This is certainly the best musical yet of this decenium! After years of silence Stephen Schwarts (Pippin, Godspell, Children of Eden, etc) wrote Wicked, the story about the good witch and the wicked witch - pre-Dorothy! It's a wonderfull, compelling story with a strong moral point about weather ... Read review
A review by musicalmuppa on Wicked - Various Artists June 23rd, 2007
Author's product rating:
Originality
Groundbreaking
Lyrics
Sublime
Quality and consistency of tracks
Flawless
Value for Money
Excellent
Advantages:
A great soundtrack of what will certainly be recognised as a Broadway classic
Disadvantages:
I honestly can't think of any !
Recommend to potential buyers:
yes
Full review
This is certainly the best musical yet of this decenium! After years of silence Stephen Schwarts (Pippin, Godspell, Children of Eden, etc) wrote Wicked, the story about the good witch and the wicked witch - pre-Dorothy! It's a wonderfull, compelling story with a strong moral point about weather we are born wicked or made wicked. It is also one of the best scores Broadway has ever seen! A number of strong songs, with a big range in style and vocal technique, are presented, with the witches Glinda (the goos witch) and Elphaba (the wicked one) in the center. The story is centered on how Elphaba and Glinda, the two witches who play a central part of the tory about The Wizard of Oz, grew upp together at school. Through a series of events they become close friends, and share everything. Due to her mothers indescretions Elphaba is born with green skin. Here also is another moral aspect; does skin colour define who we are, or weather we are good or bad? The score is a typical Schwarts pop score, with several strong numbers for both the leading ladies, like Popular and Defying Gravity. The ensemble is used a lot, making a lot of the music work as dialogue, moving the story forward. On this recording Kristine Chenoweth and Edina Menzel make stuninng performances. They were both nominated for Tonys 2003 for these roles, and Menzel was the one who finally got the prize. Trying my hardest to find some negative aspect to the show, I simply can't think of anything! Go and get it, is you don't already have it!
Tracks: 1. No One Mourns the Wicked 2. Dear Old Shiz 3. The Wizard and I 4. What Is This Feeling? 5. Something Bad 6. Dancing Through Life 7. Popular 8. I'm Not That Girl 9. One Short Day 10. A Sentimental Man 11. Defying Gravity 12. Thank Goodness 13. Wonderful 14. I'm Not That Girl (Reprise) 15. As Long as You're Mine 16. No Good Deed 17. March of the Witch Hunters 18. For Good 19. Finale
Advantages: Great value , great quality ,great performances, great show !! Disadvantages: None
...started off and how the Wicked Witch came to be wicked.
All this happens long before Dorothy drops in, two very different witches meet in the Land of Oz. at Witches School. One, born with emerald-green skin, is smart, fiery and extremely misunderstood. The other is beautiful, ambitious and very 'popular'. {Hence one of the best songs in the Show }. How these two unlikely friends end up as the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good Witch makes ... ...years.
WICKED the cd, features the excellent music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz .This is simply a terrific recording offering some superb performances especially from Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth. The score is highly amusing, entertaining and yet also dark and mysterious just like the story itself. Having seen it several times on stage this recording immediately takes you on a great journey with a wonderful score and excellent vocals. Defying ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful
...As you will know if you've read my review of Wicked, the new musical at the Apollo Victoria Theatre in London, I've become a bit of an obsessed fan. Having seen the show for the second time and gearing up for my third before the end of the year, I thought it timely to write a review of the original cast recording, which was what got me hooked in the first place.
A quick re-cap of the plot of the show: Elphaba and Glinda are the teenaged girls who will go on to become the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good in L. Frank Baum's novel, the Wonderful Wizard of Oz. In this take on the story, from the novel by Gregory Maguire, the premise is that Elphaba was not always evil, but because she is an outsider (she is green) her motives, which deep down are good, are misunderstood by the people of Oz and she is automatically presumed to...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Advantages: Great for listening to in your car and singing along at top volume Disadvantages: Hard to turn off when you arrive at your destination!
