Category Archives: Cast Recording Reviews

The Saturday List: The Best WEST SIDE STORY on Record

To mark the release of Steven Spielberg’s new film and its accompanying motion picture soundtrack, Musical Cyberspace is revisiting a favourite topic: just which recording of West Side Story is ‘the gold-medal kid with the heavyweight crown? Continue reading

Posted in Broadway, Cast Recording Reviews, The Saturday List | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

The “Guido” Conundrum

After giving my 1992 Concert Cast Recording of Nine another spin, I find myself wondering yet again whether there will ever be a Guido as effective as Raul Julia. Take this album for instance: closer to complete than any other … Continue reading

Posted in Cast Recording Reviews, Musicals, West End | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

“The Small House of Uncle Thomas” from THE KING AND I

Often, when cast recordings are released, there are snips here and there, usually of underscoring or dance music. Rarely does a number fundamental to the score get left out of recordings completely, but that’s exactly what happens to “The Small … Continue reading

Posted in Cast Recording Reviews, Musicals, Showtune Albums | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

LOVE NEVER DIES: Track by Track – Part 12

The final part of this track-by-track Love Never Dies commentary covers the ending of the show, dealing with tracks 12-13 on the second disc of the original cast recording. 12. “Gustave, Gustave” The title of this track made me chuckle. … Continue reading

Posted in Cast Recording Reviews, Classical Music, Commentary, Concept Albums, Musicals, West End | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

LOVE NEVER DIES: Track by Track – Part 11

The eleventh and final part of this track-by-track commentary of Love Never Dies works through Christine’s climactic performance of the title song and its immediate aftermath: tracks 10-11 of the second disc of the original cast recording. 10. “Love Never … Continue reading

Posted in Cast Recording Reviews, Classical Music, Commentary, Concept Albums, Musicals, West End | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

LOVE NEVER DIES: Track by Track – Part 10

Part 10 of this track-by-track Love Never Dies commentary takes us to Christine’s dressing room, beginning the lead up to the moment whether Christine will choose to sing or not, taking us through tracks 8-9 of the second disc of … Continue reading

Posted in Cast Recording Reviews, Commentary, Concept Albums, Musicals, West End | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

LOVE NEVER DIES: Track by Track – Part 9

The ninth part of my track-by-track commentary of Love Never Dies deals with a sequence of reprises of tunes we’ve heard earlier in the show, those heard on tracks 4-5 of the second disc of the original cast recording, “Bathing … Continue reading

Posted in Cast Recording Reviews, Commentary, Concept Albums, Musicals, West End | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

LOVE NEVER DIES: Track by Track – Part 8

Part 8 of this track-by-track commentary of Love Never Dies deals with the start of Act 2, moving onto tracks 1-3 of the second disc of the the original cast recording. 1. “Entr’acte” Act II starts off with an energetic … Continue reading

Posted in Cast Recording Reviews, Commentary, Concept Albums, Musicals, West End | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

LOVE NEVER DIES: Track by Track – Part 7

The seventh part of this track-by-track Love Never Dies commentary brings us to the end of the first act of the show and deals with tracks 17-19 on the original cast recording. 17. “Beautiful” With Gustave having gone missing at … Continue reading

Posted in Cast Recording Reviews, Commentary, Concept Albums, Musicals, West End | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

LOVE NEVER DIES: Track by Track – Part 6

Part 6 of this track-by-track commentary of Love Never Dies will probably be the shortest installment, dealing with only track 16 on the original cast recording, a self-contained scene that sees all of our principle characters reunited backstage at Phantasma. … Continue reading

Posted in Cast Recording Reviews, Commentary, Concept Albums, Musicals, West End | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment