The Hunchback of Notre Dame (soundtrack)
Encyclopedia
The Hunchback of Notre Dame: An Original Walt Disney Records Soundtrack is the soundtrack
to Disney's 1996 animated feature The Hunchback of Notre Dame
. It includes songs written by Alan Menken
and Stephen Schwartz
with vocals performed by Paul Kandel
, David Ogden Stiers
, Tony Jay
, Tom Hulce
, Heidi Mollenhauer
, Jason Alexander
, Mary Wickes
, and Mary Stout, along with singles by All-4-One
/Eternal
, and the film's score composed by Alan Menken
. The single Someday originally performed by All-4-One on the United States
release, was redone by British
R&B girl group Eternal for the U.K. release. Luis Miguel
recorded the version in Spanish as Sueña, which became a major hit in Latin America. The album was released on July 3, 1996 by Walt Disney Records
, and went on to peak at #11 on The Billboard 200.
Note: The youngest member of Celtic Woman
, Chloë Agnew
, covered "Someday" for her Walking In The Air solo album and the first Celtic Woman album
.
The chants at the beginning of the piece are adapted from actual Gregorian Chants. The Latin texts within the piece sung by the chorus are drawn from the Mass (the Kyrie) and from the Sequence Dies Irae
, traditionally sung in a Requiem Mass.
Dies Irae - Day of Judgment
Dies Irae
Kyrie Eleison - God have mercy on us Kyrie
Once the judge leaves the scene, everything seems so much brighter and Quasi sings to his gargoyle friends of his dreams of leaving the belltower and leading a normal life amongst the people he sees every day. This song may have been what finally convinced him to escape down into the Festival of Fools.
The choral introduction of "Come one, come all" is reminiscent of the Main Theme of "The Bells of Notre Dame" as the opening of the scene is displayed with beautiful views of the Cathedral. The main theme, Topsy Turvy, is a vivacious, light and energetic movement that features comedic lyrics that interplay between Clopin and the Chorus. Upon the realization that Quasimodo is actually that disfigured, the theme from the introduction of "Out There" is developed upon as Frollo sees him and becomes livid at his insubordination.
.
Almost all the movie's songs are in the score at one point. "The Bells of Notre Dame," "Heaven's Light," and "Hellfire" all share the same basic melody at one point. "A Guy Like You" is used near the beginning when the Gargoyles encourage Quasimodo to step out of Notre Dame and go to the festival. "Out There" is often associated with Quasimodo, "God Help the Outcasts" with Esmeralda, and even "Someday" is associated with Quasimodo and Esmeralda and is used near the end, despite being cut from the movie and used during the credits.
in the North American
English release, and by the British R&B girl group Eternal
in the British
English version. Luis Miguel
recorded the version for the Latin America
n Spanish version, which became a major hit.
Soundtrack
A soundtrack can be recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, book, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; or the physical area of a film that contains the...
to Disney's 1996 animated feature The Hunchback of Notre Dame
The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996 film)
The Hunchback of Notre Dame is a 1996 American animated drama film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released to theaters on June 21, 1996 by Walt Disney Pictures. The thirty-fourth animated feature in the Disney animated features canon, the film is inspired by Victor Hugo's novel of...
. It includes songs written by Alan Menken
Alan Menken
Alan Menken is an American musical theatre and film composer and pianist.Menken is best known for his numerous scores for films produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios. His scores for The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and Pocahontas have each won him two Academy Awards...
and Stephen Schwartz
Stephen Schwartz (composer)
Stephen Lawrence Schwartz is an American musical theatre lyricist and composer. In a career spanning over four decades, Schwartz has written such hit musicals as Godspell , Pippin and Wicked...
with vocals performed by Paul Kandel
Paul Kandel
Paul Kandel is an American musical theatre actor and tenor singer best known for his work as the Gypsy leader Clopin in the 1996 Disney film The Hunchback of Notre Dame. He also has appeared on Broadway a number of times, having appeared in Jesus Christ Superstar as King Herod, Titanic, The Who's...
, David Ogden Stiers
David Ogden Stiers
David Ogden Stiers is an American actor, director, vocal actor, and musician, noted for his roles in Disney movies, as well as his performances in the television series M*A*S*H as Major Charles Emerson Winchester III and the science fiction drama The Dead Zone as Reverend Gene Purdy...
, Tony Jay
Tony Jay
Tony Jay was an English actor, voice actor and singer. A former member of the Royal Shakespeare Company, he was known for his voice work in animation, film and computer games. Jay's distinctive baritone voice often landed him villainous roles...
, Tom Hulce
Tom Hulce
Thomas Edward "Tom" Hulce is an American actor and theater producer. As an actor, he is perhaps best known for his Oscar-nominated portrayal of Mozart in the movie Amadeus and his role as "Pinto" in National Lampoon's Animal House. Additional acting awards included a total of four Golden Globe...
, Heidi Mollenhauer
Heidi Mollenhauer
Heidi Mollenhauer is an actress and singer. She is best known for her role as the singing voice of Esmeralda in Disney's 1996 animated film The Hunchback of Notre Dame....
, Jason Alexander
Jason Alexander
Jay Scott Greenspan , better known by his professional name of Jason Alexander, is an American actor, writer, comedian, television director, producer, and singer. He is best known for his role as George Costanza on the television series Seinfeld, appearing in the sitcom from 1989 to 1998...
, Mary Wickes
Mary Wickes
Mary Wickes was an American film and television actress.-Career:Wickes was born as Mary Isabelle Wickenhauser in St. Louis, Missouri, of German Irish Protestant extraction. She graduated at the age of eighteen with a degree in political science from Washington University in St. Louis, where she...
, and Mary Stout, along with singles by All-4-One
All-4-One
All-4-One is a male R&B/pop group best known for their cover hit single "I Swear" from their self-titled 1994 debut album. The group comprises Jamie Jones, Delious Kennedy, Alfred Nevarez, and Tony Borowiak, all from the Antelope Valley and Mojave, California areas, but are based in the Los Angeles...
/Eternal
Eternal (band)
Eternal were an English R&B girl group formed in 1992. The group featured two sisters Easther and Vernie Bennett, alongside Kelle Bryan and Louise Nurding...
, and the film's score composed by Alan Menken
Alan Menken
Alan Menken is an American musical theatre and film composer and pianist.Menken is best known for his numerous scores for films produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios. His scores for The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and Pocahontas have each won him two Academy Awards...
. The single Someday originally performed by All-4-One on the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
release, was redone by British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
R&B girl group Eternal for the U.K. release. Luis Miguel
Luis Miguel
Luis Miguel Gallego Basteri is a Mexican singer. He is widely known only by the name Luis Miguel and is often referred to as "El Sol de México"...
recorded the version in Spanish as Sueña, which became a major hit in Latin America. The album was released on July 3, 1996 by Walt Disney Records
Walt Disney Records
Walt Disney Records is a family music record label owned by the Walt Disney Company. Walt Disney Records was formed in 1956 as Disneyland Records. Before that time, Disney recordings were licensed out to a variety of other labels such as . It was Walt Disney’s brother Roy O...
, and went on to peak at #11 on The Billboard 200.
Track listing
- The Bells of Notre Dame - Paul KandelPaul KandelPaul Kandel is an American musical theatre actor and tenor singer best known for his work as the Gypsy leader Clopin in the 1996 Disney film The Hunchback of Notre Dame. He also has appeared on Broadway a number of times, having appeared in Jesus Christ Superstar as King Herod, Titanic, The Who's...
, David Ogden StiersDavid Ogden StiersDavid Ogden Stiers is an American actor, director, vocal actor, and musician, noted for his roles in Disney movies, as well as his performances in the television series M*A*S*H as Major Charles Emerson Winchester III and the science fiction drama The Dead Zone as Reverend Gene Purdy...
