It’s the time of year for saving money!
By Mark Smotroff
On the surface, a super deluxe edition boxed set celebrating one of the landmark movie musicals of all time, The Sound Of Music — which starred Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer — may seem a bit of overkill. But if you are a fan of the film and theater music in general, you’ll relish every fleeting sonic moment contained within. This music was created by no less than the legendary composers Rogers and Hammerstein and it helped to make this 1965 film adaptation of the smash hit 1959 Broadway musical —- and its score — a global smash hit selling more than 20 million copies worldwide. Its is one of the most commercially successful movies of all time and won four Academy Awards (and four other nominations!).
Despite some harsh initial critical panning at the time, according to the wiki: “After four weeks, the film became the number one box office movie in the country and held that position for thirty out of the next forty-three weeks in 1965. The original theatrical release of the film in America lasted four and a half years.”
Spread across four CDs and a Blu-ray Disc, on The Sound Of Music (Super Deluxe Edition) we get an intimate snapshot of not only the original soundtrack, but also many of the underscores to scenes that helped propel the film along and keep its pacing and mood just right in every step of the way.
From the Rogers & Hammerstein official website (which is now managed by Concord Music, parent company for Craft Recordings, in case you were wondering about the connection):
“The definitive edition of the one of the bestselling soundtracks of all time, expanded, remastered and remixed. Over 40 previously unreleased tracks, collecting every musical element from the film for the first time, along with instrumentals for every song, demos and rare outtakes from the cast. Audio Blu-ray features the full score in hi-res plus a new Dolby Atmos® mix of the original soundtrack. Housed in a 64-page hardbound book with in-depth liners from film preservationist Mike Matessino. Includes the Rodgers & Hammerstein classics “My Favorite Things,” “Edelweiss,” “Do-Re-Mi” and more”
Overall, after I got over the sense of being overwhelmed, I’ve been enjoying The Sound Of Music (Super Deluxe Edition).
Hearing the original soundtrack album in Dolby Atmos has been a lovely experience. While it is not the most immersive mix, the music subtly and richly fills the room, giving the listener a bird’s ear (if you will) vantage point. It does put you inside the vibe of the studio and the orchestra they were working with at the time.
If you look at the photos in the booklet included in the set, you’ll see a very large orchestral sound stage with 7 or 8 microphones. While they probably had some sort of custom mixing board which enabled 8 channels of sound to be fed into the board, recording technology at that time was at best four-channels, quite possibly even 3-channel. Apparently initial theatrical presentations of the film in 1965 include a six-channel stereo sound system in select markets!
I was a little disappointed that the 24-bit audio capped out at 48 kHz on the Blu-ray Disc for the Dolby Atmos mixes in The Sound Of Music (Super Deluxe Edition), but it’s possible that the producers had good reasons — there is a lot of music contained on one disc. But… you do get the entire film score in 96 kHz, 24-bit Stereo, so it kind of balances out.
It is a largely ambient sounding orchestral recording, there may have been some limitations to what to expect from the original master tapes that were available. Generally they keep the vocals front and center with orchestral music in the surround channels. It is not a wild experimental mix but none the less a very enjoyable immersion.
Overall, the music sounds rich and warm on these new discs (yes, even on the CDs).
Regardless of the audiophile nitty-gritty, The Sound Of Music (Super Deluxe Edition) is a lovely listening experience. On the CDs, I found it especially interesting hearing the demos, alternate mixes/takes and other underscoring musics unique to the film which were not on the original 1965 soundtrack album. There are also some interesting interview clips including with Richard Rodgers himself!
The set is all bound in a wide form hardcover book-styled package reminiscent of 78 RPM albums from the 1940s and 50s. That may seem a little bit odd given this film came out in the mid 1960s — well after the 78 format was gone — but somehow it still works and serves its role as a historical document and lovely photography very well
For approximately $90 on Amazon (you can click on the title anywhere in this review to jump to their page), The Sound Of Music (Super Deluxe Edition) is a wonderful gift idea for the musicologist and soundtrack fan alike.
[One of Mark Smotroff’s earliest movie-going experiences was seeing The Sound Of Music on its original theatrical release in 1965 or so at approximately age 4-5. Mark has been reviewing music at AudiophileReview for many years but can also be found at AnalogPlanet.com. In the past he has written for Sound & Vision, DISCoveries, EQ, Mix and many more. An avid vinyl collector and music enthusiast who has also worked in marketing communications for decades you can learn more about his background at LinkedIn.]
