Music For The Theatre, Vol. 1

Editorial Reviews
GRAMOPHONE
"A theatrical coupling distinguished by spirited playing...Everything about it would justify a higher asking price."

Album Description
The L’Arlésienne suite recorded here is extracted from the original theater orchestration of Bizet that exists in his own autograph score in Paris. All numbers are in their original keys, but the sequence has been revised for this presentation. Richard Strauss is rarely described as a neoclassical composer, but for Moliére’s play he immersed himself in the style of the baroque, as well as studying the editions of Lully then available.

The Kammerorchester Basel (KOB) is one of the leading chamber orchestras of Europe and is in international demand. The KOB is an orchestra without a permanent conductor. The musicians themselves create the unique artistic profile of the orchestra by participating in the selection of conductors, soloists and repertoire. Christopher Hogwood, pioneer of historical performance practice, is the KOB’s Principal Guest Conductor, and it was he who started the acclaimed recording project on Arte Nova a few years ago. Since founding the Academy of Ancient Music in 1973, Hogwood has gained international recognition for his performances of baroque and early classical repertoire with period instruments.

Tracks:

Excerpts From: Pee Wee's Big Adventure
Excerpts From: Batman
Excerpts From: Dick Tracy
Excerpts From: Beetlejuice
Excerpts From: Nightbreed
Excerpts From: Darkman
Excerpts From: Back To School
Excerpts From: Midnight Run
Excerpts From: Wisdom
Excerpts From: Hot To Trot
Excerpts From: Big Top Pee Wee
Excerpts From: The Simpsons
Excerpts From: Alfred Hitchcock Presents: The Jar
Excerpts From: Tales From The Crypt
Excerpts From: Face Like A Frog
Excerpts From: Forbidden Zone
Excerpts From: Scrooged

Customer Reviews:

Great compilation - and that's just the first half........2005-09-14

I first got this on cassette in the summer of '94 and listened to it every day, drawn by its thematic range and compositional depth. And that was just side-one.

Elfman pioneered the sound that drives today's movie adaptations of comic-books and darker-themed children's stories. Side-One kicks things off with a rollicking, hyper-cartoonish theme from the first Pee-Wee movie - the one where Pee-Wee searches for his beloved bike. Elfman's theme contains layers of different rides - on tightropes, highways, in the middle of a NASCAR rally - which rudely yet melodically crash into each other.

The Batman entry actually contains several pieces - the opening credits, the extended sequence in the cathedral and the climax - which show Batman's darkened extreme at its "Frank Miller" best. (Dir. Tim Burton couldn't sustain the mood in the next sequel, and the franchise took a turn towards the camp of the TV series with the next 2 movies.)

The theme for "Dick Tracy" is perhaps the most romantic on this disc, a quality that surpasses the theme's comic-book origins, but ends on an ironic note that's pure Elfman.

"Beetlejuice" (opening & closing credits) gives Elfman's childish ID a chance to stretch its legs, or in this case, slam-dance.

"Nightbreed" is an enigma wrapped in a dark mystery, and that's just Elfman's score. Elfman's work on this movie is as good as the movie wasn't, having a more powerful narrative than the script - easily the best track on the entire disc, one likely to exceed the movie in its dose of chills.

"Darkman" doesn't quite rise to the occasion, though the score may be hobbled by the movie itself, which seldom surpassed one of the many "Batman" clones of the early 1990's. "Darkman" (the movie, I mean) excelled as a parody of many comicbook staples (the wronged hero, the relentless villain, the scientific breakthrough with just one flaw), but not enough to escape being largely anonymous. Within those constraints, it's still a moving if scary piece.

When is Elfman not like Elfman? When he was in the mid-late `80's and scored "Back to School" (A Rodney Dangerfield vehicle) and "Midnight Run". Horns in "School" bring it closer to Elfman's over-the-top style, while "Run" sounds like a love-theme for the run-down, out-of-the-way parts of America that seldom appear in Elfman-movies. "Run" is a fun score for a fun movie - it's nothing like Elfman's previous work but it perfectly captures the on-the-road-without-a-map craziness of the movie.

