Whistle Down the Wind (Songs From) [Import] [Soundtrack]

Editorial Reviews
Album Description
12 songs from the Andrew Lloyd Webber & Jim Steinman musical'Songs From Whistle Down The Wind', including Boyzone'ssmash 'No Matter What', plus Tom Jones' 'Vaults Of Heaven',Meatloaf's 'A Kiss Is A Terrible Thing To Waste' & TinaArena's 'Whistle Down The Wind'. Other artists includeBonnie Tyler, Sounds Of Blackness, Elaine Paige, DonnyOsmond, the Everly Brothers, Boy George, Michael Ball andLottie Mayor with Webber. 1998 Polydor release.

Whistle Down the Wind (Songs From), Music, Various Artists, Album Rock, Pop, Pop/Rock, Prog-Rock/Art Rock, Show Tunes, Soundtracks & Film Scores, Vocal Collections

Gold: The Definitive Hits Collection
Average customer rating:

Andrew LLoyd Webber - Gold Hits

The Gold By Andrew

The best of Webber

THE BEST OF LLOYD WEBBER MADE FOR THE AMERICAN AUDIENCES

Super good CD

Gold: The Definitive Hits Collection
Andrew Lloyd Webber
Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Very Best Of Andrew Lloyd Webber: The Broadway Collection

The Andrew Lloyd Webber Collection

Andrew Lloyd Webber: Now & Forever

Greatest Songs from the Musicals

Best of Andrew Lloyd Webber: Original Soundtracks

ASIN: B0000657XY
Release Date: 2002-05-07

Tracks:

Superstar - Murray Head w/ the Trinidad Singers (Jesus Christ Superstar)
As If We Never Said Goodbye - Barbra Streisand (Sunset Boulevard)
The Phantom Of The Opera - Sarah Brightman & Michael Crawford (The Phantom Of The Opera)
You Must Love Me - Madonna (Evita)
Any Dream Will Do-Donny Osmond (Joseph & The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat)
Memory - Betty Buckley (Cats)
Pie Jesus - Charlotte Church (Requiem)
The Music Of The Night - Michael Crawford (The Phantom Of The Opera)
I Don't Know How To Love Him - Yvonne Elliman (Jesus Christ Superstar)
Don't Cry For Me Argentina -Patti Lupone (Evita)
Love Changes Everything - Michael Ball (Aspects Of Love)
All I Ask Of You - Sarah Brightman (The Phantom Of The Opera)
The Perfect Year - Glenn Close & Alan Campbell (Sunset Boulevard)
The Vaults Of Heaven - Tom Jones & Sounds Of Blackness (Whistle Down The Wind)
No Matter What - Boyzone (Whistle Down The Wind)
Oh What A Circus - Mandy Patinkin (Evita)
Whistle Down The Wind - Sarah Brightman (Whistle Down The Wind)
Amigos Para Siempre (Friends For Life) - Sarah Brightman & Jose Carrerras (1992 Olympics Theme)

Amazon.com

The critical debate over Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical legacy will no doubt rage for decades. Is he the shrewd populist composer who almost single-handedly revived the moribund stage musical--or a crass, Barnum-esque showman (who almost single-handedly revived the moribund stage musical)? This 18-track anthology chronicles the high points of Sir Andrew's enduring songcraft and the irrefutable impact it's made across a remarkably disparate swath of tastes and genres, from Broadway to Top 40 radio and even the classical repertoire.

If some have accused Lloyd Webber's songs--like "The Music of the Night" (from Phantom of the Opera) and the title tune from Whistle Down the Wind, included here--of having all the melodic and lyrical sophistication of a children's lullaby, that's likely the very element that's made them so appealing to a mass audience. If nothing else, it's a compelling argument for that old notion about it being "the singer, not the song." Indeed, there are few contemporary composers whose music could entice divas from Streisand ("As If We'd Never Said Goodbye" from Sunset Blvd.) to Madonna (Evita's "You Must Love Me") and Charlotte Church ("Pie Jesu" from Requiem) to cover it, let alone forge the very careers of artists like Sarah Brightman and Michael Crawford. And if there's any substance to that other criticism of Lloyd Webber lifting the melodic ideas of composers from Verdi to John Williams (we swear that's the theme to Jurassic Park bubbling up in Tom Jones's camped-up take on Whistle's "The Vaults of Heaven"), at least, like virtually every major composer, he's stolen--er, borrowed--from the best. --Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews:

Andrew LLoyd Webber - Gold Hits.......2007-07-13

I sent this CD to my parents and they love it! It is nice to preview the songs on-line instead of with greasy headphones in a music store! The shipping is always speedy and makes sending gifts across the country so much easier.

The Gold By Andrew.......2007-04-23

This cd is a must have for any Webber fan. It has many great songs from his most sucsessful musicals. But something I don't like about this cd is that some of the singer how sings some of the songs arn't the onse that sings the originals. Like "The Phantom Of The Opera" and "Love Changes Everything". Witch is so sad. Couse the original songs are so much better.
But besides that this cd is very good. With manye nice and difficult songs (I've sung some of the myself in siningclass).
So if you like Andrew's music this most sertanly is a most have.

The best of Webber.......2005-09-12

Although I like Andrew Llloyd Webber and his music very much, this collection earns only 4 stars and it's not because of the quality of the music but the level of performers. If a best of collection is made it should contain the best version ever done and this time it's not true. I could write the same review for the European edition (labeled import here) because the blend of the two would be a perfect best of.

Some examples: this version contains Memory sung by Betty Buckley while the Elaine Page version is light years better. Then it contains Patti Lupone's version of Don't Cry For Me Argentina. Even though Madonna wasn't the best Evita, she definitely sung Argentina in a way no-one could before or will ever. Whistle Down The Wind is represented with 3 songs - the place of the Tom Jones song is not here (the same could be said of Tina Arena's song o the European edition). Instead of the TJ song they could have included Take That Look Off Your Face by Marti Webb - one of the best songs by Webber. Pie Jesu from the Requiem is much better sung by Sarah Brightman. These are the faults.

What about the rest? Pure joy and material worth of 6 stars. Superstar, Phantom Of The Opera, Music Of The Night, I Don't Know How To Love Him, All I Ask Of You, No Matter What, Oh What A Circus - wonderful songs and wonderful performers. My all-time favorite from Webber will always be Music Of The Night and the version included here is the mesmerizing adaptation of Michael Crawford.

I don't advise anyone not to buy this album - it's good material, however it's far from being perfect.

THE BEST OF LLOYD WEBBER MADE FOR THE AMERICAN AUDIENCES.......2005-01-31

There are numerous compilations out on the market full of Andrew Lloyd Webber's music. As most people know, Lloyd Webber is the most successful musical composer of all time and 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 Broadway. He has also been the only composer to have three of his shows running at Broadway concurrently. This compilation captures some of the best songs he has ever written, he personally supervised it and it is the best thing to have if you can't afford his five-CD compilation called "Now and forever", which was selected and supervised by him as well. You should bear in mind, however, that there are two compilations called Gold out there: The one made for the European and the British market, and this one, made for the American buyers. Some of the songs on both of them are the same, the others are performed by different artists and some can be found only in one of the two. This one here was issued later and it is digitally remastered. Therefore you should check your favourites and buy accordingly, or, if you can, buy them both, since both of them contain interesting songs and performers.

