Oh Faithful Guide!
- You, Gobrias, Lead Directly To The Palace
- Oh Glorious Prince!
- Alternate Hopes And Fears
- Fain Would I Hope
- Can The Black Aethiop Change His Skin?
- My Hopes Revive
- Bel Boweth Down!
- I Thank, Thee, Sesach
- A Martial Symphony
- To Pow'e Immortal My First Thanks
- Be It Thy Care, Good Gobrias
- Great Victor, At Your Feet I Bow
- Say, Venerable Prophet
- Tell It Out Among The Heathen
- Yes, I Will Build Thy City
- I Will Magnify Thee
Customer Reviews:
ISSUE RESOLVED ON THE EUPHRATES.......2005-06-19
Belshazzar was not a great success at the box-office, although this may have had more to do with difficulties in the casting than because it was deemed insufficiently biblical for oratorio, which seems to have been the fate of Hercules. It seems to me to be perfectly well described as oratorio in other ways too, with (for one thing) the extensive use of the chorus that we find in, say, Samson but not in Hercules. The one passage that cries out for visual effects is of course the apparition of the moving finger itself. Even here the composer can go a long way with sheer power of suggestion, by the strange unaccompanied violin figure creeping upwards and the frightened brevity of the vocal numbers. Otherwise for me Belshazzar is as much an oratorio as Samson is. It has the same librettist too, the crusty and formidable Jennens, who had also collaborated with Handel on Saul and on Messiah itself. Jennens' full text is not provided, but I think if you read the synopsis first and then follow the work from the headlines to each number you will have no difficulty in catching the words, so clear is the enunciation by soloists and chorus alike. As usual, Handel was driven to make alterations to the score for practical reasons. He had been a little concerned about its length, roughly 2 hours and 50 minutes in this performance, but where he wishes to be expansive he gives us full measure - two arias in Act I scene 4 take well over 7 minutes each. The liner-essay (a good one, by Anthony Hicks) goes into the issue of the version of the score used here, and I personally have no problem with it.
I have no faults to find with the performance in any way. Pinnock is an established specialist, the instruments are period instruments and vocal cadenzas at the end of the arias are kept minimal. Anthony Rolfe Johnson, James Bowman and David Wilson-Johnson are tried and trusted Handel singers and at their best here, and Nicolas Robertson and Richard Wistreich in the smaller parts are every bit as good. The part of Cyrus is a soprano part, taken by Catherine Robbin, and when I thought I heard just one touch of strain in `Destructive War' in the final scene she makes up for it instantly in her superb duet with Arleen Auger in the following number. Auger as Nitocris the mother of Belshazzar has the biggest part, and she covers herself with glory all the way through.
The recording is perfect, and when I saw an aria entitled `Destructive War, thy limits know' near the end I felt a sharp sense of irony in the year 2005. Cyrus, Handel, Jennens, you should all have been living at this hour.
Enjoiyable, but lacking, too........2004-08-16
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Michael Feinstein with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra
Michael Feinstein , and Israel Philharmonic Orchestra Manufacturer: Concord Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Bernstein
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ASIN: B00005Q6LL Release Date: 2002-05-07 |
Tracks:
- The Folks Who Live On The Hill
- The Best Is Yet To Come
- Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out to Dry
- By Myself
- Spring Will Be A Little Late This Year
- Stormy Weather
- Laura
- On A Clear Day (You Can See Forever)
- Love Is Here To Stay
- How Deep is The Ocean?
