Previous reviews for Mr. Elman's work include-
for DURANGO SALOON..."pure piano imagery painted on a gentle backdrop of instrumental beauty, a classic.."(Online)
for DAKOTA NIGHTS..."like calico silk from the heartland, jazzy, stylish and smooth as well-tanned leather"New Times")
for RACE POINT..."swirling, seamless excellent keyboards abd first-rate production, "9" on a scale of 10."
Product Description
Acclaimed recording artist Peter Elman's 4th album is a new collection of stellar instrumental pieces featuring Mr. Elman's distinctive piano style and spontaneous production technique. Using the 4-piece band format, he and his crew have fashioned a fresh and vibrant album of 10 strong original songs. Featuring a vocal piece, "Hurry My Heart", sung and co-written by Lisa Dreams,
First Take
First Take,Peter Elman
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First Take
Roberta Flack Manufacturer: Atlantic / Wea ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B000002J5S Release Date: 1995-09-19 |
Tracks:
- Compared To What
- Angelitos Negros
- Our Ages Or Our Hearts
- I Told Jesus
- Hey, That's No Way To Say Goodbye
- The First Time EverI Saw Your Face
- Tryin' Times
- Ballad Of The Sad Young Men
Customer Reviews:
GREAT DEBUT.......2007-04-03
First Take.......2007-03-24
This entire disc is exquisite but my two favorite tracks are: THE FIRST TIME EVER I SAW YOUR FACE & OUR AGES OR OUR HEARTS.
Other tracks that feature great arrangements and lyrical storytelling are: BALLAD OF SAD YOUNG MEN, ANGELITOS NEGROS & HEY, THAT'S NO WAY TO SAY GOODBYE.
The liner notes detailing Roberta's discovery make me sad for the music industry today because not many new singers are allowed to just be themselves - they have to conform. Would a Roberta Flack of today be allowed to grow & flourish as an artist? I don't think so but at least music lovers get to experience true artistry by adding this disc to their collection.
oh, what a album..........2006-12-21
First Take.......2006-03-09
A Timeless Gem of Soul Stirring Beauty.......2004-10-19
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John Barry: The Collection
Manufacturer: Silva America ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B00005BADD Release Date: 2001-05-22 |
Tracks:
- Zulu
- From Russia With Love
- From Russia With Love - 007
- Goldfinger
- The Ipcress File
- The Knack
- Mister Moses
- Thunderball
- The Wrong Box
- Born Free
- The Quiller Memorandum
- You Only Live Twice
- The Girl With The Sun In Her Hair
- Deadfall
Tracks:
- The Lion In Winter
- On Her Majesty's Secret Service
- On Her Majesty's Secret Service
- Midnight Cowboy
- Midnight Cowboy
- The Appointment
- The Last Valley
- Walkabout
- Monte Walsh
- Diamonds Are Forever
- The Persuaders
- Mary Queen Of Scots
- The Man With The Golden Gun
- The Dove
Tracks:
- The Tamarind Seed
- King Kong
- Eleanor And Franklin
- Robin And Marian
- The Deep
- Hanover Street
- The Black Hole
- Moonraker
- Somewhere In Time
- Raise The Titanic
- Body Heat
- Frances
- Octopussy
- The Cotton Club
Tracks:
- High Road To China
- A View To A Kill
- Out Of Africa
- The Living Daylights
- Dances With Wolves
- Dances With Wolves
- Chaplin
- Moviola
- Indecent Proposal
- The Specialist
- The Scarlet Letter
- Cry The Beloved Country
- Mercury Rising
- The James Bond Theme
Customer Reviews:
The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra needs a guitar player!.......2006-11-09
Persuaders Theme!.......2006-03-02
A Variety Of Classics!.......2005-12-06
There is over four hours of music in this set with a colorful and informative booklet.
Incredible Barry Collection.......2004-03-11
" one of cinema's greatest composers...John Barry".......2001-07-06
Must ask the following to take a bow ~ James Fitzpatrick (compilation producer), always in their pitching, Reynold da Silva (executive producer), Nic Raine (conductor, arranger, orchestrator & associate producer), a tremen!dous asset to every project he undertakes...and the man who made it all possible...a legendary icon always leading the way in film scoring ~ JOHN BARRY!
Total Time: 258:76 on 56 Tracks ~ SSD-1128 ~ (2001)
You might try other albums from Silva Screen, all worthy of a good listen ~ "The Essential James Bond" (SSD-1034)..."Bond:Back In Action" (SSD-1100)..."Bond:Back In Action 2" (SSD-1119)..."Zulu" (SSD-1095)..."Raise The Titanic" (SSD-1102)..."Walkabout" (SSD-1120)...check out my reviews on amazon.com/music.
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Whisperings: The Best of David Nevue
David Nevue Manufacturer: Midnight Rain Productions ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B000090PEW Release Date: 2001-10-17 |
Tracks:
- While the Trees Sleep
- Home
- Ascending With Angels
- Light
- Solitude
- A Turn to Grace
- The Emerald Valley
- Joy
- The Gathering Fields
- I Wonder as I Wander
- Psalm 77
- Dance of the Muse
- Be Thou My Vision
- The Vigil
- Voice in the Wilderness
- The Night Season
- No More Tears
Album Description
'Whisperings' is a 'best of' collection of fan favorites from David Nevue's first four albums, 'The Vigil,' 'The Last Waking Moment,' 'While the Trees Sleep' and 'The Tower.'An Excerpt from the Linear Notes...
"With a piano style somewhere between Chopin and George Winston, David Nevue brings melody and heart back to instrumental music. His neoclassical piano stylings reflect his wide musical influences - Clannad, Chopin, Pink Floyd, Rachmaninoff, Renaissance, George Winston and Rush. David's music also reflects his love of literature, quoting numerous influences from C.S. Lewis to The Bible.