So here are my thoughts about the tracks in this one:

1. "Superstar" and "I don't know how to love him" are both from the concept album of "Jesus Christ Superstar". They sound wonderful as ever, although the orchestrations may seem a bit dated by now.

2. "Sunset Boulevard" is marked here with two songs. Barbra Streisand's powerful voice shines all the way through in "As if we never said goodbye"; it's a shame she never played Norma Desmond on Broadway, since Patti LuPone wasn't allowed to take her Norma to New York, and Glenn Close butchered the role. Her limited vocal abilities were hardly suited for the material, as it is shown by the second Sunset song, "The perfect year", performed by Close and Alan Campbell. They both lack a decent singing voice, so this is the one song I skip regularly. The song itself sounds much better in its single version with pops orchestration, as can be heard on the European version of this compilation, where it is performed by Dina Carroll. This version here can hardly be considered a gold one.

3. "The Phantom of the Opera" is represented by three songs. Michael Crawford and Sarah Brightman performance in the song of the same title is amazing. They were both born to play their roles in this show and their voices fit together perfectly. Sarah can hit the high notes in the end like no other Christine. Cliff Richard and Sarah sing the lovely ballad "All I ask of you" with passion, and Cliff has a wonderful warmth in his voice. Finally, Michael Crawford gives his unique and mesmerising interpretation in "The music of the night".

4. The 1996 movie version of "Evita" is Madonna's best role to date and it brought an Academy Award for Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice, who wrote "You must love me" especially for the big screen. This is another wonderful ballad with the haunting cello and piano solo. It just proves that Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice were the best collaborators. They really should do another musical together.

5. "The Joseph and his amazing Technicolor dreamcoat" was Webber's first musical and the signature song "Any dream will do" is performed here by Donny Osmond, who also appeared in the video version. I find his rendition even better than London's Jason Donovan, since Donny isn't strictly bound by the notes and so sings it more casually. A wonderful pop piece.

6."Memory" from "Cats" is probably the most famous of all Webber's songs, recorded by numerous artists. This version is sung by Betty Buckley, who was Broadway's Grizabella. Although Betty's performance can't be considered bad, I prefer Elaine Paige, who sung the song first, in the London production. Elaine has a note of sorrow in her at times husky voice, which I found very intriguing. Her performance can be considered definite, as heard on "Cats" DVD or in her latest two-disc compilation, "Centre stage: The very best of Elaine Paige", issued in May 2004. Still, those who prefer Ms. Buckley or who saw her on stage in this role won't be disappointed.

7. "Pie Jesu" is the best known song from Webber's "Requiem", written in 1985 to commemorate the death of his father. I'm not too keen on the version included here, performed by Charlotte Church, because her voice isn't as pretty as Sarah Brightman's on the original recording and the tempo is somewhat faster here.

8. "Don't cry for me Argentina" is among my all-time Lloyd Webber's favourites. I like all the ladies who performed "Evita" on the stage and on the screen (Julie Covington, Elaine Paige, Patti LuPone and Madonna), but on this disc is the version I am most satisfied with, since it is sung by Patti LuPone. Ms. LuPone has a very powerful voice with an amazing range and she deserved her Tony Award for this role. She was able to sound both vulnerable and decisive while singing this, whereas the other leading ladies emphasized one or the other in their interpretation. Mandy Patinkin's "Oh what a circus" is not the best, the orchestration is a little bit weak and his voice sounds thin to me. David Essex on the London cast recording is more suitable.

9. "Aspects of love" boast here with its top song, "Love changes everything", performed wonderfully by Michael Ball. It was his #1 hit and is probably one of the most beautiful love anthems ever written.

10. Three songs come from "Whistle down the wind". The studio release of the same title is one of the reasons I bought this compilation, although I already have the European one. It is performed by Sarah Brightman with Lloyd Webber playing the piano and a symphonic orchestra who nicely takes the lead of the main melody. Sarah voice is angelic; she sings it like a little bird. Very charming. Boyzone's "No matter what" was a huge pop hit in the charts. Again, we have a song with the suitable orchestrations and vocals. And lastly, Tom Jones' deep voice in combination with the back vocals of "The Sounds of Blackness" gives a rocking rendition of the church hymn "The vaults of heaven". It can't be found on the European version and Tom's voice shows it hasn't aged. Way to go.

11. For the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, Webber wrote, together with his long-time lyricist Don Black, this last song, "Amigos para siempre or Friends for life". It's a nice duet between Sarah Brightman and Jose Carreras, their voices sore when bound together. The melody itself is neat, especially when the orchestra takes the lead.

Besides the fact that some of the performers here were not the best for my taste, there is also the fact that some of Lloyd Webber's shows are omitted in this version, most notably, "Tell me on a Sunday". Also, unlike its European counterpart, this compilation isn't aligned chronologically, so we have 1970 Superstar being the first song, 1993 Sunset Blvd comes the second, followed by The Phantom from 1986 and so on. None the less, this CD is excellent as an introduction to Lloyd Webber's music and one can continue with his cast recordings from there. It's also very handy as a single disc compilation for the American fans.

Super good CD.......2004-12-31

The songs on this CD are great. If you also play piano, the book of the same title goes perfectly with the CD. You can following along with the music and learn the songs on the piano.

Whistle Down The Wind (1998 Original London Cast)

Average customer rating:

Give this Item a Second Shot
Ack... eject!
One of ALW's Best
The next best thing to being there again
OUTSTANDING!!!

Whistle Down The Wind (1998 Original London Cast)
Andrew Lloyd Webber , and Jim Steinman
Manufacturer: Decca Broadway
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Beautiful Game (2000 Original London Cast)
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ASIN: B00000JJWL
Release Date: 1999-09-21

Tracks:

The Vaults Of Heaven
Overture
I Never Get What I Pray For
Home By Now
It Just Doesn't Get Any Better Than This
Whistle Down The Wind
The Vow
Cold
Unsettled Scores
If Only
Tire Tracks And Broken Hearts
Safe Haven
Long Overdue For A Miracle
When Children Rule The World
Annie Christmas
No Matter What

Tracks:

Act Two: Introduction
Try Not To Be Afraid
A Kiss Is A Terrible Thing To Waste
If Only (Reprise)
Charlie Christmas
Off Ramp Exit To Paradise
Safe Haven (Reprise)
Wrestle With The Devil
The Hunt
Nature Of The Beast
Whistle Down The Wind

Amazon.com

At Christmastime of 1959, three Louisiana children discover a man with bloody hands and feet. Is he Jesus Christ, or is he the convicted murderer reportedly on the loose? This searing question is the basis of Whistle Down the Wind, Andrew Lloyd Webber's long-awaited new musical, and fans will find it worth the wait. A study of the faith of children contrasted with the caution and fear of adults, the story was adapted from a novel by Mary Hayley Bell and a 1961 film produced by Richard Attenborough, but its setting was transferred from northern England to the American South, giving Lloyd Webber a good excuse to indulge in rock & roll and gospel. Of course, he provides his usual supply of catchy melodies, including the rousing "Vaults of Heaven," the tender title tune, and the peppy children's number "When Children Rule the World." Longtime listeners will also recognize elements from earlier shows--the opening-scene anthem (Aspects of Love), the anguished potential savior (Jesus Christ Superstar), the climactic manhunt (Phantom of the Opera)--leading to a final collision of musical themes and overheated emotions. Whistle Down the Wind stumbled in its 1996 Washington, D.C. run and never made it to Broadway, but is realized here by its 1998 London cast, including Marcus Lovett as the mysterious man, Lottie Mayor as his most ardent believer, Dean Collinson as a James Dean wannabe, and Veronica Hart as Collinson's black girlfriend. The major drawback to this relatively unknown but solid cast is its anomalistic British accents or awkward attempts at American Southern ones. Listeners might have to use their imagination to fill in the story, as the libretto includes all the lyrics and dialogue, but no indications of song titles or track numbers, no stage directions, and no synopsis. --David Horiuchi

