Original Broadway Cast, 2003 (Decca) (4 / 5) Don’t go to this recording for a perfectly accurate representation of what’s heard in the theater; the songs were somewhat edited for the cast album to remove any hint of the twisty plot of Wicked, a musical based on Gregory Maguire’s novel, which purports to tell the true story of the “good” and “bad” witches immortalized in L. Frank Baum’s The Wizard of Oz. Still, this is one of Stephen Schwartz’s best scores — an unpopular opinion, admittedly! — and the excellent album boasts more than an hour of knockout songs, terrific high belting courtesy of stars Idina Menzel (Elphaba) and Kristin Chenoweth (Galinda/Glinda), and a fantastic-sounding orchestra conducted by Stephen Oremus. Listen particularly to Menzel’s astounding performances of “The Wizard and I,” “I’m Not That Girl,” “No Good Deed,” “Defying Gravity,” and her two gorgeous duets, “As Long as You’re Mine” (with Norbert Leo Butz as Fiyero) and “For Good” (with Chenoweth). Also pay special attention to William David Brohn’s great orchestrations in a pop-rock idiom that’s unusual for him. Unfortunately, very little of Winnie Holtzman’s adept libretto is included on the disc; the absence of dialogue leaves the estimable supporting performers Carole Shelley, Joel Grey, Christopher Fitzgerald, and Michelle Federer in the lurch. — Seth Christenfeld

Motion Picture Soundtrack, 2024 (Universal Studios and Republic Records) (3.5 / 5) With its extraordinary level of hype and an unprecedented two-part release, the motion picture adaptation of Stephen Schwartz and Winnie Holzman’s Wicked had a lot to live up to. But fans of the stage musical can breathe a sigh of relief: Wicked Part One is two hours and 40 minutes of nonstop entertainment. Much of its charm comes from its plethora of visual effects, so in that sense, this version is better seen than heard. However, credit where credit is due: The casting of Tony Award winner Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba ensured that the character’s songs would really get the chance to fly. As heard in the movie and on the soundtrack album, Erivo’s “Defying Gravity” knocked this reviewer’s socks off, and her rendition of “I’m Not That Girl” is softly thrilling. Part One of Wicked remains faithful to the stage musical by including the entire score heard in the show’s first act, including a few songs that might have been skipped, such as “A Sentimental Man” and “Something Bad.” The latter is, in fact, quite effective in a deeply felt performance by Peter Dinklage as Doctor Dillamond. If Jeff Goldblum as The Wizard and Michelle Yeoh as Madame Morrible aren’t quite up to their tasks vocally, their performances do not significantly hinder the listening experience. While Erivo’s Elphaba is staggeringly original, casting aside the inevitable ghost of Idina Menzel (who makes a charming cameo appearance here), Ariana Grande as Glinda finds the perfect balance between echoes of Kristin Chenoweth (also given a cameo in the film and on the album) and her own unique charm and humor; one can only hope that this performance is the first of many starring roles in musicals for her. Jonathan Bailey, who began his career as a West End musical theater actor, is smooth as butter in “Dancing Through Life,” even if the song’s extended instrumental sequences only really make sense with the movie’s visuals. This album does suffer from some of the aural artificiality heard in many soundtracks, but the orchestrations are lush, notably in the “Ozdust Duet.” While the recording lacks some of the raw power present on the original Broadway cast album, it’s an excellent representation of the score and a consistently delightful listen. — Charles Kirsch