"Little Women - Original Soundtrack Album" by THOMAS NEWMAN (1995 Sony Classical CD)

"...Snow Play..."

The masterful soundscape-maker himself THOMAS NEWMAN gives us a typically beautiful and poignant CD soundtrack - and the music is from a year where Newman's skill with a sweeping emotion seemed to be utterly inspired – 1994 – home of the mighty Redemption.

This time his strings and lush arrangements went to the 1994 girly-fest movie remake of "Little Women" directed by Gillian Armstrong (Winona Ryder and Gabriel Byrne have almost shocking chemistry in the affection department). 

1. Orchard House (Main Theme) 

2. Meg's Hair 

3. Snowplay 

4. Scarlet Fever 

5. Ashes 

6. Spring 

7. La Fayette's Welcome 

8. A Telegram

9. Two Couples

10. Burd3ns 

11. New York 

12. Harvest Time

13. Maria Redowa

14. Letter From Jo

15. Amy Abroad 

16. Limes

17. Beth's Secret 

18. For The Beauty Of Earth 

19. Little Women

20. Learning To Forget 

21. Valley Of The Shadow

22. Port Royal Gallop 

23. Domestic Experiences 

24.The Laurence Boy 

25. Lovelornity

26. Under The Umbrella (End Title)

USA CD released 10 January 1995 - "Little Women – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack" written and conducted by THOMAS NEWMAN on Sony Classical SK 66922 (Barcode 074646692226) was Produced by TN and BILL BERNSTEIN.

Lots of the 26 cuts are admittedly short - sometimes less than a minute in some cases and they often feeling like snatched moments - which is of course exactly what they are (even with that number of titles, its total playing time is only 37:24 minutes). But it's the beauty of the opening 3:29 minutes of "Orchard House (Main Title)" for instance or the 3:41 minutes of "Under The Umbrella (End Title)" at the finish line that show why Newman was and still is nominated so many times for Oscars and many other awards.

TN is also famously a close relative of the iconic songsmith Randy Newman – himself a prolific Soundtrack writer who has contributed to some of Pixar's most famous movies "Toy Story" and "Monster’s Inc." to name but a few. Thomas Newman also did the gorgeous sweeping music to Pixar's much-loved "Wall-E" – another beauty with an exclusive Peter Gabriel song in the closing credits.

"Little Women" is not "The Shawshank Redemption" for sure where every second feels soul touching and epic (others would passionately disagree and say "Little Women" is its musical equal). But I have to own everything this songwriter has ever done and I suspect after one listen to the loveliness contained within this - you may become the same...