Customer Reviews:

Give this Item a Second Shot.......2007-03-29

If you are looking at this item thinking it is a feelgood ALW score, DO NOT BUY IT. That is not to say it is bad, quite the contrary. However, its subjects are tough and hard to consider. This score forces us to consider what love is, how there are many different kinds of love, the impact of grief on the mental state of humanity, and what the true nature of humanity is, good or evil. Although the music is fabulous, there is no real "chorus line song" to make us feel good, such as ALW's "Go Go Go Joseph!". It is at times a violent score, but not unrealistic. In short, it is a fabulously compelling work, altough it is not what you would expect from the creator of Cats and Joseph.

Ack... eject!.......2006-12-19

You see the name Andrew Lloyd Webber and assume it can't be horrible right? WRONG! When I put this CD into my player I was horrified. Some of the music was ok, but most of it was awful and cheesy. The London cast putting on southern accents are really bad. The lead character Swallow, has a voice made for a high school production, but not a soundtrack like this. This is not typical ALW, Musical Theater, or good music. This is good milk gone sour. I do however like the voice of the character Amos (pronounced in this CD as AY-MOSS) which is why my favorite song is "Tire Tracks and Broken Hearts" I suggest this for collectors, and ALW fans, but don't expect the normal, this is a new rock-christian ALW.

One of ALW's Best.......2006-11-12

After I bought this Cd, I put into my cd player, and after listening to Vaults of Heaven(Track 1) I fell in love with the cd. I love the overture and whistle down the wind because their lush and relaxing. The rest of the tracks are very well done, and keep the listener listening.
THe best tracks from this CD are:
Vaults of Heaven
Overture
Whistle Down the Wind
Tire Tracks and Broken Hearts
No Matter What
A Kiss is A Terrible Thing to WAste
Try Not to Be Afraid

The next best thing to being there again.......2006-11-02

This last August '06, while in London, went to a performance of a revival production of this amazing Andrew Lloyd Weber masterwork. I absolutely fell in love with this lesser known and very moving piece. There is no cast recording available of this more recent production, which has since closed, but I wanted to relive the experience at least aurally with the benefit of libretto which this Original '98 London Cast recording provides. The performances are just as rich if not stronger, the arrangements are not too different from those I recollect, the music just as moving and I can see it all again in my mind. Even if you're not familiar with this one, nor the original non-musical film on which it is based, I'm sure the listener can at least appreciate what a great story this makes and how the lyricist and composer have enhanced the beauty and meaning of its (amazingly timely) message.

OUTSTANDING!!!.......2006-08-11

I just recently saw Whistle Down the Wind in London and I have to say it was amazing. I always thought Jekyl and Hyde was my favorite musical (check that out too if you would like) but once I saw WDTW I knew my favorite was now second fav. Whistle has a very unique and ingenius plot line and the music is beautiful. I give props to Andrew Loyd Webber for his amazing thought process to think of this and his wonderful gift of scoring music. If you havent ever heard WDTW get it now. I promise you, take my word, that even if you havent heard it you will fall in love with it right away and it wont be a bad buy. Right when I got home I searched it up and ordered my own copy of this amazing musical!!!

Julian Lloyd Webber plays Andrew Lloyd Webber

Average customer rating:

Awful and Tacky!
Julian Lloyd Weber Plays Andrew Lloyd Weber
Too much of a good thing and I prefer the originals
Lloyd Webber Plays Lloyd Webber
Absolutely excellent!

Julian Lloyd Webber plays Andrew Lloyd Webber

Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Phantasia
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Lloyd Webber Plays Lloyd Webber

ASIN: B00005BJNF
Release Date: 2001-05-08

Tracks:

Whistle Down The Wind: No Matter What
The Phantom Of The Opera: The Phantom Of The Opera
The Phantom Of The Opera: Music Of The Night
Cats: Memory
Evita: Don't Cry For Me Argentina
The Beautiful Game: Our Kind Of Love
Sunset Boulevard: With One Look
Jesus Christ Superstar: I Don't Know How To Love Him
Starlight Express: Starlight Express
Evita: Buenos Aires
Aspects Of Love: Love Changes Everything
Sunset Boulevard: The Perfect Year
The Phantom Of The Opera: All I Ask Of You
The Beautiful Game: God's Own Country
Song And Dance: Tell Me On A Sunday
Vars: Vars 1-4
Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat: Close Every Door
Jesus Christ Superstar: John
Requiem: Pie Jesu
Whistle Down The Wind: Whistle Down The Wind - Julian Lloyd Webber/Andrew Lloyd Webber

Amazon.com

Apparently, Julian and Andrew Lloyd Webber's first collaboration occurred when the latter was 9 and the former 6. It took place on the stage of a toy theater, and Julian's role was then limited to operating the collection of tiny plastic soldiers that made up the cast of Andrew's latest musical. More than 40 years have passed since then but, as this disc proves, the brothers still enjoy a remarkable familial and musical relationship. Julian first recorded a series of cello arrangements of hits from Andrew's musicals in 1990, and this disc updates the enterprise with six new tracks from Whistle Down the Wind, The Beautiful Game , and Sunset Boulevard. The orchestral arrangements are deliciously soupy (especially "All I Ask of You" from Phantom of the Opera, "Love Changes Everything" from Aspects of Love, and the Riverdance-esque "God's Own Country" from The Beautiful Game) and suit Julian's appropriately swoony and uninhibited approach to the music. Fans of the Lloyd Webbers shouldn't be disappointed. --Warwick Thompson

Customer Reviews:

Awful and Tacky!.......2005-05-11

The reason I checked out this CD from local library is because I just watched the disappointing movie version of `Phantom of the Opera' and hoped Andrew Lloyd Webber who appears suffering from `over-esteem' would redeem himself in this format of presentation. It really would have worked, considered the similar quality of cello and human voice and the already famous melodies.

But it didn't! This is a tacky and totally forgettable presentation only suitable for elevators and ... well, you know, some public facilities. It makes the critically panned 'Phantom of the Opera' movie like a masterpiece! It's not so much the music's or musician's faults. There just isn't any thought process in the music making at all. If the cello is just going to play by the numbers, what's the point then? And the music arrangements on the orchestra side are just as shameful and insulting.

Compare to 'Yo-Yo Ma Plays Ennio Morricone', it's a clear example how a good taste of music adaptation can make a difference between Heaven and Hell.

It should be a minus star!

Julian Lloyd Weber Plays Andrew Lloyd Weber.......2001-07-14

Fantastic collection for true Andrew Lloyd Weber fans. A perfect gift for you or your friends. Everyone who hears mine wants a copy.