David's artistry is demonstrated not only in his music, but in his thematic approach to each album. Rather than creating collections of unrelated compositions, David treats each individual work as but one chapter in a much bigger story that stirs the imagination and carries the listener to a gratifying conclusion."
Customer Reviews:
Whisperings the Best.......2007-02-05
Simply said - Excellent.......2005-10-03
from Solo Piano Publications.......2003-06-17
The Best Kept Secret.......2003-04-29
Great.......2003-04-28
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Take a Break
Me First and the Gimme Gimmes Manufacturer: Fat Wreck Chords ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B00009LW04 Release Date: 2003-07-01 |
Tracks:
- Where Do Broken Hearts Go
- Hello
- End of the Road
- Ain't No Sunshine
- Nothing Comapres 2 U
- Crazy
- Isn't She Lovely
- I Believe I Can Fly
- Oh Girl
- I'll Be There
- Mona Lisa
- Save The Best for Last
- Natural Woman
Customer Reviews:
Best Damn Cover Band In The World pt 4..........2007-06-27
Nothing compares to the best damn cover band in the world!
Fantastic fun!.......2007-01-26
As a whole, this album is just good fun. They take a very boring genre of music, and they rock its face off! I swear, if the original R&B songs didn't sound waaaaay tooooo sloooooowww before, they will after hearing this album. Highly recommended for people who don't take their music too seriously.
Better than the originals?.......2005-10-24
Timeless!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.......2005-09-10
Okay, but kind of disappointing.......2004-10-11
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A Star Is Born (Expanded 1954 Film Soundtrack)
Judy Garland , Harold Arlen , and Ira Gershwin Manufacturer: Sony ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B00009KU7U Release Date: 2004-05-18 |
Tracks:
- Overture
- Night Of The Stars
- Gotta Have Me Go With You
- Norman At Home
- Pasion Oriental
- The Man That Got Away
- Cheatin' On Me
- 'I'm Quitting The Band...'
- The Man That Got Away (Instrumental Version)
- Esther In The Boarding House
- Oliver Niles Studio
- Esther's Awful Makeup
- First Day In The Studio
- Born In A Trunk (Medley)
- Easy Come, Easy Go
- Here's What I'm Here For
- The Honeymoon
- It's A New World
- Someone At Last
- Lose That Long Face
- Norman Overhears The Conversation
- It's A New World (Alternate Take)
- The Last Swim
- Finale - End Credits
- When My Sugar Walks Down The Street
- The Trinidad Coconut Oil Shampoo Commercial
Customer Reviews:
Forgive the cheesy title, but a star is re-born once again........2007-07-09
In all that mess, the soundtrack was released by Columbia on vinyl record in mono and has since never been out of print and was a best-seller for years. In 1988, Columbia took the musical numbers and the overture directly from the film's stereo soundtrack (As, sadly, stereo soundtrack masters no longer existed.) and released those onto CD. The sound quality was somewhat horrendous, but digital audio was still in its infancy and not much else could be done.
In 2004, for the film's 50th anniversary, Columbia, Legacy, and Sony Music Soundtrax released this incredible new expanded remastered CD reissue of the film's soundtrack. This is the most complete soundtrack you can find and it's definitely worth upgrading from your 1988 CD release.
This CD contains not only all of the songs, including an extended intro to The Man That Got Away which was shortened in the film as well as the complete intro to Gotta Have Me Go With You, but also contains a near complete release of the instrumental score, which includes whole tracks and parts of tracks that were not used in the film, as well as an alternate vocal take of It's A New World, the deleted When My Sugar Walks Down The Street segment from Born In A Trunk, and a static-y complete version of The Trinidad Coconut Oil Shampoo Commercial, which was taken from a worn acetate playback disc - the only complete recording in existence.
The soundtrack is taken from a mixing and matching of several elements, such as acetate playback discs, the original Columbia mono soundtrack album masters, and the film's 4-track stereo soundtrack, among others. This means that the soundtrack goes back and forth from being stereo and mono. However, this does not detract from my listening experience any, and frankly, I can't tell much of a difference. One interesting note is that Gotta Have Me Go With You uses both the film's soundtrack and the mono soundtrack album masters to create a faithful listening experience, from the mono instrumental intro to the song itself, which except for a short portion, is taken from the film's 4-channel soundtrack. (The mono portion of the vocal part was used to edit out some plot-related screams that were present in the 1988 release. This method of retaining the aural integrity of Gotta Have Me Go With You was also used when it was included on the Rhino Records compilation Judy Garland In Hollywood: Her Greatest Movie Hits.)
Despite the fact that this soundtrack is taken from several different surviving elements and sadly not from a single set of elements, as Warner Bros. didn't have the foresight to save everything like MGM and Disney did, this is an excellent presentation of this landmark soundtrack. The sound quality for the most part is excellent, and the liner notes are also wonderful. Garland historian John Fricke writes a small essay on the production of the film and an annotated guide to the soundtrack, which gives a synopsis of the plot and also indicates where the tracks from the CD appear in the film. Producer Didier C. Deutsch also writes a small essay on the creation of this CD release, giving notes on the elements and some specific tracks.
Amazon is offering this soundtrack at an excellent price, and I have to say, it's a bargain for a soundtrack of this caliber and sound quality. Any Garland fan or movie soundtrack fan should have this in their collection.
A Star Is Born Soundtrack Review.......2007-01-10
Judy at her peak!.......2006-05-30
The production values of the film were top of the line and it shows on this fine CD. It's a chance to experience Judy's talent on a more intimate basis without the visuals.
