2 comments about Guy Lombardo & His Royal Canadians.

1. This really takes me down memory lane! I suppose you have to be 40 or higher to remember Guy Lombardo and his Canadians playing Auld Land Syne each New Years Eve.
   
   I bought this as an introduction to some older music for my children (still young enough to not rebel or ignore us with iPods plugged in!).
   
   They love 'Embracable You' - as it is quite festive and fun to hear.



2. This is a wonderful upbeat, band music of yesteryear. This contains a wonderful beat as well as setting a wonderful mellow mood.

5 comments about What a Wonderful Christmas.

1. Bought this in 2003/same cover/same artists/same tracks - diff title "The Christmas Collection" and diff order of songs?! Weird! Awesome collection of Christmas songs. Who needs the norm, anyway? Exceptionally clear recordings. I love Cool Yule. This cd goes on when I'm home alone & want to SING OUT LOUD! You will too. Add this to your collection.



2. This is a Christmas set which really stands out from the pack. For one thing the material is great, and on top of that, it has great sound quality...finish it off with some inspired cover art, and it's a can't-miss package. All of the Armstrong tracks are fabulous, and feature a variety of settings, such as Gordon Jenkins' lush snowscapes for White Christmas & Winter Wonderland, and Benny Carter's swinging orchestra on Christmas in New Orleans. 'Zat You, Santa Claus? with The Commanders is a hoot, with a paranoid Louis locked up in his Christmas cabin, wondering what all those funny noises are outside (It's interesting to note that this "'Zat You" doesn't have any whistle or wind overdubs as it does on Laserlight's Christmas Through The Years). Louis also delivers an infectious Christmas Night In Harlem, and by the time he blows some exuberant trumpet on Cool Yule, feelings of holiday joy will have completely overtaken you. Some of these tunes by Louis are actually pretty rare, so it's great to have them here in good sound quality.

   Other goodies featured include a bluesy Silent Night by Dinah Washington, a live The Christmas Song by Mel Torme (who co-authored it), and a rare and hypnotic Peggy Lee tune called It's Christmas Time Again. Lionel Hampton brings the good vibes on the blues number Merry Christmas, Baby, Eartha Kitt signs in with her amusing Santa Baby, and Duke Ellington righteously jazzes up Jingle Bells. Lena Horne has it "on good authority" that Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town, and Louis Jordan turns in a bluesy and soulful May Everyday Be Christmas.

   My review is over now, but before I get into the nog, I'd like to share with you my recipe for the ultimate Louis Armstrong Yuletide disc. Yes, there is no complete Satchmo Christmas set, but if you love Louis like me, you'll want to make one, and here's how; Take the six Satchmo tunes from this disc, and add in Santa Claus Blues, The Night Before Christmas, and the live masterpiece Baby, It's Cold Outside from the Christmas Through The Years disc (Laserlight). Now get your hands on the Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald duet I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm. Finally, pick up the remastered version of Louis Armstrong & Friends, which features the bonus track Here Is My Heart For Christmas. Mix these up in a good ol' good way, and be sure, of course, to put The Night Before Christmas at the end. Congratulations, daddy, you are now the proud owner of the ultimate Louis Armstrong Christmas set! If you play this mix only in December like a good little boy or girl, Dipper Claus just might leave a shiny new trumpet in your stocking! Happy holidays, pops.




3. You can't go wrong with this CD! This swinging Christmas compilation includes a number of jazzy holiday tunes performed by some of the greatest artists in traditional jazz. The classic Christmas carols (including The DUKE playing "Jingle Bells" and Mel Torme's own version of "The Christmas Song") are ballanced by some fairly unique swinging treats (such as Cool Yule and "Zat You, Santa Claus" performed by Satchmo).

   This CD is sure to liven up any holiday party.




4. Another great Christmas collection featuring the genius himself, Louis Armstrong as the star. This cd should be played along with the Hipster's Holiday collection-so what if some of the same tunes are on each cd-it's party time! Put this on at your next holiday party & a fun time is guaranteed for all. Highly recommended.



5. THIS CD IS JAZZ AND FUN AT ITS BEST. SANTA BABY SUNG BY EARTHA KITT IS WORTH THE PRICE OF THE CD ALONE. ENJOY

5 comments about Les Miserables (1985 Original London Cast).

1. This may be the original London cast; but the recording is poorly done. I went to answer the telephone twice, before I realised that the ringing was a cell phone recorded on disc two of this set. I would return it, but it just is not worth the effort. It is most disappointing
   
   I do not recommend this item to anyone.



2. I agree with most of the reviews - the London staging is the very best of the English language versions of 'Les Miserables'. Forget the New York (Broadway) production, much too polished (sanitized ?). It pales in comparison. The American version benefits from greater sophistication but at the cost of the original book.
   
