Zanobard Reviews

Stephen Schwartz and John Powell’s Wicked: For Good offers a phenomenal soundtrack conclusion to the title story, with soaring themes both old and new intertwined with many a reference to the iconic songs, and utterly spectacular orchestrations that make this sequel score just as enchanting as the first.

A year later, we finally return to the wonderful musical land of Stephen Schwartz and John Powell’s Wicked! After the absolute magic that the first film’s score was, to say anticipation levels were high for this sequel soundtrack is putting it mildly indeed, so I won’t waste much time before getting started except to say that – much like with last year’s review – I’m a bit of a layman when it comes to the Wicked musical itself. So if you’re after a second-by-second breakdown of where any and all notational references to all the fantastic songs are here, you may want to look elsewhere. Instead from my end, I’m going to simply discuss the standout moments as I usually do, and walk you through how Schwartz and Powell’s utter orchestral magic has once again graced us this year. So without further ado, For Good begins with “Building A Golden Road”; wary strings and cold, moody vocals paint an unusually unsettling picture in the opening seconds, before more hopeful strings and brass begin to stir in a rather classical, Wizard Of Oz-like manner alongside twinkling percussion. Frenetic action suddenly leaps into centre stage at just before the two minute mark, with crashes of brass and flurries of strings rapidly building until a triumphant brassy crescendo re-introduces the immense orchestrations behind “No One Mourns The Wicked”, and the track then quickly thunders out. All-in, we’re certainly back in Schwartz and Powell’s Oz, what an opening!

The five minute “Bubbles And Rainbows” twinkles with delightful upbeatness in its opening minute, with ethereally chanting vocals and lightly dancing percussion all abound before the moodier Madame Morrible theme from the first film eerily reprises, and the music then settles into a wary string tranquility. This orchestral gentleness continues into the subsequent “Backstage Confrontation” alongside quietly wondrous vocals, before “Lies In The Sky” then ushers in flurries of strings, tense vocals and blasting brass for a thunderously frenetic ninety second action setpiece. “Forest Furnishing” afterward however then quietens the score back down, with twinkling percussion and slow strings evoking quite a peaceful mood overall. The motivic work behind “The Wicked Witch Of The East” song from the musical then echoes rather solemnly in “Governor Nessa’s Petty Proclamations” alongside the tense opening instrumentation from “Building A Golden Road” until a similarly serene rendition of “No One Mourns The Wicked” closes out the track. Orchestral tensions continue into the short “Oz Is Lost” with the wary Golden Road theme reprising, before “The Wicked Witch Of The East” returns tranquilly at the start of “Sisterly Reunion” alongside sombre strings and moody brass hints toward the Golden Road theme, before once again being closed out by “No One Mourns The Wicked” (a plinking playthrough this time).

Unsurprisingly, the thematic focus of “All Around The Wicked Witch Of The East” is the titular song, with intense vocals echoing aggressively at first before the aforementioned theme leaps tremendously into centre stage on soaring brass and strings. “Tin Woodman” then quietens things down with low-pitched, almost tragic strings playing in that same Wizard Of Oz-like tone again before “Wedding Preparations” lightens the mood with sprightly bursts of brass, lusciously swirling strings and a swelling finishing rendition of “No One Mourns The Wicked”. This instrumental upbeatness then continues into “A Model Wizard” and the opening minute of “Monkey Freedom”, with optimistic appearances of both “No One Mourns The Wicked” and “Defying Gravity” echoing gently through before an explosion of brassy grandeur suddenly elevates things, with moodier vocals bringing the track to a wary close shortly after. The wedding magic then returns in “Popular Wedding Music”, with gentle waltz-like strings and twinkling percussion starting things off and a gorgeously enthusiastic crescendo happily following. Coldly downtrodden vocals and sweeping strings then kick off action setpiece “Cages, Chaos And Cake”, with surges of brass building in both volume and intensity until a rapid chanting pace surges into centre stage with said vocals and blasts of brass dancing in musical chaos all the way to the end of this dramatically frenetic cue.

