The Wizard Of Oz: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack - The Deluxe Edition [Box set][Original recording reissued][Original recording remastered][Soundtrack]

The Wizard Of Oz (Related Recordings), Judy Garland, Buddy Ebsen, Herbert Stothart, Bert Lahr, Ray Bolger, Harold Arlen, E. Y. Harburg, Jack Haley

Product Details

• Audio CD (July 18, 1995)
• Original Release Date: July 18, 1995
• Number of Discs: 2
• Format: Box set, Original recording reissued, Original recording remastered, Soundtrack
• Note on Boxed Sets: During shipping, discs in boxed sets occasionally become dislodged without damage. Please examine and play these discs. If you are not completely satisfied, we'll refund or replace your purchase.
• Label: Rhino Records
• ASIN: B0000033JH
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (29 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #33,626 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com essential recording

Lions and tigers and bears, the yellow brick road, gamboling midgets, warnings scrawled high above by a skywriting witch: No movie ever imprinted itself on young imaginations or endured in adult memory more than MGM's classic 1939 musical, and no movie score ever hooked as forcefully into our collective cultural memory. This exemplary soundtrack finally treats this deserved classic to a thoughtful and comprehensive rendering that confirms the enduring power of Harold Arlen's original music and E.Y. "Yip" Harburg's lyrics. On film, the songs unreeled as a mixture of discrete songs and multithemed medleys with frequent reprises, a presentation preserved here, epitomized in the "Munchkinland Musical Sequence." If not as concise as Bobby McFerrin's legendary, hilarious concert compression of the entire musical story, this telling of The Wizard of Oz relives the film just as vividly. "Over the Rainbow" is presented here with multiple alternate takes, making it a must for fans of Judy Garland. --Sam Sutherland

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The BEST "Oz" soundtrack yet!!!, May 16, 2003

By	Kenny (Virginia) - See all my reviews

I am a true Oz fan! I collect everything that I find (unless it's not in my price range) and when i saw this I couldn't pass it up, even though it was a bit pricier than I had expected. Trust me, this was well worth the price!!! I love this CD and the book that came with it is more than just a bonus, it is a God send! If your an Oz fan this is a must! You've got to have this. Don't just think because you have other soundtracks of Oz and such that you don't need to buy this! This is the only CD that has ALL the songs including the outtakes, and even half takes and the only one I have seen with a 52 page book! What more could you ask for?! This is truely a must have! If you are an Oz fan and/or collector be sure to pick this up to day. You won't be sorry!

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The DEFINITIVE presentation of the music of Oz on CD., May 26, 2006

By	takemehome "Joey" (USA) - See all my reviews

It's been nearly 11 years since Rhino Movie Music and TCM Music teamed up to bring two editions of the awesome soundtrack from this movie to the public. One edition is a single-disc version and only contains the songs and a few bits of score. (However, it contained ALL of the songs, including outtakes and extended versions.) This is often found for around $10 and is a great buy for the casual fan or one who rarely shops online and can't find the 2-disc in a store. Although I feel more could have been included on it, it's a nice little package, especially for the kids.

However, Rhino and TCM also released a deluxe 2-CD edition featuring ALL of the music recorded and some great supplemental material as well. This deluxe version comes in a long box with the two discs, a tracklisting and short paragraph on what's inside on the back, and a special book that not only explains the music, making of the film, and the stories behind those who created it, but also contains pages for the tracklisting that includes the vocalists on the tracks and even dates of recording. One chapter even offers an annotated film guide, with notes on where the tracks on the CD appear in the film, as well as details on the deleted/extended materials presented here. Also included is a plethora of photos sprinkled all through the book.

These two discs contain a total of 82 (!) tracks, 59 of which are the songs and score. Almost immediately, you're treated to extended pieces of score as well as score that was entirely deleted. In addition, some of the songs we all know and love contain additional material, such as the Scarecrow's deleted dance from If I Only Had A Brain. There are even three deleted songs presented on this set: The Jitterbug, a reprise of Over The Rainbow, and Ding-Dong! Emerald City/The Trimuphal Return To Emerald City. The fact that all this material has been completely preserved and is made available to the public is to be commended.

If you think the songs and score will be all you get on these CDs, you're wrong. Starting with Disc 2, Track 14, you're treated to 23 demos, alternate/partial takes, alternate versions, orchestral angles, and other rarely heard materials such as a partial take of Over The Rainbow where Judy Garland messes up, a take of Over The Rainbow that doesn't make it to the final film, a demo of the deleted Jitterbug number, and even an alternate version of the end credits music.

The sound, for the most part, is absolutely amazing and clear. Some tracks have a minimal amount of tape hiss. Enough that you notice it, but not enough to detract from the listening experience. Also, it sounds as if some of the sources were slightly deteriorated, as on some of the instrumental tracks, there's a considerable amount of warp. However, for audio that at the time was over 55 years old, this soundtrack is amazingly clear and crisp and vibrant-sounding.

Rhino and TCM are to be commended for their beautiful treatment of the music from greatest family film of all time on CD. If you're a casual fan, don't care about anything but the songs and most important score pieces, or just don't want to pay this much, the single-disc CD soundtrack is an excellent package. However, if you're a hardcore fan of the film such as myself, you definitely want to spend the extra cash and pick up this lovingly created box set. Just to have the complete score alone is worth the price, but in addition, the supplemental audio materials and the excellent box and beautiful packaging make it all worth every penny. I plan to sell my single-disc soundtrack ASAP, as I no longer need it.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars All the Wizard of Oz Music!, May 7, 2003

By	Aaron (Travelers Rest, SC United States) - See all my reviews

This is a great addition to your "WIZARD OF OZ" Collection. I hae a copy of it and it's done very well. You can also get to hear many of the outtakes music stuff from the movie and that's really neat to hear too. There is also a wonderful extended verison of "Over The Rainbow" by Judy Garland when she filmed the movie she sang the song a few times but it ended up that they had to keep redoing the song a few times as heared on the CD because she ended up crying!