   HOWEVER, for the first production of this musical, go to the recording on the 'Anthology' (French) label, issued by FGL Productions (the complete 1980 version). It has the cast of the premier, with 'guest appearances' by some big names in yesterday's French popular music, Michel Sardou, Salvatore Adamo, and Michel Delpech. And a list of superb actor-sings, like Maurice Barrier (Valjean), Rose Laurens (Fantine), Yvan Dautin (Thenardier), and Richard Dewitte (Marius), the list is long.
   
   Of course, it is all in French, but this IS a French musical, and this is what the composer, Claude-Michel Schonberg, and the librettists, Alain Boublil and Jean-Marc Natel, created. Here you have it, without embellishments added to please 'Anglo-American' tastes. A much more raw interpretation, closer to Victor Hugo's very thick novel (interestingly written in France, and in England, when the author was in self-imposed exile). The words in the French production are quite different from the English-language versions. The recording on two cds comes without a text, but the actors enunciate perfectly. Every word is audible, if you understand the language. Great stuff !
   



3. Beautiful Music, Beautiful Voices. I have thouroughly enjoyed it. We saw the show when it came to Atlanta several years ago and it also was wonderful.
   NKG



4. We have owned the Les Miserable music book for quite a while and play them on the piano ourselves. Some of those songs are so grand and emotional that I was looking for a great treat from the "Original London Cast". We also bought the Les Miz movie and loved Liam Neeson in it. After watching it, I was really excited to listen to the London CD. I should have saved my money and time.
   
   The singing was like a high school musical -- Shallow, immature, Broadway Imitation voices; too rapid delivery; lacking in emotion and expression. Cosette's song, which should be a tear-jerking, plaintive plea sounded like a kindergarten kid rushing to get it over with. Jauvert's song should have been passionate and deeply emotional. Instead it had all of the emotional depth and expression of a junior high-school rock band's home-grown rant. Wait for someone to do it right.



5. This isn't every single musical note from the show, but it's the full cast recording from the 1985 London version, spanning 2 discs. It includes more of the songs than the Broadway highlights album and is similarly priced.
   
   This London production was the first English-language version of Les Mis and some songs have been tweaked for the later Broadway productions.
   
   My first exposure to the wonderful music of Les Misérables was through the Broadway cast highlights CD, so I am a little biased toward that version (although this is the original).
   
   This version is a little different from the Broadway version. "Who Am I?" is sung a little slower and seems more thoughtful. "A Heart Full Of Love" has differnt lyrics and is incorporated into a three-song "Love Montage".
   
   This cast includes Colm Wilkinson as Valjean (he also played that role on Broadway and in the Tenth Anniversary Concert), Roger Allam as Javert, Patti LuPone as Fantine, Rebecca Caine as Cosette, Michael Ball as Marius, Frances Ruffelle as Eponine, David Burt as Enjolras, and Alun Armstrong as Thénardier.
   
   I prefer Terrence Mann's rendition of "Stars" (from the Broadway cast) to Roger Allam's version on this CD. I really do. Maybe it's because I'm used to that one.
   
   And Thénardier has a strong British-type accent on this CD, so "Master Of The House" will sound a little weird if you're used to the American version.
   
   The actress who plays Eponine in the London cast is the same one from the Broadway cast (Frances Ruffelle). But for the people who were annoyed by her whiney performance on the Broadway CD, she sounds a little better on this recording.
   
   CONCLUSION:
   This is a pretty good recording of Les Mis and is available for a reasonable price. The Complete Symphonic Recordings includes even MORE of the show's music, but the cast is different (no Colm Wilkinson!). If you are used to the Broadway (American) version, I'd recommend you stick with that (although the Broadway equivalent of this 2-disc recording is a lot more expensive). The Broadway highlights CD is cheaper, but has only about half of the songs.
   
   I'd also recommend you check out the Tenth Anniversary Concert CD. It features an all-star cast of Les Mis alums (plucked from the London, Broadway, and other casts). The recording spans 2 discs, so it includes songs that the highlights CD doesn't (similar to this London recording), AND it's about the same price as the London disc or the highlights disc. If you're looking for more music than the highlights CD offers, but you're not familiar with the London cast and you don't want to shell out $30-something, the Tenth Anniversary Concert CD may be the way to go.

1 comments about Mr. Paree, Himself.

1. Maurice Chevalier was one of the most beloved entertainers of the twentieth century; and his CDs still sell well despite the passage of time. Maurice Chevalier could take a song and massage the lyrics to make it completely his own; and his adoring fans loved him for it. This CD gives us ten of Maurice's greatest numbers mostly from a 1949 radio show entitled This Is Paris. We also get a bonus radio track of a medley of hits Chevalier does with Bing Crosby. Great!
   
