By the time this 40th anniversary deluxe edition of
The Sound of Music appeared in 2005, it had gotten to the point where the soundtrack was getting reissued every five years. That's a testament to the musical's enduring popularity, for sure, but also a testament to the entertainment industry's avarice in squeezing every last foot of mileage from this perennial screen favorite. Be cautioned that this iteration of
The Sound of Music does not include all of the material that has been issued on previous editions, although it of course has the soundtrack versions of the staples any consumer of any disc representation of the film would demand: "The Sound of Music," "My Favorite Things," "Do-Re-Mi," and "Climb Ev'ry Mountain." The extras, which is what most The Sound of Music devotees will zero in on, start with the film versions of "Edelweiss," "Sixteen Going on Seventeen" in its reprise form, and the orchestral piece "Laendler," none of which were included on the original soundtrack LP. Also on board are previously unreleased reprise versions of "Do-Re-Mi," "My Favorite Things," and "So Long, Farewell," as well as the orchestral track "Entr'acte" and a brief orchestral finale. So these aren't extras that most general listeners will miss, though for what they're worth, the sound quality on these bonus tracks is up to the standards of the rest of the material. The other bonuses are brief interviews with producer/director Robert Wiseman, composer
Richard Rodgers, and actress
Charmian Carr (who played the role of Liesl in the film). Lasting around five minutes each, these aren't incredibly extensive or informative, and have a bit of a stilted feel, but will be valued by serious fans of the movie. The booklet reprints the original liner notes, as well as adding a 2005 essay on the history of the film, but to its discredit includes no specific information about the bonus musical and spoken tracks, or even details as to from where they were sourced. ~ Richie Unterberger, All Music Guide