...I have to say this is one of my all time favourite albums. Therefore I'll try and keep this review as unbiased as possible.
My interest in Wicked started when my brother kept raving about the broadway version and then gave me the book to read. After loving the book and hearing that this was composed and written by the same person who wrote The Hunchback of Notre Dame (Disney) I gave in to his badgering and listened to the soundtrack.
I was blown away. My emotions were obviously heightened because I already knew the story but when I heard the opening for 'Defying Gravity' goosebumps stood up on my arms and by the end I was crying.
The story in brief is a prelude to The Wizard of Oz and tells the story of how the Wicked Witch Elphaba and the Good Witch Glinda become friends and how the choices they make take them on very...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Advantages: Beautiful songs from the amazing musical Disadvantages: none at all
...I had heard some of the beautifully composed and written songs from Wicked through friends and those few songs along were enough to make me decide to go and see it for myself, it was the best stage show i have ever seen! This sountrack has all of the tear-jerkingly beautiful songs that are in the stage show and that will deffinately be in your head, and your heart forever.
Wicked Songs Include:-
No One Mourns the wicked
For Good
No Good Deed
Im not that Girl
Defying Gravity
Dancing through Life
The Wizard and I
Popular
As Long as you're mine
What is this feeling?
One short day
A Sentimental Man
All of these songs are sung by the cast and characters of Wicked such as Elphaba, Glinda, Fiyero, The Wizard of Oz, Boq and Nessa.
The story of the Musical Wicked is based on The Witches from the Wwizard of Oz, It focuses...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Label / Distributor: Universal IMS / Universal Music
Engineer: Frank Filipetti
Producer: Stephen Schwartz
Pieces in Set: 1
Studio / Live: Studio
Stereo: Stereo
Format: Performer
EAN: 602498613436
Additional notes
Album Notes: Principal cast includes: Kristin Chenowith (Galinda, Glinda); Sean McCourt (Witch's Father); Cristy Canlder (Witch's Mother); Jan Neuberger (Midwife); Idina Menzel (Elphaba); Michelle Federer (Nessarose); Christopher Fitzgerald (Boq); Carole Shelley (Madame Morrible); William Youmans (Doctor Dillamond); Norbert Leo Butz (Fiyero); Sean McCourt (Ozian Official); Joel Grey (The Wonderful Wizard Of Oz); Manuel Herrera (Chistery). Recorded at Right Track Studios, New York, New York. Based on Gregory Maguire's novel of the same name, the Broadway musical WICKED creates a history for the two witches from L. Frank Baum's OZ books. Through composer/lyricist Stephen Schwartz's emotive songs, the show reveals the unlikely friendship between Elphaba (Idina Menzel), who eventually becomes the Wicked Witch, and Glinda (Kristin Chenoweth), the Good Witch. The dramatic, horn-laden "No One Mourns the Wicked" starts the story in striking fashion, with the death of the ruby-slipper-wearing Wicked Witch. As Glinda appears, Elphaba's backstory begins, leading to jaunty numbers like "Popular" and "Defying Gravity," as well as ballads such as "I'm Not That Girl" and "For Good," with Menzel and Chenoweth showing off their substantial vocal chops. Adding to the boisterous energy is musical theater veteran Joel Grey, who brings a bit of Broadway's past to his role as the Wizard.
Titles on disc 1
1.: No One Mourn the Wicked
2.: Dear Old Shiz
3.: Wizard and I
4.: What Is This Feeling
5.: Something Bad
6.: Dancing Through Life
7.: Popular
8.: I'm Not That Girl
9.: One Short Day
10.: Sentimental Man
11.: Defying Gravity
12.: Thank Goodness
13.: Wonderful
14.: I'm Not That Girl (Reprise)
15.: As Long as You're Mine
16.: No Good Deed
17.: March of the Witch Hunters
18.: For Good
19.: Finale "Wicked"
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Listed on Ciao since : 12/05/2005
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