Gohst Story

When and how was the Earth formed? What is the link between earthquakes, volcanoes and the creation of the continents? How do mountains affect our climate? What triggers Ice Ages? This book and the accompanying television series answer these and many other questions, telling the amazing story of our planet and its constantly changing nature.

The soundtrack of the West Side Story film is deservedly one of the most popular soundtrack recordings of all time, and one of the relatively few to have attained long-term popularity beyond a specialized soundtrack/theatrical musical audience. (It is an entirely different recording, it should be emphasized, from the original Broadway cast recording, which was also a massive-selling album.) Its widespread impact could be attributed to a few factors: the wide range of compositional and orchestral styles, from cool swing jazz and shades of Latin pop to classical; the universality of the storyline, pitting underdog lovers against the world; and an assortment of songs that goes well beyond the sentimental love odes that are the staples of musicals (though it has some of those, too), including some downright tough posturing and sardonic social commentary. "Jet Song," "America," "Gee, Officer Krupke," "Tonight," "Cool," "Maria," "I Feel Pretty," and "Something's Coming" are all among the most famous and oft-sung soundtrack numbers ever.

Collection of West Side Story's greatest musical moments reinterpreted by jazz greats such as Cal Tjader, Stan Kenton, the Dave Brubeck Quartet, Oscar Peterson Trio, Andre Previn with Shelly Manne and Red Mitchell, Annie Ross and Gerry Mulligan, Marian McPartland and others. Never before had there been a musical whose protagonists were 'youths of the street whose speech is acrid and ugly', and whose conduct is 'neurotic and savage'. This was not a show meant to entertain and to amuse with a romantic story and lifting music but one of revolt, struggle and tragedy. That it became such an astounding success all over the world is due to the breath-taking sequence of scenes of an ever-changing character and mood, in which melodrama, solo and ensemble singing, dialogue, ballet, and instrumental interludes follow each other in stark dramatic succession.

Toy Story Mania! is the first video game to place characters from the Toy Story films into a carnival game setting and is expected to resonate with fans of the films and the attraction, as well as gamers who like pick-up-and-play party games. In the game, players experience the fast-paced, zany fun of the Toy Story Mania! theme park attraction, which is an interactive experience requiring 3D glasses and involving rapid or quick-firing shooting galleries.

A memoir journey for healing and transformation

Lucasfilm releases the Deluxe Original Motion Picture Soundtrack to Ron Howard directed origin story of Star Wars', with the original theme by legendary series composer John Williams alongside John Powell's (How to Train Your Dragon, The Bourne Identity, Shrek, Happy Feet, Chicken Run, X-Men: The Last Stand) momentous original score.

Story studied classical piano while growing up in Southern California and even thought about becoming a music librarian or theorist for a while. Then she heard jazz pianist Bill Evans at a New York club, and the experience changed her perspective on music overnight. Story, who had studied at Juilliard and was enrolled at Hunter College at the time, abandoned her academic program in favor of jazz lessons with Sanford Gold, a teacher Evans had recommended. Back in Los Angeles, she continued her musical education at UCLA and the Dick Grove Music Workshops, but it was a job playing piano at a French restaurant that sparked her major breakthrough as a composer. Since the front casing of the piano was missing, Story had no place to put her sheet music and was forced to improvise freely. Eventually, she put some of her spontaneous compositions on tape and sent them to Windham Hill. Within four days, Will Ackerman had called her back and the contract was signed for her first release, Solid Colors, an album of impressionistic piano miniatures. Over the course of five recordings, including a two-album stint with RCA Novus, Story's style has expanded to include electronic duets with Mark Isham and works for various types of ensembles, yet the piano remains the prominent voice in her finely crafted compositions.

Grow your community with stories

The GAIA Music Festival takes place annually in Oberhofen in Switzerland. The brainchild of violinist Gwendolyn Masin, the Festival is named after the Greek goddess of the Earth, and in just a few years has grown into a thriving and captivating series of events. Concerts from the Festival have been recorded in collaboration with Orchid Classics, capturing the energy and spontaneity of these special live performances.