   The track set begins with "Louise." Maurice sings this with sensitivity and passion after he is introduced by the radio announcer. Maurice's voice is in excellent form as he sings "Louise." The CD continues with Chevalier singing "Mimi;" Maurice Chevalier bats this one straight out of the ballpark as the audience loves every minute of it! Maurice never sounded better on this radio recording.
   
   "Alexander's Ragtime Band" lets Maurice really break out into song as he delivers this classic march-like ballad to perfection! Chevalier never misses a note and the big band arrangement in the background plays well but never takes the spotlight away from Chevalier's vocals. "Ballin The Jack" gets the royal treatment from Maurice Chevalier as he sings "Ballin The Jack" without a superfluous note. Chevalier maintains a good rapport with his audience by talking to them about the songs he sings as he goes along--great technique!
   
   "Just One Of Those Things" lets Maurice Chevalier sing yet another classic love ballad with panache, sensitivity and a style that was all his own. The flutes in the musical arrangement bolster the number, too. "'A' You're Adorable" shines like pure gold in Chevalier's capable hands; this tune will charm you as Maurice Chevalier sings this perfectly. "There's No Business Like Show Business" becomes semi-autobiographical when Maurice Chevalier performs this with charm, grace and sensitivity. The musical arrangement works wonders for "There's No Business Like Show Business" at the same time.
   
   The final track gives us a marvelous bonus of a medley by Maurice Chevalier with Bing Crosby. When Bing says they're going to "hash over" some old tunes, you know you're in for a real treat! Together this awesome duo delivers a few numbers from early movies and the vaudeville circuit. I predict that you will enjoy their medley very, very much.
   
   The liner notes have an informative essay by Scott Yanow; and the artwork is great!
   
   Maurice Chevalier lives on through his huge legacy of unparalleled numbers and his performances in movies as well. I highly recommend this CD for fans of Chevalier; and people who enjoy classic pop vocals will also enjoy this CD.

5 comments about Peter Pan (2005 Studio Cast) - Leonard Bernstein.

1. There is much to recommend about this recording of Leonard Bernstein's incidental and vocal music written for the 1950 Broadway production of "Peter Pan," which starred Jean Arthur and Boris Karloff. Most (though not all) of the vocal music has been commercially recorded before, but the incidental music hasn't been, with one partial exception: track 20 -- "Tinkerbell Sick! Tinkerbell Lives!" -- contains a bit of ballet music from "On the Town."
   
   As is often the case with incidental music for plays, many of the numbers are quite short. Some of the music is nothing special and can't be said to represent Bernstein at anything like his best, but some is quite lovely.
   
   The orchestral performance here is generally very clean and the playing is nicely expressive. Conductor Alexander Frey deserves credit for that, as well for being the person who got this music back out there.
   
   Linda Eder sings Wendy's songs. (Peter doesn't sing at all in this version, which isn't really a full musical.) She understandably eschews her usual style to try to sound like an adolescent girl, singing mostly in head voice and with little vibrato. Because of this, I find her sound rather piercing and somewhat unpleasant at times. While she's putting forth a good effort that I have to admire, I do wish that she had managed to sound less piercing. It's not as if all adolescent girls sound that way when they sing.
   
   I also wish she had managed to convey a bit more specificity in her phrasing of the lyrics. When I listen to Marcia Henderson on the recording of the 1950 production, I hear someone who wasn't much of a singer but who knew how to convey lyrics.
   
   The other major soloist, Daniel Narducci, playing Captain Hook, sings quite well, but he isn't ideal casting. Boris Karloff on the 1950 recording makes much more of the words in the music that he sings (which doesn't include "Captain Hook's Soliloquy," heard on this recording but which was not in the 1950 Broadway production). And Karloff is funny. For one thing, he doesn't have a very pleasant voice so when he sings "Eat blood! Drink blood! Think blood! Dream blood!" to Bernstein's mellifluous melody and tries to sound beautiful, it's funny because he can't manage it. When Daniel Narducci sings it, he does sound beautiful, which is pleasant but less interesting. Narducci sings very nicely and he has the right general idea most of the time, but (as with Eder) his phrasing lacks specificity and he also lacks the sense of ridiculous seriousness that would make him funny.
   
   The male chorus of pirates performs well, but the rougher chorus in the 1950 recording is funnier and more characterful.
   
   "Neverland," a lovely choral number for women, sounds very pretty, but it might sound better still with a smaller chorus that conveyed the words more clearly.
   
   I don't want to be too negative about this recording, which I'm very glad to have. It's an important document, and everyone involved is talented and accomplished and puts forth a good effort. I'm just not sure that all of them were the best choices. Still, there's some very good music here, some of which hasn't been recorded before, so if you're a Bernstein fan, you're going to want this.
   
   Now I'll explain the "don't trust everything you read" statement above: In the booklet for this recording, Alexander Frey writes that "in the original 1950 production, most of the music was actually instrumental underscoring ... that had been composed by Alec Wilder." This is not correct. No music by Alec Wilder was heard in the 1950 Broadway production.
   