Too much of a good thing and I prefer the originals.......2001-06-02

Certainly Andrew Lloyd Webber wrote some superb melodies and certainly his brother Julian is an accomplished, outstanding cellist. That said, while it is fine to listen to a couple of these songs at a time played in this format, the real greatness of Andrew was in his collaboration with his lyricists like Tim Rice, and the songs just work better in my opinion as Broadway/theatre, with the rich diversity of soloists who have sung them.

Lloyd Webber Plays Lloyd Webber.......2001-05-22

I got an e-mail recommending this CD....Being the Andrew Lloyd Webber fan that I was, I just decided to buy it thinking it was his greatest hits by the original casts of his Play.

Boy was I wrong...but pleassantly so. Julian Lloyd Weber does a brilliant job of his brothers work...Purely instrumentational and incredibly beautiful... definately worth buying if your are ALW fan

Absolutely excellent!.......2001-05-14

An updated and improved version of Lloyd Webber plays Lloyd Webber. The original was great; and this new one is even better. The old songs have been enhanced, and there are six new selections from Sunset Boulevard, Whistle Down the Wind (the title song featuring Andrew on piano) and the two best Andrew songs brother Julian has ever done: "Our Kind of Love" and "God's Own Country" from the Beautiful Game. Even if you aren't into the Lloyd Webber brothers, any fan of classical and/or show music would absolutely love this CD.

Average customer rating:

Classy,Romantic, And Stirring.
Lovely - Just Lovely!
Encore!
Captivating
Sarah Brightman's Best

Encore
Sarah Brightman , Andrew Lloyd Webber , Richard Rodgers , Burton Lane , Peter Greenwell , Stephen Sondheim , George Gershwin , Giacomo Puccini , Harry Rabinowitz , and Michael Reed
Manufacturer: Decca Broadway
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Sarah Brightman Classics
Surrender
Eden (US Release - 16 tracks)
Dive
Fly

ASIN: B00005KBBX
Release Date: 2002-04-23

Tracks:

Whistle Down The Wind (Whistle Down The Wind)
Away From You (Rex)
Guardami (With One Look - Italian Version) (Sunset Boulevard)
Think Of Me (The Phantom Of The Opera)
One More Walk Around The Garden (Carmelina)
Surrender (Sunset Boulevard)
If I Ever Fall In Love Again (The Crooked Mile)
Half A Moment (Jeeves)
Piano (Memory - Italian Version) (Cats)
What More Do I Need (Saturday Night)
There Is More To Love (Apects Of Love)
The Last Man In My Life (Song And Dance)
In The Mandarin's Orchid Garden (East Is West)
Nothing Like You've Ever Known (Tell Me On A Sunday & Song And Dance)
Chil Il Bel Sogno Di Doretta (La Rondine)

Amazon.com

In a career that's veered from '70s pop chanteuse to Broadway star and neo-operatic diva, Sarah Brightman has brought a critics-be-damned sense of dramatic scale to nearly every project she's tackled. As the title suggests, the tracks here are largely culled from her Songs That Got Away and Surrender song anthologies, although they do include four previously unreleased outtakes from those collections. Her 1998 recording of the title song from ex-husband Andrew Lloyd Webber's Whistle Down the Wind succeeds by emphasizing its melodic grace with a deft, airy touch, while the remainder rescue worthy songs from obscure or failed musicals. From Lerner and Lane's 1959 Carmelina comes the lovely "One More Walk Around the Garden." Stephen Sondheim's youthful 1954 debut, Saturday Night, yields a sprightly take on "What More Do I Need," while an operatic reading of "In the Mandarin's Orchid Garden," from the Gershwins' unproduced 1929 East Is West, is also included. If the selection leans a little too heavily on the Lloyd Webber connection elsewhere (including Italian versions of "Guardami (With One Look)" from Sunset Boulevard and "Piano (Memory)" from Cats delivered in her patently restraint-free soprano), they're only reminders that shrewdness has hardly been the least of Brightman's talents. --Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews:

Classy,Romantic, And Stirring........2007-03-09

Encore is the perfect CD for those who love diversity. Classy, Romantic and Stirring. My two favorites are Piano and One More Walk Around The Garden.
Piano (Memory)is even more soul stirring in Italian than the english version.If the english version was perfection she improved upon it. One More Walk Around The Garden is sad and soul stirring bringing a tear to the eye on every play.Sarah sings her way through every song with the voice that earned her the title Angel of Music.Everyone a Gem. A must have for every true fan.

Lovely - Just Lovely!.......2007-01-04

Overall I was very pleased with the content and quality of this CD. Once again, Sarah sings beautifully. I rated this 4 stars instead of 5 simply because, like another reviewer, I, too, felt that it contained too much old material. I used to enjoy 'Memory' but it's been overdone to the point that I cringe when I hear it now. It's sung in Italian here and called 'Piano' but it's still 'Memory'.

I especially liked 'One More Walk Around the Garden' (Carmelina), 'There is More to Love' (Aspects of Love), 'The Last Man in My Life' (Song and Dance) and 'Chi Il Bel Sogno Di Doretta' (La Rondine). 'If I Ever Fall In Love Again' (The Crooked Mile) is especially well done as well.

I do enjoy playing the CD but I find that I pick the songs that I play rather than allowing it to play all the way through.

Encore!.......2005-05-29

The title of the CD is perfect. Sarah has a beautiful and flawless voice and her singing just pulls you in. If you like Sarah Brightman, this is a wonderful CD to add to your collection. I have only started to collect her CDs from concerts she has done and I love every single one of them! BUY THIS!! You won't regret it!!!

Captivating.......2004-12-25

Sarah Brightman sings beautifully. That's not even up for debate. Her choice of material is generally interesting as well. She runs through a wide variety of genre and regularly comes up with excellent pieces from each of them.

`Encore' is a compilation of material recorded between the late 1980's and 2001. It features strong renditions of `Away from You' by Rodgers and Harnick and `In the Mandarin's Garden' by George and Ira Gershwin. The orchestration on `If I ever Fall in Love Again' is a bit overblown but she sings the piece with sincerity, and very well. Her cover of Lane and Lerner's `One More Walk Around the Garden' is a thing of beauty. The same can be said for her handling of Sondheim's `What More Do I Need'. The weakest moment in the set comes during Puccini's `Chi Il Bel Di Doretta'. She sings it well but her voice doesn't quite have the pure power needed for the piece and there are moments where the strain shows.

Sarah Brightman really shines when she sings music written by Andrew Lloyd Webber. Her voice takes on an extra richness. He wrote the music for nine of the fifteen cuts on this release and can be identified as the composer of each one just by the tone her voice takes on when she begins singing any one of them. It's softer, richer, more expressive- it's as if there's an extra facet in her voice and spirit just for his compositions. He produced this collection but I don't believe that was a factor. The same thing struck me when she performed the material from the Phantom of the Opera that appeared on her La Luna concert DVD. `Think of Me' as performed by her was the song that attracted me to her voice even when I was less than sure of the scope of her talent. The recording here is the recording from `Phantom' and it's still stunning. `Piano' is hauntingly beautiful. `The Last Man in My Life' is given a ravishing performance. `Half a Moment' is devastating. The list goes on. There's not a weak cut from among his material. Webber's songs stay with the listener. Their melodic are lush and rich and have enough scope and variety to remain interesting over a long period of time. His orchestration is sumptuous, elaborately textured and a little sweet in the way that touches the listener as a caress. When she sings them they become all they can be. This isn't his music or hers. It's their music.

