Into the Woods

I am a big fan of the Broadway show and like other fans have been worried about how they would translate my favorite musical into a movie. It is still to early to say how the actual film turned out but if the soundtrack is any indication I have a lot to look forward to on Christmas day. The actors vocals are all strong and the orchestrations are beautiful. Meryl Streep does an incredible job with "Stay With Me" and "Last Midnight" and Anna Kendrick was vocally up to the challenge of Cinderella. Some favorite songs were cut from the movie such as "Ever After" and "No More" and instead we hear the instrumental and although I miss the songs the instrumentals are beautiful and I appreciate them including all the instrumental music in this CD.

I have been looking forward to this film since I learned it was being made. Stephen Sondheim's INTO THE WOODS was one of the highlights of the 1980's Broadway scene. With a book by James Lapine and Music and Lyrics by Mr. Sondheim, the witty, fast-paced and delightful story/score charmed audiences young and old when it debuted on Broadway on November 5, 1987. At this writing I have not yet seen the film, but the Soundtrack arrived from Amazon today and I have listened carefully to it.Based on a combination of Grimm's Fairy Tales (Little Red Riding Hood, Jack and the Beanstalk, Cinderella, and Rapunzel) the classic stories are woven together and combined with an original story about a childless baker and his wife and their efforts to remove a witch's spell.The score is magnificent, and represents Stephen Sondheim at his very best, although those of us who are fans of Mr. Sondheim agree that - from West Side Story through Passion - every show he has touched has had its own magic. Stephen Sondheim is known as much for his deliciously witty, complicated lyrics, as for his rich, rewarding melodies. Judging from my initial listen to this soundtrack, the score is almost completely intact when compared to the stage version, unusual for a musical film. As he did with his masterpiece, Sweeney Todd, Mr. Sondheim has made some minor lyrical changes for the film which enhance rather than detract from the score.Some will be upset at the omissions. Based on the Soundtrack, the following songs appear to have been deleted from the score:I Guess This is Goodbye / Maybe They're MagicFirst MidnightAct II Prologue (So Happy)Agony (Act II Reprise)Witch's LamentPlus the following songs have been replaced by instrumental versions:Ever After (Instrumental)No More (Instrumental)I suppose if I had my preferences, I would restore the Act II reprise of Agony, just for my favorite laugh in the show ("Dwarves are very upsetting...."). The song "No More" never really clicked for me, but "Maybe They're Magic" proffered the witty line, "If the end is right, it justifies...the beans". I do regret the deletion of "The Witch's Lament" from the second act. Oh well, I would rather rejoice at what's been retained than bemoan the deletions.The CD includes a complete libretto. The Soundtrack also includes a wealth of incidental music. Fully half an hour of the ninety-minute soundtrack is instrumental.All in all, what remains of the score is extremely satisfactory. If you are a fan of the show, or even if you are unfamiliar with this work at all, I promise that the Soundtrack to INTO THE WOODS will make you believe in movie musicals again.

I am actually far more pleased with this recording than I was with the movie it was recorded for. Everything musically clicked as is more than evident here. The performers all shine and Meryl Streep is a revelation. Sondheim's incredible score is given the loving attention it deserves. So, if the movie wasn't quite up to the standards of the stage musical, at least the people responsible for overseeing this recording were on top of their game and got it right.I can and do easily recommend purchasing this album even if you, like I, go all the way back to the first production of this musical in San Diego, 1987 in your relationship to the work. It is a classic that will never wear out its welcome and this is a fine introduction to those who may be new to the musical.My only qualm about this recording is that two of the original songs have been reduced to instrumental passages rather than being fully performed. I am, however, still happy that their melodies are included here, if not the lyrics. The booklet accompanying the album includes the lyrics to all but those two songs and that, in itself, is a bit of a bonus.It's a fine album that came out of the production of a not-so-fine film. We should all be happy that the music made it through in great shape. That's saying something.