- Somewhere
- I Won't Send Roses
Amazon.com
If there's a precious tone to Michael Feinstein's interpretations of the American songbook, it probably stems from a fervent dedication to preserving the original context of his material. This is, after all, a musician who spent many of his formative years in personal service to the late Ira Gershwin. This collection further underscores that commitment, with the lush sound of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra (augmented by the piano trio of Alan Broadbent, who also provides all but one of the arrangements here) adding considerable dramatic resonance to Feinstein's performances.While singers from Sinatra and Streisand to Fitzgerald and Bennett have imbued many of these songs with considerable dollops of jazz, blues, and their own strong personas, Feinstein mines melancholy jewels like "Spring Will Be a Little Late This Year," "How Deep Is the Ocean," and "By Myself" for all their introspective emotion. "Somewhere" pays tribute to Bernstein with glorious, unabashed melodrama, while "Laura" (one of the most recorded songs of all time) gets recast in something approaching its original intent via an arrangement written for this recording by composer David Raksin. Feinstein himself penned the album's notes, paying careful tribute to each composer represented and noting that all were Jews, yet their music came to represent a richly American spectrum that included black and white and encompassed jazz, the theater, and even classics in its scope. There's a lesson herein, and one that spans more than mere history and musical archaeology. --Jerry McCulley
Customer Reviews:
Musical Wit in an Orchestral Setting.......2004-01-04
A Cabaret Singer Grows Up.......2003-03-14
Like Coward, Mr. Feinstein seems to understand the power of popular, romantic song when flung into the void of an apparently cold universe by an all too human, understated voice...I first heard Michael Feinstein sing and play the piano umpteen years ago in the mad, bad '80s. At that time, I found his choice of material from the great 20th Century American composers refreshing & interesting, his skills as a pianist were good, and his diction to be above average. Yet his voice at that time was a bit weak--there was too much bravura nonsense, too much vibrato and he may have been too young for some of the songs that he sang at the time.
Well, we've both matured, (I hope), and Mr. Feinstein has delivered a remarkably smooth, yet heartfelt performance on this album. I'm particularly impressed by his vocal smoothness and emotional restraint, especially on "Love is Here to Stay", "How Deep Is the Ocean", "Spring Will Be A Little Late This Year" & "I Won't Send Roses". Mr. Feinstein appears to really understand the depth of feeling that these words and music evoke in him and us. The vibrato is there when needed, but the ripeness of a mature singer is beginning to be heard on his recordings and the Israeli Philharmonic simply gives his singing wings. The only song that doesn't seem to fit is "Stormy Weather"--I kept hearing Lena Horne in my mind's ear, rather than a polished cabaret singer. I hope that Feinstein continues to grow in vocal power and subtlety as he does here. A lovely album for sophisticated romantics.
This cd is about average, it could have been better.......2002-08-18
I know it is hard to always be creative. There are just so many ideas to go around and then you have to start duplicating others. This is known as copying what others have done.
For this cd I felt like some of the arrangements were too long. For example, Laura as it was performed hear is a six minute song. It really should have been done in two minutes. I'm an engineer and I edited this version of Laura to run two minutes and it is just perfect. Sometimes less is really more. Also, I felt that some of the other songs didn't really have top notch arrangements attached to them. If the arrangements would have been better I whould have had no choice but to bring out the 5 star rating for this project.
To talk a little bit about the voice of Michael is my pleasure. His voice seems to be getting better with age. I have always liked Michael's voice and will continue to do so.
I will give this cd a favorable recommendation!
Fabulously Fantastic!.......2002-07-21
Michael has done it again.......2002-07-12
If there is one thing you can say about Michael Feinstein it's that he knows how to put over a song. His new cd is absolutely magnificent, these are the only words to describe it.
Somewhere, By Myself, Stormy Weather and the rest of the songs are beyond compare. Do yourself a big, big favour and don't miss out on this cd; you'll love it.
