4 comments about The Harvey Girls: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack.

1. The Harvey Girls is one Judy Garland's most underrated motion pictures. This complete selection of the musical numbers is great. After having listened to the deleted numbers, one wonders what the criteria is for whether a number stays or goes. Especially for the number, "In the Valley (where the evenin' sun goes down)" in particular. This score, which is one of my favorites seems to have had a more prominent role in the movie until the editorial process. That however is one of the beauties of these soundtrack releases that has all the numbers. In my opinion this is some of Judy's best work.



2. Made during the heyday of both MGM and Judy Garland, this is a prime example of Garland at her best. Though the movie is not really very popular today, it is a staple of the Garland library and is really a gem. Same goes for the soundtrack. Highly recommended.



3. This rare soundtrack recording from Rhino Records is an enjoyable archival listen for anyone interested in the American musical film. While not exactly a frontline classic, "The Harvey Girls" is a quintessential example of the MGM musical tradition. Several fine songs were deleted from the film, and these are included here. All of them, especially "March of the Doagies", leaves one wondering why they were dropped. It's true, you have to be a fan of this kind of stuff to get any pleasure out of it, but though from a dated genre, these songs and performances still hold interest. Garland was at her professional, if not personal, prime here, and her renditions of "Atchison Topeka..." and "It's a Great Big World" are superb. The arrangements are all "bells-and-whistles" in the MGM grand tradition (sophistication and understatement were not their forte) but that's what makes this CD a hoot. The sound quality, of course, is necessarily limited by the source material. The primitive recording techniques of 1945 mean that clarity and sonic beauty are compromised in a way modern recording would never allow. Still, the remastering has remedied some of the aging flaws, and this is about as good as "The Harvey Girls" will ever sound to the modern listener. A curio for sure, but just right for a certain audience.



4. This is an absolutely fabulous soundtrack. It presents all the music recorded for the film...much of it went unused. It is unfortunate, because the missing material conveys that what was a great movie as released could have been exceptional. So put on the cd, close your eyes, and form your own mental pictures. It will be most satisfying.

5 comments about Chess In Concert (1994 Swedish Concert Cast).

1. I can't give it less than 3 stars because I love the musical. However, this recording is less than spectacular. It sounds like it was recorded by some guy in the audience with a mono tape recorder. I was disappointed in the leads, also. They're trying to hard to sound like rock stars, which makes them sound rather cheesy. There are good moments, but if you're new to "Chess," go with the original concept album. You can't beat Elaine Paige and Murray Head.



2. Cold War Chess Championships came and went with the demise of the Soviet Union, as did the staging of Chess The Musical. This is to be regretted since musically and lyrically it is by far the best work from Abba duo Andersson and Ulvaeus, aided amply by Tim Rice. Oddly relatively unknown in Scandinavian, this concert performance, now well over ten years old, helped bridge the gap. It also managed to bring to the attention of producers that concert productions of this piece are perhaps the best way of bringing Chess to life in the post Cold War climate of the twenty-first century, and in particular relegating the old East West rivalry to the wings while focusing on the relationships-especially that of Florence and the Russian. Indeed they get all the best songs with the climatic finale You and I (reprise) making the hairs stand on the back of ones neck. The performance throughout are accomplished and enthusiastic, and the live performance and crowd responses add to the drama unfolding 'on stage'. One can only hope that Chess will remain in the consciousness of audiences and actors, producers and directors, as this CD is a perfect advertisement for a night of Chess at the theatre or concert hall



3. Contains the extra songs not found in the "studio release" (with Ms. Paige etc.). However, the quality is poor and even the artists are no match to the ones in the studio recording. However, a must for Chess-aficionados.



4. I now own all the five major (legal) recordings of Chess; Original Concept, Broadway Cast, In Concert, "Danish" Complete Cast and Swedish cast.