To this day, I don't know why I never ventured to Side-two, but it's irrelevant. Even half this disc is worth it

The best of Elfman!!!.......2005-09-05

I was obsessed about getting this CD right from when I heard about it. I found it at the library and was so excited about it, and it didn't let me down. In fact, it was a lot better than I expected. It's a fun and creepy (strange mix, but it really works!) collection of Danny Elfman's film and television soundtracks. The first track, Pee Wee's Big Adventure, is probably my favorite. Also, I really like Batman and Wisdom. Batman is creepy and dark, and Wisdom is just weird, in the best possible way.
I'd recommend this to anyone who likes film music, or everyone who is even the tiniest bit an Elfman fan. It's amazing!

Great Collection, A LIttle Too Eclectic.......2003-08-19

You should be able to tell from the movies and TV shows listed here whether or not you'd be interested in this collection. It's a little too eclectic for my tastes (hence only 4 stars) but better than volume 2. I think thatthe miscellaneous collected ites here along with the previously unreleased stuff should make this worth buying. Especially if you're a fan of Elfman's movie soundtrack work.

What Great Music.......2003-05-11

I fell in love with the music of Danny Elfman when Beetlejuice came out. There was something different about the music that he made. When Edward Scissorhands, and then Nightmare Before Christmas - I knew this man was a musical master. Its the verbal form of surrealism.

super.......2003-04-17

What a great CD. Danny's music is so original and inventive. this CD contains his pre 90's quirky, gothic music. it's all very well written and beautifully orchestrated. batman and darkman contain some really excellent long, dark, gothic cues that really take u away from reality. in my opinion no one, apart from howard shore, is as inventive and original as danny in the world of filmmusic. he far surpasses the repetitive works of williams or horner. buy this, and volume two, and keep supporting one of the greatest film composers of all time.ohh...and buy fellowship of the ring and two towers by howard shore....amazing work!

Music for a Darkened Theatre, Vol. 2: Film & Television Music

Average customer rating:

Priceless, at any price
Good overview
Great Music!!!!!!!!!
Very nice for a Danny Elfman collection
Bring on Volume 3

Music for a Darkened Theatre, Vol. 2: Film & Television Music

Manufacturer: Fontana Mca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Movie Scores | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music
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Sleepy Hollow: Music from the Motion Picture
Edward Scissorhands: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

ASIN: B000002P4P
Release Date: 1996-12-03

Tracks:

Edward Scissorhands Suite: Main Titles
Edward Scissorhands Suite: Storytime
Edward Scissorhands Suite: Suite
Edward Scissorhands Suite: Suburbia-Barber
Edward Scissorhands Suite: The Grand Finale
Dolores Claiborne Suite: Main Titles
Dolores Claiborne Suite: Vera's World
Dolores Claiborne Suite: Flashback
Dolores Claiborne Suite: Sad Room
Dolores Claiborne Suite: End Titles
To Die For Suite: Main Titles
To Die For Suite: Suzie's Theme
To Die For Suite: Busted
To Die For Suite: Wheepy Donuts
To Die For Suite: Finale
Black Beauty Suite: Main Titles
Black Beauty Suite: Baby Beauty
Black Beauty Suite: Jump For Joy
Black Beauty Suite: Frolick-Sick
Black Beauty Suite: Bye Bye Jerry
Black Beauty Suite: Memories
Black Beauty Suite: End Titles
Batman Returns Suite:Birth Of A Penguin
Batman Returns Suite: Trouble Suite
Batman Returns Suite: The Finale
Batman Returns Suite: End Titles

Tracks:

Mission Impossible Suite: Trouble
Mission Impossible Suite: Looking For Job
Mission Impossible Suite: Betrayal
Sommersby Suite: Main Titles
Sommersby Suite: Return Montage
Sommersby Suite: Finale-End Titles
Dead Presidents Suite: Main Titles
Dead Presidents Suite: Daughter
Dead Presidents Suite: Montage
Dead Presidents Suite: Nam
Dead Presidents Suite: Nightmare
Nightmare Before Christmas Suite: Overture
Nightmare Before Christmas Suite: Jack And Sally Suite
Nightmare Before Christmas Suite: Christmas Eve Montage
Freeway Suite: Main Titles
Freeway Suite: On The Road
Freeway Suite: Back In The Car
Shrunken Heads Suite: Main Titles
Television Odds 'N Ends Suite: Amazing Stories 'Family Dog'
Television Odds 'N Ends Suite: Amazing Stories 'Family Dog'
Television Odds 'N Ends Suite: Amazing Stories 'Mummy, Daddy
Television Odds 'N Ends Suite: Barkley Superhero 'Nike Commercial'
Television Odds 'N Ends Suite: The Flash 'Theme'
Television Odds 'N Ends Suite: Pee Wee's Playhouse
Television Odds 'N Ends Suite: Beetlejuice - Animated Tv Series 'Theme'
Untitled
Untitled
Untitled
This Is Halloween (Original Demo For Nightmare Before Christmas)

Amazon.com

A delightfully buoyant, mock-creepy collection of film scores from Hollywood's first and best call for quirk, strangeness, and charm. Focusing on Elfman's post-1992 work (much of it for director Tim Burton), this 2 CD set features excerpts from Edward Scissorhands, To Die For, and Batman Returns, among other lesser items. -- Jeff Bateman

Customer Reviews:

Priceless, at any price.......2007-07-06

Years ago, watching peter Jennings cover the funeral procession of Princess Diana, my soul was captured by some hauntingly beautiful music that at times played in the background. So began my mission to find out what it was, who wrote it and how I could get it. After some correspondence with the network I was put in touch with the woman who "put together" that part of the programming. All she could remember is that it came from the movie "Black Beauty". THEN I found out how many versions of that had been made lol. With determination, I finally found it, and had a local music store order it for me.
There are no words to describe what this music does to me. I did try listening to some of the other tracks, but they didn't even come close. I rate this music right up there with the 1971 score for "Jane Eyre" by John Willams... and that's pretty high :D

Good overview.......2007-04-18

Very nice overview of Elfman work. Insufficient by itself but worth having along with the full soundtracks. Bonus disc is a nice extra.

Great Music!!!!!!!!!.......2005-09-08

I Love Danny Elfman's music so much that I have started my own collection of the soundtracks that he composed. For a while, I was trying to find the "Beetlejuice" theme song from the TV show, but thanks to this release, I finally have it!!! Keep up the good work Elfman!

Very nice for a Danny Elfman collection.......2005-08-02

Music For A Darkened Theater, Vol.2 is a great cd!!! I love all of the tracks on both cd's,but my fav. ones are the t.v. scores and the This Is Halloween demo!!! If you love this,then i recomend looking at all the actually albums on this cd and his other works!!!! good job,Danny Elfman.

Bring on Volume 3.......2005-05-04

The liner notes and "This is Halloween Demo" on this compilation are well worth the CD price by themselves. Danny comments on each of the tracks on the CDs which is a rare and ego-free look at what a composer thinks of his own work.

Edward Scissorhands is magical, Black Beauty is a rollercoaster of emotion, and Dolores Claiborne makes me want to find the nearest piano. This is not a "Most Popular" compilation, rather it aptly showcases Danny Elfman's (and Orchestrator, Steve Bartek's) brilliance and wide range of style.

Every suite has an Elfman signature, such as the layered complexity which never sounds overdone, or the use of a choir as an instrument.

This (and Volume 1) are examples of the work of a modern day composer who consistently stands out as one of the best.

If you like this and have the spare cash, grab the individual scores from some of the movies he has worked on, including "Men In Black", "Spiderman", "Batman", "Batman Returns", "Nightmare Before Christmas", "Edward Scissorhands", "Mars Attacks" and so many more.

