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Ann Crumb, Michael Ball - Aspects of Love (Remastered 1989 Original London Cast)
Music CD CoverArtist: Ann Crumb, Michael Ball Composer: Andrew Lloyd Webber Edition: Music CD Format: Original recording remastered CD Release Date: 2006-05-23 Music Label: Decca Broadway Soundtracks: Music CD 1- Railway Station at Pau, 1961: Love Changes Everything
- A Small Theatre in Montpellier
- A Café in Montpellier: Parlez-Vous Français
- The Railway Station
- In a Train Compartment: Seeing Is Believing
- The House at Pau
- An Art Exhibit in Paris
- Memory of a Happy Moment
- In Many Rooms in the House at Pau
- On the Terrace
- Outside the Bedroom
- Up in the Pyrenees: Chanson d'Enface
- The House at Pau
- A Fairground in Paris: Everybody Loves a Hero
- George's Flat in Paris
- First Orchestral Interlude
- She'd Be Far Better Off with You
- Second Orchestral Interlude
- Giulietta's Studio in Venice: Stop, Wait, Please
- A Registry Office
- A Military Camp in Malaya
Music CD 2- Orchestral Introduction to Act Two
- A Theatre in Paris
- Leading Lady
- At the Stage Door
- George's House at Pau
- Other Pleasures
- A Café in Venice
- There Is More to Love
- The Garden at Pau
- Mermaid Song
- The Countryside Around the House: Third Orchestral Interlude
- The Garden at Pau
- On the Terrace
- The First Man You Remember
- In the Vineyard at Pau
- Up in the Pyrenees
- George's Study at Pau
- A Circus in Paris: Journey of a Lifetime
- Outside the Circus: Falling
- Jenny's Bedroom in Paris
- The Vineyards at Pau: Hand Me the Wine and the Dice
- A Hay Loft
- On the Terrace
- Anything But Lonely
- Aspects of Love, musical: Act 2. Scene 5. The garden at Pau
- Aspects of Love, musical: Act 2. Scene 5. Mermaid Song
- Aspects of Love, musical: Act 2. Scene 6. The countryside around the house. Third Orchestral Interlude
- Aspects of Love, musical: Act 2. Scene 7. The garden at Pau
- Aspects of Love, musical: Act 2. Scene 8. On the terrace
- Aspects of Love, musical: Act 2. Scene 8. The First Man You Remember. Scene 9.
- Aspects of Love, musical: Act 2. Scene 10. In the vineyard at Pau
- Aspects of Love, musical: Act 2. Scene 11. Up in the Pyrenees
- Aspects of Love, musical: Act 2. Scene 12. George's study at Pau
- Aspects of Love, musical: Act 2. Scene 14. Outside the circus. Falling
- Aspects of Love, musical: Act 2. Scene 15. Jenny's bedroom in Paris
- Aspects of Love, musical: Act 2. Scene 16. The vineyards at Pau. Hand Me The Wine And The Dice. Scene 17.
- Aspects of Love, musical: Act 2. Scene 18. A hay loft
- Aspects of Love, musical: Act 2. Scene 19. On the terrace
- Aspects of Love, musical: Act 2. Scene 19. Anything But Lonely
Free Music Notes for Aspects of Love (Remastered 1989 Original London Cast)Free Music Review: AN IMPROVED RELEASE OF ALW'S INTIMATE CHAMBER PIECE Hit: 5 Stars
When "Aspects of love" premiered in April 1989 in London, wide audiences knew Andrew Lloyd Webber mostly by his big blockbuster musicals such as "Cats", "The Phantom of the opera" or "Evita. After the "Phantom", the composer decided to try something new, much in the same way he has done with "Cats" in the early 80-is after he decided to part ways with his lyricist Tim Rice. As the basis for his next musical he chose David Garnett's short novel of the same title.
The plot involves various love triangles and is as close to a soap opera as you can get in a musical. We follow a 17 year-old Englishman Alex, who is in love with an older French actress Rose Videle. They end up in the Spanish villa that belongs to Alex's uncle George, an elderly painter and writer. George in turn has an ongoing affair with a younger Italian sculptress Giulietta. George finds Rose and Alex in the villa and after Alex is called to the army, George and Rose begin living together, which at first Alex finds impossible to accept. Giulietta and Rose become quite friends, there is even a hint of a lesbian relationship between them. Even so, George and Rose get married. Some time has passed and Alex is out of the army and is reunited with George, Rose and their 14 year-old daughter Jenny in their villa in France. Jenny falls in love with Alex, something that a very old George, now depended solely on Jenny's love cannot agree to. Alex is torn between Rose and Jenny and soon George dies. At his funeral Alex meets Giulietta and they are instantly drawn to one another. Alex leaves with her, although Rose pleaded him not to leave her alone.
As you can see, the plot isn't quite as simple as it might appear. For this project Lloyd Webber decided to use a much smaller, almost chamber orchestra, however, that isn't a drawback. This is his most romantic score and the orchestra fits it perfectly. The music itself is full of beautiful and intimate love melodies, especially when the orchestra takes the lead in its interludes; you can almost see the nature and the scenery of the plot. The most popular songs from this show are "Love changes everything" sung by Alex and "Anything but lonely" sung by Rose. Of course, there are other catchy tunes, my favorite being "Seeing is believing", a romantic duet between Alex and Rose; "The first man you remember", sung sweetly by George to his young daughter Jenny; "Mermaid song", a shy duet between Alex and Jenny and a big ensemble number with a notable drums sequence called "Hand me the wine and the dice". It's important to note, however, that many parts of this musical is dialogue that is sung instead of being spoken, and this is the main difference between Aspects and the big Webber shows. This means that Aspects isn't meant to be played as background music while one does the dishes or cleans the house. The best way to listen it, for the first time anyway, is with headphones and paying attention to the libretto. It probably won't grab you after the first listen; it needs a bit of an effort, but after a couple of times you'll grow to like it for sure. Don Black's lyrics remain pleasing as ever.
The casting was done very well. Michael Ball, who made his name as Marius in Les Miserables, plays Alex. As always, his voice is a gem by itself. He was a perfect choice. Ann Crumb as Rose and Kathleen Rowe McAllen as Giulietta have similar voices. Kevin Colson makes you think he IS George; his voice and pronunciation sounds exactly as an elderly English gentleman should.
One of the merits of this new release is the fact that the two main problems of the previous one have been rectified: the sound quality, which was awful on the 1989 release, is superb here; due to the fact the CDs are digitally remastered. Likewise, the new libretto comes with the normal-sized font, unlike the previous one, which should also have included a magnifying glass if it was meant to be read. The CDs are also neatly packed in a slip case.
Aspects of love may not be Lloyd Webber's best known work, but a true fan of his will certainly enjoy and appreciate it.
Aspects of Love (Remastered 1989 Original London Cast) PosterFresh off the smash success of The Phantom of the Opera, it seemed Andrew Lloyd Webber could do no wrong in 1989. That is, until he collaborated with lyricists Don Black and Charles Hart on Aspects of Love, a decidedly down-to-earth story (based on David Garnett's short novel) involving various love triangles and quadrangles that left audiences cold. That said, however, it does contain some extremely beautiful, intimate music. The opening anthem, "Love Changes Everything," is almost a standard, and the duet "Seeing Is Believing," with its string accompaniment, is almost achingly gorgeous. In this original London cast recording, Michael Ball, coming off his own triumph in Les Misérables, delivers his usual strong-voiced, oh-so-earnest performance, while Ann Crumb, Kevin Colson, and Diana Morrison contribute in the most significant roles of their careers. --David Horiuchi
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