A must-have for every serious Garland collector.
a "Star" shines like never before..........2005-04-27
The big bonus for getting this latest edition is for Garland's complete rendition of "The Trinidad Coconut Oil Shampoo Commercial" (without the dialogue of James Mason). This has been taken from a rare acetate master, so while the sound quality is not the best, having the number complete without interrupting dialogue is a more than ample compensation. You will notice too that "Lose That Long Face" has been newly mastered from a better stereo source (cutting out the thunder-crashes that were heard on the first CD master, and Garland's singing no longer has those violent analogue fluctuations during the introduction). "Gotta Have Me Go with You" is now presented without the screams and noises, in a new master from the mono soundtrack.
"When My Baby Walks Down the Street", a section cut from the "Born in a Trunk" sequence, has been added as a bonus track. This sparkling-new STAR IS BORN reissue is a great tribute to what is most definitely Judy Garland's greatest hour on film.
Musical perfection of the highest magnitude!!!.......2005-02-25
And her instrument was showcased at its best in the music from her triumphant "A Star is Born".
This expanded version is a bona-fide treasure with the highlight being Garland's earth-shattering "The Man That Got Away," presented with vocals and several instrumental versions. Along with "Somewhere Over the Rainbow," "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," and "The Trolley Song", "The Man That Got Away" is an essential for Garland fans, as well as those that know a good song when they hear it.
The fifteen-minute medley that was featured in the film as the "introduction" of "Vicki" to the public is another outstanding track, featuring "Born in a Trunk", "Suwanee," and "My Melancholy Baby," all exquisitely performed by the legendary talent.
Clocking in at just under eighty minutes, the soundtrack to the classic film is, indeed, in a class by itself, and deserving of repeated listening, maintaining its "freshness" after more than five decades.
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Handel: The Masterworks (Box Set)
Manufacturer: Brilliant Classics ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B00062FLI8 Release Date: 2004-11-30 |
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Andrew Lloyd Webber: Now & Forever
Various Artists Manufacturer: Decca Broadway ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B00005R5UJ Release Date: 2001-11-20 |
Tracks:
- Jesus Christ Superstar: Overture - Andrew Lloyd Webber
- Jesus Christ Superstar: Everything's Alright - Yvonne Elliman/Murray Head/Ian Gilllan
- Jesus Christ Superstar: I Don't Know How To Love Him - Yvonne Elliman
- Jesus Christ Superstar: Gethsemane (I Only Want To Say) - Steve Balsamo
- Jesus Christ Superstar: Superstar - Murray Head
- Evita: Oh What A Circus/Sing You Fools - Antonio Banderas
- Evita: I'd Be Surprisingly Good For You - Elaine Paige/Joss Ackland
- Evita: Another Suitcase In Another Hall - Barbara Dickson
- Evita: Don't Cry For Me Argentina - Julie Covington
- Evita: High Flying, Adored - Mandy Patinkin/Patti LuPone
- Cats: The Jellicle Ball - Andrew Lloyd Weber
- Cats: Memory - Elaine Paige
- Cats: Gus: The Theatre Cat - Susan Jane Tanner/John Mills
- Cats: Mr Mistoffelees - Paul Nicholas
- Song And Dance: Take That Look Off Your Face - Marti Webb
- Song And Dance: Tell Me On A Sunday - Marti Webb
- Song And Dance: Unexpected Song - Sarah Brightman
- Song And Dance: Nothing Like You've Ever Known - Sarah Brightman
- Song And Dance: Introduction - Andrew Lloyd Webber
- Song And Dance: Variations 1 -4 - Andrew Lloyd Webber
Tracks:
- Starlight Express: Starlight Express - El Debarge
- Starlight Express: Crazy - Greg Ellis/Reva Rice/Caron Cardelle/Samantha Lane/Voyd
- Starlight Express: Next Time You Fall In Love - Reva Rice/Greg Ellis
- Starlight Express: I Am The Starlight - Lon Satton/Ray Shell
- Starlight Express: Light At The End Of The Tunnel - The Company
- Requiem: Hosanna - Placido Domingo
- Requiem: Pie jesu - Sarah Brightman/Paul Miles-Kingston
- The Phantom Of The Opera: The Phantom Of The Opera - Michael Crawford/Sarah Brightman
- The Phantom Of The Opera: The Music Of The Night - Michael Crawford
- The Phantom Of The Opera: All I Ask Of You - Sarah Brightman/Steve Barton
- The Phantom Of The Opera: Entr'acte - Andrew Lloyd Webber
- The Phantom Of The Opera: Masquerade - The Company
- The Phantom Of The Opera: Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again - Sarah Brightman
- Aspects Of Love: Aspects Of Aspects - Orchester Der Vereinigten Buehnen Wien
- Aspects Of Love: Love Changes Everything - Michael Ball
- Aspects Of Love: Seeing Is Believing - Michael Ball/Ann Crumb
- Aspects Of Love: The First Man You Remember - Kevin Colson/Diana Morrison
- Aspects Of Love: Anything But Lonely - Sarah Brightman
- Aspects Of Love: Chanson D'Enfance - Sarah Brightman
Tracks:
- Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat: Any Dream Will Do - Jason Donovan
- Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat: Joseph's Coat - Maria Friedman/Richard Attenborough/Donny Osmond
- Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat: Close Every Door - Donny Osmond
- By Jeeves: Travel Hopefully - John Scherer/Martin Jarvis/Don Stephenson
