Search - Various Artists :: Music Behind Magic: Menken / Ashman / Rice

Ashman and Menken truly created magic

02/15/1997

(5 out of 5 stars)

"These CDs show the workings of an incredible duo. It also contrasts greatly with the current Disbey animated movies and makes me miss Howard Ashman's wonderful lyrics. His work spoiled the new Disney animated musicals for me. This set shows that even in the rough stages both Ashman and Menken are better than Stephen Schwartz in final stages. Disney needs a new lyricist! As one can hear on this set Tim Rice fills in wonderfully. If you love Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast,or The Little Mermaid, this set is a must! END"

What An AWESOME CD! This is a great Complete Set!!!!!

Matt Charles | Linden, New Jersey United States | 05/06/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Disney could not go wrong with this set! OMG, what a great treat this CD truly is! I will start with each Disc to rant and rave about the CD, starting with The Little Mermaid! :)The Little Mermaid
Disc: 1
1. Fathoms Below Main Titles [Demo Version) 10/10 What a great Demo! :)
2. Fathoms Below [Final] - Howard Ashman 10/10 The Original is always the best! ;)
3. Main Titles [Final] - Howard Ashman 10/10
4. Fanfare [Final] - Howard Ashman 10/10
5. Daughters of Triton - Howard Ashman 9/10
6. Part of Your World [Work Tape) 8/10 This is to short for me! They need room on the CD but they could have cut out some original songs. :)
7. Part of Your World [Demo Version) 9/10 This one is a little better and longer. :)
8. Part of Your World [Final] - Jodi Benson 10/10 Music to your ears!
9. Fireworks - Howard Ashman 10/10
10. Jig [Final] - Howard Ashman 10/10
11. Under the Sea (Work Tape) - Howard Ashman 9/10 again to short but they had to cut this.
12. Under the Sea [Demo Version] - Howard Ashman 9/10
13. Under the Sea [Final] - Samuel E. Wright 10/10
14. Sebastian and Triton [Final] - Howard Ashman 9/10
15. Part of Your World (Reprise) [Demo Version] 10/10
16. Storm [Final] - Howard Ashman 10/10
17. Part of Your World (Reprise) [Final] 10/10 What a great Reprise!
18. Silence Is Golden [Demo Version] 5/10 This song was rewritten as Poor Unfortunate Souls, thank God they did that because it stinks lol. Great song to have your collection though!
19. Poor Unfortunate Souls [Demo Version] 7/10 Thank God they rewritten this song as well. This version really isnt that good but also great for your collection.
20. Poor Unfortunate Souls [Final] - Pat Carroll 10/10
21. Poissons [Demo Version] - Howard Ashman 6/10 Again thank God they rewritten this song.
22. Poissons [Final] - Rene Auberjonois 10/10
23. Tour of the Kingdom [Final] - Howard Ashman 10/10
24. Kiss the Girl [Demo Version] - Howard Ashman 10/10
25. Kiss the Girl [Final] - Samuel E. Wright 10/10
26. Bedtime [Final] - Howard Ashman 10/10
27. Wedding Announcement [Final] - Howard Ashman 10/10
28. Eric to the Rescue [Final] - Howard Ashman 10/10
29. Part of Your World/Happy Ending [Work Tape/Final] - Howard Ashman 6/10 You only get a piece of the final. Needed to be longer. :)Beauty and the Beast (This one is so awesome! This is the Very Best Disney Film Ever! My Personal Favorite!!!!)
Disc: 2
1. Belle [Demo/Final] 10/10 The very beginning has the Demo and it cuts right into the original song. Great Demo here though! 10/10
2. Prologue [Final] This is an Instrumental Version from the Original Soundtrack! OMG This sounds so wonderful and I love the music! 10/10*
3. Belle (Reprise) [Demo Version] - Howard Ashman I wasn't really crazy about this Demo although it is great! 8/10
4. Belle (Reprise) [Final] - Paige O'Hara The original, the best! 10/10
5. Wolf Attack [Unreleased Master] This is the scene where Belle's Father is chased by the Wolves as he is going to the fair. Then He ends up at the Castle. A great score and should have been in the original Soundtrack! Thank God we have it here now! 10/10****
6. Gaston [Demo Version] - Howard Ashman A very well put together Demo! Sounds like the broadway Music! Awesome! 10/10
7. Gaston [Final] - Jesse Corti 10/10
8. Gaston (Reprise) [Demo Version] - Howard Ashman A nice reprise! Thank God they made it short as in the film! 9/10
9. Be Our Guest [Demo Version] - Howard Ashman A wonderful Demo! This Version is also on the Special Edition Soundtrack! 10/10
10. Be Our Guest [Final] - Angela Lansbury 10/10
11. West Wing [Final] 10/10* Great Score!
12. Human Again [Demo Version] - Howard Ashman This Demo Version is on the DVD. This is the longer Version! 10/10
13. Something There [Final] - Robby Benson 10/10