   All of these have their strenght and weaknesses, but as for completeness, one have to go for the Swedish or Danish recordings. As it is, I dislike the Swedish one, and the Danish is hard to get. That makes this Concert Recording the most complete of the remaining Chesses, but not necessarily the best sung.

   I would not have bought this if it was not because I found it in a second hand cd store at a very low price. If you have the Danish album, you don't need it.

   If you are a Chess virgin and cannot find the Danish album, chose this for near completeness or the Original Concept Album for best cast.

   Avoid the Broadway Cast (extremely incomplete, though well sung) and the Swedish Cast (kind of complete, but otherwise weird and lacking the Chess spirit) if you don't happen to be a total Chess nut.




5. I have owned, and have been a huge fan of, the original London cast recording of Chess since 1985. I love the mix of classical and rock stylings, and I'm also a major fan of practically anything that Benny and Bjorn turn out. However, I approached this album with some reservations. I know the original album of Chess backwards and forwards, so I was a little skeptical as to how a "live" version would compare to the studio version. I needn't have worried. For the most part, this is an absolutely incredible concert, with only one or two weak spots. It boasts an excellent cast, and a wonderful choir and orchestra. Of the main characters, there is only one returning member from the London concept album; Tommy Korberg reprises his role as the Russian, but my gosh........what a difference a decade makes! He was excellent the first time around, but now, Tommy injects his performance with so much fire, it will make your hair stand on end. The showstopping duet with Svetlana (Lena Ericsson)on "Endgame" is worth the price, alone.......just breathtaking. Not everything works equally as well, but as I said above, there are more "hits" than "misses". Having been a fan of the duo, "Gemini", (Anders and Karin Glenmark), I was thrilled to see them step into the spotlight again, this time as the American and Florence, respectively. I was, however, a little disappointed to discover that Anders' performance is not quite up there with Murray Head's in the original. Anders has the better voice, no doubt, but the conviction is just not the same; Murray was more convincing in the role, and I agree with another reviewer who said they didn't like Anders' histrionics. It's a bit "over the top" at times. As for Karin, she is a fabulous singer, (as is her brother.....don't get me wrong on that point....). My only problem with her is her pronunciation on a few words, but seeing how this CD was recorded in Sweden, released on a Swedish label, and probably really isn't intended for an American market, it's kind of understandable too. A couple of good things to point out in general; this CD finally adds two songs that were missing from the original recording; the gorgeous "Someone Else's Story", (beautifully performed by Karin Glenmark), and "The Soviet Machine", (part of which appears in the track "Opening Ceremony"). The reprise of "Merano" is a great addition at the end of the concert, with an ecstatic audience clapping along and cheering at it's conclusion. All in all, this is a great addition to your collection, even if you have the first recording. With variations in tempos, different interpretations of pieces, and two bonus songs, it's the same musical, and yet, not quite the same.

No comments about Kings of Swing.

No comments about Best of Broadway: Cats.

No comments about Lone Ranger: On Radio.

1 comments about A Christmas to Remember.

1. This is my favorite christmas albulms. The first few tracks remind me of traditional holiday times when i was a little girl... absolutey beautiful christmas melodies -- the skaters waltz is memorable..... ending with Andy Williams carol of the bells ~~~ !! Very well done cd !!!!

No comments about Broadway's Fair Ladies.

No comments about Merry Christmas.

No comments about Rags to Riches.

4 comments about Front Row Center: The Broadway Gold Box 1935-1988.

1. I have owned this set for some time, and Disc 2 is one of my all-time favorite CDs. Its packed with fabulous important milestones from the 1940's, like "You Can't Get A Man With A Gun", "South America, Take It Away", the original of the incomparable "September Song", and lots of fun smutty lyrics from various Cole Porter numbers. A must-have for fans of classic Broadway musical theater.



2. how is it that so many great songs have been performed all in one place? Broadway. This collection brings it all to you in one set. From the most romantic songs to the wackiest, you will receive a colelction of songs that will be pleasing to every ear.

