Customer Reviews

Little Women: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

5 star:		(60)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Okay, okay, I'll admit it, I gave into the "dark side." I watched Little Women and loved it. Even more dissapointing to my fellow men is the fact that I bought the soundtrack and LOVED IT!

I let go of all the masculine undertones I possessed and took a nice steamy bubble bath with this musical score playing in the background.

It is a beautiful score, with each and EVERY track a delightful refuge of music. This is a great score to read a book to on a rainy day. Guys, let go and give in. I know you'll love it too! LOL

Thomas Newman has written a number of film soundtracks, but none finer than his 1994 efforts for "Little Women." In the opening "Orchard House (Main Title)," he manages to accomplish an enormous amount in three minutes and twenty-nine seconds: sketching the warmth in the March household, the presence and importance of church in the social life of a New England village, the distant threat of drumbeats as Civil War soldiers do their duties on battlefields far from the March girls, and the whirl of seasonal tasks and social pleasantries.

Some of the songs are so short as to be almost trifling--many are quite a few bit shorter than a full minute. Yet all serve the larger picture of showing us the rush and throb of life in this town, in this family, and the relationships among these close sisters and the men they ultimately love. In "A Telegram," Newman makes the strings sound positively breathless with anticipation while the flute soars smoothly overhead.

Once Jo goes off to New York to make a name for herself as a writer, she is accompanied by Newman's brassier, more confident music, musically demonstrating the change from her more circumscribed life in New England. And for those who love movie trivia, what fun to be able to say you know on what album "Spiderman" star Kirsten Dunst actually sings--as she does here in "For The Beauty of the Earth," along with her co-stars Trini Alvarado and Claire Danes.

Little Women is my absolute favorite movie- and the soundtrack accompanies it so well! The melodies are so haunting and full of emotion- I listen to it all the time, reading and falling asleep. Buy this CD! It's the prettiest soundtrack music you'll ever hear

I got this CD because I loved the music so much when I saw the movie, and I haven't been disappointed! I've listened to it practically every night before I go to sleep. The music is so beautiful (my favorite is Valley of the Shadow) and I love the use of the chimes and bells. This is one CD that I can't live without!

I first saw Little Women when I was probably...8 or 9 (I'm 20 now) and since the first moment I saw it, I have been in love with the music from it. Every piece in it is captivating and beautiful, but the main theme, Orchard House, is by far the most moving. The rise and fall and the violins and the sudden building of the orchestra, haunting and beautiful. Sometimes, I'll admit it, this music can make me cry. It makes you want to be somewhere else, somewhere with rolling hills and beauty all around you and just be in a joyful place. I love this CD and would recommend it to anyone who loves instrumental music.

I bought this cd because I loved the way it had sort of a mystical and old fashioned feel to it (even though I know that the music composed for the movie was not what was composed at the time). My favorite tracks include the theme played often in the movie, such as tracks six, twelve, and fifteen.

All in all, I loved this cd because it's relaxing and it sort of brings me back to the time this movie was set in (despite the fact I was born in 1983). I can't explain the way it makes me feel...it's just something you have to experience for yourself.

I have always been a fan of Thomas Newman's work- American Beauty, The Green Mile, How to Make an American Quilt, but whenever I hear music composed by him, I keep returning to my first and favorite Newman score- Little Women. If you have seen the movie it perfectly encapsulates the beauty and sentiment of the film. Even if you have not seen the movie, I would venture to say that this is one of the most beautiful scores you will ever hear in you life. It is perfect for reading, driving, or falling asleep. The music speaks directly to the listener and you become completely involved in it. It is soft and emotional and amazing. I have never regretted buying this CD. It comes with the highest reccommendation.

As a incredibly big fan of the Little Women books and movies, I was so glad when I was able to buy this soundtrack! Not only does the music take me back to the atmosphere of the movie and the way it made me feel, it's also the best and most appropriate music I could possibly imagine when reading the books.
The composed pieces are wonderful in the manner that they represent the emotions of the story. Either upbeat and youthful, or sober and tragic, the score is the always same as the four girls: beautiful in its simplicity.
The theme song in itself is in my opinion, one of the best pieces ever composed for a movie -thank you, Thomas Newman!

I wish there was a better way for me to express the way this music makes me feel, and give you a million reasons to buy this soundtrack. Unfortunately I'm not very eloquent, and all I can say is: this is one of those rare cd's you can play over and over again without ever growing tired of it. It's one of only a few music scores that not only takes you back to the movie, but also completely takes you over...

From the first time I saw this movie I fell in love with both the movie and the soundtrack. This CD captures all of the beauty and emotion that made the movie spectacular. The only disappointment with this album is that the tracks are out of order. After re-watching the movie, I think I've figured out the proper order of the tracks as follows:

1. Orchard House (Main Title)
2. The Laurence Boy
3. Meg's Hair
4. La Fayette's Welcome
5. Port Royal Gallop
6. Snowplay
7. Limes
8. Two Couples
9. Ashes
10. Spring
11. Maria Redowa
12. A Telegram
13. Scarlet Fever
14. Burdens
15. Harvest Time
16. For the Beauty of the Earth
17. New York
18. Letter from Jo
19. Amy Abroad
20. Beth's Secret
21. Valley of the Shadow
22. Learning to Forget
23. Little Women
24. Domestic Experiences
25. Lovelornity
26. Under the Umbrella

Hope that helps others!

This masterpiece has become an annual tradition in our home. It has become the theme for gatherings, especially Thanksgiving, since 1995. I've had many compliments on this recording when it's played during our parties and although the women are fine with the CD's title, I hesitate to tell the men until the last minute--I wait until they beg to find out what it's called!! This CD is heaven on Earth.