14. Mob Song [Final] - Rev. Richard White 10/10
15. Beauty and the Beast [Work Tape] This work tape version is also on the Special Edition Soundtrack! 10/10
16. Beauty and the Best [Demo Version] - Howard Ashman On the Speciel Edition Sountrack as well! 10/10
17. Beauty and the Best [Final] - Angela Lansbury 10/10
18. Beast Lets Belle Go [Final] 10/10
19. Transformation #1 [Final] Short but sweet! 9/10
20. Transformation #2 A great Version! Still the original is the best! 10/10
21. Beauty and the Beast - Peabo Bryson A Classic! 10/10Aladdin
Disc: 3
1. Arabian Nights [Final] - Bruce Adler This song has a little Work Tape part in the beginning. It really should have been left out lol! It was kinda annoying. 5/10
2. Legend of the Lamp [Final] 10/10
3. On a Dark Night [Final] 10/10
4. One Jump Ahead [Final] - Brad Kane 10/10
5. Street Urchins [Final] 10/10
6. One Jump Ahead (Reprise) [Final] - Brad Kane 10/10
7. Count on Me [Demo Version] - Alan Menken A different version of a whole new world. It was ok 8/10
8. Call Me a Princess [Demo Version] - Alan Menken I really did not like this song at all! Thank God it was not added into the film! 4/10
9. Jasmine Runs Away [Final] 10/10
10. Marketplace [Final] 10/10
11. Why Me [Unreleased Master] - Jonathan Freeman This song would have been a great replace for Prince Ali (Reprise)! Awesome! 10/10
12. Friend Like Me [Work Tape] - Alan Menken 9/10
13. Friend Like Me [Final] - Robin & Linda Williams 10/10
14. To Be Free [Final] 10/10
15. Cave of Wonders [Final] 10/10
16. Prince Ali [Demo Version] - Alan Menken A great little Demo! 10/10
17. Prince Ali [Final] - Robin & Linda Williams 10/10
18. Whole New World [Work Tape] - Alan Menken This one was ok. 8/10
19. Whole New World [Final] - Brad Kane 10/10
20. Kiss [Final] 10/10
21. Aladdin's Word [Final] 10/10
22. Humiliate the Boy [Demo Version] - Jonathan Freeman 10/10 This song was deleted from the movie. I think it was an ok song. Glad it was deleted. 8/10
23. Jafar's Hour [Final] 10/10
24. Prince Ali (Reprise) - Jonathan Freeman 10/10
25. Ends of the Earth [Final] 10/10
26. Battle [Final] 10/10
27. Happy End in Agrabah [Final] 10/10
28. Arabian Nights, Reprise [Unleashed Master] - Bruce Adler This reprise should have been in the original movie so it could have stayed with just Aladdin the movie and not made any sequels to this wonderful film! Oh well! ONLY one could imagine this lol! 10/10***
29. Whole New World - Regina Belle Awesome song! 10/10Aladdin
Disc: 4
1. Arabian Nights, Reprise #1 - Howard Ashman This was an ok reprise. 7/10
2. Babkak, Omar, Aladdin, Kassim - Howard Ashman This song really stunk! 2/10
3. Arabian Nights, Reprise #2 - Howard Ashman Ahhhh ok reprise. 6/10
4. Friend Like Me (Demo Version) This was not listed under the tracking list on amazon. This is a great Demo! 10/10
5. Proud of Your Boy - Howard Ashman This was the deleted song that should be on the DVD or remastered or resung. A great Demo and im pround it was deleted from the film lol! ;) 9/10
6. How Quick They Forget - Howard Ashman This song was ok 8/10
7. Arabian Nights, Reprise #3 - Howard Ashman ahhh ok 6/10
8. High Adventure - Howard Ashman This was a nice little adventure song but didn't fit in the film! Glad it was cut. 10/10
9. Arabian Nights, Reprise #4 - Howard Ashman This was ok. 8/10Overall, a must buy CD for any lover of:
The Little Mermaid,
Beauty and the Beast,
and Aladdin! You cannot go wrong with this set, as it is very complete and has deleted songs, demos, work tapes, unreleased scores, and most of the original songs! AWESOME AWESOME!"

I'm afraid I've been thinking.

Johnny Heering | Bethel, CT United States | 02/17/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This box set features the music that Alan Menken and Howard Ashman wrote for three Disney animated films, plus copious bonus tracks. First, there is The Little Mermaid, which features many demos in addition to the regular soundtrack. Second is Beauty and the Beast, again with the addition of several demos. Lastly, there is Aladdin. Tragically, Howard Ashman died before this film was completed, so Tim Rice was brought in to help Menken finish the songs. Many Ashman/Menken demos of songs that did not make it into the movie are included. These songs were not dropped because of lack of quality, but rather because the storyline of the movie changed. For example, "Proud of Your Boy" is a great song that Aladdin would have sung to his mother, but it couldn't be used because the mother character was cut from the movie. This collection serves as a wonderful tribute to the late great Howard Ashman."