Average customer rating:
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Andrew Lloyd Webber: Now & Forever
Various Artists Manufacturer: Decca Broadway ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Requiems
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ASIN: B00005R5UJ Release Date: 2001-11-20 |
Tracks:
- Jesus Christ Superstar: Overture - Andrew Lloyd Webber
- Jesus Christ Superstar: Everything's Alright - Yvonne Elliman/Murray Head/Ian Gilllan
- Jesus Christ Superstar: I Don't Know How To Love Him - Yvonne Elliman
- Jesus Christ Superstar: Gethsemane (I Only Want To Say) - Steve Balsamo
- Jesus Christ Superstar: Superstar - Murray Head
- Evita: Oh What A Circus/Sing You Fools - Antonio Banderas
- Evita: I'd Be Surprisingly Good For You - Elaine Paige/Joss Ackland
- Evita: Another Suitcase In Another Hall - Barbara Dickson
- Evita: Don't Cry For Me Argentina - Julie Covington
- Evita: High Flying, Adored - Mandy Patinkin/Patti LuPone
- Cats: The Jellicle Ball - Andrew Lloyd Weber
- Cats: Memory - Elaine Paige
- Cats: Gus: The Theatre Cat - Susan Jane Tanner/John Mills
- Cats: Mr Mistoffelees - Paul Nicholas
- Song And Dance: Take That Look Off Your Face - Marti Webb
- Song And Dance: Tell Me On A Sunday - Marti Webb
- Song And Dance: Unexpected Song - Sarah Brightman
- Song And Dance: Nothing Like You've Ever Known - Sarah Brightman
- Song And Dance: Introduction - Andrew Lloyd Webber
- Song And Dance: Variations 1 -4 - Andrew Lloyd Webber
Tracks:
- Starlight Express: Starlight Express - El Debarge
- Starlight Express: Crazy - Greg Ellis/Reva Rice/Caron Cardelle/Samantha Lane/Voyd
- Starlight Express: Next Time You Fall In Love - Reva Rice/Greg Ellis
- Starlight Express: I Am The Starlight - Lon Satton/Ray Shell
- Starlight Express: Light At The End Of The Tunnel - The Company
- Requiem: Hosanna - Placido Domingo
- Requiem: Pie jesu - Sarah Brightman/Paul Miles-Kingston
- The Phantom Of The Opera: The Phantom Of The Opera - Michael Crawford/Sarah Brightman
- The Phantom Of The Opera: The Music Of The Night - Michael Crawford
- The Phantom Of The Opera: All I Ask Of You - Sarah Brightman/Steve Barton
- The Phantom Of The Opera: Entr'acte - Andrew Lloyd Webber
- The Phantom Of The Opera: Masquerade - The Company
- The Phantom Of The Opera: Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again - Sarah Brightman
- Aspects Of Love: Aspects Of Aspects - Orchester Der Vereinigten Buehnen Wien
- Aspects Of Love: Love Changes Everything - Michael Ball
- Aspects Of Love: Seeing Is Believing - Michael Ball/Ann Crumb
- Aspects Of Love: The First Man You Remember - Kevin Colson/Diana Morrison
- Aspects Of Love: Anything But Lonely - Sarah Brightman
- Aspects Of Love: Chanson D'Enfance - Sarah Brightman
Tracks:
- Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat: Any Dream Will Do - Jason Donovan
- Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat: Joseph's Coat - Maria Friedman/Richard Attenborough/Donny Osmond
- Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat: Close Every Door - Donny Osmond
- By Jeeves: Travel Hopefully - John Scherer/Martin Jarvis/Don Stephenson
- By Jeeves: When Love Arrives - Steven Pacey/Diana Morrison
- By Jeeves: Half A Moment - Sarah Brightman
- Sunset Boulevard: With One Look - Glenn Close
- Sunset Boulevard: New Ways To Dream - Glenn Close/Alan Campbell
- Sunset Boulevard: The Perfect Year - Glenn Close/Alan Campbell
- Sunset Boulevard: Sunser Boulevard - Alan Campbell
- Sunset Boulevard: As If We Never Said Goodbye - Glenn Close
- Whistle Down The Wind: Whistle Down The Wind - James Graeme/Lottie Mayor
- Whistle Down The Wind: Cold - Everly Brothers
- Whistle Down The Wind: No Matter What - Children/Adult Chorus
- Whistle Down The Wind: The Nature Of The Beast - Marcus Lovett/Lottie Mayor
- The Beautiful Game: Overture - Andrew Lloyd Webber
- The Beautiful Game: The Beautiful Game - The Company
- The Beautiful Game: Our Kind Of Love - Hannah Waddingham
- The Beautiful Game: Dont Like You - Josie Walker/David Shannon
- The Beautiful Game: Let Us Love In Peace - Josie Walker/Omagh Youth Community Choir
Tracks:
- Oh What A Circus - David Essex
- Memory - Betty Buckley
- The Phantom Of The Opera - Sarah Brightman/Steve Harley