A solemn mood echoes on strings at the start of “Lust And Betrayal”, with the first few minutes of this six minute cue interplaying on that tone alongside infrequent ethereal vocals and plinks of percussion. As the track continues the mood then turns almost regretful, with a quietly pensive rendition of “No One Mourns The Wicked” sounding through. Orchestral tensions then dial up considerably for the fast-paced “Cyclones And Premonitions”, with the Madame Morrible motif playing tensely alongside increasingly frantic, horror-like strings, moody brass and some rather Elfman-esque chanting vocals. The backing orchestrations behind “The Wicked Witch Of The East” then reprise in the rather mournful “Requiem For A Witch” on plinks of downtrodden percussion, before a brassy rendition of “What Is This Feeling?” from the first Wicked grandly announces itself in the subsequent “Witches Get Snitches” with rapid strings and vocal chanting. The short “Getting What You Wanted” then simmers eerily with low-pitched strings and brass, and “Ride To See Elphie” afterward brings orchestral franticness back to the forefront in its first half as intense brassy action thunders along before the music then quietens in the second with rather mournful strings reprising “No One Mourns The Wicked.” This strings-focused sorrow also continues into the subsequent minute-long “Into The Closet” alongside some powerfully swelling vocals.

As the score starts to approach its end, dramatic piano opens “The Melting” with a vocal reprisal of “No One Mourns The Wicked” echoing tensely alongside grandly imposing brass. The mood however then softens toward track’s end, with a gentle strings introduction given to “For Good” before fading out. This more peaceful tone continues initially into “The Story Of The Green Bottle” before apprehensive vocals suddenly explode with sheer orchestral grandeur, leading into the rather heroic “The Rise Of Glinda”; rapid strings and ethereally chanting vocals lead an increasingly upbeat and hopeful charge here, building to a brand new and rather Superman-esque theme presumably for Glinda herself that kicks off at ninety seconds in with marching percussion and powerful brass. This soaring hopefulness then continues into the subsequent “Glinda’s Speech” alongside twinkles of magical percussion, with an utterly spellbinding final minute ensuing as joyous strings and brass build “For Good” up to an incredible crescendo. “A Wicked Good Finale” then starts to bring things full circle, bringing back “For Good” and “No One Mourns The Wicked” in swellingly hopeful form with fully vocal and genuinely phenomenal renditions. To close the album, an utterly stellar suite then gives both Wicked scores an impeccable sendoff, with unapologetically upbeat orchestra reprising Glinda’s new theme, “Defying Gravity, “For Good” and “No One Mourns The Wicked” in about as soaringly grandiose a manner as possible – so Standout Cue this most certainly is.

Overall much like 2024’s Wicked, Stephen Schwartz and John Powell’s Wicked: For Good soars with tremendous orchestral splendour throughout its runtime, making for some truly spellbinding musical moments as a result. Schwartz’s musical talent is of course centre stage, with the backing orchestrations of various (and indeed spectacular) songs from the title musical once again leading frequently as major themes. Returning ones like “No One Mourns The Wicked”, “Defying Gravity” and “What Is This Feeling” provide moments of utter orchestral wonder throughout, though I do feel the standout song award should go to “For Good” in the sheer emotion it evokes in the final tracks of this album (see “Glinda’s Speech” and “A Wicked Good Finale”). John Powell’s orchestral style too is fantastic as usual, and elevates not only the aforementioned songs to soaring heights but also a series of both old and new themes, with the utter highlight being a marchingly heroic new motif for Glinda that powers its way along in a tremendously Superman-like manner (“The Rise Of Glinda”). All-in if, much like myself, you felt a bit daunted by the sheer musical majesty of Wicked, don’t let that shy you away from this score (or its prequel) as at its core, Schwartz and Powell’s work here is an exquisitely orchestrated fantasy soundtrack that’s as big on heart and wonder as it is on soaring themes, and should be enjoyed no matter how you may feel about musicals.

Just listen to the utterly glorious “Wicked For Good Suite” below. There are no words.

Score: 8/10

Standout Cues: The Rise Of Glinda, Wicked For Good Suite

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