5 comments about Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker (Complete)/ Serenade in C Major/ Dorati.

1. Since it was recorded on 3-track 35mm film, the sound quality has been well preserved in The Nutcracker. Serenade for Strings, which is an even older recording, also sounds fine, but Dorati's interpretation is not as good as some of the more recent, more sensitive, more sonorous recordings. The audio splices in The Nutcracker are very obvious sometimes, and really detract from the listening experience once you notice them. Dorati is usually an ideal Tchaikovsky interpreter, as evidenced by his uproarious version of the 1812 Overture, but in this case, he charges through this score with overzealous tempi. The famous Trepak is unsettlingly (and undanceably) fast, and many of the quieter movements barely lack the magical tenderness they deserve.
   
   Recommendation: Look elsewhere, if only because of the splices.



2. How frustrating. Like the other reviewers, I found Dorati's conducting masterful to the nth degree. Many details were revealed and the music (while not always dancable) was well paced, beautiful, exciting, and full of life. My problem with this recording lies in the many audible splices in the editing. Surely the Mercury team could have done better. One of two would not have been such a bother, but they occur repeatedly and are quite obvious, even on a substandard car system. Overall, the recording is very much worth having, but you may find these splices rather bothersome after repeated listening.



3. Beware. Dorati made two LPs of Nutcracker with the Minneapolis Symphony. One of them showed Dorati at his best, where you could hear the strings sing -- changing vowel sounds -- even more beautifully than in his incomparable recording of the 1812 Overture with the same orchestra. This CD uses the cover art of that all-time-best, but it is actually the other Dorati-Minneapolis Nutcracker. It's very good, but it's not on a level with the one they took that cover art from.



4. Antal Dorati was the Toscanini for ballet music as well as Tchaikovsky's music. In the 60's and 70's, he conducted all over Europe and recorded LP's for distribution in America. This Nutcracker was orginally an LP, the Nutcracker in its entirety with the addition of Tchaikovsky's Serenade For Strings. There are many fine interpretations of the beloved Christmas classic, one of which Charles Mackerras' version strikes us as the best. But Dorati has precision and perfectionist zeal that makes the score to the ballet sound more true to the Russian spirit that Tchaikovsky blended with European elegance and symphonic treatment. Sentimentality was always Tchaikovsky's strong points, endowed with musical genius and tonal color and lavished attention to every individual instrument.

   The original liner notes for the LP are to be found here, documenting the life of Tchaikovsky and the background for his creating the ballet based on E.T.A. Hoffman's dark fairy tale, The Nutcracker. It is the tale of Clara, how one evening at a family Christmas party she was given a Nutcracker as a toy, how it magically comes to life and defeats the Mouse King and his minions. Clara is whisked away into the magical dream world of Act 2. Through divertissements, dance sequences with no plot to further the story, she encounters Spanish dancers, an Arab dancer, Chinese dancers, Russian Trepak dancers and an incredibly sweeping, romantic Waltz of Flowers. There is solo for the Nutcracker who has become a Prince by Act 2 and a pas de deux between him and Clara. The Pas De Deux is without question, the most romantic, intense and symphonic number in the whole ballet, evoking a climatic union of beauty and that dark fatalism that seems to permeate a lot of Tchaikovsky's music. For the Nutcracker, Tchaikovsky used celeste, a variation of the piano instrument, in the dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy, and was very proud that the other Russian composers, Mussorgsky and Borodin had not beat him to it.

   This is the best recording avaible and it is a bonus that it comes with a well orchestrated Serenade For Strings, a melodic, well structured piece of string music that Tchaikovsky wrote as a tribute to the Countess Von Meck who inspired his music and sponsored him financially. It is light, it is dark and it is rich in string symphonic style. Tchaikovsky's music is at best the most romantic and inspiring of his time. Kudos for the producers of this fine recording.

   For years, I have been a collector of ballet music and have taught dance as well. Tchaikovsky was a brilliant man, a tortured man, whose sexuality was forbidden by Russian law and who out of the depths of his pain, forged the most beautiful and most seriously romantic music of the nineteenth century, finding himself the equal to Beethoven.




