Track Listing

Disc 1:

1. Phantom of the Opera [From Phantom of the Opera]
2. Music of the Night [From Phantom of the Opera]
3. Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again [From Phantom of the Opera]
4. Sunset Boulevard Entr'acte [From Sunset Boulevard][Instrumental]
5. With One Look [From Sunset Boulevard]
6. Memory [From Cats]
7. Tell Me on a Sunday [From Song and Dance]
8. Last Man in My Life [From Song and Dance]
9. Love Changes Everything [From Aspects of Love]
10. Anything But Lonely [From Aspects of Love]
11. Seeing Is Believing [From Aspects of Love]

Disc 2:

1. Phantom Overture [From Phantom of the Opera][Instrumental]
2. Take That Look off Your Face [From Song and Dance]
3. Another Suitcase in Another Hall [From Evita]
4. Rainbow High [From Evita]
5. Buenos Aires [From Evita]
6. Heaven on Their Minds [From Jesus Christ Superstar]
7. Everything's Alright [From Jesus Christ Superstar]
8. John 19:41 [From Jesus Christ Superstar][Instrumental]
9. Aspects of Aspects [From Aspects of Love][Instrumental]
10. Too Much in Love to Care [From Sunset Boulevard]
11. Pharoah's Story [From Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat]

Disc 3:

1. Don't Cry for Me Argentina [From Evita]
2. Sunset Boulevard [From Sunset Boulevard]
3. Overture [From Jesus Christ Superstar]
4. Think of Me [From Phantom of the Opera]
5. Last Supper [From Jesus Christ Superstar]
6. Memory [From Cats][Instrumental]
7. Starlight Sequence [From Starlight Express]
8. Peron's Lates Flame [From Evita]
9. King Herod's Song [From Jesus Christ Superstar]
10. Any Dream Will Do [From Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat]

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #353632 in Music
• Released on: 1997-05-27
• Number of discs: 3
• Formats: Box set, Soundtrack

Customer Reviews

Great collection of Andrew Lloyd Webber songs
This hard to find cd set is the best collection I have seen of classic Webber songs. Great variety from his most popular shows- Phantom, Cats, Jesus Christ Superstar, Evita etc. I have had this cd set for probably a year and thoroughly enjoy it, so I decided to get it for my dad for Father's Day! Its the perfect addition to his cd collection and he can listen to hours of non-stop Andrew Lloyd Webber as he does yard work! I totally reccomend this cd set for any music theatre geek-like me-or anyone who just enjoys lloyd webber- like my Dad.

Better Anthologies Are Available ...
Someone bought this anthology for my mom for Christmas a few years ago, and so I insisted on borrowing it. I didn't even listen to the whole thing, I was so disappointed.

If you're looking for a regular anthology, pass by this one. None of the songs sound like they would on the Broadway or West End soundtracks; they are performed like opera, and bad opera at that. Webber's work is written for the musical theatre, not the opera, and singing in musical theatre is completely different than operatic singing; musical theatre involves acting, and this comes through in the vocalization. Operatic performance of songs written for musical theatre simply doesn't work.

The songs, which are written to be expressive and emotional, come across as rigid and boring on this CD. For example, "Too Much In Love To Care" (from "Sunset Boulevard") is supposed to communicate both Betty's idealism and her confusion/fear of real love. None of that comes through in this version - the words are the same, but none of the emotion is there.

It is obvious that some of the singers are not comfortable with the genre in their performances, exemplified by this CD's version of "Take That Look Off Your Face". The singer in this song doesn't seem to know what to do - it's not a musically demanding song, the range is relatively small - and so it sounds like the singer is trying to complicate and "dress up" the song, which doesn't work at all.

Also, there are several intrumental tracks on this CD, which I think were poorly chosen. Most people think of his vocals when they think of Andrew Lloyd Webber, but so much of his instrumentals are brilliant. Why they chose some of his most uninspired passages to represent his instrumental work on this CD is beyond me.

I gave it a 2 because the orchestra on the recording is good, possible the best thing about the CD. But I wouldn't buy it for the orchestra. If you're looking for a good compilation or anthology, try "The Premiere Collection: The Best Of Andrew Lloyd Webber" or "The Very Best Of Andrew Lloyd Webber: The Broadway Collection" for Webber's earlier ("Phantom" and before). Both these anthologies include either the original Broadway or London recordings - there are a few duplicate tracks, but not too many. For more post-Phantom tracks, check out "Gold: The Definitive Hits Collection", which includes tracks up through "Whistle on the Wind", newer recordings of some some songs included on the earlier anthologies, and the 1992 Olympics theme by Webber.

Not too bad
I collect ALW and musical stuff, so I've heard a lot of ALW. This is a great CD, and the singers are really talented, but I really wish they had gotten someone else to do the POTO songs. Whoever does the Phantom (Justin White, I think?) did a REALLY BAD job, and the Christine (I think it's Margueritte Krull) isn't too swell, either. They do great on other songs, but it was just plain WRONG. This CD was just cursed when it came to Phantom songs. The Overture wasn't that good, either.

But all the other songs are wonderful. I love Rainbow High from Evita. If you're shopping for ALW and don't care if Phantom was messed up, then go ahead and get this CD.