CD-Charts Position 1
Average Rating:

The Wizard Of Oz: Selections From The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

by: Herbert Stothart, Harold Arlen, E. Y. Harburg

Release Date September 19, 1995
I was very disappointed with this purchase. The sound quality is terrible! I had to turn it down during the music sequences and crank it up to hear anyone singing. It sounds like someone put a recorder up next to the TV screen and recorded it while watching the movie.

CD-Charts Position 2
Average Rating:

The Wizard Of Oz: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack - The Deluxe Edition

by: Herbert Stothart, Harold Arlen, E. Y. Harburg

Release Date July 18, 1995
My only complaint may be that this collection has too much on it. I never realized how many songs are played in the background and not in the forefront of the movie. Thoroughly entertaining and well worth the money.

CD-Charts Position 3
Average Rating:

The Story & Songs Of The Wizard Of Oz - Special Edition: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

by: Herbert Stothart, Harold Arlen, E. Y. Harburg

Release Date September 15, 1998
Back in 1939, audio recording was tinny and horrible by today's standards. This movie's soundtrack was no exception.

However, digital technology has come a long way, including the ability to simulate stereo. For the most part, the hissing and scratching are gone in this CD, and many passages are in what sounds like true stereo.

It's a treat for those of us who hate mono.

This is the best Wizard of Oz original soundtrack recording available. And as somebody else said, the popup in the cardboard keepcase is unexpected and very cool.

Highly recommended.

CD-Charts Position 4
Average Rating:

The Wizard Of Oz: 1998 Cast Recording (Madison Square Garden Cast)

by: Harold Arlen, E. Y. Harburg

Release Date September 15, 1998
I had to rate 3 because I had to rate in the middle. This album can be good or bad, depending on who is listening to it. It is good for those who want simple, upbeat, quick, renditions of the song. It is not good for those looking to hear the songs in their entirety or attempt to learn them for a stage production (There are WAY too many cuts and changes to do that here!). I bought this album because I am an Oz collector. Also, I will give them credit on their decision to include the Witch in "The Jitterbug."

Jessica Grove` has a beautiful voice, however, a bit too operatic for the role of Dorothy. Lara Teeter, an amazing Scarecrow (and you may also note this was not his first time in the role). The rest of the cast is pretty ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 5
Average Rating:

The Wizard of Oz (1988 London Cast)

by: Harold Arlen, E. Y. Harburg

Release Date April 18, 2000
RSC version of THE WIZARD OF OZ is not easy to find. It's so nice to be able to shop for my theatre related resources on Amazon, and always a bargain. I will be directing this show next spring, using this version...so quite a significant buy....fast delivery, quality CD...

CD-Charts Position 6
Average Rating:

Finian's Rainbow (1947 Original Broadway Cast)

by: Burton Lane, E.Y. Harburg

Release Date May 30, 2000
Great sound; great music; great vitality. I don't know how this music manages to cast such a spell. Maybe it's because it was the first show I ever saw, though I'm more inclined to credit the talent that created and performed it. This recording captures the magic of Finian's Rainbow at its most potent, and the reissue engineers deserve applause for not adding reverb or other gimmicks to make the sound more "modern" and less immediate. But I did notice one difference in a lyric from the 1947 book: She sings "swellish condish" instead of "hellish condish." Apparently, the h-word was acceptable on the stage 60+ years ago, but not in the living room.

CD-Charts Position 7
Average Rating:

Staccato/Paris Swings

from: Drg

Release Date May 27, 2008
DRG Records presents "STACCATO/PARIS SWINGS" -- Elmer Bernstein (April 4, 1922 - 18 August 2004) was an Academy and two-time Golden Globe award winning American film score composer --- He was famous for composing music for The Ten Commandments, The Man With the Golden Arm and The Magnificent Seven --- Bernstein often featured jazz soloists and the feeling of the blues permeates the original scores for STACCATO (1959) and PARIS SWINGS (1960) --- Throughout, Bernstein draws upon bold brass, ominous saxophone, suave melodies, and erupting tempos to heighten these vivid aural portraits of mystery, intrigue, and romance --- While not strictly speaking a jazz composer, film soundtrack icon Elmer Bernstein has often demonstrated a deep affinity for jazz in his work ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 8
Average Rating:

The Wizard Of Oz In Concert: A Benefit Performance For The Children's Defense Fund (1996 Lincoln Center Cast)

by: Harold Arlen, E. Y. Harburg

Release Date August 20, 1996
Well, this is one interesting album. If you love the film, or the music, or anything at all: STAY AWAY! Well, actually let me say, this is probably the only nice thing you'll hear me say about this album: THE JITTERBUG is amazing. I have actually been in productions of OZ that emulated this arrangement to great effect. Other than that, this album is horrible. Jewel yodels OVER THE RAINBOW. Jackson Brown...ugh...I myself have played the role of the Scarecrow...and he just degraded a role which I love so much. Roger Daltry...stick to THE WHO. Nathan Lane, actually not bad. Joel Grey, good Wizard, but liked him in the role better in WICKED. I would only suggest this album for one reason: THE JITTERBUG.

CD-Charts Position 9
Average Rating:

Menuhin & Grappelli Play...

from: EMI Classics

Release Date February 15, 2005
This is happy music.
Just plain happy, instrumental music.
Highly recommend to everyone.

CD-Charts Position 10
Average Rating:

Flahooley (1951 Original Broadway Cast)

by: Sammy Fain, E.Y. Harburg, Barbara Cook

Release Date March 23, 2004
In all the years of my life, I'm sure I've never heard such an awful musical. No wonder it was a flop! The story is ridiculous, the songs are silly and the music is incredibly bad. It makes COCO, BIG or LI'L ABNER ( a trilogy of disastrous music) sound like WEST SIDE STORY. Among the ten worst Broadway musicals of all times, this one has the honor to be TOP 1!