Camelot – SOUNDTRACK****

Prelude & Overture/I Wonder What The King Is Doing Tonight/The Simple Joys Of Maidenhood/Camelot & The Wedding Ceremony/C’est Moi/The Lusty Month Of May/Follow Me & The Children’s Chorus/How To Handle A Woman/Take Me To The Fair/If Ever I Would Leave You – Love Montage/What Do The Simple Folks Do/I Loved You Once In Silence/Guenevere/Finale Ultimo

The film musical Camelot was based on the Broadway stage show and starred Richard Harris and Vanessa Redgrave. Music by Frederick Loewe, lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner. (US:11 UK:37)

"Vanessa Redgrave and Richard Harris are wonderful on this soundtrack, and the sound is so crisp and clear. While the Broadway cast version is clearly superior and is the album of choice, here we have a unique interpretation of one of Lerner and Loewe's best scores."

"The film version of Camelot ended up being a none too flattering vision of the original Lerner-Loewe musical. Directed by Joshua Logan and starring Richard Harris and Vanessa Redgrave, the movie was a modest success, it's long running-time and slow pace the main factors in it's failure. The soundtrack album is a delight, however. Vanessa Redgrave is an interesting Guenevere, singing in a charming speak-sing fashion and makes the role her own."

"This is the best recording of Camelot. The performances are first rate. Even though the cast are not singers per se they pull it off wonderfully. The orchestrations are superb and the whole performance is full of passion. These are the quintessential performances. All around this is a superior version compared to the Broadway cast."

"This is a truly lovely LP and I love the speaking/singing of Richard Harris which makes the songs so much more poignant. It's really music to wallow in and the only truly perfect version of these songs."

"The singing is not in the same league as the Broadway version. This is a movie. So, the ambience is different. While the singers Richard Harris and Vanessa Redgrave are quite competent, the underscoring is something out of this world."

"The musical arrangements by Alfred Newman and Ken Darby are what makes this soundtrack recording the best thing to emerge from the mediocre movie version of Camelot."