The soundtrack to the latest Disney animated feature film Frozen has been released. With songs by Kristen Anderson-Lopez (In Transit, Winnie the Pooh) and Tony Award-winning songwriter Robert Lopez (Avenue Q, The Book of Mormon) and a score by Christophe Beck (Paperman) it is a soundtrack that is destined to be a favorite in the Disney catalog.
Songs:
The songs in Frozen are charming and whimsical. Effort has been made to create a nordic feel for the music found in Frozen. Frozen Heart starts off with a men’s choral setting the stage for the rest of the story. It is easy to imagine a bunch of nordic men singing this song. It is short but sets the frigid feel to create a foundation for the movie. Moving on into Do You Want a Build A Snowman? and the coldest heart will soon be melted. This could be perhaps my favorite song on the soundtrack. Talking to my friend Caitlyn, this one brought tears to her eyes. It really does make a connection with the heart. The soundtrack continues to do that as it plays on. Some of the songs have a bit of a pop feel to them but there isn’t a single one I didn’t enjoy. There are elements of heart, humor, and storytelling that really make for classic Disney songs in my opinion. Oh, and Olaf singing In Summer is sure to be a fan favorite. It’s absolutely hilarious to listen to a snowman dream of summer! Demi Lovato’s rendition of Let it Go is also quite enjoyable. This is a bit weird for me as usually I don’t like the pop rendition of the song as much as the original.
As the songs progress they do take the listener on a musical journey. And really, that’s what a good soundtrack should do. It should be able to carry the journey along. It should help the story progress in a natural way that makes the listener feel something. It shouldn’t be a distraction. It shouldn’t slow things down. A successful soundtrack needs to add a level of vibrancy to the story or movie. The Frozen soundtrack does just this.
Score:
The score for Frozen was written by Christophe Beck. He wrote that beautiful score to Paperman and he is sure to continue to build upon that musical legacy he is creating with this soundtrack’s score. There are several important things that are needed for a successful Disney score. First off, all the above rules about music contributing to the story apply not only to songs, but to the score as well. He definitely got this part right. A second thing, Disney movies always have a level of character that comes with a successful score. Different points in the score emulate the characters and their journey just as much as what what they say or do, or how they look. This is definitely part of the storytelling equation as well. It is partially creating the right melody and equally important, creating the right orchestration. So if a small animal is scampering across a forest, the music mimics that and recreates that scene musically. A successful soundtrack should also help create the atmosphere that the characters live within. In this case, it is a nordic atmosphere. Beck creates this world musically with some of the french horns and other brass coupled with some of the woodwinds and backed by the strings. They are paired together in long sweeping melodies that remind the listener of the beautiful sweeping mountain top slopes one might find when skiing. Throughout the score there are also moments that almost have a “jingle bell” quality with the strings that help create the mental image of traveling… perhaps by reindeer? Finally, some of the choral pieces are absolutely stunning and are reminiscent of a snowy winter’s night. It brought me back to my childhood as we would listen to the Cambridge Singers on a winter’s night in northern Minnesota.
Vocal Talent:
The vocal talent found on this album is surprisingly awesome. Nobody will be surprised to learn that Idina Menzel is fantastic. Because really, would we expect anything less? Kristen Bell on the other hand, I was definitely worried about. She is the surprise hit for me. I found myself loving her songs and tonality more than Menzel’s (sorry!). She has a vocal quality that felt right on for a Disney princess. She didn’t sound too much like a rock star but instead had a timeless princess voice that reminded me of Belle and Ariel off the top of my head. The supporting cast also was quite strong vocally. Josh Gad, Jonathan Groff, and even the child singers nailed it. I will admit that occasionally on some soundtracks I flinch a little as I recognize that someone was struggling with a note… or perhaps just wasn’t a singer that had crammed to learn how to emulate a lifetime of singing in 8 months. It’s always a mistake in my opinion. I was that this soundtrack I found simply enjoyable to listen to.