5. Dorati's 60's orchestration of the beloved Christmas-oriented ballet from the Russian romantic Tchaikovsky is the greatest recording out there. There are a humber of reasons why this recording is quality. First of all, the conductor is Antal Dorati, the twentieth century's foremost ballet conductor of all time. He was an effective, brilliant perfectionist who demanded fiery passion and pathos in all his music, since he was true to Tchaikovsky's original intentions. The Nutcracker is played so many times during Christmas, it has become a background cliche for tv commercials and movies. The Russian Dance, or Trepak, is the most popular of the dances, as well as the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy. Young ballet dancers love the Nutcracker, as well as young and old audiences. It is full of magic, wide-eyed wonders and excellent dancing to excellent music. Particularily impressive on this recording are all of Act I (unfortunately the voices in the sequence of the Waltz of the Snowflakes are a choir of adult women soprano voices rather than the traditional children's voices), the Arabian Dance, Spanish Dance, Trepak, a different, more passionate and precise Waltz of the Flowers (it does not sound as lingering and elegant as most orchestrations), and the incredible Pas De Deux, which sounds absolutely breathtaking. I agree with the music fan from San Francisco and the Tchaikovsky fanatic reviewer Tchaikjp, who happens to be an acquiantance. Five Stars well deserved. Perfect.

5 comments about Copacabana (1994 Original London Cast).

1. This product fit our needs perfectly. Our daughter is a dancer and needed some songs from this sound-track. If not for dance, however, this product would not be up my alley.



2. Well there are the extreme dramas like Les Miserables, and there are there's the fluff like Copacabana. BUT Copa is not crap fluff; this CD is actually quite an enjoyable listen. The singers aren't spectacular, but they aren't horrible either. The lyrics are... well, not everything you've dreamed of, but they are certainly fitting with the song Copacabana. I bought this CD some years ago when my high school was performing it, but hadn't listened to it with a critical ear till recently and I was presently surprised at how many times I smiled during the listen. I would suggest this for anyone who likes a smile encouraging show. If you are a Showboat purist, you can pass this one, but beyond that, this show is for every age and person. Favorite song: "Man Wanted"



3. It's NOT a good idea to take a 3-minute pop song and try to spin it out to a full fledged stage musical.

   I saw this in the theatre in a pre-Broadway tour that folded on the road..with good reason: The New York critics would pan it! I and the other Toronto critics sure did.

   If Barry Manilow is serious about writing for Broadway someone with his talent would certainly be welcome, but he had better learn HOW to create a musical: How and where to use music to enhance key dramnatic moments; how to structure songs so thay make plot points effectively; and how to develop interesting plot lines and characters. Start by studying some of the great hits: OKLAHOMA!; MY FAIR LADY; CABARET; COMPANY; etc and study how Hammerstein, Sondheim, Comden & Green, Kander and Ebb and others use songs to support the book and concept of the show.

   COPACABANA looks like some high school kid watched some old 1940s movie musicals and decided to write one of his own based on the popular song hit. The one song aside there is nothing memorable in this score and the songs onm this CD have almost nothing to do with the plot or characters. In 25 years of reviewing theatre I have never seen such an amaturish show being passd off as something worthy of Broadway.




4. I don't know what took me so long to buy this CD. I think Barry is very good in Copa and should have been in movies. He is a natural and has a great sense of humor, again a natural. I love Barry because he makes me feel young and everyday I listen to his music whether it is a video or in my car. There just aren't enough nice things to say about this man. I have never seen him in concert, but plan on attending one as soon as he comes to my area. He has such an enduring talent and I only wish I could know him personally. He is just like the kids I grew up with when I lived in New York. Fun and just full of life. I Love You Barry!!!!



5. "Copacabana" has rhythms for everyone - swing, jazz, ballad and Latin! The music is energetic and full of fine percussion and horn - it should get anyone on their feet! There are a few recognizable tunes a la Barry Manilow (aside from the title song). The composers and lyricist have taken time to develop catchy tunes and some clever and excellent lyrics in most cases. For musical theatre buffs, the tale of Lola and Tony and the obstacles which, true to musical theatre, ALMOST keep them apart is a familiar but never tiring story. The albumn is a must for Barry Manilow fans - and if you aren't a Manilow fan, give it a listen. I think you will find some nice surprises.

5 comments about Cyrano (1973 Original Broadway Cast).

