Customer Reviews

Alan Menken & Tim Rice's King David

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This obscure recording of "King David" contains the highlights of a concert version of the biblical musical by Alan Menken and Tim Rice. Recorded in 1997, the show (about David- he of "and Goliath" fame) has yet to be produced in a major production, despite being backed by Disney and written by two major musical writers. This cd, in fact, is out of print and hard to come by at a reasonable price. That's probably why it's taken me years to finally splurge on it. All in all, I'm glad to finally own it, even if I can't declare it an overlooked masterpiece or an unjustly "lost" musical. It's pretty solid and tuneful, but both Menken and Rice have done superior work elsewhere. Menken, most famous for "Little Shop of Horrors" and his superb Disney movie scores ("The Little Mermaid," "Beauty and the Beast," "Pocahontas," etc.), contributes varied and melodic tunes that are pleasant and occasionally stirring, but also a tad too reminiscent of songs from the Disney films. In fact, the whole score suffers from feeling too Disney-fied; this is a decidedly G-rated score. If "King David" was an animated film, that would be fine, but as it was written directly for the stage, it would benefit from some adult sophistication. As a lyricist, Rice could certainly be one to help in that regard-- remember the clever wordplay, cynicism, humor, and resonance of his lyrics for "Jesus Christ Superstar," "Evita," and "Chess"? Alas, here he demonstrates his good vocabulary and keen rhyming ability, but not enough wit or bite. There is one song, however, that suddenly demonstrates the writers working in a different, more interesting mode that doesn't scream "General Audiences." It's a nicely evocative song called "Warm Spring Night" that, in its understated 70s- ballad tone, is a welcome departure from Disneyland. The recording itself is well produced and brings class to the material: it features a huge orchestra and chorus, and some first-rate cast members, including the underused-of-late Judy Kuhn and Marcus Lovett, perhaps best known as The Man in Lloyd Webber's "Whistle Down the Wind."

Alan Menken and Tim Rice with Judy Kuhn in the Female Lead role. It seems like a dream come true and it is. Why Disney chose to promote shallow and gimmicky music like The Lion King and AIDA, God only knows!
King David is the best. Alan menkens music just keeps maturing. This score matches the superiority of his in my opinion two finest disney Scores pocahontas and The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Never Again is very much like Someday from Hunchback but all his music is original, catchy and thoroughly beautiful.
Tim Rices lyrics as always are clever, witty and heart warming. Many a track will have you reaching for the tissues.

The cast are all superb and the orchestrations are full, wholesome and mighty.
Come on Disney give this musical gem the attention it deserves, re-release the CD and bring the show back to Broadway, the West end and the World!

This CD is an absolute treasure- no wonder it's like the holy grail of cast recordings. The cast is perfect (of course, I'm extremely biased when reviewing anything Roger Bart was in....). Judy Kuhn is just incredible as always! And of course, Alan Menken and Tim Rice are just an unbeatable force. This show isn't the usual pop opera found in every theatre along the Great White Way, it's an emotional, wrenching piece that should definately be produced and brought to a wider audience. My favorite track would have to be "You Have It All", and not only because of Mr. Bart's amazing vocals- the orchestrations are just awesome. If you can find a copy of this recording BUY IT AS SOON AS YOU SEE IT! Although good luck with that, this is one of the rarest recordings out there. Get on the waiting list TODAY, you'll be happy you did.

Okay, so I'm kind of biased when reviewing anything by Alan Menken (the genius behind such works as Beauty and the Beast and Little Shop of Horrors) because I absolutely love everything he does. Then add Tim Rice to the mix (Aida, The Lion King) and you have pure brilliance. To top it off, they throw Judy Kuhn (the voice of Pocahontas) and Roger Bart (the singing voice of Hercules) into the cast to give us sheer perfection. Trust me when I say this is amazing but unfortunately out of print. Find a copy while you can though because it's wonderful! I personally love "Saul Has Slain His Thousands," "You Have It All" (the only song sung by Roger Bart... tear), and "Never Again."

I also recommend Der Glockner Von Notre Dame, the German stage version of The Hunchback of Notre Dame if you are a fan of Menken. It too is out of print but worth it despite being in another language.

A friend of mine had this CD. I had the chance to listen to it but a few times. This was over two years ago. I have been looking for the CD ever since. I can still hear the songs running through my head. The music is superbly written and performed. The singers were well chosen; they invested such emotion into the singing, that I am still haunted by the singing of "Absalom, oh Absalom, my son!" For someone who loves musicals or for the christian, this is a treasure beyond value! AND I AM STILL LOOKING FOR IT!

A Friend Turned Me on to this recording two years ago. It is a seminal Collaboration By two of our greatest living songwriters. Tim rice proves that in addition to the smart, clever lyrics we've always known he could produce, he is capable of real poetry. And Menken is in strong form as well, delivering emotionally charged melodies without stooping to the cloying Psuedo-Pop Mawkery that is all to common these days. I havn't heard Ballads this complex, moving and GRAND in a while perhaps since Rodgers. My favorite on this disk Are: HOW ARE MIGHTY FALLEN(I Often tear up), HUNTED PARTRIDGE ON THE HILL, and THE CARAVAN MOVES ON. I Do have issues with GOLITH OF GATH. It either needs substantial revision or outright jettisoning. Speaking of Which is Disney EVER going to stage this thing? If they do, and the bookwriting is strong or more quality songs are written and it becomes through-sung, then KING DAVID has the potential to become a classic American Musical. It is Certainly some of the strongest THeatre songwriting of the '90's. I recommend this well-performed disc to all.

It took me almost 4 years before I get this CD, until I found it in amazon.com marketplace. I did even asked my cousin from Maryland to buy this for me because they cannot ship this CD to me here in London, England. As I received it yesterday (02 September2002), I was so excited to listen to it and when I did, the songs and the lyrics moved me-it was so powerful plus the magnificent orchestrations!, I recalled this kind of rhythm when I went to the show "Les Miserables" here in London at the Palace Theatre. But of course, I cannot compare the two, though they're really great and two of the best musicals of our time.
I really do hope that this musical should live on and once again to be performed in Broadway and here in West End. I am really glad to own a copy of this masterpiece.

It took me almost 4 years before I get this CD, until I found it in amazon.com marketplace. I did even asked my cousin from Maryland to buy this for me because they cannot ship this CD to me here in London, England. As I received it, I was so excited to listen to it and when I did, the songs and the lyrics moved me-it was so powerful plus the magnificent orchestrations!
I really do hope that this musical should live on and once again to be performed in Broadway and here in West End. I am really glad to own a copy of this masterpiece.

I once owned this CD. I was at the show the night it opened and returned the next day to the Disney store adjacent to the New Amsterdam theatre and order a copy. They sent me a copy a few weeks later and I absolutely loved it. I was unfortunetly in a major car accident and this truly wonderful recording was destroyed. Does anyone know where you can get another copy.

I ordered this CD from Amazon and now find out it is no longer available. So if you want it, look elsewhere.