   Hilarious are the songs by Ethel Merman. With her grandiose personality and strong vocal pipes, she belts those songs out whether they be serious songs or novelty songs.

   Eddie Cantor makes a few appearances too! The legends are here!




3. "Front Row Center: The Broadway Gold Box 1935-1988" presents 93 classic performances by the legendary stars of Broadway. Strange to believe, but before October 1943 when Decca Records President Jack Kapp arranged to record selection from the Rodgers & Hammerstein smash hit "Oklahoma!", there was no tradition of recording orignal cast albums of Broadway shows (the British had been doing it for years). This means we only have Carmen Miranda doing "South American Way" from "Streets of Paris" and Mary Martin singing "My Heart Belongs to Daddy" because these songs were recorded on their own as singles. The entire first disc of this four CD set is devoted to songs that pre-date "Oklahoma!", an alternate finale of which is the first track on disc two.

   Personally, I picked this collection up because it had Katharine Hepburn singing the title song from her one Broadway musical, "Coco" (today the entire album is available on CD). Chances are that if you love Broadway musicals you already have "If I Love You" from "Carousel," "The Impossible Dream (The Quest)" from "Man of La Mancha," and "Don't Cry for Me, Argentia" from "Evita." But some of these tracks are familiar songs sung by different artists you might not have (e.g., Ben Vereen doing "Superstar" from "Jesus Christ Superstar"). Still, the chief attraction here are songs that you might have heard about but never actually heard like Irving Berlin doing his own song "Oh, How I Hate to Get Up in the Morning" from "This is the Army" and Pearl Bailey's "There Must Be Somethin' Better Than Love" from "Arms and the Girl." Then there are just those songs that you have always loved and just need to add to your music library, like Ray Bolger's "Once in Love With Amy" from "Where's Charley?" and Lauren Bacall's "Welcome to the Theater" from "Applause."

   Look over the songs that are on these four CDs and see how many you recognize. For those you do not, think of them as glimpses of new musicals for you to discover and new cast albums for you to track down. Right now I am interested in finding "Mack & Mabel," "Seventh Heaven," and "Follow The Girls." Eventually, it might happen. Hopefully the musicals that most intrigue you from this collection are already available (e.g., "Big River").




4. For anyone interested in the music or history of American Musical Comedy, this set of 4 CD's is absolutely invaluable!

   Here are some of the most wonderful selections from Decca's library of show music...some are familiar like Mary Martin as the title character in Kurt Weill and Ogden Nash's "One Touch Of Venus" singing the classic love song "Speak Low" or the irreplaceable Ethel Merman belting out "Eadie Was A Lady" from a forgotten 1932 Richard Whiting-B.G.DeSylva-Nacio Herb Brown musical called "Take A Chance" to the totally unfamiliar (at least to me) Gertrude Niesen singing "I Wanna Get Married" from the 1944 "Follow The Girls" or Ricardo Mantalban and Gloria DeHaven in a bright duet "Sun At My Window, Love At My Door" from the flop musical version of the hit movie "Seventh Heaven." (1955)

   Ray Bolger is here in songs from "Where's Charley?." So is Nancy Walker telling us that she's "The First Girl In The Second Row" from "Look Ma, I'm Dancin!" Sammy Davis is represented in his first musical starring role as "Mr. Wonderful" and Carmen Miranda sings in her heavily accented English "South American Way" from a 1939 show called "Streets of Paris." There are even songs from off-Broadway shows like Jerry Herman's "Parade." You'll hear actors who sing-speak like Katharine Hepburn and actors who really sing like Carol Burnett and Susan Johnson, Alfred Drake and Pearl Bailey.

   Altogether 93 show tunes and a booklet with original cast photographs, statistics on each song and a fine, lengthy essay about Decca Records and the shows from 1935 ("At Home Abroad") to 1988 ("Romance, Romance") HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!