Les Miserables soundtrack album for release on 12/24/12

[willep]

Whoa why are these edited so much differently than the movie? All the other solo lines in Look Down have been edited out (they ARE in the film)...

[My Oh My]

Have listened up to "Empty Chairs At Empty Tables."

Epilogue is starting up right now.

I am in tears and haven't been this happy since...I don't know.

[WicaS]

Is Samantha Barks singing Finale or not?

[Brave Sir Robin2]

Sam Barks and Anne Hathaway are breaking my heart. Beautiful.

[My Oh My]

No. It is the Bishop in her place but the lines Eponine usually sings aren't all sung by the Bishop. He comes in @ "...once was spoken, to love another person is to see the face of God."

I like the change because it's a good change.

That doesn't mean I think the way it is done on stage with Eponine was bad, flawed, or didn't make sense. It was very well done on stage, too. Had they kept it that way, I would've liked it just as much.

Nothing is wrong with change, and I welcome it when it makes sense and there is a compelling reason or need to have it. This qualifies, considering the immense amount of influence the Bishop had on Valjean's life, and it is beautifully woven in.

[Brave Sir Robin2]

The one gripe I've had so far is that I wish Sam would belt those "One more day al on my own"s. Forget this whole "truthful singing" nonsense for a moment a let it out, girl.

[WicaS]

Well, I just finished listening and I have to say I really like it. Even Amanda and Russel kinda sound good... But I still can't decide whether I like Hugh or or not.

[TheatreKid3]

Honestly, I don't know if we are going to see a complete cast recording of this, at least in the near future. It's obvious, as some predicted, that the audio is basically ripped straight from the movie. Their logic, I'm assuming, is that a complete recording would basically be the audio of the entire film (since it is 99% sung-through). So, in a way, I see where they are coming from, especially with wanting to save some things. I mean, otherwise they would be giving us the entire film without visuals.

[ComingUpRoses2]

Gotta say that, as someone who's never been a huge Les Mis fan, this is pretty terrific. Anne's I Dreamed A Dream had me in tears without even seeing it. Can't wait to see it all in action.

[dramamama611]

Downloading as I speak.

[SporkGoddess]

Hugh sounds good in some parts and... not-so-good in others.

[My Oh My]

I'm endlessly amused by Cohen's rendition of "Master of the House." It's brilliant.

I wasn't expecting for him to do anything redefining (a mostly tired, false claim used for marketing purposes that so many fall for) and he doesn't, but a little is always more when mixed with taste and respect for a work's integrity.

There's a much longer word on that, but I'll stick to one thing at a time for now.

I LOVE his ambiguous accent! At first, I thought it sounded French, and it does in places. But it also sounds decidedly Spanish in more places, suggests American in others, and an unmistakably Cockney variation pops up during "One Day More." And somehow, works! And works well. You'd think it would be a painful trainwreck, but even I, the most vocal commentator on the lack of cohesion playing a role in the new stage version's orchestrations mess of a sound, am not bothered by it in the least. But that's because, unlike that horrid concoction, he maintains--either intentionally or by accident--the character's essence. And it doesn't take a full bodied, specific accent to denote essence but merely well placed cues.

I've always lectured on how I prefer a single piano adaptation of the original orchestration over the multi-instrument mess that has replaced that definitive John Cameron sound, making everyone think I'm out of my mind for wanting one piano over the 14 member requirement needed to play the new thing. But that's for another day, even if it does illustrate the point I'm making here: that essence is where it's at. Yes, we are sophisticated enough to fill in the rest with our imaginations with minimal effort and have it turn out satisfyingly good, but people have long lost faith in themselves; a result of losing touch with the art form and its theatrical roots, and distressingly, want it spelled out.

I can't even determine if this is a strategic thing on Cohen's part or a stroke of luck borne out of an inability to master an intended accent, that ends up providing the basic elements that are needed to satisfy the character's inherent essence. I've always considered the very, very popular argument that Thenardier needs to have a Cockney accent because it's what best works to be a bunch of hogwash.

[SporkGoddess]

Got to listen some more. I agree with whoever said that "Suddenly" sounds like a Wildhorn song.

Edit: Just listened to "In My Life / A Heart Full of Love." Ugh at their cutting Cosette's ONLY solo moment, although I'm sure I wouldn't like Seyfried singing it anyway. Was not impressed by her B5.

[bryan2]

Stars has always been my favorite song from Les Mis...Russell Crowe can not sing it at all U was one of the few who said lets give him a chance..did that ,..now hope on film it works better because he does sound as bad as everyone was afraid of

[Wildcard]

I love his version of Stars. Different from what we're used to, yes, but works for how they had it in the film. Sure, he could use a little more vibrato. Maybe Seyfried can lend him some.

[EponineAmneris]

Just picked up a copy as an early Christmas present to myself

I am impressed But that is just my humble opinion.