The Wizard of Oz: 2011 London Palladium Recording
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Composer: Harold ArlenComposer: E.Y. Harburg
Composer: Tim Rice
Composer: Andrew Lloyd Webber
Edition: Music CD
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language)
Format: Cast Recording
CD Release Date: 2011-06-28
Music Label: Decca Broadway
Soundtracks:
- Overture
- Nobody Understands Me
- Over The Rainbow
- Wonders Of The World
- The Twister
- Arrival In Munchkinland
- Munchkinland / Ding-Dong! The Witch Is Dead
- Follow The Yellow Brick Road
- If I Only Had A Brain / We're Off To See The Wizard
- If I Only Had A Heart / We're Off To See The Wizard, 11. If I Only Had The Nerve / We're Off To See The Wizard 12. We're Outta The Woods,
- The Merry Old Land Of Oz
- Bring Me The Broomstick
- Haunted Forest
- Red Shoes Blues
- Bacchanalia
- Red Shoes Blues (Reprise)
- Over The Rainbow (Reprise)
- If We Only Had A Plan
- The Rescue
- Hail-Hail! The Witch Is Dead
- The Wizard's Departure
- Already Home
- Finale
Music reviews of The Wizard of Oz: 2011 London Palladium Recording
Music Review: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz: A magical musical that lives up to its classic predecessor.
Rating: 5 Stars
I've been in love with the "Wizard of Oz" since I was very young, and nothing could deter my excitement when I heard that the musical genius behind "The Phantom of the Opera" was working on a lavish stage production based on the classic MGM film. Needless to say, I am as immense a fan of this production as I am of the 1939 version and can hardly wait for it to transfer across the pond to Broadway. I haven't been able to stop playing it since I got it, it is simply so wonderful, and I guarantee that anyone else will feel the same way.
One thing that is special about this production is that Webber doesn't attempt to reinvent the wheel, or rather, the Wizard; instead, he aims to give additional color and freshness to a time-honored classic and bring it successfully to the live stage. His fine musical arrangements (together with David Cullen) are nicely done and enhance rather than belittle the original compositions by Harold Arlen and E.Y. Harburg. The new pieces he's collaborated on with Tim Rice are undeniably classic for the songwriting duo, and serve to integrate themselves well with the original score. Additionally, many lyrics and pieces written for the film but not recorded or included in the final cut have been resuscitated for the new stage production, giving a little extra to devout fans who want more of the original feeling of the movie in the show.
As for the cast, everyone is in great form. To a non-Brit like me, many of these names and voices are unfamiliar, but that doesn't make them maladroit in their performances. The major players (Danielle Hope, Edward Baker-Duly, David Ganly, and Paul Keating) put on believable Midwestern accents, effectively masking their British enunciations. They have solid voices and make for a great foursome to follow in the footsteps of Judy Garland and Co.
Danielle Hope is bright and plucky as Dorothy, setting her apart from Judy Garland's more vulnerable approach. She really makes the little girl from Kansas feels like she's from Kansas rather than Hollywood. She is a very talented actress and has an exceptionally good voice for such a young girl, though it is much more childlike than Garland's more mature timbre. Her rendition of "Over the Rainbow" is wonderfully done--I have a feeling she'll be a big name in theatrical circles very soon.
Michael Crawford never disappoints, and in his multiple roles as Professor Marvel, the Doorman, the Tour Guide, and the Wizard himself, he brings his signature enthusiasm and warmth out in full-force. Though he only has one real song and several semi-songs in between, he's a knockout in all of them, showing off his penchant for excellent character acting as well as fabulous singing.
Because almost everyone knows the original songs by heart, I'll just give my opinion on the newest ones, penned by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice.
"Nobody Understands Me" is the only one that I didn't especially like. It isn't especially musical, sounding a little too modern and slightly Sondheim-ish, and might have been better conveyed in plain speech, though it works well as a background melody on some of the other tracks.
"The Wonders of the World" is an absolute gem. Extolling exactly what the title suggests, the smooth, lyrical melody and clever tongue-tying words signature of Tim Rice makes for an excellent showpiece for Crawford as Professor Marvel, whose warm, smooth, and lyrical voice turns it into a perfect showstopper to add to Act 1.
"Red Shoes Blues" is impossible to describe in any words except that it resembles a dizzy, almost drunken waltz, rasped with venom by the very talented Hannah Waddingham as the Wicked Witch of the West. The sharpness and dissonance can't hide the fact that it's a very well-written song, and one that is impossible to dispel from your mind once you've heard it. The tune reappears in various ways throughout the score, most noticeably in the track "Bring Me The Broomstick", which, to someone who's a Crawford fan, sounds oddly similar to the Phantom's booming orders in "The Phantom of the Opera".
"Already Home" ranks in my opinion as perhaps one of Andrew Lloyd Webber's most beautiful compositions. Sung by Glinda (Emily Tierney) and Dorothy towards the finale, it is one song not easily forgotten. I actually grew teary-eyed the first time I heard it. The melody and lyrics blend seamlessly and straddle the perfect line between sounding both classic and modern without being forced. A true show-stopper indeed.
All in all, I am overjoyed that Andrew Lloyd Webber's "Wizard" turned out so well. It could very easily have been taken on by someone who has no respect for the classic material and completely ruined it by taking too many liberties. At last there is something besides that awful "Wicked" for Oz fans to enjoy! Musicals don't get much better than this, and it would be very difficult to find anyone (at least a fan of L. Frank Baum) who doesn't get some enjoyment from this CD.
My only disappointment is that this release is more of a highlights album rather than a full-blown cast album. The major musical pieces are present (excluding the Entr'acte), but there is almost none of the transition dialogue. In consequence, some of the theatrical magic is lost and ruins the notion that the listener can acoustically recreate the experience of seeing the show, something I really enjoyed from the albums for "The Phantom of the Opera", and "The Woman in White, which were complete/nearly complete recordings. It's kind of hard to get wrapped up in the story when the whole story isn't there for you to hear.
I would have liked to have "the man behind the curtain" or other equally famous moments included along with the music; but sadly, none of that has been put in. To my knowledge, this is the only Andrew Lloyd Webber cast album that hasn't been released in a 2-disc set, and with the disc's running time of only an hour, a little more material could easily have been included. One can only hope that when it comes to Broadway, a new, more complete recording will be released, one that includes a full libretto as well.
To finish, "The Wizard of Oz" completely exceeded my expectations, and if anyone is considering purchasing this CD, I can't possibly recommend it more.
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Description of The Wizard of Oz: 2011 London Palladium Recording
2011 release of the full cast recording of Andrew Lloyd Webber's stunning new production of The Wizard Of Oz! This 25 track set includes all the much-loved songs from the Oscar-winning movie score by Harold Arlen and E Y Harburg plus new songs by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice. The Wizard Of Oz features the full cast of performers from this all-new production including the multi-award winning Michael Crawford and Danielle Hope, the winner of the BBC One hit TV show Over The Rainbow. The superb supporting cast comprises of Edward Baker-Duly (Tin Man), David Ganly (Cowardly Lion), Paul Keating (Scarecrow), Emily Tierney (Glinda) and Hannah Waddingham (Wicked Witch Of the West) accompanied by a 36 strong ensemble. Developed from the ever-popular 1939 screenplay, The Wizard of Oz is an enchanting adaptation of the all-time classic, totally reconceived for the stage bringing the joys of this magical tale back into our lives. Polydor.Broadway & Vocalists CDs
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