, Tony JayTony JayTony Jay was an English actor, voice actor and singer. A former member of the Royal Shakespeare Company, he was known for his voice work in animation, film and computer games. Jay's distinctive baritone voice often landed him villainous roles... - Out There - Tom HulceTom HulceThomas Edward "Tom" Hulce is an American actor and theater producer. As an actor, he is perhaps best known for his Oscar-nominated portrayal of Mozart in the movie Amadeus and his role as "Pinto" in National Lampoon's Animal House. Additional acting awards included a total of four Golden Globe...
, Tony Jay - Topsy Turvy - Paul Kandel, Chorus
- Humiliation (Score with Chorus)
- God Help the Outcasts - Heidi MollenhauerHeidi MollenhauerHeidi Mollenhauer is an actress and singer. She is best known for her role as the singing voice of Esmeralda in Disney's 1996 animated film The Hunchback of Notre Dame....
, Chorus - The Bell Tower (Score)
- Heaven's Light/HellfireHellfire (song)"Hellfire" is a song from Disney's 1996 animated feature The Hunchback of Notre Dame. The song is sung by the film's antagonist, Judge Claude Frollo, who is voiced by the late Tony Jay. It begins in Bb major, before turning to its relative minor G...
- Tom Hulce, Tony Jay, Chorus - A Guy Like You - Jason AlexanderJason AlexanderJay Scott Greenspan , better known by his professional name of Jason Alexander, is an American actor, writer, comedian, television director, producer, and singer. He is best known for his role as George Costanza on the television series Seinfeld, appearing in the sitcom from 1989 to 1998...
, Charles KimbroughCharles KimbroughCharles Kimbrough is an American character actor known for playing the straight-faced anchorman Jim Dial on Murphy Brown. In 1990, his performance in the role earned him a nomination for an Emmy Award for "Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series".-Biography:Born in St. Paul, Minnesota,...
, Mary WickesMary WickesMary Wickes was an American film and television actress.-Career:Wickes was born as Mary Isabelle Wickenhauser in St. Louis, Missouri, of German Irish Protestant extraction. She graduated at the age of eighteen with a degree in political science from Washington University in St. Louis, where she... - Paris Burning (Score with Chorus)
- The Court of Miracles - Paul Kandel, Chorus
- Sanctuary! (Score with Chorus)
- And He Shall Smite the Wicked (Score with Chorus)
- Into the Sunlight (Score)
- The Bells of Notre Dame (Reprise) - Paul Kandel, Chorus
- Someday - All-4-OneAll-4-OneAll-4-One is a male R&B/pop group best known for their cover hit single "I Swear" from their self-titled 1994 debut album. The group comprises Jamie Jones, Delious Kennedy, Alfred Nevarez, and Tony Borowiak, all from the Antelope Valley and Mojave, California areas, but are based in the Los Angeles...
(United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
) / EternalEternal (band)Eternal were an English R&B girl group formed in 1992. The group featured two sisters Easther and Vernie Bennett, alongside Kelle Bryan and Louise Nurding...
(United KingdomUnited KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
) - God Help the Outcasts - Bette MidlerBette MidlerBette Midler is an American singer, actress, and comedian, also known by her informal stage name, The Divine Miss M. She became famous as a cabaret and concert headliner, and went on to star in successful and acclaimed films such as The Rose, Ruthless People, Beaches, and For The Boys...
(Not featured in the movie)
Note: The youngest member of Celtic Woman
Celtic Woman
Celtic Woman is an all-female musical ensemble conceived and assembled by Sharon Browne and David Downes, a former musical director of the Irish stage show Riverdance...
, Chloë Agnew
Chloë Agnew
Chloë Alexandra Adele Emily Agnew is an Irish singer who is one of the current members of the Celtic music group Celtic Woman as the youngest member. She comes from Knocklyon, County Dublin where she lived with her mother Adele "Twink" King and younger sister Naomi...
, covered "Someday" for her Walking In The Air solo album and the first Celtic Woman album
Celtic Woman (album)
Celtic Woman is the eponymous debut album of the singing group Celtic Woman. The members of the group were first featured on the PBS musical special also by the same name. With the help of said special, Celtic Woman reached #1 on the World Music charts within weeks and remained there for a record...
