x close

The Phantom of the Opera (2004 Movie Soundtrack)

For better or worse, Andrew Lloyd Webber's adaptation of Gaston Leroux's gothic horror/romance novel has done for stage musicals what Spielberg's Jaws did for fish stories, with worldwide sales of its original cast album approaching 25 million. While director Joel Schumacher's film turns on his typically ambitious visual verve, its new film soundtrack recording has been paradoxically focused in scope, yet beefed up dynamically via the brawny presence of a hundred piece orchestra and The London Boys Choir. This single disc version showcases all of Phantom's key songs (a deluxe, double-disc edition is also available), with Gerard Butler imparting a welcome, youthful sensuality to his Phantom, making a fine foil for Emmy Rossum's ever-conflicted Christine. Original show orchestrator David Cullen has fashioned compelling new contemporary arrangements to frame Webber's songs -- which now conclude with the lilting, upbeat new ballad he wrote for the film, "Learn to Be Lonely," sung by Minnie Driver. --Jerry McCulley

---

Futures

Soundtrack;

---

Customer Review:

Fabulous

This is totally an awesome soundtrack. I have played it numerous times and always look forward to hearing it again. What great music!

Great soundtrack for a great movie!

It's been a long time since a movie has compelled me to watch it more than once, but I find myself wanting to watch Phantom of the Opera repeatedly. I've always liked the play, but I absolutely loved the movie version, especially the songs as performed by Gerard Butler, Emmy Rossem, and Patrick Wilson. I've always found the Michael Crawford/Sarah Brightman version to be a little too intensely operatic for my taste, but the songs were performed with much more simplicity in the movie, which I really liked. This CD gives you just the main songs with vocals, perfect if you just want to hear their remarkable singing, but don't want to listen to the 2 disc set that you can also buy. Although truth be told, I could do without Prima Donna, I've never liked that song. But oh well, that's what the skip button is for.

Simply amazing, but not on one CD!

This is an amazing CD since it's one of the few times that I have heard Webber's "Phantom of the Opera" done so beautifully, sadly, it cannot capture it's full beauty on one CD! I highly reommend that you pay the $5 more for the deluxe 2-CD set of the movie soundtrack. In the long run, you won't mind spending the extra money for an amazing set that you'll be able to listen to for hours on end!

---

Keywords: Film; Film Music; Musicals; Original Score; Pop; Show Tunes; Soundtrack; Soundtracks; Soundtracks & Film Scores;

---

---

x close

The 5 Browns

Their story is truly one of the more unusual tales of classical music today. Pop music has produced world-famous examples of all-in-the-family groups (which typically gave way to one or two solo stars as the years passed). And of course there's the Trapp Family singers of The Sound of Music fame. But the sibling pianists known as the 5 Browns are in a category all their own. They've gotten mega-exposure from profiles on 60 Minutes, Oprah, and the like as the first example in the history of the esteemed Juilliard School of Music in which five members of the same family have won admission (scholarships at that!) and studied concurrently. But if this sounds like a P.T. Barnum publicity stunt, make no mistake: Desirae, Deondra, Gregory, Melody, and Ryan are the real thing--musicians of intense dedication and talent. Their debut CD offers different perspectives on this pianistic quintet. It's not surprising that the literature isn't exactly overflowing with arrangements for five pianos--so only 4 tracks here actually have all ten hands busy tickling the ivories (arrangements of "Flight of the Bumblebee," West Side Story scenes, The Sorcerer's Apprentice and music from Grieg’s Peer Gynt). The flip DVD side includes videos of their amazing in-sync dexterity for "Flight" and the Bernstein excerpts, plus a charming interview introducing the very down-to-earth Browns. They talk about how they took to the piano, one by one, at a very early age and also point out that they remain each other's best friends, which helps them weather the stresses of the competitive classical performing arts world. Other tracks involve several four-hands settings and some solos (my own favorite is Melody's beautiful rendition of Debussy’s gorgeous "L'Isle joyeuese"). We're sure to hear more from this amazingly talented family--whether as a group or as soloists. --Sarah Chin

---

Futures

DualDisc;

---

Customer Review:

The 5 Browns

I bought this for my wife's birthday, but I have enjoyed it as much as she has.

There is a DVD on one side of the disk, and a CD on the other. I would have preferred to have had two disks. However, regardless if you are watching it or just listening to it, the music is wonderful.

Good performances, bad format

The performances on this CD are excellent. The 5 Browns are amazing. That being said, please be warned before you buy this CD. It's not a standard CD. The CD music side will _not_ play in many CD players. The package itself warns you that the CD does not conform to the compact disc standard. Unfortunately there's no way to know that until you've already bought the CD. DualDiscs are a nice idea, but the copy protection technologies they employ are draconian- this CD will not play in my car or on my computer. Avoid, and wait until they release a real CD.

