Washington Irving Would be Proud!
Colin | New York, NY | 03/12/2004
(4 out of 5 stars)
"I got my copy of this CD about a week ago and I have not stopped listening to it. It's like a breath of fresh air to hear a musical that is not your typical cookie-cutter score. I have always had a soft spot for composers of the golden age - (i.e. Richard Rodgers, Frank Loesser, Jerome Kern, etc.) and I believe this score falls into that category. The melodies are rich and sumptuous with moments of true passion and poignancy. The lyrics are simple enough to understand on the first pass, yet complex enough to add sufficient emotional texture to the songs. James Crowley, who wrote the book, music and lyrics has also created the orchestrations, which are second to none, with ample use of a full string section - something sorely missing in many of today's new musicals. The CD's Katrina is a bit weak on her solo "In His Eyes" but she makes up for it in other numbers. The real showstopper of this musical, however, is "Only a Dream" sung by Ichabod Crane. All in all, "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" is a cast recording worthy of a revered space on your CD shelf!"