- By Jeeves: When Love Arrives - Steven Pacey/Diana Morrison
- By Jeeves: Half A Moment - Sarah Brightman
- Sunset Boulevard: With One Look - Glenn Close
- Sunset Boulevard: New Ways To Dream - Glenn Close/Alan Campbell
- Sunset Boulevard: The Perfect Year - Glenn Close/Alan Campbell
- Sunset Boulevard: Sunser Boulevard - Alan Campbell
- Sunset Boulevard: As If We Never Said Goodbye - Glenn Close
- Whistle Down The Wind: Whistle Down The Wind - James Graeme/Lottie Mayor
- Whistle Down The Wind: Cold - Everly Brothers
- Whistle Down The Wind: No Matter What - Children/Adult Chorus
- Whistle Down The Wind: The Nature Of The Beast - Marcus Lovett/Lottie Mayor
- The Beautiful Game: Overture - Andrew Lloyd Webber
- The Beautiful Game: The Beautiful Game - The Company
- The Beautiful Game: Our Kind Of Love - Hannah Waddingham
- The Beautiful Game: Dont Like You - Josie Walker/David Shannon
- The Beautiful Game: Let Us Love In Peace - Josie Walker/Omagh Youth Community Choir
Tracks:
- Oh What A Circus - David Essex
- Memory - Betty Buckley
- The Phantom Of The Opera - Sarah Brightman/Steve Harley
- All I Ask Of You - Sarah Brightman/Cliff Richard
- Love Changes Everything - Michael Ball
- Any Dream Will Do - Donny Osmond
- Amigos Para Siempre (Friends For Life) - Sarah Brightman/Jose Carreras
- As If We Never Said Goodbye - Barbra Streisand
- The Perfect Year - Dina Carroll
- With One Look - Petula Clark
- You Must Love Me - Madonna
- The Heart Is Slow To Learn - Kiri Te Kanawa
- A Kiss Is A Terrible Thing To Waste - The Metal Philharmonic Orchestra
- Whistle Down The Wind - Tina Arena
- No Matter What - Boyzone
- The Vaults Of Heaven - Tom Jones
- Try Not To Be Afraid - Boy George
- Pie Jesu - Charlotte Church
Tracks:
- Make Believe Love - Wes Sands
- Down Thru' Summer - Ross Hannaman
- I'll Give All My Love To Southend - Ross Hannaman
- Believe Me I Will - Sacha Distel
- Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (1969 Radio Luxembourg Commercial) - Joseph Consortium/Pete Murray
- Try It And See - Rita Pavone
- Come Back Richard Your Country Needs You - Time Rice And The Webber Group
- Goodbye Seattle - Paul Raven
- John 19:41 - The Andrew Lloyd Webber Orchestra
- What A Line To Go Out On - Yvonne Elliman
- Disillusion Me - Gary Band
- The Ballad Of Robert And Peter - Tim Rice
- Christmas Dream - Maynard Williams
- It's Only Your Lover Returning/All Through My Crazy And Wild Days/Don't Cry For Me Argentina - Julie Covington
- It's Easy For You (1977 Jungle Room Session Version) - Elvis Presley
- Magdalena - Tony Christie
- Buenos Aires - The Roja Rockers
- Pollicle Dogs And Jellicle Cats - Andrew Lloyd Webber
- Mungojerrie And Rumpleteazer (Live At The Sydmonton Festival 1980) - Gemma Craven
- I Could Have Given You More - Petula Clark
- I've Been In Love Too Long - Marti Webb
- Benedicite - The Stephen Hill Singers
Album Description
Disc 1: Selections from Jesus Christ Superstar, Evita, Cats, and Song and DanceDisc 2: Selections from Starlight Express, Requiem, Phantom of the Opera, and Aspects of Love
Disc 3: Selections from Joseph nad the Amaziong Technicolor Dreamcoat, By Jeeves, Sunset Boulevard, Whistle Down the Wind, and The Beautiful Game
CD 4: 1. "Oh What a Circus" --David Essex 2. "Memory" - Betty Buckleey 3. "The Phantom of the Opera" -Sarah Brightman, Steve Harley 4. "All I Ask of You" --Sarah Brightman, Cliff Richard 5. "Love Changes Everything"--Michael Ball 6. "Any Dream Will Do"--Donny Osmond 7. "Amigos Para Siempre (Friends for Life)"--Sarah Brightman, Jose Caerras 8. "As if We Never Said Goodbye"--Barbra Streisand 9. "The Perfect Year"--Dina Carroll 10. "With One Look" --Petula Clark 11. "You Must Love Me" 12. "The Heart Is Slow To Learn" --Kiri Te Kanawa 13. "Whistle Down the Wind"--Tina Arena 14. "A Kiss Is a Terrible Thing To Waste"--The Metal Philharmonic 15. "No Matter What"--Boyzone 16. "The Vaults of Heaven"--Tom Jones and Sounds of Blackness 17. "Try Not To Be Afraid"--Boy George 18. "Pie Jesu"--Charlotte Church
Disc 5: (All tracks available for the first time) 1. "Make Believe Love"--Wes Sands 2. "Down Thru' Summer"--Ross Hannaman 3. "I'll Give All My Love to Southend"--Ross Hannaman 4. "Believe Me I Will"--Sacha Distel 5. "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat: 1969 Luxembourg Radio Commercial--The Jospeh Consortium, Pete Murray 6. "Try It and See"--Rita Pavone 7. "Come Back Richard Your Country Needs You"--Tim Rice and the Webber Group 8. "Goodbye Seattle"-- Paul Raven 9. "John 19:41"--The Andrew Lloyd Webber Orchestra 10. "What a Line To Go Out On"--Yvonne Elliman 11. "Disillusion Me" --Gary Bond 12. "The Ballad of Robert and Peter"--Tim Rice 13. "Christmas Dream" --Maynard Williams 14. "It's Only Your Lover Returning/All through My Wild and Crazy Days/Don't Cry for Me Argentina--Julie Covington 15. "It's Easy for You" (1977 Jungle Room Session version)--Elvis Presley 16. "Magdalena"--Tony Christie 17. "Buenos Aires"--The Rioja Rockers 18. "Pollicle Dogs and Jellicle Cats"--Andrew Lloyd Webber original demo 19. "Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer" (Live at Sydmonton Festival 1980)-Gemma Craven 20. "I Could Have Given You More"--Petula Clark 21. "I've Been in Love Too Long"--Marti Webb 22. "Benedicte"-- Stephen Hill Singers
Customer Reviews:
I waited for this for five years.......2006-06-30
It was worth the wait.