This is an excellent collection because of the way it showcases this. The material here has been (unkindly) labelled as `ear worms'. To an extent the term is accurate. Show tunes do lean toward catchy and easily accessible melodic lines. Their lyrics are often shallow. What's presented on this collection has more than its share of all of these faults. It's impossible to be cynical about it though. These songs, particularly the numbers penned by Lloyd-Webber, are strong on their own. When they're performed this well, and with this amount of affection, they're captivating. The quality of the sound on the release compliments the material beautifully. It's rich, lush and always crystal clear. Sarah Brightman herself is always a pleasure to listen to. Her voice it has a sparkling quality that's radiantly beautiful. The material on this collection shows that beauty to its fullest.

Listen to her singing these songs and let them wash over you. It's the perfect antidote for cynicism.

Sarah Brightman's Best.......2004-02-17

When I bought this Cd, I knew that I already had much of the music already, but there were a few new songs. I just had to get it for that reason. And I had to get it so that I had more than one recording of Sarah's finest songs. I absolutely love her and feel she was and is the ultimate Christine in "Phantom." I know I would be in a minority. I think she is past that part of her life and could not play the part again, but how I wish I had seen her. I could only imagine. If you have never heard Sarah sing before, this is a perfect CD to introduce her voice. The fact that she can sing so many different styles always amazes me. I suppose I appreciate that since I am a singer myself. I recommend this Cd to anyone.

Average customer rating:

I waited for this for five years
Excellent collection but BIG PUBLISHING MISTAKE!
ONE OF LLOYD WEBBER'S BEST COMPILATIONS, DESPITE A FEW FLAWS
SUCH MAGICAL MUSIC OF THE NIGHT!
A Must Have for Sir Andrew fans

Andrew Lloyd Webber: Now & Forever
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Manufacturer: Decca Broadway
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Gold: The Definitive Hits Collection
The Very Best Of Andrew Lloyd Webber: The Broadway Collection
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Andrew Lloyd Webber - The Royal Albert Hall Celebration
Andrew Lloyd Webber - Masterpiece (Collector's Edition) (Bonus CD)

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 Dance

Disc 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

Between Amazone, Ebay and Napster, I don't usually buy CDs anymore, and I usually wait till I can buy them cheaper "new and used". When this set came out, I was excited, mainly by Disc 5, but wasn't going to spend $70 on it. I waited till it was cheap enough, and got it for Father's day this year.
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

Please beware they made a mistake on this. It's actually the shortened Ray Shell version of STARLIGHT EXPRESS from the original 1984 London cast - NOT the El Debarge single from 1987 like it says on the box. I don't know how they let that goof pass. Sorry to Ray Shell. Having said that, this is an outstanding compilation of Lloyd Webber's greatest hits.

ONE OF LLOYD WEBBER'S BEST COMPILATIONS, DESPITE A FEW FLAWS.......2005-03-21

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 Broadway. 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.

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

"Evita." "Sunset Blvd." "Starlight Express." "Jesus Christ Superstar." "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat." "Requiem." "Aspects of Love." The man who is the most recognized composer in the history of the musical theatre, the man who has won more Tonys than any other composer, the man who boasts the best-selling show of all time ("The Phantom of the
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

This five-CD collection of Andrew Lloyd Webber's career is fantastic. It leaves virtually no stone unturned. I have no doubt that diehard Webber fans will love this, especially for the 5th disc entitled "From the Vaults." This disc alone is worth the price as it contains tunes never before heard by the typical fan. Who knew Elvis did a Lloyd Webber tune?!? I didn't! Also the tune "Benedictine" which the composer wrote for his most recent marriage is not only pretty, but it has the same medley as "The Lady's Paying" from "Sunset Blvd." which I found highly enjoyable. Another great track is the composer himself singing a cut song from "Cats" entitled "Pollicle Dogs and Jellicle Cats" which has the same tune as "Jellicle Songs for Jellicle Cats," but to hear Sir Andrew sing is a blast...he sounds a lot like Al "Year of the Cat" Stewart.
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!

Average customer rating:

I Love this CD!
EXCELLENT POP RENDITIONS OF SONGS FROM LLOYD WEBBER'S TOP MUSICAL
Wonderful!
Great !!
A FANTASTIC COLLECTION-A MUST HAVE

Whistle Down the Wind (Songs From)
Various Artists
Manufacturer: Polygram Int'l
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Whistle Down The Wind (1998 Original London Cast)
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The Woman in White
Music

ASIN: B0000241XU
Release Date: 2001-03-20

Tracks:

Vaults In Heaven-Tom Jones With Sounds Of
Whistle Down The Wind-Tina Arena
No Matter What-Boyzone
If Only-Elaine Page
When Children Rule The World-Donny Osmond
Cold-Everly Brothers
A Kiss Is A Terrible Thing To Waste-Meat Loaf
Try Not To Be Afraid-Boy George
Wrestle With The Devil-Sound Of Blackness
Tire Tracks And Broken Hearts-Bonnie Tyler
Unsettled Scores-Michael Ball
Whistle Down The Wind-Lottie Mayor With Andrew

Album Description

12 songs from the Andrew Lloyd Webber & Jim Steinman musical'Songs From Whistle Down The Wind', including Boyzone'ssmash 'No Matter What', plus Tom Jones' 'Vaults Of Heaven',Meatloaf's 'A Kiss Is A Terrible Thing To Waste' & TinaArena's 'Whistle Down The Wind'. Other artists includeBonnie Tyler, Sounds Of Blackness, Elaine Paige, DonnyOsmond, the Everly Brothers, Boy George, Michael Ball andLottie Mayor with Webber. 1998 Polydor release.

Customer Reviews:

I Love this CD!.......2006-05-04

I bought several copies of this CD so I'd have it forever. I never get tired of the songs, blasting them from my music system at least once a week. Tom Jones is at his best with Vaults of Heaven. You'll be tapping your toes and singing along. Boyzone's best song, "No Matter What" is on here, as well as Donny Osmond's version of "If Children Ruled the World". Every track is sung with feeling. Then, of course, there is Michael Ball singing "Unsettled Scores." That in itself makes this CD worth buying.

EXCELLENT POP RENDITIONS OF SONGS FROM LLOYD WEBBER'S TOP MUSICAL.......2005-11-26

"Whistle down the wind" was Andrew Lloyd Webber's first fresh work after "Sunset Blvd" premiered in 1993. With this musical he decided to get back to his rock and roll roots that made him famous with "Jesus Christ Superstar", after which he was mostly known for his big, soaring and lush scores of "The phantom of the opera" or "Sunset". The result is very satisfying. Jim Steinman, the lyricist of "Meat Loaf" is credited with the lyrics and the director is Gale Edwards, who directed a very successful run of "Superstar" in the West End in 1996.

When it became known that ALW and Jim Steinman are working together on a new musical, an idea arose about a non-cast recording album of the material, featuring the artists ALW and Steinman have been separately collaborating for years. So what we have here is an album with the songs from a musical recorded in their own right, outside the context of the show, with totally different orchestrations more suitable for the occasion. This is actually something ALW has done in the past with most of his shows, when he would release the main songs with different orchestrations as the singles, usually sung by famous artists.