.
Score cues left off the soundtrack
- The Bird
- Gargoyles/Enter Frollo
- You Were Thinking About Going to the Festival
- Phoebus Arrives in Paris
- Gypsy Music
- Helping Esmeralda/Palace of Justice
- Find the Court
- "Topsy Turvy" (Movie Version)
- Esmeralda's Escape
- Quasi Returns to Notre Dame
- Phoebus and Esmeralda/Frollo's Threat
- Esmeralda Follows Quasi
- Out of the Belltower/Quasi Meets Phoebus
- "Heaven's Light/Hellfire" (Movie Version)
- The Mill/The Search Continues
- Broken Heart/"Heaven's Light Reprise"
- Frollo's Coming/Stash the Stiff/Interrogation
- Do it Out of Love
- It's a Map/Entering the Court
- "The Court of Miracles" (Movie Version)
- These Men Aren't Spies/The Soldiers Attack
- Sanctuary! (Full Version)
- And He Shall Smite the Wicked (Full Version)
- End Titles
"The Bells of Notre Dame"
"The Bells of Notre Dame" is the opening song for the movie, in which Clopin narrates the backstory of how Frollo met Quasimodo. The song is woven in with Latin chants, and is reprised at the end, once again by Clopin.The chants at the beginning of the piece are adapted from actual Gregorian Chants. The Latin texts within the piece sung by the chorus are drawn from the Mass (the Kyrie) and from the Sequence Dies Irae
Dies Irae
Dies Irae is a thirteenth century Latin hymn thought to be written by Thomas of Celano . It is a medieval Latin poem characterized by its accentual stress and its rhymed lines. The metre is trochaic...
, traditionally sung in a Requiem Mass.
Dies Irae - Day of Judgment
Dies Irae
Dies Irae
Dies Irae is a thirteenth century Latin hymn thought to be written by Thomas of Celano . It is a medieval Latin poem characterized by its accentual stress and its rhymed lines. The metre is trochaic...
Kyrie Eleison - God have mercy on us Kyrie
Kyrie
Kyrie, a transliteration of Greek κύριε , vocative case of κύριος , meaning "Lord", is the common name of an important prayer of Christian liturgy, which is also called the Kýrie, eléison ....
"Out There"
"Out There" begins with a dark introduction by Frollo, telling Quasimodo to stay up in the tower where he will not be reviled as a monster. This introduction features a beautiful weaving of two counter melodies sung by Frollo and Quasimodo. A clever use of the phrase "Stay In Here" brings the text of the rest of the song into contrast, "Out There."Once the judge leaves the scene, everything seems so much brighter and Quasi sings to his gargoyle friends of his dreams of leaving the belltower and leading a normal life amongst the people he sees every day. This song may have been what finally convinced him to escape down into the Festival of Fools.
"Topsy Turvy"
It's the Festival of Fools, and the bouncy number is led by Clopin, the host of the event. After describing the events on Topsy-Turvy Day, there is a lengthy dance by Esmeralda, setting up the bulk of the movie's plot as Frollo, Phoebus, and Quasimodo all become enamored with her at the same time. At the end of the song, Quasi is crowned the king of fools, and received warmly, before things take a sharp turn for the worst.The choral introduction of "Come one, come all" is reminiscent of the Main Theme of "The Bells of Notre Dame" as the opening of the scene is displayed with beautiful views of the Cathedral. The main theme, Topsy Turvy, is a vivacious, light and energetic movement that features comedic lyrics that interplay between Clopin and the Chorus. Upon the realization that Quasimodo is actually that disfigured, the theme from the introduction of "Out There" is developed upon as Frollo sees him and becomes livid at his insubordination.