1. With a leading man who can't sing, lyrics that are no better than the title of this review and a score that is like paint by numbers, "Cyrano" is as great a musical as were the Emperor's New Clothes. I saw this show and was bored and appalled that it was even considered a musical. I saw Cyrano at the Palace Theatre where I also saw Yul Brynner in "Home, Sweet Homer." The two shows should play on adouble-bill--The Demise of the Broadway Musical.



2. I saw this Cyrano and have the CD and it has some awful music. Why take a classic and add tuneless music?
   The CD sits on my shelf unplayed. A must
   for the curious Broadway Seeker. All else, will be disapponted.



3. 1. There were two Broadway shows that somehow unfairly did not get the "press & praise", or whatever, to get the attention of the theatre-going public to catch on and become smash hits.
   
   2. Luckily for us, there were recordings of these two Broadway shows on lp.
   
   3. Sadly, for those of us who enjoyed those old lp albums and wished and waited for years and years for them to be remastered to cds, it seemed we would never be able to enjoy these "lost" scores ever again.
   
   4. Now, through some lucky stroke of unlikely chance, we have recently been twice blessed with the remastering and release of BOTH of them on compact disk! All I can say is "There IS a God!" and also "Thank You", "Thank You", "Thank You" to those responsible for the "saving" and "preservation" of these two works by digitizing and releasing them for us again.
   
   One of these two works is "Cyrano" with the great portrayl by Christopher Plummer of certainly one of the greatest characters in all literature. This show sadly closed after only a very few performances. The songs, while not really "great" are certainly quite listenable--but ONE, is spectacular and makes it worth the cost of the whole album, and that is "You Have Made Me Love"--what a winner it is!
   
   The second of these works is "Baker Street" with Fritz Weaver and Inga Swenson. Luckily, I was fortunate enough to see this one before it closed, also, shortly after it opened. I could never understand why it did not catch on. Weaver and Swenson were simply marvelous, it was exciting, funny, and had great tunes and catchy lyrics. I dispaired for years over the non-release of this show on compact disc. I even wrote Universal, who has the rights to Decca's catalogue, and they blew me off. Then, out of the blue this spring there it was listed as a pre-release on amazon here! I immediately went to my local music shop and ordered a copy. And guess what.......there is a bonus track of the Great Richard Burton singing the best song from the show "A Married Man"!
   
   If you love Broadway Cast albums, you need these two disks. If you remember the shows, you need these two disks. And lastly, if you are totally unfamiliar with these two works, you need these two disks. In short--You Need These Disks! Period!
   
   Take my word, both of these albums are wonderful "keepers" that you will listen to over and over, both because they are unusual and not so well known, and also because they are truly great works. I wish you much happy listening to them. ~operabruin



4. This is a little-known score but it is quite a jewel. It includes songs and dialogue and it is quite faithful to the original play. The songs are old-fashioned but very appropiate to the story and to the tragic romance. It was truly worth the wait.



5. I am one of the blessed who actually saw one of the 49 performances of this musical on Broadway. Cyrano + Christopher Plummer = an unbeatable combination. After all, it was my favorite play, I revered Christopher Plummer and musicals have always been my favorite genre. The production was positively galvanizing. Some wonderful teacher took us to it for a class trip, bless her! (Could it have been Mrs. Cerruti from French Class? Just trying to give credit to hopefully the proper party!) I have to go look for that Playbill soon.
   I was uplifted by the theatrical experience, I cherished the album later (I still have it), and now I am ecstatic about owning the CD as well. I received it yesterday, and listened to it once last night, and five times in my car today.
   The composer, lyricist and talent scouts should be happy to know that I am currently learning the lyrics to "From Now Till Forever" (I just love the line, "The atoms within me have been rearranged"!!!) and also to "You Have Made Me Love"...just be glad I keep the windows closed!
   
   "A man fights for more than the mere hope of winning."
   Here's to panache!

5 comments about Concepts.

1. I recently have started to collect Frank's music. I have decided to work backwards from his Reprise years back to his Dorsey days. I saw the price on this set at several retailers for well over 225, but Amazon has an amazing sale on it right now, so my girlfriend bought it for me as a gift.
   