   Some time after this recording was issued, Garth Edwin Sunderland (one of the orchestrators credited on this recording) did correct this misinformation in an article that appeared in the Bernstein Society's publication, "prelude, fugue and riffs." Sunderland wrote:
   
   "For the original cast recording, Bernstein's instrumental numbers, for reasons unknown, were replaced with new cues by Alec Wilder (which has led to the misconception that Bernstein's incidental music was not used in the Broadway production)."
   
   A number of people knew all along that only Bernstein's music was heard in the production, among them the writer on Broadway musicals Ken Mandelbaum, who mentioned it in his online review of the recording. It's odd that both Frey, who was said to have done years of research to restore the score, and the people in charge of the Bernstein estate didn't know such basic information. If such a basic part of the research wasn't done, it's a little hard to trust that the rest of the work was done correctly.
   
   Making it odder is that elsewhere in the booklet, notes by Daniel Felsenfeld quote from opening night reviews that praised Bernstein for his (as one of the critics put it) "excellent musical accompaniment for the action." Surely if Wilder had written the incidental music, the critics would have mentioned Wilder (who was hardly unknown in 1950) as well as Bernstein. So it really is a bit of a mystery why Frey and the Bernstein people didn't realize that Wilder's music wasn't heard in the production.
   
   There's also an incorrect statement in Felsenfeld's notes. He writes that "Captain Hook's Soliloquy" was one of two vocal numbers not in the Broadway production "mostly due to lack of vocal ability on the part of the actors," but the aria wasn't even written till later, specifically for Lawrence Tibbett, who played Hook in a post-Broadway tour.
   
   And it would have been nice if the history of "Dream With Me" had been addressed. As Larry Moore mentions in his Amazon customer's review of this recording, there's reason to believe that it was written for "On the Town," although it was not used in that show. Bernstein wanted to include it in "Peter Pan," but it went unused there as well. When asked about the song many years later, Adolph Green, who wrote the lyrics for "On the Town" with Betty Comden, said that he and Comden wrote the lyric, except perhaps for a few lines that Bernstein may have contributed. Yet Comden and Green receive no credit in the booklet here.
   
   Also, Trude Rittman made important contributions to the score, but they are not mentioned in the notes, though at least she gets credit as one of the original orchestrators.



2. Please allow me to add a few comments about this recording for which Kevin Killian, Michael G. Brennan, Larry Moore and others have already written excellent reviews. I am in total agreement with most of their observations, and a say a hearty "Amen" to Mr. Moore's input regarding the lack of information in the liner notes.
   
   This is not your ordinary PETER PAN, which you will see upon removing the disc from the case. You are now staring into the gaping jaws of a crocodile. Not nearly as popular as the Jule Styne/Betty Comden/Adolph Green version, and far darker, it's easy to understand why Bernstein's version is rarely staged. In fact, it's not really a musical, but rather a play with songs and incidental music. The handful of songs are all performed by Wendy, Captain Hook, and the pirates -- "none for Peter, none for Nana, none for John and Michael." Furthermore, two of the songs included on this recording ("Captain Hook's Soliloquy" and "Dream with Me") were dropped from the original production because they were too difficult for the stars. I guess Boris Karloff just didn't have the chops to sing Hook's "aria."
   
   Bernstein's incidental music also never made it to Broadway, perhaps because of its complexity and challenge to the average Broadway pit orchestra. Instead, Alec Wilder wrote new incidental music for the play.
   
   Alexander Frey conducts what is called the Amber Orchestra, which I assume is the orchestra of the Karlin Theater in Prague, Czechoslovakia, the ensemble he conducts as his "day job." Orchestra and conductor do great honor to the original orchestrations by Trude Rittman & Hershy Kay and also to the additional orchestrations of conductor Frey and others. But, like Larry Moore, I wish the liner notes would have told us who orchestrated what. (You can find all that information on archivmusic.com.) The voices were recorded in New York and later mixed with the orchestra. Broadway goes Eastern European! Similarly, not one, but two Eastern European orchestras ar heard on the recording of SHERRY: the Czech Philharmonic Chamber & the Bratislava Radio Symphony. Pity it's too costly to record orchestras in America.
   
   When it comes to writing music for the theater, no one comes close to Leonard Bernstein. There are multiple recordings of ON THE TOWN, WONDERFUL TOWN, WEST SIDE STORY, & CANDIDE and now we have Alexander Frey and the folks at KOCH Classics to thank for resurrecting and preserving this little known Bernstein score. In addition to Bernstein's Broadway scores, I enthusiastically recommend "The White House Cantata" (assembled from the score of 1600 PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE), "The Chichester Psalms," the chamber opera "Trouble in Tahiti," and any of the fine recording of his songs.
   
   I doubt if we'll ever see another composer who will write so beautifully for the American theatre.



3. A fabulous recording-beautifully sung, beautifully conducted
   This world premiere recording of Leonard Bernstein's Peter Pan should win a Grammy. With a steller cast led by Broadway superstars Linda Eder and Daniel Narducci, and fabulously conducted by Alexander Frey (who restored and brought this lost masterpiece to life), this great music sings and dances for the first time. I'm absolutely enchanted and you will be as well.



4. For those familiar with the earlier recording of Bernstein's Peter Pan (Arthur/Karloff), the release of an expanded recording of this neglected Bernstein work is a real excitement. The tracks include an indepth study by Frey of the music score, in its wholistic beauty, including even small segments of under a minute. Other works are resurrected, originally cut from the final score; why they would cut "Dream of Me" is beyond me.
   
   However, Eder cast as Wendy does not sit well. Timid, motherly Wendy is not synonymous with big, broadway star. What should be simple songs, as they are written as well as should be sung, are instead aggrandized broadway hits. Yes, Eder has a gorgeous voice, but here a bit misplaced. I much prefer the casting of Wendy in the original recording. However, in favor of Eder, the CD is not replicating the narrative and non-music portions as did the original CD, so the work may as well be a set of disjointed pieces, not a flowing piece of arias and spoken scenes. Therefore, her portrayal of Wendy as a whole is not as crucial had there been a script to read.
   
   The "bonus track" reinstalled an appreciation for the thematic material of the second Chichester pslam. I'm left wondering if there are other restorations to be made from the abandonded "Skin of Our Teeth" project. Here, I have no qualms with Eder's interpretation; soft, delicate, flowing.
   
   This is certainly a hallmark in Bernstein recordings. A must for any Bernstein fan.



5. This recording is a valuable addition to the music of Leonard Bernstein, but rather an embarassment in the scholarship of assembling a lost show. On the plus side, the music is enchanting, Linda Eder truly stunning in a mix of musical innocence and sophistication, and it is conducted and played quite well. On the negative side, Daniel Narducci's soft baritone has neither enough menace or comedy.
   
   As to reconstructing a lost score, the scholarship is not so hot: what actually existed from the original show and orchestrations? Who orchestrated what among the new pieces? As far as that goes, what of Trude Rittmann and Hershy Kay: who orchestrated what in the original? How does the size of the orchestra on the recording compare to the original production orchestration?
   
   On the music not used in the original, what pieces exist in full and what choices were made in completing others? The recording's notes are woefully inept.
   
   Why use the lovely, but over-inflated, arrangement of "Dream With Me" from the 1977 BY BERNSTEIN revue at the Chelsea Theatre instead of newly orchestrating the extant song sheet? The song, written for ON THE TOWN, needs to fit the song style of PETER PAN's incidental music and not turn into a concert number. In the original production, there were only two Mermaids singing "Neverland." Why a women's chorus with a bad top soprano?
   
   I've always felt the Bernstein score should be available for productions of the play, but this "edition" needs some thought before it's published or made available for performance.

5 comments about Say, Darling (1958 Original Broadway Cast).

1. Despite being panned by most critics, SAY, DARLING (based on Richard Bissell's book of the same name) managed to run for 332 performances in a banner season on Broadway, which was also marked by THE MUSIC MAN and WEST SIDE STORY. Vivian Blaine (GUYS AND DOLLS) stars in this bouncy musical treat with a score by Jule Styne.
   
   The premise for SAY, DARLING is the making of a Broadway musical, the virtual plot-less show is spun around several different songs, performed by the would-be diva, her handsome leading man, their eager writer and a supporting gallery of colourful theater folk. In a bold departure for a major Broadway musical of the period, the songs were played "rehearsal-style" using only two pianos (although the cast album greatly benefits from a full orchestra under the guidance of Sid Ramin).
   
   Vivian Blaine shines with three attractive numbers ("Try to Love Me", "Chief of Love" and "Dance Only with Me"). Her co-stars--including Johnny Desmond (FUNNY GIRL), David Wayne (FINIAN'S RAINBOW) and Robert Morse (HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING)--are just as delightful. This lesser-known show from the team of Jule Styne, Betty Comden and Adolph Green doesn't really count among their all-time best, but it's enjoyable nontheless.
   
   Making it's CD premiere, SAY, DARLING (one of RCA's first stereophonic cast albums) will be a welcome addition to the collection. [DRG-19109]



2. A perky litte musical about making a musical. Great numers by Jule Styne modelled after songs from Pajama Game, which is its inspiration.
   Highly enjoyable entertainment.