The concept is great. The packaging is great. The recording is great. Disc five is really cool for an ALW aficionado. There are a few real gems on it; my favorites are Petula Clark's "I Could Have Given You More" and "Benedicite."
I've always thought "Gus the Theatre Cat" made a great medley on the piano with "Unexpected Song" and "I DOn't Know How to Love Him," but wished there was an alternate lyric to match the other two songs. Now that I know there *is*, and it's a good lyric, it's a dream come true.
The melody of "Benedicite" is one of my favorites from _Sunset_ (the book mis-identifies it as "SUrrender"; it's actually "The Lady's Paying" and "Eternal Youth is Worth a Little Suffering"). The lyrics are the canticle from Daniel 3, which comes up every odd Sunday in the Divine Office, so it's nice to have cool music to sing it with.
I haven't bought _By Jeeves_ or _THe Beautiful Game_ yet, to it was great to sample them.
There are other parts of the CD taht aren't found in my collection. I like CD 4 "The Hits."
But the selections on CDs 1-3 don't make sense.
First, any self-respecting ALW fan has the Original London Cast of _Phantom_, so six tracks are totally useless. Why not draw from the Canadian cast with Colm Wilkinson? Or pull out some obscure recordings never published.
Why two different tracks with Michael Ball singing "Love Changes Everything", yet they're hardly any different?
On Disc 5 is "It's Only Your Lover Returning," sung by Julie Covington. It's an early draft of the song (Lloyd Webber and Rice went through several suggested titles) and quite nice. The very thing one expects on a Boxed Set.
So why have the Julie Covington "Don't Cry for Me" on disc 1?? The only difference is a few words, but it's otherwise identical. Why not Elaine Paige or Patti Lupone or Madonna?
The _Evita_ section is otherwise the best, choosing a sample from each major recording, though I'd have chosen slightly differently (as above).
There is a great selection of "Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer" from the Sydmonton festival, using the original music that was changed when _Cats_ went to Broadway_. It would have been nice if they'd included more recordings from Sydmonton, like the original lyric of "All I Ask of You" shown on the second DVD to the _Phantom_ movie.
With so many great actress-singers who've played Norma Desmond, why does the collection beat us over the head with Glenn Close?
Paul Miles Kingston must be set for life in royalties, for the number of albums the original recording of "Pie Jesu" has appeared on. "Amigos Para Siempre" is nice, but it reminds me of Shari Lewis's "The Song that Doesn't End," especially when it's been used on so many compilations.
In short, this is a great collection for the obscure material, if you can get it cheap. But for a boxed set, it's a poor sampling, drawn mostly from the most familiar recordings.
Excellent collection but BIG PUBLISHING MISTAKE! .......2006-01-10
ONE OF LLOYD WEBBER'S BEST COMPILATIONS, DESPITE A FEW FLAWS.......2005-03-21
Over the years many compilations of his work have emerged. In the late 80-is and early 90-is it was the "Encore" series and lately the one-disc collection called "Gold". The one in question here can be considered one of the best currently on the market. First, it includes a 3-disc selections from all of his shows, minus the latest one, i.e., "The Woman in White", which, considering the triviality of the score, is no great lost. The fourth disc covers some of his most known songs sung by the famous artists. Then, there is the fifth disc with previously unreleased material, most of which are the songs ALW wrote with Tim Rice for various artists during the 70-is. The disks are all neatly packed in a hardcover book that features 67 pages of pictures and text with information about each of ALW's shows. One of the other assets here is the perfect sound quality, since all of the tracks have been digitally remastered.
Here are my basic impressions and comments regarding the material on the discs:
* Disc #1 has the selections from "Jesus Christ Superstar", "Evita", "Cats" and "Song & Dance". The Superstar material mostly comes from the Concept Recording. Although the songs sound beautiful as always, their orchestration is a bit dated now. Only Steve Balsamo's "Gethsemane" from the 1996 revival cast has a modern rock sound. "Evita" comes with the material from all of the major recordings: London, Broadway and the movie productions, as well as the Concept album. No objections here; since this is one of ALW's most satisfying works, every song is just perfect, although Patti LuPone, the Broadway and overall the best Evita, is left with only a couple of lines. With the selections from "Cats", however, I have some doubts. A plus to the choice of the "Jellicle ball" impressive orchestral sequence from the 1998 movie version and "Mister Mistoffelees" from the 1981 London cast. One of the best known ALW's songs, "Memory", also comes from that album. It's a pretty version and Elaine Paige's rendition cannot be matched, but why include this when the definite version, featuring an 80-piece orchestra and Elaine Paige with much better interpretation, can be found in the same movie version. Thusly, one has to buy Elaine Paige's latest 2-disc compilation "Centre Stage: The very best of Elaine Paige" to get that one. And "Gus the theatre cat" is more a recital than a song, so there was not much point in including that. Marti Webb brings her vocal charm to the "Song & Dance" sequence, Sarah Brightman sings "Unexpected song" with her famous soprano, but as much as I like her version, Bernadette Peters, who was in this show on Broadway is strangely left out here.