   When I got the set, I remember reading that the set was no longer the 16 individual albums but now in slip cases. Thats what I got. It is a gorgeous set with a very nice hard bound book and the CDs in well made slip cases. My gripe about the set though it that its very hard to get the CD books out of the main box, as they get stuck in there.
   
   The music is too good for words. Sinatra's Reprise years had some great music and some terrible music all mixed up. Not his Capitol recordings, they are all just amazing. Others on Amazon have mentioned that some of the songs overemphasize Sinatra's voice and I can definately see what they mean. When these discs are played on my high-end audio system in the house, this is very noticeable. When played in the car or on the computer, its not as much so. It is a good transfer of the music though, with no major problems.
   
   All in all, well worth the green. If your considering this set (as I was for a while), the current Amazon price is the one to go for!



2. Nothing needs to be said about the artistic quality of these recordings. However, the CONCEPTS box set has been re-released in the spring of 2007 with new packaging and is no longer available in the wooden box described in somee of the older reviews. The new slim, cloth-bound set holds the individual CDs in two small book-like boxes, without jewels cases and separate booklets (it looks exactly like The Complete Reprise Studio Recordings). The accompanying book seems to be the same in terms of contents, if not cover design.



3. I bought this collection of Sinatra for my 90 year old blind father. It has brought back so many memories for him: I have heard stories about the courtship of him and mom, stories of his military service, and many more stories about his life . . . all sparked by hearing "Blue Eyes" sing a certain song. A family friend came over and upon hearing some of the music, told a story of going into NYC on the subway when she was 11 years old to see Sinatra perform live. In reliving some of these memories, I have been able to glean some very key information in my geneology research. I'm so glad I got this set for dad.



4. For me, it began years ago when I bought the abridged, "best of" compilations from each of his label periods. After awhile, what I had wasn't enough, and I have since forked out the cash for his Columbia (wood) box, and now this beauty, "Concepts". For those like me years ago, you simply have no idea what an embarrassment of riches is to be found inside this masterfully crafted box. Disc after disc of amazing work from one of the all-time legends, you will not believe your ears it is all so amazing. Now, I cannot speak to the issue of whether the sound quality is as good as it should be according to some of the other reviews for this, but it seems like a few titles seem to be missing some sonic "ooomph". Overall, I cannot complain too harshly. It's worth every penny. Buy one before they sell out, you won't regret it.



5. If you are a fan of Sinatra's music, this collection is well worth the price. You will not be disappointed; this collection is a musical masterpiece. With arrangements from Nelson Riddle and Billy May, Sinatra's voice has never been better.
   These albums represent what have been referred to as the first "concept albums". Rather than a miscellaneous collection of songs, the albums have been carefully constructed to set a certain "mood". The collection consists of upbeat "swing" albums as well as records featuring the ballad or, in the words of the Chairman, the "saloon" songs. A Christmas album as well as an instrumental album is also featured in this set.
   If you seriously love "the Voice", you'll love this collection.

5 comments about Evita (Original London Cast).

1. I bought this thinking it was the entire show. It's missing some of my favorite songs, such as "Rainbow Tour." Elaine Paige is great, but I don't care much for David Essex as Che.



2. Over the years Andrew Lloyd Webber has made many musicals, some more successful and appealing to the public than the others. Most people will, however, agree that "Evita" remains one of his most satisfying works to this date. Numerous reasons confirm this statement. Just like in its predecessor "Jesus Christ Superstar", "Evita" is almost entirely sung-through; the lyrics are witty and appropriate; the subject matter is again a personality larger-than-life who rises from obscurity and dies at the peak of its fame, thus becoming a legend; the score is captivating and appealing to the listener, at home or in the theatre.
   
   Following the suit of the Superstar, ALW and Tim Rice first published Evita as an album, which appeared in 1976. It was an instant success and soon afterwards the preparations began to put it on the stage. The veteran of the musical theatre direction, Hal Prince, accepted the offer to adapt the original album and Elaine Paige, then an unknown actress and musical theatre performer was cast in the role of Evita. The show premiered in London in 1978, winning acclaiming reviews and numerous awards. And yet, since the concept album was selling so well, the authors felt it unnecessary to release another full version of Evita, with the London cast. That is why we only have this highlights 53-minute recording of the original London production. The story of Evita is widely known, but for those who are new to this let's repeat the essentials: We follow the life story of Eva Duarte Peron, wife of post-World war two president of Argentina, Juan Peron. However, the musical is very loosely based on the actual life of the real Evita. The story follows Evita from the day of her death in July 1952, and then we have flashbacks until that moment, covering her coming to Buenos Aires, alleged love affairs, meeting Peron, being the first lady and dying of cancer at 33.
   