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Track List
The Sound of Music (Super Deluxe Edition) (4-CD/1-Blu-Ray)
Disc 1
1. Prelude and The Sound of Music (Film Version)
2. Overture
3. Preludium (Dixit Dominus)
4. Morning Hymn and Alleluia
5. Maria (Film Version)
6. I Have Confidence (Film Version)
7. The Little Dears*
8. The Gazebo*
9. Sixteen Going on Seventeen (Film Version)
10. New Governess*
11. My Favorite Things (Part 1)
12. My Favorite Things (Part 2) and Salzburg Montage
13. Do-Re-Mi
14. Alleluia (Reprise)*
15. You Must Help It*
16. The Sound of Music (Reprise) (Film Version)
17. The Captain Apologizes*
18. The Lonely Goatherd
19. Edelweiss (Duet)
20. Grand Waltz
21. The Laendler
22. So Long, Farewell (Film Version)
23. Processional Waltz
24. Goodbye, Maria (How Can Love Survive?)
25. Edelweiss Waltz (Act I Finale)
Disc 2
1. Entr’acte
2. The Sound of Music (Fragment)*
3. Children to the Abbey*
4. Morning Hymn (Organ)*
5. Climb Ev’ry Mountain (Film Version)
6. My Favorite Things (Reprise)
7. Nocturne – Captain and Elsa*
8. Nocturne – Captain and Maria*
9. Something Good (Film Version)
10. Processional and Maria (Film Version)
11. The Laendler (Quintet)*
12. Sixteen Going on Seventeen (Reprise)
13. Unthinkable*
14. Do-Re-Mi (Festival Reprise)
15. Edelweiss (Festival Reprise)
16. So Long, Farewell (Festival Reprise)
17. The Awards Fanfare*
18. Nuns and Nazis
19. Escape
20. Climb Ev’ry Mountain (Reprise)
21. End Cast
22. Richard Rodgers Speaks
23. Robert Wise Interview
24. Richard Rodgers Interview
25. Charmian Carr Interview
Disc 3
1. Prelude and The Sound of Music (1965 Original Soundtrack Version)
2. Overture and Preludium (Dixit Dominus) (1965 Original Soundtrack Version)
3. Morning Hymn and Alleluia (1965 Original Soundtrack Version)
4. Maria (1965 Original Soundtrack Version)
5. I Have Confidence (1965 Original Soundtrack Version)
6. Sixteen Going on Seventeen (1965 Original Soundtrack Version)
7. My Favorite Things (1965 Original Soundtrack Version)
8. Do-Re-Mi (1965 Original Soundtrack Version)
9. The Sound of Music (1965 Original Soundtrack Version)
10. The Lonely Goatherd (1965 Original Soundtrack Version)
11. So Long, Farewell (1965 Original Soundtrack Version)
12. Climb Ev’ry Mountain (1965 Original Soundtrack Version)
13. Something Good (1965 Original Soundtrack Version)
14. Processional and Maria (1965 Original Soundtrack Version)
15. Edelweiss (1965 Original Soundtrack Version)
16. Climb Ev’ry Mountain (Reprise) (1965 Original Soundtrack Version)
17. I Have Confidence (Demo Version)*
18. Salzburg Montage (Discrete Version)
19. Sixteen Going on Seventeen (Reprise) (Film Version)
20. Edelweiss (Without Chorus)
Disc 4
1. Prelude and The Sound of Music (Alternate Version)*
2. I Have Confidence (Alternate Version)*
3. Sixteen Going on Seventeen (Alternate Version)*
4. My Favorite Things (Alternate Version)*
5. The Sound of Music (Reprise) (Alternate Version)*
6. Edelweiss (Duet) (Alternate Version)*
7. The Laendler (Alternate Version)*
8. Climb Ev’ry Mountain (Alternate Version)*
9. My Favorite Things (Reprise) (Alternate Version)*
10. Something Good (Alternate Version)*
11. Sixteen Going on Seventeen (Reprise) (Alternate Version)*
12. The Sound of Music (Reprise) (Instrumental Version)
13. Maria (Instrumental Version)*
14. I Have Confidence (Instrumental Version)*
15. Sixteen Going on Seventeen (Instrumental Version)*
16. My Favorite Things (Instrumental Version)
17. Do-Re-Mi (Instrumental Version)
18. The Sound of Music (Instrumental Version)*
19. The Lonely Goatherd (Instrumental Version)*
20. Edelweiss (Duet) (Instrumental Version)*
21. So Long, Farewell (Instrumental Version)*
22. Climb Ev’ry Mountain (Instrumental Version)*
23. Something Good (Instrumental Version)*
24. Processional and Maria (Part 1) (Instrumental Version)*
25. Processional and Maria (Part 2) (Instrumental Version)*
