The Hunchback of Notre Dame

Review by Thomas Glorieux:

After considerable success albums for Disney (The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin and Pocahontas) came The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Interesting to know, this became the last successful Menken score for Disney that was nominated because the year thereafter Hercules truly flunked. So Alan Menken disappeared without warning and the question is, will we ever hear from him again? Still, apart from all I've heard of Alan Menken's music, it is the one that didn't win the Oscar for best original score that gave me the most satisfaction. The score is indeed a rougher version of Disney but what blesses this score is the sensational choral depth that weaves through almost each track, most notably from track 9 to the end. As usual, Menken wrote the score and the songs and in some ways it is clear to mention that if you like the one you will like the other. Each theme works as a song and vise versa but apart from the first track, the songs are plain uninteresting drawn away from the visuals. Thus making the original score a cracker on power alone.

First of all, some people simply buy the scores for the songs, others for the potential score. And usually, the songs take the biggest room. The songs themselves are the normal stylistic funny entry to give the person viewing or listening a bouncy light feeling. But nowhere a happy feeling here because I discovered that some songs, even with their light comical mood had several harsh texts. Not a problem for me but I'm not a kid anymore so these might offend certain kids and of course shock the parents with it. And if I'm not mistaken there were certain complaints towards Disney. Now, of all the songs the first 'The Bells of Notre Dame' has the best sound, merely for the threatening theme that surrounds the entire score of Menken. Entries however like 'Out There', 'Topsy Turvy' and 'A Guy Like You' simply don't inspire on disc. An occasional listen worth perhaps but nothing that lights my fire. The score however does ample of that with its thundering, dark and menacing mood. This is one of the few scores where Menken is doing some really heavy stuff and the result is more then gratifying. Perhaps not everyone will enjoy the end result but it still beats efforts like Aladdin and Beauty and the Beast in scope.

The certain tracks that either blow you away or drive you mad are 'Paris Burning', 'Sanctuary' and 'And he Shall Smite the Wicked' with its large choral sound and the underused fanfare heard in 'Into the Sunlight'. Either way you look at the score at hand, the effort of Menken isn't light, dares you from start to finish and isn't the easy listen throughout. I for one commend him for that and persons wanting more of the choral music from Anastasia (David Newman) or some more Carmina Burana fire will do fine with The Hunchback of Notre Dame. And besides the two obvious reasons of music we usually find the third one at the end, the commercial attraction. Nothing either earth shattering as it is usually the case but heck, its found there for a certain reason and perhaps some might find that reason good enough. The Alan Menken from this score can come back anytime but the one that gave him surprisingly Oscars isn't really that missed. Because apart from Disney classics like The Lion King, Mulan, Dinosaur and Atlantis, the only one of Menken belonging here is Quasimodo's fairytale of depth and power.

Score: ****
Songs: ***

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Tracks

Single Disc

1. The Bells Of Notre Dame (6.24)

2. Out There (4.23)

3. Topsy Turvy (5.34)

4. Humiliation * (1.38)

5. God Helps The Outcasts (3.41)

6. The Bell Tower * (3.02)

7. Heaven's Light / Hellfire (5.21)

8. A Guy Like You (2.52)

9. Paris Burning * (1.53) Excellent Track

10. The Court Of Miracles (1.26)

11. Sanctuary * (6.00) Excellent Track

12. And He Shall Smite The Wicked * (3.28) Excellent Track

13. Into The Sunlight * (2.08)

14. The Bells Of Notre Dame (1.08)

15. Someday: All - 4 - One (4.17)

16. God Helps The Outcasts: Bette Midler (3.29)

* Original Soundtrack composed by Alan Menken

Total Length: 57.24

The use of artwork or photos is posted for non profitable reasons

=== Link to Composer Site: Alan Menken ===