The Sound of Music: Music from the NBC Television Event

The Sound of Music: Music from the NBC Television Event, also known as The Sound of Music: 2013 NBC Television Cast, or sometimes simply The Sound of Music, is a soundtrack album for The Sound of Music Live! released by Sony Masterworks on December 3, 2013. Released in CD and digital download formats, the album includes studio recordings instead of live tracks; the live performance was broadcast two days after the album release. A bonus compilation of nine instrumental tracks from the score was available exclusively through Walmart outlets. The album peaked at number 17 on the Billboard 200 and number 2 on the Billboard Soundtracks.

Critical reception
Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic gave the soundtrack three out of five stars and did not give much of a positive review. He stated that the soundtrack "is absent the one quality that made the televised musical so interesting: it is not recorded live; it was cut in the studio" and stated that by doing so the cast are showing how they "are throwing themselves into their roles." Erlewine did however praise them for staying true to the original Broadway musical and the film by stating "the arrangements are faithful to either the original Broadway production or, most often, the 1965 film -- which is appropriate" and concluded by stating "This 2013 staging is a nostalgic celebration of one of the most beloved 20th century musicals and it does right by its source material." Matt Bjorke of Roughstock praised Underwood's vocals stating "She really suits musical theater (much like she’s a classical country singer at heart). Her pure and pristine voice simply shines on songs like "The Sound of Music" and "My Favorite Things" (with Audra McDonald). Bjorke also predicted that the album would do well due to Underwood's appearance on the soundtrack and stating her duets with Moyer and Rinehart "are equally strong and beautifully crafted with musical director/conductor David Chase." He also stated that Borle's, McDonald's and Benanti's appearances would "help the soundtrack give fans something to enjoy long after the live event concludes." Bjorke concluded by stating "This is an iconic Broadway production and while there has been some ‘worry’ that they'll mess it up, this soundtrack should easily put those worries to rest and it should give fans excitement that Carrie Underwood could one day headline a Broadway production if she so chooses to do so."

Credits and personnel
Credits and personnel:


 * On instruments


 * John Allred – trombone
 * Erin Benim – violin
 * Keith Bonner – flute, piccolo
 * Laura Bontrager – cello
 * David Byrd-Marrow – horn
 * Sean Carney – violin
 * Lynne Cohen – oboe, English horn
 * Jason Covey – trumpet
 * David Creswell – viola
 * Jonathan Dinklage – violin
 * Dominic Derasse – trumpet
 * Carla Fabiani – viola
 * Gareth Flowers – trumpet
 * Bill Hayes – percussion
 * JJ Johnson – viola
 * Susan Jolles – harp
 * Steve Kenyon – clarinet
 * Shinwon Kim – violin
 * Aaron Korn – horn
 * Adam Krauthamer – horn
 * Michael Kuennen – bass
 * Scott Kuney – guitar
 * Matt Lehmann – violin
 * Jonathan Levine – clarinet
 * Elizabeth Lim-Dutton – violin
 * Lisa Matricardi – violin
 * Nat Mayland – trombone
 * Maxim Mostom – violin
 * Matt Perri – celesta, organ
 * Marcus Rojas – tuba
 * John Romeri – flute
 * Rich Rosenzweig – percussion
 * Sarah Seiver – cello
 * Daniel Sullivan – bassoon
 * Mineko Yajima – violin


 * Sounding


 * Laura Benanti – lead vocals (tracks 8, 14)
 * Christian Borle – lead vocals (tracks 8, 14)
 * Michael Campayno – lead vocals (track 6)
 * Sophia Caruso – children's group vocals (tracks 5, 7, 12, 18-20)
 * Peyton Ella – children's group vocals (tracks 5, 7, 12, 18-20)
 * Audra McDonald – lead vocals (tracks 1, 3–4, 13, 21), background vocals (3)
 * Jessica Molaskey – lead & background vocals (track 3)
 * Stephen Moyer – lead vocals (tracks 9, 14–15, 18-20)
 * Michael Nigro – children's group vocals (tracks 5, 7, 12, 18-20)
 * Christiane Noll – background & additional lead vocals (track 3)
 * Ariane Rinehart – lead vocals (track 6, 17), children's group vocals (5, 7, 12, 18-20)
 * Grace Rundhaug – children's group vocals (tracks 5, 7, 12, 18-20)
 * Elena Shaddow – background & additional lead vocals (track 3)
 * The Sound of Music Television Cast Ensemble – choir/chorus
 * The Sound of Music Television Orchestra – orchestral accompaniment (tracks 1–9, 12-21), All instruments performed by (10-11, 22)
 * Carrie Underwood – primary artist, lead vocals (tracks 2, 4–5, 7, 15, 17-20)
 * Ella Watts-Gorman – children's group vocals (tracks 5, 7, 12, 18-20)
 * Joe West – children's group vocals (tracks 5, 7, 12, 18-20)


 * The Nuns of Nonnberg Abbey (background vocals) - Cameron Adams, Margot De La Barre, Wendi Bergamini, Ashley Brown, Stowe Brown, Catherine Brunell, Paula Leggett Chase, Nikki Renee Daniels, Adrienne Danrich, Gina Ferrall, Joy Hermalyn, Leah Horowitz, Autumn Hulbert, Andrea Jones-Sojola, Sydney Morton, Linda Mugleston, Laura Shoop, Georgia Stitt, Rema Webb (tracks 1, 16, 21)


 * Managerial


 * Anixter Rice Music Service - music preparation
 * Rob Ashford – stage direction
 * David Chase - music direction, music supervisor
 * Randy Cohen – keyboard programming
 * Reuben Cohen – mastering
 * Howard Joines – music coordinator
 * Fred Lassen – associate music supervisor
 * Jennifer Liebeskind – product development
 * Gavin Lurssen – mastering
 * Marty Maidenberg – project consultant
 * Beth McCarthy-Miller – stage direction
 * George Stitt - nun caption
 * Janet Weber – recording production manager
 * Ian Weinberger – music assistant
 * Emily Bruskin Yarbrough - concert master


 * Technical and production


 * Doug Besterman – orchestration, producer
 * David Channing – score editor
 * David Chase – conductor, producer, synopsis
 * Tyler Hartman – assistant engineer, additional vocal recording
 * Steven Malone – children's choirmaster
 * Neil Meron – executive producer
 * Cathleen Murphy – A&R
 * Nate Odden – assistant engineer
 * Priscilla Taussig – producer
 * Frank Wolf – engineer, mixing, producer, recording
 * Craig Zadan – executive producer


 * Visuals and imagery


 * Ted Chapin – liner notes
 * Russel Crouse – book
 * Autumn de Wilde – photography
 * Russ Elliott – photography
 * Oscar Hammerstein II – lyricist
 * Howard Lindsay – book
 * Scott McDaniel – cover design
 * Nino Muñoz – cover photo
 * Patrick Randak – photography
 * Richard Rodgers – composer, lyricist (track 15 only)
 * Giovanni Rufino – photography
 * Federico Ruiz – design
 * Robert Trachtenberg – photography

Sales and chart performance
The album debuted on the Billboard 200 chart at number 17 with sales of 38,000. On December 21, 2013 the soundtrack debuted at number 2 on the Billboard Soundtracks chart. The following week the soundtrack held the number 2 spot on the Billboard Soundtracks chart, as well as its third week on the chart. It has sold 103,000 copies in the US as of January 2, 2014.