Final Thoughts:
The Frozen soundtrack is one of the strongest soundtracks to come from Disney in quite some time. The songs are meaningful, entertaining, and enjoyable. Heck, there is even a lot of humor in them. As I listened to the music I didn’t find myself critiquing and thinking “well I would have…” during songs and the score. I find myself being drawn into the story and the world that is being created musically to accompany it. I also find myself turning replaying it. It is a fun soundtrack and I like all the bonus tracks that were included in the Deluxe Edition. This is definitely a soundtrack to add to the collection. Check it out and then let me know what YOU think!
A hearty hat tip to the Frozen soundtrack from me!
Frozen Soundtrack Deluxe Edition Track Listing:
Disc 1:
- Frozen Heart – Cast – Frozen (1:45)
- Do You Want To Build A Snowman? – Kristen Bell, Agatha LeeMonn and Katie Lopez (3:27)
- For The First Time In Forever – Kristen Bell and Idina Menzel (3:45)
- Love Is An Open Door – Kristen Bell and Santino Fontana (2:07)
- Let It Go – Idina Menzel (3:44)
- Reindeer(s) Are Better Than People – Jonathan Groff (0:50)
- In Summer – Josh Gad (1:54)
- For The First Time In Forever (Reprise) – Kristen Bell and Idina Menzel (2:30)
- Fixer Upper – Cast – Frozen and Maia Wilson (3:02)
- Let It Go – Demi Lovato (3:47)
- Vuelie (feat. Cantus) – Christophe Beck (1:36)
- Elsa and Anna – Christophe Beck (2:43)
- The Trolls – Christophe Beck (1:48)
- Coronation Day – Christophe Beck (1:14)
- Heimr Arnadalr – Christophe Beck (1.25)
- Winter’s Waltz – Christophe Beck (1.00)
- Sorcery – Christophe Beck (3:17)
- Royal Pursuit – Christophe Beck (1:02)
- Onward and Upward – Christophe Beck (1:54)
- Wolves – Christophe Beck (1.44)
- The North Mountain – Christophe Beck (1:34)
- We Were So Close – Christophe Beck (1:53)
- Marshmallow Attack! – Christophe Beck (1:43)
- Conceal, Don’t Feel – Christophe Beck (1:07)
- Only An Act of True Love – Christophe Beck (1.07)
- Summit Siege – Christophe Beck (2:32)
- Return to Arendelle – Christophe Beck (1:38)
- Treason – Christophe Beck (1:36)
- Some People Are Worth Melting For – Christophe Beck (2:06)
- Whiteout – Christophe Beck (4.17)
- The Great Thaw (Vuelie Reprise) – Christophe Beck and Frode Fjellheim (2:29)
- Epilogue – Christophe Beck (3.04)
Disc 2:
- For the First Time in Forever (Demo) (3:33)
- Love Is An Open Door (Demo) (2:05)
- We Know Better (Outtake) (4:04)
- Spring Pageant (Outtake) (3:11)
- More Than Just the Spare (Outtake) (3:26)
- You’re You (Outtake) (1:50)
- Life’s Too Short (Outtake) (3:53)
- Life’s Too Short (Reprise) (Outtake) (1:44)
- Reindeer(s) Remix (Outtake) (2:29)
- The Ballad of Olaf & Sven (Score Demo/Teaser Trailer) (1:35)
- Queen Elsa of Arendelle (Score Demo) (0:44)
- Hans (1:22)
- It had to be Snow (1:18)
- Meet Olaf (2;01)
- Hands for Hans (0:48)
- Oaken’s Sauna (1:26)
- Thin Air (2:19)
- Cliff Diving (0.51)
- The Love Experts (1:04)
- Elsa Imprisoned (1:04)
- Hans’ Kiss (2:11)
- Coronation Band Suite (1:34)
- Let It Go (Instrumental Karaoke/Idina Version) (3:46)
- For the First Time in Forever (Instrumental Karaoke) (3.46)
- Love is an Open Door (Instrumental Karaoke) (2:07)
- In Summer (Instrumental Karaoke) (1:48)
- Let It Go (Instrumental Karaoke/Demi Version) (3:42)
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