- All I Ask Of You - Sarah Brightman/Cliff Richard
- Love Changes Everything - Michael Ball
- Any Dream Will Do - Donny Osmond
- Amigos Para Siempre (Friends For Life) - Sarah Brightman/Jose Carreras
- As If We Never Said Goodbye - Barbra Streisand
- The Perfect Year - Dina Carroll
- With One Look - Petula Clark
- You Must Love Me - Madonna
- The Heart Is Slow To Learn - Kiri Te Kanawa
- A Kiss Is A Terrible Thing To Waste - The Metal Philharmonic Orchestra
- Whistle Down The Wind - Tina Arena
- No Matter What - Boyzone
- The Vaults Of Heaven - Tom Jones
- Try Not To Be Afraid - Boy George
- Pie Jesu - Charlotte Church
Tracks:
- Make Believe Love - Wes Sands
- Down Thru' Summer - Ross Hannaman
- I'll Give All My Love To Southend - Ross Hannaman
- Believe Me I Will - Sacha Distel
- Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (1969 Radio Luxembourg Commercial) - Joseph Consortium/Pete Murray
- Try It And See - Rita Pavone
- Come Back Richard Your Country Needs You - Time Rice And The Webber Group
- Goodbye Seattle - Paul Raven
- John 19:41 - The Andrew Lloyd Webber Orchestra
- What A Line To Go Out On - Yvonne Elliman
- Disillusion Me - Gary Band
- The Ballad Of Robert And Peter - Tim Rice
- Christmas Dream - Maynard Williams
- It's Only Your Lover Returning/All Through My Crazy And Wild Days/Don't Cry For Me Argentina - Julie Covington
- It's Easy For You (1977 Jungle Room Session Version) - Elvis Presley
- Magdalena - Tony Christie
- Buenos Aires - The Roja Rockers
- Pollicle Dogs And Jellicle Cats - Andrew Lloyd Webber
- Mungojerrie And Rumpleteazer (Live At The Sydmonton Festival 1980) - Gemma Craven
- I Could Have Given You More - Petula Clark
- I've Been In Love Too Long - Marti Webb
- Benedicite - The Stephen Hill Singers
Album Description
Disc 1: Selections from Jesus Christ Superstar, Evita, Cats, and Song and DanceDisc 2: Selections from Starlight Express, Requiem, Phantom of the Opera, and Aspects of Love
Disc 3: Selections from Joseph nad the Amaziong Technicolor Dreamcoat, By Jeeves, Sunset Boulevard, Whistle Down the Wind, and The Beautiful Game
CD 4: 1. "Oh What a Circus" --David Essex 2. "Memory" - Betty Buckleey 3. "The Phantom of the Opera" -Sarah Brightman, Steve Harley 4. "All I Ask of You" --Sarah Brightman, Cliff Richard 5. "Love Changes Everything"--Michael Ball 6. "Any Dream Will Do"--Donny Osmond 7. "Amigos Para Siempre (Friends for Life)"--Sarah Brightman, Jose Caerras 8. "As if We Never Said Goodbye"--Barbra Streisand 9. "The Perfect Year"--Dina Carroll 10. "With One Look" --Petula Clark 11. "You Must Love Me" 12. "The Heart Is Slow To Learn" --Kiri Te Kanawa 13. "Whistle Down the Wind"--Tina Arena 14. "A Kiss Is a Terrible Thing To Waste"--The Metal Philharmonic 15. "No Matter What"--Boyzone 16. "The Vaults of Heaven"--Tom Jones and Sounds of Blackness 17. "Try Not To Be Afraid"--Boy George 18. "Pie Jesu"--Charlotte Church
Disc 5: (All tracks available for the first time) 1. "Make Believe Love"--Wes Sands 2. "Down Thru' Summer"--Ross Hannaman 3. "I'll Give All My Love to Southend"--Ross Hannaman 4. "Believe Me I Will"--Sacha Distel 5. "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat: 1969 Luxembourg Radio Commercial--The Jospeh Consortium, Pete Murray 6. "Try It and See"--Rita Pavone 7. "Come Back Richard Your Country Needs You"--Tim Rice and the Webber Group 8. "Goodbye Seattle"-- Paul Raven 9. "John 19:41"--The Andrew Lloyd Webber Orchestra 10. "What a Line To Go Out On"--Yvonne Elliman 11. "Disillusion Me" --Gary Bond 12. "The Ballad of Robert and Peter"--Tim Rice 13. "Christmas Dream" --Maynard Williams 14. "It's Only Your Lover Returning/All through My Wild and Crazy Days/Don't Cry for Me Argentina--Julie Covington 15. "It's Easy for You" (1977 Jungle Room Session version)--Elvis Presley 16. "Magdalena"--Tony Christie 17. "Buenos Aires"--The Rioja Rockers 18. "Pollicle Dogs and Jellicle Cats"--Andrew Lloyd Webber original demo 19. "Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer" (Live at Sydmonton Festival 1980)-Gemma Craven 20. "I Could Have Given You More"--Petula Clark 21. "I've Been in Love Too Long"--Marti Webb 22. "Benedicte"-- Stephen Hill Singers
Customer Reviews:
I waited for this for five years.......2006-06-30
It was worth the wait.
