Original Soundtrack - Anastasia [Atlantic]

Since Anastasia is animator Don Bluth's attempt at a sweeping epic along the lines of Disney's Beauty and the Beast or The Hunchback of Notre Dame, it's not surprising that its score duplicates the Disney formula of balancing big show tunes from the film with re-recorded MOR pop versions of the same song. In this case, it's Aaliyah singing "Journey to the Past," and Deana Carter's cover of "Once Upon a December," and the Donna Lewis and Richard Marx duet on "At the Beginning" -- fine versions of fine songs that sound better in their original incarnation (also included on the disc). Fortunately, the bulk of the album is comprised of selections from the soundtrack. Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty have written the songs for Anastasia, and their work is generally quite good; occasionally the lyrics are silly ("Rumor in St. Petersburg"), but perhaps that should be expected, given the difficulty of making the story of Anastasia into an animated musical. On the whole, Anastasia might not live up to the high standards that The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast set, but it's as good as Pocahontas and The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and that's not bad company at all. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide

Name Credits Aaliyah Performer, Finger Snaps Aaron Zigman String Arrangements Al Fritsch Ensemble, Vocals Alexander Areteds Mixing Assistant Alfred Figueroa Assistant Engineer Alix Korey Vocals, Ensemble Angela Lansbury Performer Anne Dudley Piano Bernadette Peters Performer Bill Nolte Ensemble, Vocals Billy Porter Ensemble, Vocals Brooks Almy Ensemble, Vocals Cindy Mizelle Vocals, Ensemble Craig Kallman Executive Producer Curtis Rance King, Jr. Vocals, Ensemble Dan Wallin Engineer Daniel Hamuy Orchestration Darius de Haas Vocals, Ensemble Darren Higman Executive Producer Darryl Phinnessee Vocals (Background) David Lowenstein Ensemble, Vocals David Newman Score Selections, Orchestration, Conductor, Producer Deana Carter Performer Donna Lewis Performer Douglas Besterman Orchestration Edwin Bonilla Percussion Ellen Bernfeld Ensemble, Vocals Emilio Estefan, Jr. Producer Emily Skinner Ensemble, Vocals Eric Altenburger Design Frank Simms Vocals, Ensemble Freddy Piñero, Jr. Engineer Glen Burtnik Vocals, Ensemble Gregg Edelman Ensemble, Vocals Guy Roche Producer, Programming, Arranger Henry Jackman Programming, Keyboards, String Arrangements J.K. Simmons Vocals, Ensemble Jan Horvath Ensemble, Vocals Javier Garza Engineer, Mixing Jeanette Jurado Shaker Jeff Blumenkrantz Ensemble, Vocals Jim Cummings Performer Jim Gilstrap Vocals (Background) John Jellison Ensemble, Vocals John Kurlander Mixing, Engineer Jonathan Dokuchitz Performer Joseph Kolinski Ensemble, Vocals Juan Carlos García Translation Judy Blazer Ensemble, Vocals Karen Silver Ensemble, Vocals Kelsey Grammer Performer Kenny Karen Vocals, Ensemble Kyle Gordon Ensemble, Vocals Lillias White Ensemble, Vocals Liz Callaway Performer Lynn Ahrens Producer Madeleine Doherty Ensemble, Vocals Mario Lucy Engineer Marlena Jeter Vocals (Background) Marty Frasu Synthesizer Michael Knobloch Production Coordination Michael Omartian Producer Michael Perfitt Mixing Assistant Michael Thompson Guitar (Electric) Michele Pawk Ensemble, Vocals Mick Guzauski Mixing Mike Harvey Vocals, Ensemble Moana Suchard Engineer Niki Haire Vocals (Background) Patricia P. Azar Translation Patrick Quinn Ensemble, Vocals Randall Barlow Programming Randy Jackson Bass Reggie Hamilton Bass Rene Toledo Guitar (Acoustic) Richard Marx Arranger Richard Marz Performer Robert DuSold Ensemble, Vocals Robin Clark Ensemble, Vocals Sean Chambers Engineer Selina King-Murrell Vocals (Background) Stephen Flaherty Vocal Arrangement, Producer Steve Fitzmaurice Engineer Steve MacMillan Mixing Sue Ann Carwell Vocals (Background) Ted Brunetti Ensemble, Vocals Ted Sperling Vocals, Ensemble Thalía Performer Tim Pierce Guitar Tim Weidner Programming, Engineer, Keyboards Tom Bender Assistant Engineer Tony Dawsey Mastering Trevor Horn Producer Vaneese Thomas Ensemble, Vocals Victoria Clark Vocals, Ensemble Vivian Cherry Vocals, Ensemble Xandy Jenko Orchestration