26. Sixteen Going on Seventeen (Reprise) (Instrumental Version)*
27. Do-Re-Mi (Festival Reprise) (Instrumental Version)*
28. Edelweiss (Festival Reprise) (Instrumental Version)
29. So Long, Farewell (Festival Reprise) (Instrumental Version)*
30. Climb Ev’ry Mountain (Reprise) (Instrumental Version)*
Disc 5 (BLU-RAY AUDIO)
1. Prelude and The Sound of Music (Film Version) – 96/24 Stereo
2. Overture – 96/24 Stereo
3. Preludium (Dixit Dominus) – 96/24 Stereo
4. Morning Hymn and Alleluia – 96/24 Stereo
5. Maria (Film Version) – 96/24 Stereo
6. I Have Confidence (Film Version) – 96/24 Stereo
7. The Little Dears – 96/24 Stereo
8. The Gazebo – 96/24 Stereo
9. Sixteen Going on Seventeen (Film Version) – 96/24 Stereo
10. New Governess – 96/24 Stereo
11. My Favorite Things (Part 1) – 96/24 Stereo
12. My Favorite Things (Part 2) and Salzburg Montage – 96/24 Stereo
13. Do-Re-Mi – 96/24 Stereo
14. Alleluia (Reprise) – 96/24 Stereo
15. You Must Help It – 96/24 Stereo
16. The Sound of Music (Reprise) (Film Version) – 96/24 Stereo
17. The Captain Apologizes – 96/24 Stereo
18. The Lonely Goatherd – 96/24 Stereo
19. Edelweiss (Duet) – 96/24 Stereo
20. Grand Waltz – 96/24 Stereo
21. The Laendler – 96/24 Stereo
22. So Long, Farewell – 96/24 Stereo
23. Processional Waltz – 96/24 Stereo
24. Goodbye, Maria (How Can Love Survive?) – 96/24 Stereo
25. Edelweiss Waltz (Act I Finale) – 96/24 Stereo
26. Entr’acte – 96/24 Stereo
27. The Sound of Music (Fragment) – 96/24 Stereo
28. Children to the Abbey – 96/24 Stereo
29. Morning Hymn (Organ) – 96/24 Stereo
30. Climb Ev’ry Mountain (Film Version) – 96/24 Stereo
31. My Favorite Things (Reprise) – 96/24 Stereo
32. Nocturne – Captain and Elsa – 96/24 Stereo
33. Nocturne – Captain and Maria – 96/24 Stereo
34. Something Good (Film Version) – 96/24 Stereo
35. Processional and Maria (Film Version) – 96/24 Stereo
36. The Laendler (Quintet) – 96/24 Stereo
37. Sixteen Going on Seventeen (Reprise) – 96/24 Stereo
38. Unthinkable – 96/24 Stereo
39. Do-Re-Mi (Festival Reprise) – 96/24 Stereo
40. Edelweiss (Festival Reprise) – 96/24 Stereo
41. So Long, Farewell (Festival Reprise) – 96/24 Stereo
42. The Awards Fanfare – 96/24 Stereo
43. Nuns and Nazis – 96/24 Stereo
44. Escape – 96/24 Stereo
45. Climb Ev’ry Mountain (Reprise) – 96/24 Stereo
46. End Cast – 96/24 Stereo
Disc 5 continued (BLU-RAY AUDIO)
1. Prelude and The Sound of Music (1965 Original Soundtrack Version – 96/24 Stereo and Dolby Atmos Mixes)
2. Overture and Preludium (Dixit Dominus) (1965 Original Soundtrack Version – 96/24 Stereo and Dolby Atmos Mixes)
3. Morning Hymn and Alleluia (1965 Original Soundtrack Version – 96/24 Stereo and Dolby Atmos Mixes)
4. Maria (1965 Original Soundtrack Version – 96/24 Stereo and Dolby Atmos Mixes)
5. I Have Confidence (1965 Original Soundtrack Version – 96/24 Stereo and Dolby Atmos Mixes)
6. Sixteen Going on Seventeen (1965 Original Soundtrack Version – 96/24 Stereo and Dolby Atmos Mixes)
7. My Favorite Things (1965 Original Soundtrack Version – 96/24 Stereo and Dolby Atmos Mixes)
8. Do-Re-Mi (1965 Original Soundtrack Version – 96/24 Stereo and Dolby Atmos Mixes)
9. The Sound of Music (1965 Original Soundtrack Version – 96/24 Stereo and Dolby Atmos Mixes)
10. The Lonely Goatherd (1965 Original Soundtrack Version – 96/24 Stereo and Dolby Atmos Mixes)
11. So Long, Farewell (1965 Original Soundtrack Version – 96/24 Stereo and Dolby Atmos Mixes)
12. Climb Ev’ry Mountain (1965 Original Soundtrack Version – 96/24 Stereo and Dolby Atmos Mixes)
13. Something Good (1965 Original Soundtrack Version – 96/24 Stereo and Dolby Atmos Mixes)
14. Processional and Maria (1965 Original Soundtrack Version – 96/24 Stereo and Dolby Atmos Mixes)
15. Edelweiss (1965 Original Soundtrack Version – 96/24 Stereo and Dolby Atmos Mixes)
16. Climb Ev’ry Mountain (Reprise) (1965 Original Soundtrack Version – 96/24 Stereo and Dolby Atmos Mixes)