The concept is great. The packaging is great. The recording is great. Disc five is really cool for an ALW aficionado. There are a few real gems on it; my favorites are Petula Clark's "I Could Have Given You More" and "Benedicite."
I've always thought "Gus the Theatre Cat" made a great medley on the piano with "Unexpected Song" and "I DOn't Know How to Love Him," but wished there was an alternate lyric to match the other two songs. Now that I know there *is*, and it's a good lyric, it's a dream come true.
The melody of "Benedicite" is one of my favorites from _Sunset_ (the book mis-identifies it as "SUrrender"; it's actually "The Lady's Paying" and "Eternal Youth is Worth a Little Suffering"). The lyrics are the canticle from Daniel 3, which comes up every odd Sunday in the Divine Office, so it's nice to have cool music to sing it with.
I haven't bought _By Jeeves_ or _THe Beautiful Game_ yet, to it was great to sample them.
There are other parts of the CD taht aren't found in my collection. I like CD 4 "The Hits."
But the selections on CDs 1-3 don't make sense.
First, any self-respecting ALW fan has the Original London Cast of _Phantom_, so six tracks are totally useless. Why not draw from the Canadian cast with Colm Wilkinson? Or pull out some obscure recordings never published.
Why two different tracks with Michael Ball singing "Love Changes Everything", yet they're hardly any different?
On Disc 5 is "It's Only Your Lover Returning," sung by Julie Covington. It's an early draft of the song (Lloyd Webber and Rice went through several suggested titles) and quite nice. The very thing one expects on a Boxed Set.
So why have the Julie Covington "Don't Cry for Me" on disc 1?? The only difference is a few words, but it's otherwise identical. Why not Elaine Paige or Patti Lupone or Madonna?
The _Evita_ section is otherwise the best, choosing a sample from each major recording, though I'd have chosen slightly differently (as above).
There is a great selection of "Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer" from the Sydmonton festival, using the original music that was changed when _Cats_ went to Broadway_. It would have been nice if they'd included more recordings from Sydmonton, like the original lyric of "All I Ask of You" shown on the second DVD to the _Phantom_ movie.
With so many great actress-singers who've played Norma Desmond, why does the collection beat us over the head with Glenn Close?
Paul Miles Kingston must be set for life in royalties, for the number of albums the original recording of "Pie Jesu" has appeared on. "Amigos Para Siempre" is nice, but it reminds me of Shari Lewis's "The Song that Doesn't End," especially when it's been used on so many compilations.
In short, this is a great collection for the obscure material, if you can get it cheap. But for a boxed set, it's a poor sampling, drawn mostly from the most familiar recordings.
Excellent collection but BIG PUBLISHING MISTAKE! .......2006-01-10
ONE OF LLOYD WEBBER'S BEST COMPILATIONS, DESPITE A FEW FLAWS.......2005-03-21
Over the years many compilations of his work have emerged. In the late 80-is and early 90-is it was the "Encore" series and lately the one-disc collection called "Gold". The one in question here can be considered one of the best currently on the market. First, it includes a 3-disc selections from all of his shows, minus the latest one, i.e., "The Woman in White", which, considering the triviality of the score, is no great lost. The fourth disc covers some of his most known songs sung by the famous artists. Then, there is the fifth disc with previously unreleased material, most of which are the songs ALW wrote with Tim Rice for various artists during the 70-is. The disks are all neatly packed in a hardcover book that features 67 pages of pictures and text with information about each of ALW's shows. One of the other assets here is the perfect sound quality, since all of the tracks have been digitally remastered.
