Search - Tim Rice :: Tim Rice Collection: Stage And Screen Classics (Film And Cast Recording Anthology)

A richly entertaining celebration of a glorious career

Michael J. Mazza | Pittsburgh, PA USA | 03/24/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

""Tim Rice Collection: Stage and Screen Classics" is an anthology of songs which have one thing in common: they all have lyrics written by Tim Rice. The composers represented on the album include Andrew Lloyd Webber, John Barry, Elton John, and others. The songs, taken from both motion pictures and stage productions, represent more than two decades of work. This disc is full of outstanding performances--too many to fully praise in a short review. But some of my favorites are Yvonne Elliman's moving rendition of "I Don't Know How to Love Him," the ironic love song from "Jesus Christ Superstar"; David Essex's energetic rendition of "Oh What a Circus," the sharply satiric elegy from "Evita"; Rita Coolidge's sensual approach to "All Time High," the main theme from the James Bond film "Octopussy"; and Carmen Twillie's stirring, life-affirming performance of "Circle of Life," from the animated film "The Lion King."A nice touch is the fact that the album's compilers have chosen to occasionally spotlight lesser known, but still excellent, versions of some of these songs. Thus we get Julie Covington's version of "Don't Cry for Me, Argentina," from "Evita." Likewise we get the Brad Kane/Lea Salonga version of "A Whole New World" (from "Aladdin") rather than the "pop" version. Tim Rice has received many accolades for his work in film and stage music. As this CD so richly demonstrates, those honors have been amply earned. Listen to this disc: it will take you across continents and centuries, but always to the emotional core of the human experience."