This album thus boasts the artists from the ALW's world like Elaine Paige, Michael Ball and Donny Osmond, together with the ones brought in by Steinman: Bonnie Tyler, Meat Loaf, Tina Arena and Tom Jones. There are a few others and one of the main assets of this album is the fact that all of the singers here have very strong vocals and a unique way of interpretations. Be it Elaine Paige's mature soprano, Michael Ball's famous warm voice or the husky vocals of Tom Jones and Bonnie Tyler, each of the songs is a little pop masterpiece. Some of them, like Michael Ball's rendition of "Unsettled scores", are actually better here than on the subsequent cast album.

Another benefit is the very good orchestrations, echoing the original sounds of the score, but in a more suitable pop and rock environment. Some of the songs, like Boyzone's "No matter what", topped the chart for a considerable time.

Besides being a remarkable pop album, this set of songs is another proof of the fact just how masterful composer ALW really is, the one that has no problem moving between the genres of the modern musical theatre and the contemporary pop. One would like to think that the days when a musical could produce a hit tune are not altogether gone. And ALW has written plenty of them.

This album, therefore, should have no trouble in finding its owners, be it the musical theatre devotees such as myself, the fans of a good pop piece or both.

Wonderful!.......2004-11-19

Well it was much better than the London Cast Version. This is the one you really should get. The singers sound better with more emotion and it doesn't have to whole script being said in the middle of songs like the London version does. So this one is the better way to go.

Tina Arena is really unbelievable! Her voice is great!

Great !!.......2002-07-30

Don't be afraid of buying this one, it's wonderful. I got interested in the songs from ALW 50th show. No regrets here.
Tom Jones is great, and Michael Ball never disappoints. I like
the combination of different style vocals.

A FANTASTIC COLLECTION-A MUST HAVE.......2000-06-21

This is a compilation of music from Webber's WHISTLE DOWN THE WIND, done in pop style, released before the 2-cd cast album. I much prefer this version. Tom Jones presents an incredible opening gospel number, followed by my favorite, and to me one of Andrew's best songs WHISTLE DOWN THE WIND, performed by the very under-rated Tina Arena. This is one incredible balled. It builds, and she blets. What a match! Other incredible songs are TIRE TRACKS, done in the true Bonnie Tyler form, KISS IS A TERRIBLE THING TO WASTE, a perfect song for MEATLOAF, and to me one of his best ever. Boyzone's NO MATTER WHAT is tops, I think their best song. I wish Andrew Llood Webber would continue to write albums like this between his shows for pop music stars, because this is one of the best CD's of pop music I have bought in a long time. There is no way you can be sorry you bought this one! Other artists provide great performances including Michael Ball, Elaine Page, and many more. DON'T MISS OUT ON THIS ONE!

Film Music of Sir Malcolm Arnold, Vol. 1

Average customer rating:

A Walk Down Memory Lane
Amazing!
Classic Film Scores
Jolly Arnold jinks

Film Music of Sir Malcolm Arnold, Vol. 1

Manufacturer: Chandos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Arnold: Film Music, Vol.2
Malcolm Arnold: Overtures
Film Music of Ralph Vaughan Williams, Vol. 2
Film Music of Vaughan Williams 1
The Film Music of Sir Arthur Bliss

ASIN: B000000AQB
Release Date: 1993-03-15

Tracks:

The Bridge On The River Kwai - Suite For Large Orchestra: Prelude: The Prison Camp
The Bridge On The River Kwai - Suite For Large Orchestra: Colonel Bogey
The Bridge On The River Kwai - Suite For Large Orchestra: The Jungle Trek
The Bridge On The River Kwai - Suite For Large Orchestra: Sunset
The Bridge On The River Kwai - Suite For Large Orchestra: The River Kwai March
Whistle Down The Wind - Small Suite For Small Orchestra: Prelude (Whistle Down The Wind Theme)
Whistle Down The Wind - Small Suite For Small Orchestra: The Three Kings
Whistle Down The Wind - Small Suite For Small Orchestra: Finale
The Sound Barrier - A Rhapsody For Orchestra, Op. 38
Hobson's Choice - Orchestral Suite: Overture And Shoe Ballet
Hobson's Choice - Orchestral Suite: Willie And Maggie (Theme And Variations 1)
Hobson's Choice - Orchestral Suite: Wedding Night (Theme and Variations II)
Hobson's Choice - Orchestral Suite: Finale
The Inn Of The Sixth Happiness - Orchestal Suite: London Prelude
The Inn Of The Sixth Happiness - Orchestal Suite: Romantic Interlude
The Inn Of The Sixth Happiness - Orchestal Suite: Happy Ending (Mountain Crossing - The Children)

Amazon.com

Malcolm Arnold, like Dmitri Shostakovich, wrote a wide range of music, including music for film. But while Shostakovich's film music is generally looked down upon (having been mostly commissioned by the state), Arnold's film music aspires to the same level of seriousness (and delight) as his "important" works. Most familiar here is the music from The Bridge Over the River Kwai, which features Kenneth Alford's "Colonel Bogey's March." Fortunately these works are all orchestrated by the late Christopher Palmer; they would otherwise likely have languished in obscurity. Fans of Arnold's music will want this exceptional collection. --Paul Cook

Customer Reviews:

A Walk Down Memory Lane.......2007-01-18

I purchased this CD about three years ago primarily for the Bridge on the River Kwai music. I had bought the original soundtrack album very soon after seeing the film (in 1957). The thought of having another copy recorded with modern-day technology made the purchase irresistable. One slightly negative (for me) comment about the music is that this is not a re-recording of the original soundtrack. This is a concert suite arranged by Christopher Palmer. The music is "basically" the same. Mr. Palmer has re-arranged much of it and the sequences of events are out of sync with the original. Apart from these differences the music is still awsome sounding! The other pieces on the disk are all well worth listening to for Arnold enthusiasts. Whistle Down the Wind is charming. The Sound Barrier has that Arnold juxtapositioning of the stern and dramatic with the bubbling and warm-and-fuzzy tunes that he is known for. The Hobson's Choice music has a lot of Arnold's humor in it. Upon first hearing, I thought the music was rather "corny" but repeated listenings have allowed me to find the deeper things in it. The Inn of the Sixth Happiness is pure Arnold from beginning to end. The grandiose London Prelude opening, the tender Romantic Interlude section, the stirring and ominous Mountain Crossing, and the "This Old Man" tune at the end make this piece, as well as the entire album, a joy to listen to. If you are a Malcom Arnold fan and would like a sampling of his film music, this CD should meet your needs very well. Five stars!

Amazing! .......2006-11-16

This music is amazing! I gotta admit that I bought this Cd mainly because of the tracks from "The Bridge on the River Kwai", but all the other tracks are also very good. My personal favorites are "The Bridge on the River Kwai March"( last track of the Bridge on the River Kwai section of this Cd), the Overture/Shoe Ballet from "Hobson's Choice", and the last track on this Cd, the "Happy Ending: Mountain Crossing-the children". That track is one of my favorite pieces of music ever. One comment on the orchestra that is playing it all: They are great. They play really clean, stay on the beat, and I am sure that they play the music just like Sir Malcolm Arnold intended it to sound. The London Symphony Orchestra is doing a great job on this Cd. This Cd rocks and well deserves five stars!

Classic Film Scores.......2001-04-17

Malcolm Arnold's film scores stand on a par with his concert music; they are of equally high quality. Of the five films represented on this CD, the most prominent would have to be the 1957 best picture Oscar winner, The Bridge on the River Kwai. But, having said that, it would at most have to be considered as first among equals, as the other scores represented are also well-done and well-performed. For film score buffs, this CD should be a keeper.