   Being the first theatre version of the somewhat revised concept album material, this disc is not the best recording available. There are several drawbacks. First, it lacks a great part of the show, since all we have here are snippets, i.e., the main musical numbers, meaning it is a bit difficult to follow the story if you are a first-time listener, even though the booklet provides a basic story outline. One of the other obvious weaknesses is the minimalist orchestrations used on this recording. After the lush and epic sound of the concept album featuring the London philharmonics and a rock band, here we have the usual pit orchestra, consisting of only the basic instruments. Thus the beauty of the score remains somewhat lost and is only traceable in hints. The authors seem to be aware of it, since for the upcoming Broadway recording of the show, the orchestrations were improved and sounded clearer.
   
   In addition, the cast performance here is also mixed. Although the role of Eva Peron raised Elaine Paige to stardom, I find her performance not the best, simply because her voice sounds too young. With time her vocal abilities matured, but here she just doesn't reach a much needed uncompromising determination of the character, the way Patti LuPone did on Broadway or Julie Covington on the original album. That is not to say that Elaine performance here is altogether bad, but it could have been much better. David Essex, on the other hand, is a very good Che. He has the strong vocal power Colm Wilkonson and Antonio Banderas both demonstrated in their interpretation, which leaves one wondering why was Mandy Patinkin cast in the role when the show was transferred to Broadway, since he had a very light and unpleasant voice. Joss Ackland, an esteemed British actor is a well chosen Peron, with a suitable dark note in his performance.
   
   The CD comes with a couple of the production photos, but no lyrics are included.
   
   For those of you who are getting acquainted with the story of Eva Peron for the first time I must point out: Bear in mind that this musical is only loosely based on the life of the real Evita. As much as Tim Rice's lyrics are craftily made, they lack a lot of historical accuracy. As a historian I became very interested in Eva Peron's life story so I did some research after seeing the movie. It turned out that the authors based their entire work on a single book called EVITA: THE WOMAN WITH A WHIP by Mary Main. It was based on rumors, lies and myths, written with the single purpose of slandering Eva Peron as much as possible. It contains no footnotes and no bibliography. The authors used it mainly because it was one of the few books available on the subject in the English language during the 70-is. So one should be very careful in making any conclusions based on the musical or the movie alone.
   
   So this disk is more of a welcomed addition for the collectors of the Evita cast recordings, rather than a first-choice album for the new listeners. The latter should get one of the three available 2-CD albums: the 1976 concept recording with Julie Covington, the 1979 Broadway cast with the best Evita of them all, the Tony-winning Patti LuPone, or the very good 1996 movie soundtrack with Madonna in the lead. They all have the complete score and are much more satisfying than this highlights album.



3. This soundtrack does not, in my opinion, rate as high as the Original Broadway Cast album with Mandy Patinkin and Patti Lupone, but it is not too bad. It is incomplete, which was a disappointment. Elaine Page doesn't hold a candle to Patti Lupone as Evita, and the Che leaves much to be desired. The highlight of this album is "Another Suitcase in Another Hall" which is simply superb. It was worth buying the cd just for that song. Some of the lyrics are different, which was interesting to hear, because they changed them around a bit when Evita was brought to the US. If you are an Evita lover I would suggest this album, but if you are just being introduced to Evita I would suggest going with the Patti Lupone and Mandy Patinkin cd.



4. I wanted the complete Evita soundtrack, and this rendition was terribly disappointing. The cd ends abruptly mid story. Voices are spectacular of course, but the cover suggests this is the original London peformance and a buyer, like me, expects the entire musical score. I wouldn't buy this again.