* Disc # 2 starts with "Starlight Express". This was never one of my favorite ALW's shows; the plot is even lighter than in "Cats" and the 1984 original cast recording is terribly dated. Yet, here we have one terrific duet, "I am starlight" from the original together with three songs from the later revivals and it seems that fresh orchestrations were just the thing Starlight needed. My favorite remains a touchy ballad, "Next time you fall in love". "Requiem" is the most solemn of all ALW's compositions, written in 1985 to commemorate the death of his father. Placido Domingo's tenor rides together with the chorus all the way through the strong "Hosanna", only to be joined by Sarah Brightman in the final moments of this song. She then gives an echoing deliverance of "Pie Jesu". What can be said of ALW's next show, "The Phantom of the Opera"? A phenomenon in its own right, it's easy to see from the six numbers included here why this is one of the best and most beloved musicals of all time. The cast, the music, the story - everything is perfect. Although "Aspects of love" was never a popular hit, it does have some of the most beautiful love melodies ALW has ever written. "Love changes everything" sung by Michael Ball is probably one of the best tunes ever about love. The rest of the selected material here has a dreamy love flavor and the melodies find their way into your brain in the best Lloyd Webber way.
* ALW's first musical, "Joseph and the amazing Technicolor dreamcoat" was more successful in its revival form than the original from the 70-is. The three songs included here are sung by the show stars, Jason Donovan and Donny Osmond. Maria Friedman was not a lucky choice to play the narrator, as the track from the 1998 movie version shows. "By Jeeves" was ALW's only big flop when it came to the stage in the 70-is. The 1995 revival sounds much better though, full of funny numbers in the best manner of the musical comedy. "Travel hopefully" remains one of the show's highlights on this compilation. "Sunset Boulevard" comes next. "Sunset" remains for me one of Webber's best scores; lush and beautiful. I listen to the original cast recording with Patti LuPone all the time. However, here most of the songs are performed by Glenn Close. A big mistake. If you've ever listened the American premiere recording with her, you'll know what I am talking about. She may have a strong stage presence, but her vocal abilities are too limited, and her aggressive approach to the role lacks any subtlety. Therefore, the two big numbers from this show, "With one look" and "As if we never said goodbye" are ruined by the fact she can't sing. The same goes for the American Joe Gillis, who was played by Alan Campbell. Luckily, Patti LuPone and Kevin Anderson, the original Norma and Joe from the London production, make their brief entrance here with the "Perfect year"; enough to show how better they are. The funny thing is, on the jacket and inside of it, Glenn Close and Alan Campbell are credited as performers in this song as well. If this was a mistake on ALW's part, it was a good one. The next ALW's show, "Whistle down the wind" was never a critic's dear and yet the audiences rushed in to see it in London. The score brings back ALW to his rock and roll roots of the seventies and the story is quite interesting. But the selections here are not the happiest, since the cast recording boasts with much better songs. And finally, "The Beautiful Game". Again, we have one of those ALW's shows that is worth in its individual parts rather than as a whole. "Our kind of love" and "Let us love in peace" are two catchy ballads. The latter is a nice amalgam version not available elsewhere. The two other tracks here I could live without.
* Disc # 4 has the songs from all the above shows performed by different artists. The assembled tracks have their pros and cons. For example, we have some previously unreleased stuff, like Dame Kiri Te Kanawa's operettic rendition of "The heart is slow to learn", or a stunning and epic "A kiss is a terrible thing to waste" from "Whistle down the wind", performed by The Metal Philharmonic Orchestra. Then again, what was the point in including almost identical tracks as the ones on the previous disks? So we have Michael Ball again singing "Love changes everything" with only a bit different orchestration; Sarah Brightman comes out again with the same Phantom duets, but only with the different male singers. It would be much more appropriate to include tracks from the Toronto Cast of the Phantom, with Colm Wilkinson. Other pop deliverances (Tina Arena's "Whistle down the wind", Barbra Streisand's "As if we never said goodbye", Boyzone's "No matter what" and many more) were wisely chosen. Patti LuPone is again nowhere to be found and Petula Clark's "With one look" sounds too worn-out.
* The last disc is probably the one that will be of most interest to Lloyd Webber aficionados. It consists of entirely previously unreleased material ALW for the most part wrote for various artists during his early years, with Tim Rice. Some of these tunes, not successful as a singles, were later used in his shows. Thus "Down thru' summer" became "Buenos Aires"in Evita, "Try it and see", an unsuccessful attempt for the Eurovision was used for "King Herod's song" in "Superstar" and so on. Some of these songs are nicely made pop songs: "Make believe love", ALW's first recorded composition, for which he provided the lyrics; "Goodbye Seattle", sung by Paul Raven, who later became Gary Glitter; "Come back Richard, your country needs you", from a never made musical, sung here by Tim Rice, or Latin flavored "Magdalena", with Tony Christie singing. My all time favorite here is a song called "It's easy for you", sung by none other than Elvis Presley himself. Lloyd Webber and Rice sent him a demo recording that he accepted and recorded this live version a couple of weeks before he died. It's amazing to hear how his voice remained in the perfect shape. Also, there is a track of Andrew Lloyd Webber singing "Policle dogs and Jellicle cats" while plying the piano. His voice doesn't sound bad at all.
Taken as a whole, this compilation makes a perfect birthday or Christmas present to any fan of Andrew Lloyd Webber shows, or just anybody interested in some of the best tunes from the modern era of the musical theatre; despite the flaws I mentioned above. To the former, it may just be the final addition for the Andrew Lloyd Webber collection.
