The musical Godspell first opened in New York in a tiny off-off-Broadway theater in Greenwich Village in 1971 before moving to a slightly larger off-Broadway house on the Upper West Side and, eventually, onto Broadway itself; a movie version was released in 1973. This two-CD set packages the original cast and original soundtrack albums together to celebrate the show's 40th anniversary and anticipate a Broadway revival. Unlike its contemporary, Jesus Christ Superstar (which preceded it on record, but followed it on stage ...
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The musical Godspell first opened in New York in a tiny off-off-Broadway theater in Greenwich Village in 1971 before moving to a slightly larger off-Broadway house on the Upper West Side and, eventually, onto Broadway itself; a movie version was released in 1973. This two-CD set packages the original cast and original soundtrack albums together to celebrate the show's 40th anniversary and anticipate a Broadway revival. Unlike its contemporary, Jesus Christ Superstar (which preceded it on record, but followed it on stage), Godspell is not a skeptical examination of the story of Christ. Based on the Gospel According to St. Matthew, it is a reverent retelling set to catchy pop/rock tunes written by Stephen Schwartz. Schwartz's main influence may have been Hair , whose "tribe" ensemble is replaced by a group of disciples, with soloists emerging to sing before being joined in choral arrangements. Schwartz gives "All for the Best" a 1920s jazz feel, while "Turn Back, O Man" is a sexy blues and "Light of the World" turns funky, but for the most part he sticks to folk, pop, and rock styles of the late '60s and early '70s. His often simple and brief lyrics (sometimes just a chorus or, in the case of opener "Prepare Ye the Way of the Lord," just the title repeated over and over) express religious devotion. The pairing of the two versions begs a comparison, and the soundtrack album comes off slightly better, though it loses a couple of songs and gains one minor one ("Beautiful City"). The movie cast is marginally superior, with Victor Garber playing Jesus, and Schwartz, who produced the disc, is able to fill out the sound from his initial small off-off-Broadway arrangements. The show's earnestness and sincerity shine through after 40 years, and the score can be seen in retrospect as a foundation document for contemporary Christian music. ~ William Ruhlmann, Rovi
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Add this copy of Godspell (the 40th Anniversary Celebration) to cart. $30.90, very good condition, Sold by HPB-Emerald rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dallas, TX, UNITED STATES, published 2011 by Masterworks Broadway.
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Seller's Description:
Very good. Providing great media since 1972. All used discs are inspected and guaranteed. Cases may show some wear. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!