Here are my basic impressions and comments regarding the material on the discs:
* Disc #1 has the selections from "Jesus Christ Superstar", "Evita", "Cats" and "Song & Dance". The Superstar material mostly comes from the Concept Recording. Although the songs sound beautiful as always, their orchestration is a bit dated now. Only Steve Balsamo's "Gethsemane" from the 1996 revival cast has a modern rock sound. "Evita" comes with the material from all of the major recordings: London, Broadway and the movie productions, as well as the Concept album. No objections here; since this is one of ALW's most satisfying works, every song is just perfect, although Patti LuPone, the Broadway and overall the best Evita, is left with only a couple of lines. With the selections from "Cats", however, I have some doubts. A plus to the choice of the "Jellicle ball" impressive orchestral sequence from the 1998 movie version and "Mister Mistoffelees" from the 1981 London cast. One of the best known ALW's songs, "Memory", also comes from that album. It's a pretty version and Elaine Paige's rendition cannot be matched, but why include this when the definite version, featuring an 80-piece orchestra and Elaine Paige with much better interpretation, can be found in the same movie version. Thusly, one has to buy Elaine Paige's latest 2-disc compilation "Centre Stage: The very best of Elaine Paige" to get that one. And "Gus the theatre cat" is more a recital than a song, so there was not much point in including that. Marti Webb brings her vocal charm to the "Song & Dance" sequence, Sarah Brightman sings "Unexpected song" with her famous soprano, but as much as I like her version, Bernadette Peters, who was in this show on Broadway is strangely left out here.
* Disc # 2 starts with "Starlight Express". This was never one of my favorite ALW's shows; the plot is even lighter than in "Cats" and the 1984 original cast recording is terribly dated. Yet, here we have one terrific duet, "I am starlight" from the original together with three songs from the later revivals and it seems that fresh orchestrations were just the thing Starlight needed. My favorite remains a touchy ballad, "Next time you fall in love". "Requiem" is the most solemn of all ALW's compositions, written in 1985 to commemorate the death of his father. Placido Domingo's tenor rides together with the chorus all the way through the strong "Hosanna", only to be joined by Sarah Brightman in the final moments of this song. She then gives an echoing deliverance of "Pie Jesu". What can be said of ALW's next show, "The Phantom of the Opera"? A phenomenon in its own right, it's easy to see from the six numbers included here why this is one of the best and most beloved musicals of all time. The cast, the music, the story - everything is perfect. Although "Aspects of love" was never a popular hit, it does have some of the most beautiful love melodies ALW has ever written. "Love changes everything" sung by Michael Ball is probably one of the best tunes ever about love. The rest of the selected material here has a dreamy love flavor and the melodies find their way into your brain in the best Lloyd Webber way.
* ALW's first musical, "Joseph and the amazing Technicolor dreamcoat" was more successful in its revival form than the original from the 70-is. The three songs included here are sung by the show stars, Jason Donovan and Donny Osmond. Maria Friedman was not a lucky choice to play the narrator, as the track from the 1998 movie version shows. "By Jeeves" was ALW's only big flop when it came to the stage in the 70-is. The 1995 revival sounds much better though, full of funny numbers in the best manner of the musical comedy. "Travel hopefully" remains one of the show's highlights on this compilation. "Sunset Boulevard" comes next. "Sunset" remains for me one of Webber's best scores; lush and beautiful. I listen to the original cast recording with Patti LuPone all the time. However, here most of the songs are performed by Glenn Close. A big mistake. If you've ever listened the American premiere recording with her, you'll know what I am talking about. She may have a strong stage presence, but her vocal abilities are too limited, and her aggressive approach to the role lacks any subtlety. Therefore, the two big numbers from this show, "With one look" and "As if we never said goodbye" are ruined by the fact she can't sing. The same goes for the American Joe Gillis, who was played by Alan Campbell. Luckily, Patti LuPone and Kevin Anderson, the original Norma and Joe from the London production, make their brief entrance here with the "Perfect year"; enough to show how better they are. The funny thing is, on the jacket and inside of it, Glenn Close and Alan Campbell are credited as performers in this song as well. If this was a mistake on ALW's part, it was a good one. The next ALW's show, "Whistle down the wind" was never a critic's dear and yet the audiences rushed in to see it in London. The score brings back ALW to his rock and roll roots of the seventies and the story is quite interesting. But the selections here are not the happiest, since the cast recording boasts with much better songs. And finally, "The Beautiful Game". Again, we have one of those ALW's shows that is worth in its individual parts rather than as a whole. "Our kind of love" and "Let us love in peace" are two catchy ballads. The latter is a nice amalgam version not available elsewhere. The two other tracks here I could live without.
