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I have enjoyed Andrew Lloyd Webber's musicals for twenty years. From Jesus Christ Superstar to Phantom to his lesser known works, I think he has written some of the most memorable and beautiful music ever. Unfortunately, Mr. Webber likes to tinker with his work, often to its detriment. He is keen on changing lyrics over time, and frankly I wish he would leave them alone! This CD has a wonderful collection of some of his most famous songs. Unfortunately a few of them are "freshened" versions and aren't sung by the original singers who made the songs so memorable in the first place. For example: I love Michael Crawford's take on the character of the Phantom and for me, his voice is the golden standard that character should be judged by. Hearing Steve Harley perform a rock-ified version of the Phantom of the Opera with Sarah Brightman was painful. Why ALW felt the need to re-orchestrate the song is beyond me. The Cliff Richard-Sarah Brightman version of All I Ask of You was less annoying, but I sure would have loved to have the original Raoul singing with Ms. Brightman on that track. It's one of the most beautiful duets in Musical Theatre, and ancient pop star Cliff Richard simply isn't up to the task. To be fair, many of the songs included on this CD are performed beautifully by the original artists, such as Elaine Page singing a tear-wrenching Memory, Yvonne Elliman singing the classic I Don't Know How to Love Him, Murray Head singing the show-stopping Superstar and Michael Crawford singing the haunting Music of the Night (albeit another updated version with "freshened" lyrics, YUCK!). Annoying tracks like Starlight Express are easily skipped over (that show really wasn't one of the better Webber shows to begin with), but couldn't the producers have replaced it with a true classic? There are NO songs from Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, for instance (though the show is easily one of the most oft-produced in the ALW catalog), and I can only scratch my head and wonder why Gethsemane is nowhere to be found. Again, this CD is very much a product of the late '80s, and Andrew Lloyd Webber must have felt he needed to freshen up his songs to reach a more Pop-minded audience. Perhaps that is why Tell Me On A Sunday has two songs included on the CD. It was never even properly staged on Broadway or the West End, yet it receives a lot of attention here. Though the songs are familiar and most of them are worthy of being on a CD entitled "Premiere Collection", I for one wish it would have been a straight compilation of Mr. Webber's best songs, performed by the best people, using the classic renditions. Luckily, I have my Broadway and London Cast Recording versions to turn to when I need a purist's fix!Read full review
I tried to replace this lost album (one of my favorites) by looking through all of the CD retailer sites that I could find. No longer in production, I found a replacement on Ebay for a great price, in excellent condition, and had a in a few days. Funny how such a small victory can have such a positive effect on ones state of mind. Thank you, Ebay
Great Collection! I had it many years ago and lost it. Glad to have it back again.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
For fans of this prolific musician/song writer, this CD is a wonderful compilation of his best works. If you love to sing along with some of the best Broadway songs to be found anywhere, this CD offers every genre and tune. Each song was chosen especially for it's popularity and appeal without being over gratuitous in that selection. My favorite will always be Phantom of the Opera and so, I tend to favor those selections...but whether it's Evita or Cats or one of the other popular show tunes, you will not be disappointed in what you hear (or sing)! Enjoy!
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
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