FALSE ADVERTISING BY SONY!!! BE WARNED

ON THE BACK OF THIS DUALDISC, TOWARDS THE BOTTOM IT READS: RECORDED IN 24 BIT 88 KHZ HI RESOLUTION, BUT WHEN YOU POP IT IN TO YOUR DVD AUDIO PLAYER IT ONLY CLOCKS IN AT 16 BIT 48 KHZ!!!!, THIS IS A BLATANT LIE BY SONY, AND THE AUDIOPHILE COMMUNITY MUST COME TOGETHER AND PUT A STOP TO SONY'S LIES AND FORCE THEM TO SELL QUALITY RECORDINGS AND NOT THE CRAP THEY SELL WITH FANCY WORDING LIKE "ENHANCED STEREO" OR "ENHANCED LPCM" OR "PCM STEREO", ALL ENHANCED STEREO MEANS IS DOLBY DIGITAL STEREO, THE SAME GOES FOR ENHANCED LPCM, AND PCM STEREO IS NOTHING MORE THAN CD AUDIO!!!!, MY GOD AMAZON WILL YOU PLEASE GET A BACKBONE AND LET YOUR VALUED CUSTOMERS KNOW THAT ALL SONY/BMG TITLES ARE NOT DVD AUDIO QUALITY, AND THE DIFFERENCE IN SOUND IS NON EXISTANT, I KNOW YOU ARE AFRAID OF BIG BAD SONY, BUT GET SOME GUTS AND DO SOMETHING!!!

---

Keywords: 20th/21st Century Sonata/Sonatina for Keyboard; Chamber Music & Recitals; Classical; Classical Composers; Keyboard; Keyboard Work with Descriptive or Unclassified Title; Moment Musical for Keyboard; Morceau for Keyboard; Music Theater; Music for Keyboard; Musical Theater; Orchestral; Romantic Incidental Music for Orchestra; Scherzo for Orchestra; Waltz for Keyboard;

---

---

x close

Little Women The Musical (2005 Original Broadway Cast)

Louisa May Alcott's novel Little Women concerns four sisters in post-­Civil War Massachusetts, but at times it feels as if its musical adaptation should have been called "Little Woman," so focused on a single sibling it is. Both Allan Knee's book and Sutton Foster's natural charisma and energy help constantly train the spotlight onto tomboy Jo. Yet it's not that much of a problem because Foster is strong enough to carry the show. She gets excellent support from the rest of the cast and especially cabaret artist Maureen McGovern, who as Marmee gets two beautiful ballads ("Here Alone" and "Days of Plenty") that are tailor-made for her imperial, burnished tone, and could well acquire a life outside the show. Composer Jason Howland worked as either musical director or musical supervisor on three period-set Frank Wildhorn musicals (Jekyll & Hyde, The Scarlet Pimpernel and The Civil War), which gives him a distinct experience in dealing with the historical setting here. Although the score oftentimes veers to the bland side, Howland also shows encouraging signs of spryness ("Five Forever") and melodic confidence that at one point slyly honors Sondheim ("Astonishing"). Old-fashioned in the best possible way, Little Women makes a good complement to Wicked for those trying to entice a younger audience to the delights of the musical theater. --Elisabeth Vincentelli

---

Futures

Cast Recording;

---

Customer Review:

What Can I Say?

This was an okay musical. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't stunning either. For me the music has to be pretty or big and this one was not either of these. It seemed like they were just putting words to music for that purpose and instead of coming up with beautiful moving songs they got plain, okay songs.

Some of them were even so similar to other musicals. When Foster sings one song I laughed so hard because it was different lyrics but sounded exactly like Thorouly Modern Millie.

On the positive notes some songs were really nicely done. I loved Five Forever and Small Umbrella in the Rain. Unfortunately, some of the songs were bad enough to make me laugh when I should be engrossed in the characters deepest emotions.

Overall, it was good, but not amazing.

Sutton Foster and Maureen McGovern are worth it!

The voices of the cast are really what make this a wonderful cast recording. Sutton Foster is a joy to listen to from her belting out "Astonishing" to the beautiful "Some Things Are Meant to Be". Maureen McGovern's "Days of Plenty" is incredible. The stand out songs are those three songs. While the others are not going to make musical Theatre history, they are very enjoyable. Especially "I'd Be Delighted", which is a throwback to old-fashioned musicals. If you're looking for a pretty score with some beautiful songs, Little Women is perfect!

Little Women Broadway Sountrack is One for the Collection

I am patiently waiting for the touring group of "Little Women" to come to the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC in Summer 2006. I am sick I missed this on Broadway. They closed it before I could get up there to see it. However; this soundtrack is quite a surprise to hear. My favorite song is "Days of Plenty" sung by Maureen McGovern. The "Little Women" classic does translate well to a musical/drama.