Jolly Arnold jinks.......2001-01-17

This album will be a delight to baby boomers like me who were taken to the movies during the late fifties and sixties to see these films. The films seem a little dated now but the scores of Arnold bring out tear jerking emotion, nostalgic pangs and jolly japes, all in the blink of an eye. The heavyweight David Lean 'The Bridge on the River Kwai' item is probably the movie you are most likely to see repeated on TV; who can forget the defiant and physically broken Alec Guiness standing up to the Japanese Camp Commander? Yet, paradoxically, although the Colonel Bogey March was very popular when the movie was relaeased, it probably will not be the most played item on the CD if you buy it. Arnold's fecund imagination comes into its own with the 'Hobson's choice' with the brilliant orchestral character sketches of the grumpy and drunken Charles Laughton character on the deep brass, or the thrilling optimism as our hero sudenly realises he can make it. The 'Whistle Down the Wind' offerings are sheer musical poetry that underline the pathos we all feel of our lost childhood vision of Jesus and the haunting theme stays in your head a long while afterwards. The 'Inn of the Sixth Happiness' and 'Sound Barrier' items are wonderful and will be enjoyed again and again as Arnold's imagination jumps around the orchestra in its different tones. A brilliant buy!

The Essential Songs of Andrew Lloyd Webber

Average customer rating:

Okay, but kind of disappointing
Not quite what I expected...
Some great performances, some not so great...
Disappointed
Musical Talent at Its Best

The Essential Songs of Andrew Lloyd Webber

Manufacturer: Metro Music
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Very Best Of Andrew Lloyd Webber: The Broadway Collection
Gold: The Definitive Hits Collection
Swings Cole Porter
Reflections From Broadway
The Best of Simon & Garfunkel

ASIN: B00005Y47E
Release Date: 2002-02-22

Tracks:

Any Dream Will Do
Close Every Door
Heaven On Their Minds
Everything's Alright
Gethsemane
I Don't Know How To Love Him
Jesus Christ Superstar
Could We Start Again Please?
Don't Cry For Me Argentina
Another Suitcase In Another Hall
Buenos Aires
Rainbow High
High Flying Adored
Memory
Jellicle Cats
Mister Mistofeles
Unexpected Song
Last Man In My Life
Rolling Stock
U-N-C-O-U-P-L-E-D

Tracks:

Only You
Starlight Express
There's Me
Pie Jesu
Angel Of Music
Masquerade
Wishing Somehow You Were Here Again
All I Ask Of You
The Phantom Of The Opera
Music Of The Night
Love Changes Everything
The First Man You Remember
Seeing Is Believing
As If We Never Said Goodbye
Sunset Boulevard
With One Look
Too Much In Love To Care
Half A Moment
Whistle Down The Wind
Our Kind Of Love

Album Description

Full title, 'Essential Songs Of Andrew Lloyd Webber'. UK budget-price compilation. 40 superlative performances featuring songs from every one of Andrew Lloyd Webber's hit musicals. Guest artists include John Barrymore, Issy Van Randwyck, Dave Willetts, Maria Friedman, Kim Criswell, Graham Bickley and the National Symphony Orchestra. Housed in a slipcase. 2002.

Customer Reviews:

Okay, but kind of disappointing.......2006-04-17

This isn't a bad recording, but the tracks are not the actual performances off of any cast recording of any of Andrew Lloyd Webber's musicals. The reditions of the songs on the disc are of varying quality. Some are pretty good. Some are borderline awful.
It is a good collection for inexpensively getting a lot of Andrew Lloyd Webber's most popular songs in one place and having them there to be able to listen to get the idea of what a certain song sounds like and is about. It isn't the collection of definitive recordings for certain roles. In fact in a couple examples, I wonder if the performer fully understood the context of the song he or she was singing &/or what it was about. Overall, the album is good, for the most part, if not excellent.

However, the liner notes for "The Essential Songs of Andrew Lloyd Webber" is another matter. I don't mean to be unkind, but the author of the comments on the different tracks (one Rexton S. Bunnett) is blatantly WRONG in multiple instances. I don't mean just in nit-picky details, but in major plot details/context of songs, like the fact that Bunnett identifies "Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again" as being sung by "our heroine" (who he does not even identify by name as Christine Daae) as she thinks about her lover, not as being sung about Christine's dead father. He also says that the Phantom has found his perfect love and "Angel of Music" in Christine... because HE is the Angel of Music who Christine believes has been sent to her by her dead father, and because although the Phantom is obsessed with Christine, that relationship is far from "loving" (even if Christine shows him compassion. I feel like these (and a couple other mistakes) are major plot points to get wrong. A good amount of the commentary reads as if Bunnett might have written it at the last minute, fudging his way through entries on musicals of which he had little knowledge; like what an essay I might write on a book I never read for my college class but had quickly looked up on Cliff's Notes would sound like. In terms of sheer editing, there are spelling mistakes, run-on sentences and spacing errors ("Any DreamWill Do")in the liner notes. Where was the copy editor?
And the most frightening fact of all, under Bunnett's credentials, it says "Harper Collins has just published his revision and updating of the Collins Book of the Musical."
I am being very critical, but I think that for a widely-released CD it is reasonable to expect the liner notes to be at a professional level, as they were most likely supposed to be.

Not quite what I expected..........2005-04-23

I was looking for a CD of the original performances and this CD doesn't have them. I suppose it was my fault for not looking closer, but the songs just weren't the same. Personally, I was not impressed. If you don't care that they aren't the originals then it is nice to listen to.

Some great performances, some not so great..........2005-04-18

This CD is actually pretty good, considering you get 40 songs for less than $16. Let's evaluate the pros and cons.

Pros:

Two classic songs that are performed excellently are Phantom of the Opera and I Don't Know How to Love Him.

Of course you want to compare Phantom to the classic Michael Crawford/ Sarah Brightman version. Well, guess what? This version is BETTER. The woman has a deeper voice than Brightman, and her singing style is just awesome. The ending of this version (you know, the "Sing, my angel of music, sing for me!") is different, but in a good way... I think.)

And of course, the standard for I Don't Know How to Love Him is Yvonne's version. This version is different, but it grew on me quickly. This version has a country feel to it, almost. Somehow it works and sounds great.

There are a lot of great performances in this collection. My favorites include: Heaven on Their Minds, Everything's Alright, Could We Start Again Please, Another Suitcase in Another Hall, Buenos Aires, Rainbow High, Only You, Starlight Express, Angel of Music, Masquerade, All I Ask of You, Half a Moment, and Whistle Down the Wind. I think they're all great versions of their more famous counterparts.

Cons:

First of all, there are some technical problems that are kind of disappointing. A few of the songs have a very echoey sound. Any Dream Will Do, Another Suitcase in Another Hall, Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again, and There's Me are the songs that come to mind that are the worst in this regard. It isn't really bad, just enough to be slightly annoying, more so when the volume is turned way up on your CD player.

A few songs are worthy of skipping over when listening to this collection. In my opinion, Superstar, Sunset Boulevard, and Gethesmane are the biggest disappointments.

Superstar just doesn't cut it for me. The singer really overdoes it, making it overstylized... really makes you yearn for Murray Head. I can't stand listening to it. Just my opinion.