"God Help the Outcasts"
"God Help the Outcasts" is a soft ballad sung by Esmeralda inside Notre Dame after she sees how Quasimodo and her people are treated by society. It replaced another song, "Someday," which was cut when the directors wanted a quieter song in a cathedral. A pop version of "Someday" is performed over the movie's credits."Someday"
The chanting used in the introduction to "The Bells of Notre Dame" at the very beginning of the film is actually the melody of "Someday"."Heaven's Light"
"Heaven's Light" is another gentle song sung by Quasimodo, who is smitten by Esmeralda. He wonders if the beautiful gypsy, the first person who really reached out to him, loves him back. This is reprised later in Quasi's mind as his heart breaks when he sees Esmeralda and Phoebus kiss."Hellfire"
As "Heaven's Light" reaches its close, we are brought to the Palace of Justice where Frollo sings "Hellfire." In contrast to Quasimodo's song which was full of hope and about how happy the hunchback was to make a friend, Frollo's song is one of Disney's darkest. Frollo is convinced he's under some kind of black spell, as his lust for Esmeralda can't be on account of his own sin. He imagines being surrounded by flames and monks in red robes, all chanting loudly in Latin. A flaming vision of a dancing Esmeralda completes the nightmarish imagery. The song also features chants from ConfiteorConfiteor
The Confiteor is one of the prayers that can be said during the Penitential Rite at the beginning of Mass of the Roman Rite in the Catholic Church. It is also said in the Lutheran Church at the beginning of their Divine Service...
.
"A Guy Like You"
"A Guy Like You" is the gargoyles' chance to sing, assuring Quasimodo that Esmeralda loves him in the same way he loves her in a fun, Broadway-style number. Placing a comedic song after a dark, intense scene such as "Hellfire" is a common technique allowing the audience to release tension in an appropriate time, thus allowing the climax to be appropriately dramatic."The Court of Miracles"
"The Court of Miracles" is the third comic number in the movie. Unlike "Topsy Turvy" and "A Guy Like You," however, this song is based on black humor. Clopin and the gypsies have captured Quasimodo and Phoebus, assumed spies, and sing about how "it's a miracle if you get out alive!" Taking delight in tormenting his victims, Clopin stages a mock trial, making rapid transformations into various figures, even pulling out a jury consisting of one puppet in his likeness. However, Esmeralda arrives before any harm can come to her friends.The score
Although Alan Menken's score is darker than he normally writes, in addition to the many dramatic Latin chants and cues, there are many tracks that were mostly left off the soundtrack.Almost all the movie's songs are in the score at one point. "The Bells of Notre Dame," "Heaven's Light," and "Hellfire" all share the same basic melody at one point. "A Guy Like You" is used near the beginning when the Gargoyles encourage Quasimodo to step out of Notre Dame and go to the festival. "Out There" is often associated with Quasimodo, "God Help the Outcasts" with Esmeralda, and even "Someday" is associated with Quasimodo and Esmeralda and is used near the end, despite being cut from the movie and used during the credits.
Deleted songs
Three songs written for the film were discarded during the storyboarding process and not used: "In a Place of Miracles", "As Long as There's a Moon", and "Someday", a candidate to replace "God Help the Outcasts". Though not included in the body of the film, "Someday" is heard over the end credits, performed by R&B group All-4-OneAll-4-One
All-4-One is a male R&B/pop group best known for their cover hit single "I Swear" from their self-titled 1994 debut album. The group comprises Jamie Jones, Delious Kennedy, Alfred Nevarez, and Tony Borowiak, all from the Antelope Valley and Mojave, California areas, but are based in the Los Angeles...
in the North American
North American
North American generally refers to an entity, people, group, or attribute of North America, especially of the United States and Canada together.-Culture:*North American English, a collective term used to describe American English and Canadian English...
English release, and by the British R&B girl group Eternal
Eternal (band)
Eternal were an English R&B girl group formed in 1992. The group featured two sisters Easther and Vernie Bennett, alongside Kelle Bryan and Louise Nurding...
in the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
English version. Luis Miguel
Luis Miguel
Luis Miguel Gallego Basteri is a Mexican singer. He is widely known only by the name Luis Miguel and is often referred to as "El Sol de México"...
recorded the version for the Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
n Spanish version, which became a major hit.