---

Keywords: Cast Recordings; Music Theater; Musical Theater; Musicals; Pop; Show Tunes; Showtunes / B'way;

---

---

x close

Josh Groban

There are worse things in life than making your acting debut on the much ballyhooed season finale of Ally McBeal, though teen operatic baritone Josh Groban doesn't seem destined to encounter them anytime soon. As the awkward high school student-client who asks the typically romance-jinxed Ally to his senior prom, Groban performed this debut album's "You're Still You" (adapted from film-composing legend Ennio Morricone's Academy Award-nominated score for Malèna, with lyrics by Linda Thompson) as a heart-tugging, literal showstopper. The young phenom was just 17 when veteran producer-writer David Foster tapped him to fill in for Andrea Bocelli at rehearsals for the 1999 Grammys, where Groban found himself suddenly dueting with Celine Dion.

Indeed, such were his fortunes that the young Foster protégé was forced to drop out of Carnegie Mellon when professional commitments--including this record--interfered. And if this collection tends to hew sometimes uncomfortably close to Foster's own MOR sonic instincts, the material offers enough challenges to display Groban's talent and the potential of his warm, mature voice: a lyrical take on another Morricone classic, "Cinema Paradiso"; melancholy readings of Don McLean's "Starry, Starry Night" and Albert Hammond's "Alejate"; masterfully dramatic takes of the Neapolitan "Alla Luca Del Sole" and "Canto Alla Vita," the latter featuring the Corrs. Many of Groban's performances here, including a neo prog-rock-opera take on Bach's "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring" (with Lili Haydn), seem both bigger and bolder than their precious musical frameworks, a telling hint that Grand Opera can't be far from his grasp. As said earlier, there are worse things in life. --Jerry McCulley

---

Customer Review:

Beautiful music, beautiful voice

I bought two Cd's based on hearing his "one" song on the radio-You Raise Me Up. I think that his talent lies in his many other selections as they showcase his range and versitility. "Josh Groban" captures the richness of his voice much better than "Closer". I appreciate his selection of Italian music but would greatly enjoy a CD completely in English. Regardless, you can't go wrong with any Josh Groban CD.

i am suprised i acutally bought this

I first heard of this guy from a duet he did with charlotte church that my mom had a cd of. I thought he had a good voice so i saw this cd and i bought it i could only sit through it once it was so boring and all the same. I got this when i was into classical music do not get me wrong i still like classical music like bach, mozart and so on but this dude sucks. The only decent song on here is stary stary night but he ruins it with overproducion and expressing no emotion in his voice, the don mclan original version is so much better. This cd was in the back of my cd collection for years untill my aunt lost hers so i gave her mine she gave me joshua tree instead which is overrated and kinda of boring but atleast it is not embrassing to have in my collection like this boy josh.

Josh Groban ROCKS LIKE A SAVAGE!!!!

Just kidding but i do respect the guy for bringing a little classical to the mainstream top 40 public.
This recording is very well done with lush romantic arrangements and highly passionate seemingly sincere heartfelt vocals that make up a pleasant recording to unwind to after a long hard day on the job or whenever.
He tackles a little potpouri of sounds from Don Mclean's "Starry starry night" to a little Bach and he does it tastefully.
I feel Josh Groban has intertwined classical with easy listening and reproduced a winning formula that worked like gold for Liberace to an earlier generation but luckily Josh has avoided the diamonds and the golden shiny capes.
I respect Mr.Groban and Bocelli for that matter because their delivery of a touch of classical to the mainstream public may lead that public to dig deeper into the great resources of fully developed opera singers like Pavarotti and Bjorling and great opera's like "La Boheme".
La Boheme's story is such a timeless tale that it was used as the basis for the smash broadway hit "Rent" and the melodies have been used countless times in popular song reworkings and even commercials.
Anyway, Josh Groban gives us an easy listening lush gooey audio treat that will make you feel all warm and fuzzy but don't stop there because there's so much more to discover.
Well done Josh and don't wear any capes anytime soon!!!
Leave the legend of LIBERACE alone because it's just TOO HOT TO HANDLE!!!!!

Happy Listening!!!!

O.F.

Further Listening: The Best selling "La Boheme" is by Pavarotti/Karajan on Decca Records and the highlights cd is a good starter.
Then move on to more Grand Epic operas like Verdi's "Aida" and "Rigoletto" and Bizet's "Carmen".

---

Keywords: Cantata; Choral; Film; Film Music; Pop; Pop Vocals; Rock/Pop; Traditional Pop; Vocal; Vocal Music;

---

---