Sunset Boulevard is one of my very favorite musicals, so I was really hoping that the singer would do justice to its title song. Unfortunately I don't think he did. You can't help but compare it to Alan Campbell's fantastic version. This guy has a very choppy way of singing, when I'm used to it being sung so smoothly. Maybe it would grow on me, but I don't think I'll give it a chance to. However, that last note is much stronger than Alan Campbell's. It doesn't make up for the rest of the song, though.

Finally, Gethsemane. The inevitable fact is that NO ONE can sing this song like Michael Ball. This guy tries, he really does. But he doesn't have the right voice or the right style. So please listen to Michael Ball's performance of Gethsemane if you want to know how breathtaking of a song it can be. It's on the Royal Albert Hall DVD, and I'm sure he's got it on one of his CDs.

Anyway, overall, this is a good CD if you like quantity over quality. Don't buy it for the classics, you'll probably end up disappointed with many of them. Buy it for the lesser known songs. You probably won't like every song, especially if you're a big ALW fan, but for the price, it's worth it.

If you want classic versions of classic ALW songs, you might prefer something like "The Very Best of Andrew Lloyd Webber: The Broadway Collection".

Disappointed.......2005-03-11

The singer(s)does not do justice for the lyrics. It was grating to the ears. Save your money for the originals.

Musical Talent at Its Best.......2003-01-03

What a pleasure to hear a collection of Andrew Lloyd Webber's beautiful music from such wonderful voices accompanied by an outstanding symphony. This sensational CD is a treasure to own.

The Andrew Lloyd Webber Collection / Encore

Average customer rating:

Lovely
Encore!
Another way to make money on the back of Sarah

The Andrew Lloyd Webber Collection / Encore

Manufacturer: Decca Broadway
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Time to Say Goodbye
Eden (US Release - 16 tracks)
Sarah Brightman Classics
The Songs That Got Away
Dive

ASIN: B00006LLOO
Release Date: 2002-10-15

Tracks:

Phantom of the Opera
Unexpected Song
Chanson d'Efrance
All I Ask of You
Don't Cry for Me Argentina
Another Suitcase in Another Hall
Love Changes Everything
Amigos Para Siempre (Friends for Life)
Memory
Gus: The Theatre Cat
Anything But Lonely
Macavity: The Mystery Cat
Tell Me on a Sunday
Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again
Pie Jesu
Music of the Night

Tracks:

Whitsle Down the Wind {From Whistle Down the Wind}
Away from You {From Rex}
Guardami (With One Look) {From Sunset Boulevard} [Italian Version]
Think of Me {From the Phantom of the Opera}
One More Walk the Around the Garden {From Carmelina}
Surrender {From Sunset Boulevard}
If I Ever Fall in Love Again {From the Crooked Mile}
Half a Moment {From Jeeves}
Piano (Memory) {From Cats} [Italian Version]
What More Do I Need {From Saturday Night}
There Is More to Love {From Aspects of Love}
Last Man in My Life {From Song and Dance}
In the Mandarin's Orchid Garden {From East Is West}
Nothing Like You've Ever Known {From Tell Me on a Sunday and Song and D
Chi il Bel Sogno Di Doretta {From la Rondine}

Amazon.com

In a career that's veered from '70s pop chanteuse to Broadway star and neo-operatic diva, Sarah Brightman has brought a critics-be-damned sense of dramatic scale to nearly every project she's tackled. This two-CD package of 31 hits brings together selections from Brightman's original Andrew Lloyd Webber Collection, including many definitive versions of Lloyd Webber classics. Also included are songs from her album Encore, which itself was largely culled from her Songs That Got Away and Surrender song anthologies, although they do include four previously unreleased outtakes from those collections.

Her 1998 recording of the title song from ex-husband Andrew Lloyd Webber's Whistle Down the Wind succeeds by emphasizing its melodic grace with a deft, airy touch, while the remainder rescue worthy songs from obscure or failed musicals. From Lerner and Lane's 1959 Carmelina comes the lovely "One More Walk Around the Garden." Stephen Sondheim's youthful 1954 debut, Saturday Night, yields a sprightly take on "What More Do I Need," and an operatic reading of "In the Mandarin's Orchid Garden," from the Gershwins' unproduced 1929 East Is West, is also included. If the selection leans a little too heavily on the Lloyd Webber connection elsewhere (including Italian versions of "Guardami (With One Look)" from Sunset Boulevard and "Piano (Memory)" from Cats, delivered in her patently restraint-free soprano), they're only reminders that shrewdness has hardly been the least of Brightman's talents. --Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews:

Lovely.......2007-01-09

Both of these discs afford great pleasure. The Lloyd Webber compilation presents many of his biggest hits in fine performances by his ex-wife. The Encore disc gives fascinating glimpses of worthy but little known pieces from musicals. Arrangements are wonderful, and Sarah Brightman is in excellent voice throughout. At times she has a tendency to wax a bit operatic, but she certainly does have the chops to bring it off successfully, so I'm not complaining. Obviously, Ms. Brightman was trained in the classical tradition, and she knows how to use her voice to best advantage in service to the material. In short, she has musical integrity.

Encore!.......2004-09-29

Before she was a sparkling pop/classical diva, Sarah Brightman was a Broadway star and the onetime wife of the legendary Andrew Lloyd Webber. This two-disc set that includes her "Encore," a collection of songs from mostly-obscure musicals, and "The Andrew Lloyd Webber Collection," several of Webber's songs (mostly picked from "Songs That Got Away" and "Surrender").

"Andrew Lloyd Webber Collection" starts off with the gothic "Phantom of the Opera," but quickly moves on to lighter fare in the airy "Unexpected Song," a soaring duet with Cliff Richards in "All I Ask Of You," the sparkling "Love Changes Everything," and some tepid forays into the shrill "Don't Cry for Me, Argentina" and "Memory."

"Encore" is far more ethereal and steady. The piano-led "Whistle Down The Wind" starts it off on a strong note, before the aching "Away From You," operatic "Think of Me," affectionate "If I Ever Fall in Love Again," and the symphonic "Nothing Like You've Ever Known." A particular highlight is the sparkling "What More Do I Need," a little tune that celebrates how love brightens up even the most dingy little apartment, in the most miserable weather. "With your love/what more do I need?"

Sarah Brightman was obviously on solid footing with these two CDs. It might leave a bad taste in some fans' mouths that "Collection" is mostly compiled from a pair of other Brightman albums, but if listeners don't have "Surrender" and "Songs That Got Away," this two-disc set would be an excellent way to acquaint themselves with it.

"Encore" is steady and well-suited for Brightman's voice, as well as having a sort of Victorian-garden air. "Andrew Lloyd Webber Collection" has the most flaws of the two -- some of the songs like "Memory" aren't suited to Brightman's voice, and she comes across as shrill and uneasy. But in songs written for her talents and "Encore," her voice alternately soars and murmurs in an airy soprano.

Sarah Brightman reached her artistic pinnacle so far in the velvety "Eden," but her stuff here is still quite beautiful. "The Andrew Lloyd Webber Collection/Encore" two-pack is a satisfying look at some of Brightman's Broadway-based songs.

Another way to make money on the back of Sarah.......2002-11-28

Yes, it's true. Sarah has nothing to do with these cds, but her voice. It's another record that Andrew Lloyd Webber's Rea