5. THANK GOODNESS FOR THE BROADWAY PRODUCTION OF EVITA! THIS MUSCIAL IS VERY GOOD, YET IT HAS SOME WEAK SPOTS, BUT THAT DOSN'T MEAN LONDON SHOULD TAKE THEM OUT IN THE FIRST STAGE PRODUCTION OF EVITA. THERE ARE A LOT OF MISTAKES AND THINGS THEY SHOULD OF ADDED. HERE'S A LIST.

   *THEY SHOULD OF ADDED 'RAINBOR TOUR' I LOVE THAT SONG
   *BUENOS AIRES SHOULD OF BEEN LONGER
   *A NEW ARGETINA SHOULD OF BEEN LONGER
   *THEY SHOULD OF ADDED 'DICE ARE ROLLING" ANYTHING THAT HAS THE 'A NEW ARGETINA' MUSIC I JUST LOVE.
   *THE COVER LOOKS TOO OLD. IF THEY WERE GONNA PUT IT ON A CD, THEY SHOULD OF MADE A NEW LOOK OR COVER.
   *IT SHOULD OF HAD 23 SONGS INSTEAD OF 15

   THERE ARE A LOT MORE REASONS WHY THIS CD WAS DREADFULL BUT I DON'T WANT TO WASTE YOUR TIME. I SAY BUY THE ORIGINAL BROADWAY CAST WITH THE EXELLENT PATTIE LuPONE. WHO CARES ABOUT THAT ESSEX GUY.

5 comments about Cleo Laine Sings Sondheim.

1. I wanted to hear Dame Cleo Laine and this was my first compact disc but not my last. She is a great singer with a super range. She can sing all of Sondheim songs especially Send in the Clowns which is one of my favorite Sondheim songs. I love Dame Cleo and I have listened to the original Company soundtrack and Dame Cleo puts them to shame sorry but she's just wonderful to listen to on the car ride home.



2. This is the finest all around recording available as far as solo performers of Sondheim go!
   Not only does Ms. Laine truly know how to interpret his songs but the lush orchestrations and production quality of this recording are unsurpassed. I cannot recommend this recording more highly.



3. Dame Cleo Laine must be in her late 70s now, although this album was recorded in 1988. It is in her jazz and theatre work that she best demonstrates her vast range and pyrotechnical abilities, actually touching high B-flat in one version of the song "Music" and was registered as reaching a note higher than B in her live version of "Being Alive" in Carnegie Hall.
   
   "Cleo Sings Sondheim" did not showcase those stratospheric vocal flights except in some instances where the song calls for that, but her burnished lower registers and her storytelling technique in songs are what separate her from other singers. She can tell the story of a woman slowly unhinged in "Losing My Mind" or vamp up a Follies tune "I Am Here" with the insouciance of an experienced woman. She can then revisit songs overly recorded like "Send in the Clowns" and vastly and differently remove us from the unforgettable versions of Marti Webb, Sarah Vaughan and even Glenn Close's heartbreaking live performance. She can locate a moment of barely contained hysteria in "I'm Calm" and do a rapid-fire vocalese of "Everybody Says Don't" that has all the technical skill and precision of a newly cranked Ferrari.

   Sondheim songs are difficult to sing because of the theatrical demands imposed upon a singer who should act the songs rather than sing beautifully with detachment. That is why very few singers ever do Sondheim or when they do, there are performers who do them better justice than others. I single out Ute Lemper because of her profound understanding of the darkness in these songs. I can imagine Holly Cole doing a Sondheim song too and deconstruct it the way Patricia Barber does but none of the postmodern lapses of the latter. Surprisingly, those who were touted as Sondheim "interpreters" did not move me much, like Bernadette Peters and Barbara Cook. But I was awed by non-singers like Glenn Close who managed to see the melancholy and pessimism of his songs and bring them out much better than trained singers.

   Cleo Laine's album of Sondheim-niana is a very good place to start, but then there is no accounting for personal tastes and a listener is always finding things in songs than others. But this is as good as any Sondheim tribute albums out in the market.




4. As as been said, this CD is absolutely wonderful in ever aspect. Get it, don't ask questions, just get it NOW!



5. I first encountered Cleo Laine in the recording of "The Mystery of Edwin Drood". She is not one of those typical big belters Broadway currently mass-producing. The arrangement of sondheim songs here are quite dated. However, the saving factor is the interpretation of Cleo Laine. She knows the beats of the Sondheim songs. Hearing her version of "I Remember", and even "I'm Calm", one could not help but wonder on the approach and motivation. The attacks are very simple but honest. Not one of those typical "being" actors attack wielded by current singers. Interesting songs here are "Anyone Can Whistle", "I Remember" and "I'm Calm". For Sondheim fans, this is the definitive songbook.