3. Although Jule Styne is one of the great names in Broadway musical comedy, SAY, DARLING was not one of his high points. The cast is good, David Wayne and Vivian Blaine in particular, with fine service by the pretty much forgotten Johnny Desmond, but the music/lyrics themselves are second rate, at best. The title track isn't bad, by Styne standards, but what is one to make of "The Husking Bee" or "Something's Always Happening On the River," which seems endless (but bouncy and a bit reminiscent of "Blow High, Blow Low")? No extra tracks are included, but perhaps they were mercifully lost.



4. 'Here, after fifty years, is the CD debut of SAY. DARLING, the musical that changed the way Broadway sounded. That's quite a claim, and only half-seriously made; but this unassuming "comedy about a musical" did, in fact, directly bring about the revolution in orchestration that took us from the age of Russell Bennett to the age of -- well, GYPSY.'
   
   So begins Steven Suskin's March 16 Playbill.com review of DRGs "never before on CD" reissue of RCAs first stereo Broadway Cast album, and I urge you to read Suskin's entertaining and highly informative piece. (Go to the website's homepage and chose "On the Record." Type "say, darling" as the keyword and chose the author from the drop down list.) Not only does Suskin clarify his opening statement, but he also provides a wonderful narrative about the creation of the show. Not really a musical, the show was scored for two pianos only, but "RCA reasoned they should add an orchestra, the better to sound like a real Broadway cast album, so they commissioned staff arranger Sid Ramin to work something up." The sound of Broadway was changed forever.
   
   Some critics have dismissed the score as second rate. Marc Miller ("TheaterMania Guide to Musical Theater Recordings") writes: "Most of the numbers are performance pieces that don't advance the plot; some of them -- such as 'Husking Bee' and 'Chief of Love' -- are intentionally cheesy." Suskin avers: "Styne, Comden and Green wrote spoofs in many flavors, but their hearts -- or at least their best efforts -- seemed not to be in it." Call me weird, but I really like the score and have ever since first hearing it nearly 50 years ago. Although the show contains only 10 songs ("Try To Love Me" is sung at different times by the show's two leads), I found myself singing along with at least four of them. Not bad for a show that's not even a musical.
   
   Johnny Desmond (Giovanni Alfredo De Simone), in his Broadway debut, applies his Big Band experience to the title song, as well as "It's the Second Time You Meet That Matters," and "Try To Love Me," and he puts his "legitimate" voice to good use in "It's Doom" and the afore-mentioned "Husking Bee." Vivian Blaine goes "torchy" with the first reading of "Try To Love Me," does a Big Broadway-style duet ("Dance Only With Me") with Steve Condos, and lets it all hang out on "Chief of Love." The big surprise is David Wayne, simply terrific as the second baritone in "Let the Lower Lights Be Burning" (a parody so good, you'd swear it came from a church hymnal), or the snake oil salesman in "The Carnival Song" (with Ms. Blaine and Mr. Condos joining in the sham), and the riverboat captain who informs us that "Something's Always Happening at the River."
   
   All this, and the "breathtaking" overture as well. (Suskin's descriptive, not mine;, with which I agree.)
   
   Allow me to let Mr. Suskin bring this review to an end: "Let us close by saying a word in appreciation of DRG. When the CD format came along, the survivor companies of the major labels -- Columbia, RCA and Capitol -- dutifully (if in a sometimes puzzling manner) transferred a good portion of their respective catalogs. But that was then. The newer corporate parents seemed to lose interest, the stream of reissues dried up, and many of the titles fell back out of print. Over the years, DRG has happily picked up many of the fallen cast albums, and with great dedication and care has brought them -- as well as various never-before-on-CD titles -- back into print. At this point, the catalog includes such titles as NO STRINGS, PLAIN AND FANCY, GREENWILLOW, THE GAY LIFE, the superb Shirley Jones/Jack Cassidy BRIGADOON, OH CAPTAIN!, GOLDEN BOY and more. Each of which, really, should be on your CD shelf . . . " (On the Record, Playbill.com, October 15, 2007)
   
   Highly recommended, even though the audio quality is not up to DRGs lofty standards.



5. Back in the late 1950's I saw Say, Darling in New York City. It was my first Broadway show. I loved it. There is such a force of humor in the music and the lyrics. That was transferred neatly to the album which I played over and over. I waited and waited for a CD and then I figured it would never come out. Well, thank goodness it has. This is a show with music that is fun to listen to. It sends up some things about Broadway but always with a loving heart.
   Viviane Blaine, hot off Guys and Dolls is brilliant singing the show's ballads. And Johnny Desmond has that rich big voice that made him a star on records, on Broadway and on tour. David Wayne and Robert Morse add fun to the whole thing.
   The full orchestration on this CD is better than the 2 pianos used in the theatre and the music reminds you that these were the days when even a minor musical like Say, Darling had a terrific score.
   Say, Darling is a perfect addition to a theatre lover's collection. Thank goodness someone finally had the sense to release it on CD. If you want to wallow in Broadway nostalgia of the golden 50's this one is for you.
   Gary Smith

5 comments about My Fair Lady.

