Frank Wildhorn, Jack Murphy - The Civil War (1998 Studio Cast) at Music Hills.com

Music CD 1

Prologue - Charlie Daniels
Brother, My Brother - Michael Lanning
Lincoln: The Better Angels Of Our Nature - James Garner
By The Sword/Sons Of Dixie - Broadway All Stars
Tell My Father - Kevin Sharp
My Name Is Fredrick Douglas - Danny Glover
Freedom's Child - Hootie & The Blowfish
Missing You (My Bill) - Deana Carter
If Prayin' Were Horses - Cheryl Freeman And Michel Bell
Virginia - Gene Miller
The Day The Sun Stood Still - Travis Tritt
Oh, Be Joyful! - Broadway All Stars
Frederick Douglass: The Destiny Of America - Danny Glover
Father How Long? - Michel Bell
Reprise: Brother, My Brother - Michael Lanning
A Nurse's Diary - Linda Eder
I Never Knew His Name - Linda Eder
Still I Rise - Dr. Maya Angelou
River Jordan - Bebe Winans

Music CD 2

Lincoln: The Bottom Is Out Of The Tub - James Garner
How Many Devils? - Broadway All Stars
Old Gray Coat - Trace Adkins
With These Hands - Amy Grant & Bryan White
The White House At Night - Ellen Burstyn
A Candle In The Window - Linda Eder
Greenback - Dr. John
Sojourner Truth: Ain't I A Woman? - Dr. Maya Angelou
Someday - Patti Labelle
Regimental Drummer - Michael English
I'll Never Pass This Way Again - Tracy Lawrence
Lincoln: Letter To Mrs. Bixby - James Garner
Five Boys - Betty Buckley
Judgment Day - Shiloh
Sarah - Carl Anderson
The Honor Of Your Name - Trisha Yearwood
Northbound Train - John Popper & Friends
Last Waltz For Dixie - John Berry
In Great Deeds - Charlie Daniels
The Glory - Michael Lanning, Gene Miller, Linda Eder And Choir

Music reviews of The Civil War (1998 Studio Cast)

Music Review: A wonderful CD!
Rating: 4 Stars

It always amuses me when people slam Wildhorn on the "period" issue. No, they did not sing rock music during the 19th century. However, 'Les Miserables', 'Miss Saigon', 'The Phantom of the Opera', 'AIDA', and 'EVITA' (to name a few blockbusters) are as guilty as Frank's works of not being true to the "period" they are in. I would like someone to name 5 musicals that are true to their "period". It's a ridiculous argument that has NO merit.

I can understand why 'The Civil War' flopped on Broadway, but we are not discussing the Broadway show, we are discussing the concept album, which is wonderful.

I would rather have had this recording be a concept of the Broadway or Houston cast myself (I'm sick to death of Eder), but what they've lined up here is impressive and beautiful. Favorites of mine include, "Tell My Father", "Virginia", "A Candle in the Window" (even though it's Eder), "Father How Long?", and "The Honor of Your Name", to name a few. This cd is highly enjoyable throughout.

The narrative performances (especially by Garner and Glover) are truly moving and wonderfully set to some really beautiful background music. They are something that should not be skipped over, as they tell a piece of a great American story.

I've always felt that people overly attack Wildhorn. Yes his shows have been flawed, but no more flawed than "AIDA" (or far less flawed than AIDA I should say) and "Hairspray" - two of the biggest hits that are certainly not above "Jekyll", "Pimpernel", or "The Civil War". Yes, Wildhorn is no Schonberg, Sondheim, or even an ALW - but he is not nearly as bad as people claim. For some reason he is a target of those who think they are somehow superior when it comes to theater opinions!