5 comments about Striking 12 (2004 New York Cast).

1. I've owned this CD for several years now, and recently listened to it again during a drive from Delaware to Florida. I simply love it, and I'm willing to bet that you will too.
   
   After years of shopping on Amazon, this is the first review I've ever written ... and I got here from a Google search --- I was looking to see if there were any performances of this show coming up that I could see.



2. I think the title pretty much sums up my feelings. I purchased this because I heard a track on Yahoo!Music while listening to the Broadway channel and thought this sounded great. Well, it is.



3. This was my first GrooveLily CD, and I was amazed at their talent. The words and lyrics are really delightful. I'll be checking out more of their work soon. Makes me wish I lived closer to New York.



4. Knowing it was holiday-oriented, I put off buying "Striking 12," the musical by the band Groovelily, until this past holiday season. Essentially it's a New Year's Eve story, with the three Groovelily members telling the story of a "Grumpy Guy" who reads "The Little Match Girl" on New Year's Eve and is affected by it. That's really about it. And it's enough. Good enough, in fact, that I'm quite sure I'll listen to it off season.
   
   The three band members-- Valerie Vigoda, Brendan Milburn, and Gene Lewin-- perform their own music and act as the characters of the story (and the story-within-a story). So this is not a typical musical. On one hand, you could say there's not a whole lot to it, at least plot-wise. On the other, it's hard to deny the quality of the music-- the show contains some really great songs. Reminiscent of the best of Jonathan Larson and Jason Robert Brown, songs like "Last Day of the Year," "Matches for Sale," and "Caution to the Wind" are witty, emotionally resonant, and written in a catchy contemporary style. Song after song works-- there's really not a bad one in the bunch. The dialogue between songs is a little cutesy, but never too cloying, and the result is an enjoyably unique show containing a simple humanity I found surprisingly touching.



5. This album is just amazing. It's an amazing blend of beautiful instrumentals and vocals, with a generous touch of humor. My favorites? Um well, every track with music! Since purchasing this cd, it has left my car cd player once, to play in the house, and went straight back into the car! I just love it!

5 comments about The Phantom of the Opera.

1. A pleasant array of broadway's vocalists singing songs from the musical production "Phantom of the Opera."



2. I stumbled across this CD at Ross for 3.99. Being a complete POTO phan, I obviously bought it.
   
   The biggest thing that bugs me about this recording is... who is the cast????? I would love to learn a name of two about the people that were in this.
   
   As for the songs themselves... In my humble opinion, the overture is simply dreadful. No BOOM, no feeling, no speed, no passion. Although it does provide a gorgeous image of a delapitated chandelier slowly rising above an audience with many rugged pauses along the way. Christine's voice is odd. At times, I love her interpretation, but at others I receive little shudders of "WT-?" through my body.
   
   However, this album deserves four stars if not for the phantom(s?)'s voice itself. I have had the honour of seeing Howard MG, Matt Cammelle, Jon Ian Bourg, and Brad Little perform, in addition to hearing most recordings out in existence. The talented phantom in this CD is most definately ranked in the top five. Emotion. Squee.
   
   For the price that it is offered, I suggest that everyone should try this CD... if not to simply try something new.



3. I actually thought this was a very good budget release: having already seen the Broadway play in NYC, bought the DVD, the special edition two-pack soundtrack from the movie, and full original cast recording, I still wanted more: this CD is an entertaining re-record of the popular hits...sure, the cast is unknown, but I enjoyed this CD, especially at the super-cheap price: worth checking out if you are a big Phantom fan!



4. I just purchased this cd today at Kmart. As a diehard Phantom Phan, I love everything that has to do with it. This cd contains ten highlights from the show. Although the people singing don't have amazing vocal ranges, they're still able to sing the songs.
   
   Some of the songs ie: Think of Me and Angel of Music have different lyrics, which surprised me. I have never heard them before, so it was strange.
   
   I spent five dollars on this. Even though it isn't amazing, it's still Phantom. I give it one star.