SUCH MAGICAL MUSIC OF THE NIGHT!.......2003-01-19
Opera") and the longest-running show of all time ("Cats"), the man whose homes are filled with three Grammys, five Oliviers, a Golden Globe, and Oscar and too many other honors and hosannas to mention, the man knighted in 1992 certainly doesn't need an introduction. Now Decca Broadway pays tribute to Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber with "Now and Forever," a spectacular 5-CD set compiled and produced by Sir Andy himself. It's cheaper than a
ticket to "The Producers" ... and more much exciting. This treasure trove contains highlights from all of Webber's shows, and a bonus disc of tunes sung by Betty Buckley, Barbara
Streisand, Jose Carreras, Boy George, Charlotte Church, Madonna, Tom Jones, Petula Clark, even Elvis! A must for lovers of theatre---and good music.
A Must Have for Sir Andrew fans.......2002-05-21
The cuts from the musicals are great but are likely owned by ALW fans as they are on the original cast albums. And I'm glad that there were tunes included from the composers most recent efforts which have yet to make it beyond London (Whistle Down the Wind, Beautiful Game).
My only complaint is the inclusion of way too many tracks by Sarah Brightman. She must've received a great divorce settlement that included having tunes on any ALW collection until the end of time!! Her interpretations of some of the tunes were limp and uninspired. I would've much rather heard casts from around the world rather than yet another song by this disdainful soprano! How about Colm Wilkinson's version of "Music of the Night" from the original Canadian cast of "Phantom"? Or Michael Crawford's version of "Unexpected Song"? What? No Betty Buckley from "Sunset Blvd."? And of course there are songs you KNOW are going to be on the collection before you even listen to it as they have been on EVERY ALW collection for the past decade or so.
A great collection but too much Sarah Brightman!
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Authentic George Gershwin, Vol. 1-4
Manufacturer: Asv Living Era ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B0001Z2RSC Release Date: 2004-08-24 |
Tracks:
- Swanee
- Come To the Moon
- I Was So Young (You Were So Beautiful)
- Tee-Oodle-Um-bum-Bo
- Nobody But You
- Limehouse Nights
- Drifting Along With The Tide
- Rhapsody In Blue
- Oh Lady Be Good!
- Fascinating Rhythm
- Hang On To Me
- I'd Rather Charleston
- The Man I Love
- The Half Of It, Dearie, Blues
- So Am I
- Kickin' The Clouds Away
- Concerto In F
Tracks:
- Sweet And Low-Down (I)
- That Certain Feeling (I)
- Looking For A Boy
- When Do We Dance?
- Sweet And Low-Down (II)
- That Certain Feeling (II)
- Irish Waltz
- Do, Do, Do
- Someone To Watch Over Me
- Clap Yo' Hands
- Maybe
- Three Preludes: I. No.1: Allegro Ben Ritmato E Deciso / II. No.2: Andante Con Moto / III No.3: Allegro Ben Ritmato E Deciso
- Meadow Serenade
- My One And Only
- 'S Wonderful/Funny Face
- He Loves And She Loves
- An American In Paris
- Liza
- Strike Up The Band
- Embraceable You
- I Got Rhythm (I)
- I Got Rhythm (II)
Tracks:
- Of Thee I Sing
- Jilted
- Second Rhapsody
- For You, For Me, For Evermore
- Cuban Overture
- Isn't It A Pity?
- Variations On 'I Got Rhythm'
- I. Catfish Row: Introduction - Jazzbo Brown - First Chorus, 'Summertime'
- II. Porgy Sings: 'I got Plenty O' Nuthin' - 'Bess, You Is My Woman Now'
- III. Fugue: Murder Of Crown, Act III Scene 1
- IV. Hurricane: Introduction, Act II Scene 3 - Hurricane, Act II Scene 3
- V. Good Morning, Brother: Occupational Humoresque, Act III Scene 3 - 'Good Morning, Brother' - Children's Song 'Sure To Go To Heaven' - 'I'm On My Way' (Finale)
- They Can't Take That Away From Me
- Let's Call The Whole Thing Off
- Our Love Is Here To Stay
Tracks:
- Girl Crazy Overture
- French Ballet Class
- Dance Of The Waves
- Slap That Bass
- Walking The Dog
- I've Got Beginner's Luck
- They All Laughed
- They Can't Take That Away From Me
- Shall We Dance
- By Strauss
- I Can't Be Bothered Now
- The Jolly Tar And The Milkmaid (1st Version)
- Put Me To The Test
- The Jolly Tar And The Milkmaid (2nd Version)
- Stiff Upper Lip
- A Foggy day (In London Town)
- Nice Work If You Can Get It
- Things Are Looking Up
- I Was Doing All Right
- Love Walked In
Customer Reviews:
Excellent performer.......2007-03-09
I'm fascinating.
A unique project.......2006-11-23
Gershwin historical, manic, perfect, archival.......2006-06-12
Second: Jack Gibbons plays (and has recorded) the Alkan op 39 etudes (he probably plays a lot more Alkan than that). For those of you not in the know, this is to say he has world-class chops, indeed history-class (Liszt, who never played his friend Alkan, at least in public). But it's also to say that Gibbons knows how to interpret and personalize fantastically difficult piano music. For me, his Alkan op 39 is personal and passionate and real (contrast the facile and over-pedalled Hamelin and the just-the-notes-ma'me Ringeissen). An appreciation of Gibbons' Alkan is important here because while his Alkan is uniquely personal (as such music must be, no matter how hard it is to play) his Gershwin is deliberately impersonal...which is to say: no pianist, no singer would want to reproduce what Gibbons has given us in these 4 cd's, and in fact few listeners will be able to listen for long to these 4 cd's without a respite, a break , some silence, some minimal styling from somebody (anybody) else...which brings me to
Third: This is an archive, not a recital. This is a library, not a program. There is no track-by-track contrast of moods here, no track-by-track concession to easy listening, varied delight, any more than a library shelf of novels is alphabetized by authors' last names as a concession to mood or fancy or taste of the searching patron. This is the documented Gershwin in his recording mode: manic, notey, clever, "on", and never, as generations of stylists found in him, ravishing, tender, longing, sweet, glad, hopeful...person-to-person, in a word. I can listen to these cd's about half an hour at a time, max. This is Gerwhsin, not Gibbons. And this is just one side of Gershwin. He died at 38, in the summer. Brain tumor. A lot of pain.
