The Choral Album
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Music CD Cover
Composer: Andrew Lloyd WebberConductor: Paul Bateman
Conductor: Robin Stapleton
Orchestra: Prague Philharmonic Orchestra
Orchestra: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Performer: Lesley Garrett
Performer: Mary Carewe
Performer: Sharon Campbell
Performer: Tito Beltran
Edition: Music CD
CD Release Date: 2003-09-23
Music Label: Silva America
Soundtracks:
- Phantom Of The Opera
- Music Of The Night
- Wishing You Were Somehow Here
- Think Of Me
- All I Ask Of You
- Don't Cry For Me Argentina
- Another Suitcase In Another Hall
- Memory
- Close Every Door
- Tell Me On A Sunday
- I Don't Know How To Love Him
- Pie Jesu
- Love Changes Everything
- Next Time You Fall In Love
- With One Look
Free Music Notes for The Choral Album
Free Music Review: A NEW FORM FOR ALW'S LASTING MELODIES
Hit: 5 Stars
Regardless of the fact that some of his latest efforts (most notably, The Woman in White) are disappointing, there can be little doubt that Andrew Lloyd Webber is one of the greatest composers ever to work in the musical theatre. Ever since his "Jesus Christ Superstar" hit the stage in the early 70-is, it was clear that the conception and perception of musicals are never going to be the same again. Many of his songs became standards not only in the theatre history, but also as tops on the charts. Even though he's British, his influence on the shape of the modern musical theatre expanded over the West End boundaries long ago and has thus made an enormous impact on Broadway. Two of his shows ("Cats" and "The phantom of the opera") hold the record as two the longest running shows in the history of both Broadway and the West End. He has also been the only composer to have three of his shows running at Broadway concurrently. Some of his awards include three Grammies, a Golden Globe, an Oscar and a bunch of Tony awards. But perhaps most of all, Lloyd Webber is responsible for bringing the musicals and the theatre appealing to the wide audiences, who in different circumstances would not consider seeing a musical. The secret of his success is probably the mixture of beautiful and catchy melodies, interesting subject matter (though some, like Starlight Express, are too thin) and grandiose staging. Not many contemporary musical theatre composers could claim such success, let alone a steady fan base.
Through the years not only have numerous compilations of his music been issued, but also more than one orchestra played his well known numbers in form of instrumental pieces. This album represents yet another attempt to spread the artistic boundaries of ALW's work, this time, through the beauty of the choral singing, backed by the impeccable sound of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. As this CD shows, the result is wonderful. The melodies blend with the soaring voices of the male, female and mixed choirs to make a deep and a profound impact on one's ears. What comes as an interesting fact is that some of the songs include solo parts, sung by the artists from both the opera and musical theatre world, which also emphasises the meaning of ALW's music in bringing these borders seem a lot closer.
The Royal Philharmonics Orchestra makes all these familiar melodies to sound fresh and lush, while the richness of the choir voices seems to match the fine texture of ALW's music. But to be totally frank, when one has as its material such fine gems as `The phantom of the opera', `Don't cry for me Argentina', `With one look', `Memory' or `Love changes everything', one needs not to overdo it with praise: the way these tunes are appreciated by so many people all over the world for so long is the best of recommendations. This album proves another important point: art can take many forms without loosing its original appeal.
No matter if you are an ALW fan or simply have a thing for a good choral tune; in both cases, this album is for you.
The Choral Album Poster
A title like The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber: The Choral Album could mean either of two things. It could focus on the various pieces the British superstar composer has written for vocal groups in his musicals. Or it could take his most famous melodies and set them to SATB on the principle that the human voice is the most beautiful instrument, and therefore a group of voices singing together can't be beaten. The Crouch End Festival Chorus takes the second approach, so we have a medley of five songs from The Phantom of the Opera, yet no "Masquerade." We have songs from Evita, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, and Jesus Christ Superstar, but no "Requiem for Evita," "Go Go Go Joseph," or "Superstar." (They do sing the "Pie Jesu" from Lloyd Webber's requiem.) Not that this is a bad thing. The chorus sings with heart and style, and their backing of well-known soloists such as Lesley Garrett offers a haunting backdrop. Yes, it is ironic that the group sings "Another Suitcase In Another Hall," "Memory," "Close Every Door," "Tell Me on a Sunday," and "I Don't Know How To Love Him," which in dramatic context are some of the loneliest songs of the Lloyd Webber canon. But again, it's better to take these songs simply as lovely pieces of music, sung by the very pleasant vehicle of a choral ensemble. If you enjoy your local community chorale's spring pops concert, then you'll enjoy this too. --David HoriuchiPop Music CDs
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