* Disc # 4 has the songs from all the above shows performed by different artists. The assembled tracks have their pros and cons. For example, we have some previously unreleased stuff, like Dame Kiri Te Kanawa's operettic rendition of "The heart is slow to learn", or a stunning and epic "A kiss is a terrible thing to waste" from "Whistle down the wind", performed by The Metal Philharmonic Orchestra. Then again, what was the point in including almost identical tracks as the ones on the previous disks? So we have Michael Ball again singing "Love changes everything" with only a bit different orchestration; Sarah Brightman comes out again with the same Phantom duets, but only with the different male singers. It would be much more appropriate to include tracks from the Toronto Cast of the Phantom, with Colm Wilkinson. Other pop deliverances (Tina Arena's "Whistle down the wind", Barbra Streisand's "As if we never said goodbye", Boyzone's "No matter what" and many more) were wisely chosen. Patti LuPone is again nowhere to be found and Petula Clark's "With one look" sounds too worn-out.
* The last disc is probably the one that will be of most interest to Lloyd Webber aficionados. It consists of entirely previously unreleased material ALW for the most part wrote for various artists during his early years, with Tim Rice. Some of these tunes, not successful as a singles, were later used in his shows. Thus "Down thru' summer" became "Buenos Aires"in Evita, "Try it and see", an unsuccessful attempt for the Eurovision was used for "King Herod's song" in "Superstar" and so on. Some of these songs are nicely made pop songs: "Make believe love", ALW's first recorded composition, for which he provided the lyrics; "Goodbye Seattle", sung by Paul Raven, who later became Gary Glitter; "Come back Richard, your country needs you", from a never made musical, sung here by Tim Rice, or Latin flavored "Magdalena", with Tony Christie singing. My all time favorite here is a song called "It's easy for you", sung by none other than Elvis Presley himself. Lloyd Webber and Rice sent him a demo recording that he accepted and recorded this live version a couple of weeks before he died. It's amazing to hear how his voice remained in the perfect shape. Also, there is a track of Andrew Lloyd Webber singing "Policle dogs and Jellicle cats" while plying the piano. His voice doesn't sound bad at all.
Taken as a whole, this compilation makes a perfect birthday or Christmas present to any fan of Andrew Lloyd Webber shows, or just anybody interested in some of the best tunes from the modern era of the musical theatre; despite the flaws I mentioned above. To the former, it may just be the final addition for the Andrew Lloyd Webber collection.
SUCH MAGICAL MUSIC OF THE NIGHT!.......2003-01-19
Opera") and the longest-running show of all time ("Cats"), the man whose homes are filled with three Grammys, five Oliviers, a Golden Globe, and Oscar and too many other honors and hosannas to mention, the man knighted in 1992 certainly doesn't need an introduction. Now Decca Broadway pays tribute to Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber with "Now and Forever," a spectacular 5-CD set compiled and produced by Sir Andy himself. It's cheaper than a
ticket to "The Producers" ... and more much exciting. This treasure trove contains highlights from all of Webber's shows, and a bonus disc of tunes sung by Betty Buckley, Barbara
Streisand, Jose Carreras, Boy George, Charlotte Church, Madonna, Tom Jones, Petula Clark, even Elvis! A must for lovers of theatre---and good music.
A Must Have for Sir Andrew fans.......2002-05-21
The cuts from the musicals are great but are likely owned by ALW fans as they are on the original cast albums. And I'm glad that there were tunes included from the composers most recent efforts which have yet to make it beyond London (Whistle Down the Wind, Beautiful Game).
My only complaint is the inclusion of way too many tracks by Sarah Brightman. She must've received a great divorce settlement that included having tunes on any ALW collection until the end of time!! Her interpretations of some of the tunes were limp and uninspired. I would've much rather heard casts from around the world rather than yet another song by this disdainful soprano! How about Colm Wilkinson's version of "Music of the Night" from the original Canadian cast of "Phantom"? Or Michael Crawford's version of "Unexpected Song"? What? No Betty Buckley from "Sunset Blvd."? And of course there are songs you KNOW are going to be on the collection before you even listen to it as they have been on EVERY ALW collection for the past decade or so.
A great collection but too much Sarah Brightman!
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