Finally, Jack Gibbons has given the world a uniquely valuable and easily available resource. Gibbons could now do us a service by playing us some Gershwin as he feels it, as it hits him and makes him sing (as Gershwin, our American Schubert, does to all of us, and as I think Alkan has done to Gibbons). I would love to see a Gershwin stylings by Gibbons now that Gibbons himself has made sure Gershwin in his authenticity is safe and sound.
Definative.......2005-07-23
Gibbons, according to a family friend and biographer Edward jablonski "recreates Gershwin's style." I'll never know. I can say this is a lively recording and has the perfect balance. It's neither stuffy and plodding or cute.
Average customer rating:
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Shakespeare's Musick (Songs & Dances from Shakespeare's Plays) / Pickett, Musicians of the Globe
John Dowland , William Byrd , John Wilson , Giles Farnaby , Robert Jones , Anonymous , Robert Johnson , Thomas Morley , Philip Pickett , Rachel Elliott , Meredith Hall , Musician of the Globe , Libby Crabtree , Jacob Heringman , Rosalind Waters , Gary Cooper , Roderick Williams , Joanne Lunn , and William Shakespeare Manufacturer: Philips ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B0000041KP Release Date: 1997-07-15 |
Tracks:
- Pieces For Broken Consort: Hollis Berrie
- Pieces For Broken Consort: Daphne
- Pieces For Broken Consort: My Robin Is To The Greenwood Gone
- Pieces For Broken Consort: Tickle My Toe
- As You Like It: It Was A Lover And His Lass
- Kemp's Jig
- Strophe 1: Measure For Measure: Take, O Take Those Lips Away
- Bonny Sweet Robin
- Twelfth Night: Farewell, Dear Love
- Tarletones Riserrectione
- Henry IV Part 2: Hold, Lingel, Hold
- Hamlet IV:5 (Ophelia): How Should I Your True Love Know
- Walsingham
- The Winter's Tale: Get You Hence
- La Coranto
- La Coranto
- Cymbeline II: 3: Hark, Hark! The Lark
- The First book Of Consort Lessons: La Volta
- The First book Of Consort Lessons: La Volta
- Othello IV: 3: The Poor Soul Sat Sighing (The Willow Song)
- Robin
- Twelfh Night: O Mistress Mine
- O Mistris Mine
- The Tempest: Full Fathom Five
- The Tempest: Where the Bee Sucks, There I Suck I
- The First book Of Consort Lessons: Can She Excuse (John Dowland?)
- The First book Of Consort Lessons: Go From My Window ( Richard Alison)
- Shakespeare's Musick - The Musicians Of The Globe
Customer Reviews:
Excellent argument for watching Shakespeare's plays.......2005-11-29
These are well worth the listen, but they will probably not set your toes to tapping as you might to performances by, for example, the Renaissance specialist band Piffaro.
Elizabethan Surprise!.......2000-02-12
Average customer rating:
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Purcell: Theatre Music
Manufacturer: Decca ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B0001Y4JHA Release Date: 2004-10-12 |
Customer Reviews:
Fine reissue of a classic set.......2006-05-24
This set originally appeared as separate LPs in the 70s and 80s, and has been long out of print. That's a pity, since Purcell spent a good deal of his short professional life in the theatre, either writing the incidental music contained on these CDs, or the music for his larger works, the semi-operas (King Arthur, The Fairy Queen, and the like). Almost all of these works are enjoyable gems; certainly, they represent a pinnacle of English 17th century music. Purcell had a genius for spinning musical gold out of the most leaden lyrics (check out his Odes and Welcome Songs on Hyperion if you don't believe me), and he does the same with the song texts in these plays.
Hogwood and the AAM offer clean, listenable performances, and the sound on these old analog discs has been cleaned up and brightened--although they were pretty good, even in the late 70s. As with most Hogwood, emotional extremes are kept to a minimum, so the "otherworldly" nature of late 17th century music, so often emphasised in more recent Baroque performances, doesn't come across here. It would be interesting to see what a group like The King's Consort would do with this music, but this set fills the major gap in the Purcell canon quite nicely.
My only beef with the reissue, as with many reissues, is that the liner notes are rather thin for a 6-cd set--the lyrics to the songs, for example, are especially missed. Still, it's a worthwhile set, and a must for fans of Purcell, English Baroque music, or anyone who just wants to experience a taste of the last days of the Restoration stage.
Christian Music:
- Flying Without Wings, Pt. 1 [CD-single] [Enhanced] [Import]
- Forever [International Edition] [Import]
- GAME REKONISE GAME VOL1
- Geralyn (CD Single)
- Goodbye [Asian Enhanced CD] [CD-single] [Import]
- Goodnight Vienna [Import]
- Heart of the Movies
- House Of Healing
- I Believe In Love
- In Search of [Import]
Christian Music
One Hit Wonders-Group Effort [Import]
In the Wake of Determination [Explicit Lyrics]