5. I purchased this CD because it was so cheap and I'm a HUGE fan of The Phantom of the Opera, not just the Lloyd Webber version. There is a reason this is so cheap, it SUCKS! The cast jumps around: the Phantom is sung by THREE different people throughout the CD and none of them can hold the notes the part requires. Angel of Music is repeated one right after the other for some reason and is then followed by The Mirror piece. Possibly the worst track on the CD is The Point of No Return, which is my favorite song from this musical. The Phantom's part is sung completely off key. Doesn't even deserve the 1 star I gave it. DO NOT waste your money, not even for die hard fans!

5 comments about Pippin (1972 Original Broadway Cast).

1. My daughter and I always used Pippin to clean house by, it gave us the right amount of motivation to move along. She had my CD and her house burnt down and we lost the CD. It may be too late to get the motivation back for me but I am going to try. (great service)



2. I saw Pippin 2X on Broadway, and I just can't get enough of it. Stephan Schwartz (Godspell) is at his best, as he takes you through a world of Lust, Decite and Turmoil know as the Crusades. Check it out, you'll not regret it.



3. I saw Pippin eons ago on Broadway. This CD brings back all the excitement. The music is great and the sound is excellent!
   
   I HIGHLY recommend this CD.
   
   My CD came with 3 bonus tracks:
   "I Guess I'll Miss the Man" by the Supremes
   "Corner of the Sky" by The Jackson 5
   "Morning Glow" by Michael Jackson
   
   I confess though I've listened to the album quite a few times, I cannot bring myself to listen to the bonus tracks. It just seems so wrong to have someone else sing these songs. By the time I get to the end of the CD, the story is done.



4. Even if you have not seen "Pippin" the play, the musical soundtrack and CD holds up as an enchanting musical experience. The title character, the son of Charlemagne, seeks the meaning of life, pursuing various dead ends: university knowledge, military conquest, religion, political activist, ruler, etc. Disdaining the mundane ("Extraordinary"), he insists that his life's meaning must be found in a grand cause.
   
   Right under his nose, he develops a relationship with a young widow and her child. Love blooms but even that does not seem to be enough. The show's interlocutor stages a grand finale, with Pippin immolating himself in flames. At the end, well .. you'll have to see and hear for yourself.
   
   The soundtrack glows with multiple gems in this under-rated tale of everyman's search for the meaning of life. "Life is what happens when you're off making other plans," John Lennon once said. While Pippin plans for some over-sized Meaning of Life, he overlooks the lower-case meaning of life before achieving a redemptive epiphany.
   
   Over thirty years after "Pippin" and its music burst on the Broadway scene, the tunes and their messages resonate powerfully. I see and hear the experience through different eyes and ears in my 50's than the ones which saw and heard in my 20's. Through tears of regret over misplaced priorities and mistakes made, we hear "Pippin" and and its music reminds us that it is not too late to look right around us for life's meaning, revealing the emptiness of grand gestures.



5. An album of a great show that you can enjoy around the house (or car).Including tracks left off the DVD due to time limits,plus three bonus tracks from Motown stars.It brings the show to life without needing to sit in front of the TV. A varied medley of tuneful sing along songs that anyone can enjoy, whether they are familiar with the show or not, I must admit knowing the plot doubles the fun.Fortunately there are copious sleeve notes, plus an adequate plot line, so you don't miss out on too much ...apart from the brilliant Fosse choreography!!!!

2 comments about Goblin Market (1987 Original Off-Broadway Cast).

1. Having been haunted by this recording for years, I was fortunate to see the 20th anniversary "reading" with the original cast at the Vineyard Theater this last week. This is short, disturbing, powerful and deeply moving, but I find it impossible to tell you how!! Does it concern sisters, memory, sex, addiction....? All or none? Ultimately, it's up to the individual listener/observer and perhaps will change with age. How intriguing! I don't know if it adds to the original poem, as this musical was my first exposure to it, but I find it exotically imprinted in my psyche now.



2. I don't know why anyone would think that Rosetti's "The Goblin Market" has enough dramatic potential to be turned into a musical. The music is often pretty, but hardly compelling. It adds little to the original poem, whose complexities of meaning still spark debate among readers and scholars.