1. This SACD reissue -- in spite of being produced by the redoubtable Didier C. Deutsch (whose work I lavishly admire) -- doesn't cut it to these ears. One well-informed reviewer mentions his familiarity with both the 1956 & 1959 cast recordings; I confess I don't know the '56 effort. My point of comparison is rather the '59 London Cast on a beautifully preserved open reel which sonically blows this SACD out of the water. I'm not an analogue revisionist -- nonetheless I've noted more than one occasion where the old open reel excels its digital descendant. And, in spite of having available an extra 500 watts in paired subwoofers available for use in 'SA2' mode, I note more than a hint of rumble in the master tape. So there's no point in cranking up the subs. Finally, I acknowledge the different instrumental mix, but there's something about those British brass players; they seem to know how to hit you without being as 'brassy' as American players, I think. I would suggest that Holloway's showboat numbers 'Luck' & 'Church' benefit greatly from the brass; their relative absence from this recording is quite telling.



2. Many people can associate this sound track with the movie, "My Fair Lady" that was that is a film version of Bernard Shaw's play "Pygmalion". This is a classic musical with many well known songs by Lerner and Loewe.
   
   However unlike many musicals the songs have a life of their own. Even though they matched the story perfectly, they are they type of songs that one could instantly blurt out in the thrill of the moment. I my self found that "On the Street Where you live" matched perfectly when I was in love in my youth.



3. This album and CD format sound very good. I was quite pleased. THE RAIN IN SPAIN and ON THE STREET WHERE YOU LIVE are favorites of mine. I am glad this soundtrack got a top notch presentation. Well worth the wait.



4. After reading one review that gave this recording five stars I purchased it. Although it probably is a better recording than past CDs - don't expect the sound of a modern recording. A couple of the songs are very much clearer, but over-all I did not find this recording to be a revelation.



5. Warner Bros' 1964 film version of My Fair Lady, Lerner and Loewe's brilliant musical adaptation of Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion, is a genuine motion picture classic, fully worthy of all the awards and praise it has garnered since it's release nearly forty years ago.

   My Fair Lady boasted a discrete 6 track stereophonic sound mix, which was state of the art for it's time and still probably sounds better than the majority of today's pictures.

   This new SACD format CD offers the best sonic presentation of this soundtrack ever made available to the music buying public. With this release Sony has corrected a horrible injustice done to My Fair Lady in its previous CD. Gone is the sloppy editing of bits and pieces of meaningless dialogue excerpts and intrusive Foley effects, which served only to show the total lack of respect the producers had for these performances. While this SACD is not completely free of such tampering, this time the small amount of dialogue is beautifully edited and serves properly as lead in to the songs. Unlike the original LP release the extended versions of all the songs are presented here, along with The Embassy Waltz and the Entr'acte music.

   I won't get into the debate over Audrey Hepburn's casting except to say that at this point in time Julie Andrews, although obviously a better singer than Hepburn and probably wonderful on the stage, could not have even come close to the level of brilliance displayed by Audrey Hepburn in this role on the screen.

   Unfortunately precious little of Hepburn's superb performance is to be heard on this SACD, which leaves us with a debate over how Marni Nixon, Hepburn's vocal double, compares to Julie Andrews. Other than the fact that her Cockney accent is not so great, Nixon acquits herself quite admirably in the role, although I believe that Hepburn should have been allowed to do more of the singing with Nixon stepping in vocally when the going got rough, such as she did for Deborah Kerr in The King and I. But even so, Marni Nixon is arguably every bit as good a singer as Julie Andrews and performs the songs beautifully.

   Add to that the fact that this soundtrack offers Rex Harrison's most polished performance of Professor Henry Higgins and since his songs were recorded live at the time of filming, there is a spontinenity in them lacking in the Broadway and particularly in the London Cast Recordings.

   Stanley Holloway performs his songs with much more zest in this recording as well. But the greatest improvements over the original are the outstanding orchestral arrangements and conducting by Andre Previn assisted by Robert Tucker's excellent choral work. The brassy, puny orchestras and shrill choruses on all other recordings pale by comparison.

   Still, the Original 1956 Broadway Cast Recording should be a part of any serious music lover's collection, if only to savor Julie Andrews' sterling vocal performance as the original Eliza Doolittle. The 1964 soundtrack reviewed here should be equally enjoyed on its own merits, as mentioned above, and for allowing one to hear in brilliant stereo sound a more complete and better orchestrated version of Lerner and Loewe's musical masterpiece.

   Now if only Sony would go back and correct another major injustice by redoing the horribly mutilated expanded CD soundtrack of West Side Story as well.

No comments about 17 All-Time Standards (Jamey Aebersold Play-A-Long Series, Vol. 25).

5 comments about Encore.

