Who Will Love This Child
Dennis DeYoung's Hunchback of Notre-Dame, performed in Nashville 9/19/97
Hunchback of Notre Dame is a recording of music written by Dennis DeYoung for his musical adaptation of Victor Hugo's novel The Hunchback of Notre Dame. The musical was performed at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center in Nashville to some very positive reviews.
This recording was commercially released directly by DeYoung and is an early version of the score, with DeYoung performing all of the male parts and his sister-in-law Dawn Marie performing the female parts.
Several songs are related to Styx and solo DeYoung releases. "Beneath the Moon" is a re-worked version of the song by the same name from DeYoung's 1988 Boomchild album. "Paradise" was later lyrically altered and re-recorded by Styx and released as a studio track on Styx's Return to Paradise double live album. In addition, "While There's Still Time" was likewise re-recorded and included on Styx's Brave New World album. (WIKIPEDIA).
Track listing
All songs written by Dennis DeYoung
"Who Will Love this Child" - 4:22
"King of Fools" - 4:37
"Hey Quasimodo" - 3:28
"By the Grace of God" - 1:53
"When I Dance for You" - 3:53
"Ave Maria" - 4:32
"Alms for the Beggarman" - 4:06
"Paradise" - 3:15
"Bless Me Father" - 3:14
"With Every Heartbeat" - 5:29
"Beneath the Moon" - 4:16
"While There's Still Time" - 3:59
"This I Pray" - 3:40
"Esmerelda" - 3:28
"The Confrontation" - 3:32
"Sanctuary" - 1:37
"With Every Heartbeat (Reprise)" - 2:57
With an aria-laden score that could easily flummox lesser singers, the cast of principals brings the music to life. Mike Eldred gives a soul-piercing performance as the reviled bell-ringer Quasimodo, singing with a crisp tenor that conveys the inner purity of his character. James Barbour is a powerful Father Frollo, lending humanity to a character that, as written, is too nasty too early.
As Esmerelda, Ana Maria Andricain is on stage more than any other performer and is burdened with the most spoken dialogue (not to mention a costume made of heavy brocade). Andricain shines, however, in the later abduction scenes in which she confronts Frollo as the killer of her lover.
Given this strong cast, and the audience’s ovations for the thrilling stage extravaganza, DeYoung is given a noble first production of his “Hunchback.” It’s up to him to bring out the story’s heart. (VARIETY).