Average customer rating:

Nicely done theatrical scores

Music For The Theatre, Vol. 1

Manufacturer: Arte Nova Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

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Klassizische Moderne, Vol. 3

ASIN: B0007X9TR0
Release Date: 2005-04-12

Tracks:

Prelude
Tempo Di Menuetto
Entr'acte I
Melodrame I
Pastorale
Carillon
Melodrame II
Farandole
Entr'acte II
Ouverture Zum I.Aufzug
Menuett
Der Fechtmeister
Auftritt Und Tanz Der Schneider
Das Menuett Des Lully
Courante
Auftritt Des Cleonte (Nach Lully)
Vorspiel Zum II. Aufzug (Intermezzo)
Das Diner (Tafelmusik Und Tanz Des Kuchenjunger)

Album Description

The L'Arlésienne suite recorded here is extracted from the original theater orchestration of Bizet that exists in his own autograph score in Paris. All numbers are in their original keys, but the sequence has been revised for this presentation. Richard Strauss is rarely described as a neoclassical composer, but for Moliére's play he immersed himself in the style of the baroque, as well as studying the editions of Lully then available.

The Kammerorchester Basel (KOB) is one of the leading chamber orchestras of Europe and is in international demand. The KOB is an orchestra without a permanent conductor. The musicians themselves create the unique artistic profile of the orchestra by participating in the selection of conductors, soloists and repertoire. Christopher Hogwood, pioneer of historical performance practice, is the KOB's Principal Guest Conductor, and it was he who started the acclaimed recording project on Arte Nova a few years ago. Since founding the Academy of Ancient Music in 1973, Hogwood has gained international recognition for his performances of baroque and early classical repertoire with period instruments.

Customer Reviews:

Nicely done theatrical scores.......2005-04-24

I owned Hogwood's older recording of the Bizet "L'Arleisienne" suite coupled with two French symphonies and performed by the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra. I bought this one because I liked the other one and was seeking a modern recording of the Strauss incidental music.

Hogwood is a bit more sensitive with the Bizet this time around, aided by marginally more refined playing by the Basel Chamber Orchestra. Together, they play an extended suite of the music that accomapanied a drama with more subtlety and sensitivity to the changing moods of the score than in Hogwood's first recording.

I enjoy this music more than the Strauss occasional music that is akin to film music and never approaches the profundity of any other Strass score. You won't find any of Strauss's philosophical pondering in this little suite, but you will find some delicacies hidden inside that are nicely done.

Hogwood and the Basel players do all they can with this music, recreating the environment that may have existed when the music accompanied a stage play. The final section of the Strauss suite, "The dinner", is the lengthiest section at 9:52.

The players do everything they can to breathe sensitivity and life in this theater music in what must be the first of at least two installments of similar music. Hogwood is his zestful self, attacking the music with gusto and joie de vive where called for. Only this time, he approaches with a gentler attack in the quieter, more pensive and introspective moments.

The sound on this 2004 recording is pretty good DDD. While there are shortcomings in this issue you don't pay much for them. At a list price of $6.98 you won't be out much even if you don't like anything herein.

Average customer rating:

Most Popular Classics, Vol.1

Manufacturer: Nesak International
ProductGroup: Music
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The Most Popular Classics, Vol.2

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Leonard Bernstein: A Portrait - The Theatre Works, Vol.1

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Music I like

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Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B0000064XZ
Release Date: 1998-04-07

Tracks:

Pillar Of Fire: Verklarte Nacht, Op.4 - Smithsonian Chamber Players/Tubor
Theme And Variations: Suite No.3 in G, Op.55: IV Tema con variazioni - USSR SO/Balanchine
Violin Concerto No.1 in G, Op.26: Vorspiel; Allegro moderato
Violin Concerto No.1 in G, Op.26: Adagio
Violin Concerto No.1 in G, Op.26: Finale; Allegro energico

Customer Reviews:

Music I like.......2000-07-21

If you like ballet and classical music this is your thing. It is essensial for ballet training. It wasnt what i truly expected, but i got my money's worth.