FIDDLER ON THE ROOF: 50th ANNIVERSARY REMASTERED LIMITED EDITION (3-CD SET) LLLCD 1576
Music Adapted and Conducted by John Williams Soloist: Isaac Stern Limited Edition of 5000 Units RETAIL PRICE: $39.98
STARTS SHIPPING DEC 7
La-La Land Records, MGM and Capitol Records proudly present a 3-CD limited edition 50th Anniversary remastered and expanded reissue of acclaimed composer John Williams’ Academy Award-Winning score to the classic 1971 motion picture adaptation of the Tony Award-Winning musical FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, starring Topol, Norma Crane and Leonard Frey, and produced and directed by Norman Jewison. The timeless songs (“Matchmaker,” “If I Were a Rich Man,” “Sunrise, Sunset,” etc.) were written by Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick, and the film soundtrack features virtuoso violin soloist Isaac Stern. Orchestrations for the film are by Alexander Courage and Williams himself.
The enduring big screen film version of FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, produced by The Mirisch Company in association with United Artists, premiered 50 years ago and went on to become one of the year’s biggest hits and earn Academy Awards for Cinematography, Sound and Best Adapted Score. The winner in the latter category was none other than John Wiliams, soon after to become the world’s most famous film composer and win Oscars for his own now-classic music for JAWS, STAR WARS, E.T. and SCHINDLER’S LIST.
In celebration of the film’s 50th anniversary, this deluxe presentation, approved by Mr. Williams, offers a fully restored, remixed and remastered original soundtrack recording program on Disc One, a second disc of alternate versions, and a third disc featuring early “playback” versions of the songs as well as selections of Williams’ underscore and other musical material released for the first time. (Some tracks on Disc 3 are derived from the finished film mix and may contain sound effects). Produced, restored, mixed and mastered in high resolution by Mike Matessino (from the 1-inch 8-track soundtrack masters for the main program material), this limited CD re-issue of 5000 units includes an exclusive, deluxe essay booklet by Matessino that provides a detailed account of the creation of the score, which was recorded at Anvil Studios in England, and never-before-seen photos from the recording sessions. A second booklet provides a colorful program guide. The joyous art design is by Jim Titus.
TRACK LISTING:
CD1 REMASTERED ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK RECORDING 67:40
1. Prologue And Tradition & Main Title 11:21 2. Matchmaker 3:58 3. If I Were A Rich Man 5:24 4. Sabbath Prayer 2:41 5. To Life 6:14 6. Miracle Of Miracles 2:06 7. Tevye’s Dream 6:44 8. Wedding Procession 1:33 9. Sunrise, Sunset 3:52 10. Wedding Celebration And The Bottle Dance 3:56 11. First Act Finale 1:28 12. Entr’acte 1:49 13. Do You Love Me? 3:15 14. Far From The Home I Love 3:02 15. Chava Ballet Sequence 2:36 16. The Rejection Scene 1:40 17. Anatevka 3:43 18. Finale 1:52
CD2 ALTERNATE AND FILM VERSIONS 65:18
1. Prologue And Tradition & Main Title (Alternate) 11:31 2. Matchmaker (Alternate) 3:42 3. If I Were A Rich Man (Alternate) 4:58 4. Sabbath Prayer (Alternate) 2:41 5. To Life (Alternate) 6:19 6. Miracle Of Miracles (Alternate) 2:09 7. Tevye’s Dream (Alternate) 6:55 8. Sunrise, Sunset (Alternate) 3:52 9. Wedding Celebration And The Bottle Dance (Instrumental) 3:48 10. Any Day Now (Unused) 2:45 11. Do You Love Me? (Alternate) 3:13 12. Far From The Home I Love (Alternate) 3:02 13. Chava Ballet Sequence (Alternate) 2:36 14. The Rejection Scene (Instrumental) 1:33 15. Anatevka (Alternate) 3:42 16. Finale (Alternate) 2:05
CD3
PLAYBACKS AND ADDITIONAL SCORE 56:02
1. Timpani Fanfare :18 2. Matchmaker (Playback Version) 4:46 3. If I Were A Rich Man (Playback Version) 5:03 4. Sabbath Prayer (Playback Version) 2:41 5. Tevye Thinks On It 1:04 6. To Life (Playback Version) 6:47 7. Street Scene And Riverbank :58 8. Perchik And Hodel Dance :46 9. Tevye’s Monologue 2:40 10. Miracle Of Miracles (Playback Version) 2:21 11. Chava Takes The Book :43 12. Dream Epilogue :28 13. Wedding Preparation :52 14. Wedding Procession (Playback Version) 2:19 15. Sunrise, Sunset (Playback Version) 3:45 16. The Cornfield – Tradition :48 17. Socio-Economic Relationship :35 18. Any Day Now (Playback Version) 2:46 19. Tevye’s Rebuttal 2:35 20. Do You Love Me? (Playback Version) 3:14 21. Far From The Home I Love (Playback Version) 2:27 22. Russian Church 1:36 23. Anatevka (Playback Version) 2:44 24. Exodus (Excerpt) 1:30 25. Fiddler On The Roof (Instrumental) 1:46
Three-Disc Total Time: 3:09:00
Some tracks on Disc 3 are derived from the finished film mix and may contain sound effects
At long last, a fitting consort to the FSM definitive GOODBYE MR. CHIPS.
I recently listened to the old single disc 30th Anniversary Edition of FIDDLER and was once again blown away by Williams' arrangements. Williams first Oscar win has long deserved to be revisited in this manner and I can't wait to wrap my ears around this masterwork with all the production value I've come to expect from La-La Land.
YES!!! After hearing his glorious arranging/adapting/scoring work on GOODBYE MR CHIPS and TOM SAWYER - and having been teased by those few, short score cues that were on the most recent re-issue of this - I can't wait to delve into this one. Some of the score tracks recall the power and intensity of his DRACULA & FURY scores. Disc 3 will be thrown into the player quicker than you can say Oy Vey!! Well Done LLL.
Disc 3 might have somewhere between 10-20 minutes of score cues? And it's Quality, Not Quantity we're talking here. Some of the songs are really lovely too (Matchmaker, Do You Love Me?, Far From The Home I Love, Chava Ballet Sequence), all accompanied by Williams' beautiful arrangements.
So, like the Disaster Box, this release completes his triple Musical Score/Adaptations on CD (although I would rebuy TOM SAWYER if a better source turned up somewhere down the line). It's quite a significant release in that it was his first Oscar win. If he never bags an Oscar again, his previous wins will be bookended by two Jewish scores. One light(ish) and musical, the other heavy and sombre.