1. The magical voice of Elaine Paige is something to be grateful for.
   This CD is delightful. The range of the voice and the beautiful diction are a pleasure to listen to. The recent movie about Edith Piaf made me very interested to hear the three songs from the stage musical Piaf that are on this album. I sent a copy to my Dad and he loves it too.



2. Paige is a wonderful performer, singer and interpretor. She sings the great songs but the orchestration sounds the same on each song, as if played from the same synthesizer. She's great and stands alone...her support system is very weak!



3. I really adore Elaine Paige performance especially when I saw her at the Masterpiece Concert in Beijing. (which by the way is a nice DVD) I read the reviews on this album and decided to get it for the review about it was so wonderful. Well, I can't say that I totally like it. There are some truly wonderful music and some that I don't care for. Here's my thoughts:
   
   There are songs from 7 musicals featured in the album. Let's start with "Sunset Boulevard." There are 3 songs from it and all of them are wonderful. I can say that she has become my favourite Norma Desmond. Next are songs from "Evita," a show that made her really famous since she's the original London Evita. "Don't Cry for me" here is the live version which is quite good but I have some other better versions to be frankly. I don't like how they turn "Another Suitcase" into a pop song. It kinda ruins it for me a bit.
   
   The third show is "Cats," another trademark of Elaine Paige. Again, "Memory" is not what I expected. I like the version from the Original London Cast Recording or the Movie version better. Then there's "I Know Him So Well" from "Chess," a duet with Barbara Dickson. There's nothing I could say about this song. It's brilliant and is a lot better than the Broadway version. Then come "I Don't Know How to Love Him" from "Jesus Christ Superstar"... Well, the song's fine, not impressive or anything.
   
   Songs from "Les Miserables" are the ones that I have my expectation on the most. The live version of "I Dreamed a Dream" is sooooo good. I love it. I can picture her as a great Fantine but her "On My Own," on the other hand, is just so-so. I think she's a bit old for Eponine or maybe I'm just use to the Frances Ruffelle's version. And the last three songs are from "Piaf." This really surprises me! I wasn't prepared to like the songs this much since I didn't know anything about the show at all. "Mon Dieu" and "Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien" is absolutely wonderful. But the best song goes to the English version of "Hymne a l'Amour". It's so good and so heart-wrenching. I wish she would record it in French one day.
   
   So there you have it, my opinion on the album. There are some wonderful songs on the album but I still skip a lot of them from time to time. Get it if you're a true fan of Elaine or interested to experience some of her works. For I think this album really shows off her past experience on different musical roles.



4. Elaine Paige has a wonderful voice. This CD shows off her talent.



5. To be brief ~ Schwartzkopf after seeing/hearing Callas as Violetta said "WHY BOTHER?" .... i.e. this GAL IS IT!.
   
   A wonderous experience, to cherish, to love, to ...{yeah!} ... and adore!
   
   
   ** see Elaine Stritche's comment about Burton [Stritch at Liberty].

3 comments about Send in the Clowns: The Ballads of Stephen Sondheim.

1. Interesting compilation of Sondheim ballads with a great variety of artists - from the incomparable Cleo Laine and Barbara Cook to singers you've never heard of who are equally impressive.



2. Tim Burton's movie version of Sweeney Todd brought back to me just how marvelous Stephen Sondheim's musicality is and what force he has been in the development of musical theatre. I came away from the movie wanting more Sondheim. I found it in Send in the Clowns: The Ballads of Stephen Sondheim. I wanted to hear ballads, songs I could listen to and moon over, to recall just why this music of all theatre music, resonates so well in some of the best of Broadway performers, to hear beauty and depth of feeling. Boy, did this album do the trick.
   
   Not only did I get the best three ballads from Sweeney Todd, I got them with other tracks containing some of the best acting performances I have heard in a long time.
   
   Each ballad is a microcosm of a one-act play and each performance is a mini-lesson in acting, but three of the best are these: Bernadette Peters' "Not a Day Goes By," is an acting lesson in how to build in an out of conflicting emotions in the short span of a song. Mandy Patinkin is almost showing off, he's so good in "Finishing the Hat," a song that has the sharp punctuation of the Pointillist technique of the painter he is playing.
   
   Also worth mentioning in the acting category, is Julie Andrews' quiet and moving "Like it Was."
   
   Barbara Cook is marvelous, as are Cleo Laine's tracks. For sheer listenability, you can get lost in Laine's lush contralto.
   
   And if you need any more reason to get this album, for the theatre student it is a study in musical theatre history.



3. If you're a Sondheim ballad fan, this a must-have. While there are a few renditions that aren't great (Not a Day Goes By is way overdone), the selections from Follies sung by Barbara Cook are outstanding. The Cleo Laine version of "Send in the Clowns" is lovely and Stephen Collins does an amazing good job on "Sorry-Grateful" from Company. Still, it's the Follies songs that truly shine!