| 1. I Only See You |
| 2. The Greatest Comeback |
| 3. Even the Stars Look Lonesome |
| 4. You Gave Me a Mountain |
| 5. What I Wouldn't Give |
| 6. Someone You Love |
| 7. Don't Worry Bout Me |
| 8. Twinge of Regret |
| 9. No One Loves Here Anymore |
| 10. You Couldn't Be Any Closer |
Editorial Reviews
About the Artist
Starting in the late 1960's Danny Mack recorded for several Nashville labels. Danny Mack has played with some of the biggest stars in country music. On this CD Danny Mack has focused on a return to the great traditional country themes that we all love so well. This marks the first CD for Danny Mack on Apco Records & his first new release in ten years. Now that Danny Mack has teamed up with Apco studios owner/producer Ted Alexander , A new path for country music has been laid. With the hard work of musicians such as Duane Rust,Arliss Scott,Howard Walker,Ron Griggs,Al Griggs,David Ray,Larry Callihan,Sherril(Speedy)Wyatt & back up vocals by Marsha Alexander & Reah Ivey, The new CD "I only see you" is a hit with country music fans all over the world. Danny Mack would like to give a special thanks first to God for the talent he has been given & also to his wife Carolyn for her support. A special thanks to Ted & Shirley Alexander,Marty Alexander & Apco engineers Mark & ! Darrin McCuiston. Thanks to Ken Andrus & Oakwood.
Product Description
Country music with a hint of blues! Up beat & moving to the soul of any country music fan. Songs that go straight to the heart of country music.
The Sound in both Stereo (from the original master tape discovered in the vault of UMG) and 5.1 (mixed by Pete Townshend himself) is great...
As you put the disc in your player you'll hear the great differences from the 1996 reissue even if you have only a "simple" CD player..
If You're a great Who fan and you a have SACD player buy ABSOLUTELY this album and enjoy it 'til the laser of your player won't work anymore...
The second disc is clearly for fans only but the quality of some track even if are demos or outtakes is very very good!!
Every song on the cd sounds like it was recorded just yesterday. It is 100 % crystal clear, perfectly remixed and remastered. It gives you a clearer view of the story as well as a more pleasurable than ever listening experience. Pete Townshend and the people involved in this truly put their hearts into making "Tommy" better than ever.
The bonus disc is also worth it. A lot of awesome raritis. The liner notes are an interesting read, and the album itself is of course a masterpiece nobody should be without.
All band members were obviously extremely talented musicians and both Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend were/are great singers. Apart from few exceptions like "Cousin Kevin" all songs are outstanding; and it's really great to have the whole story on one CD - compared to the old double vinyl album.
Though the storyline may seem a little weird today ( to me it always did ), there is so much great music on this album.
The second bonus CD gives a very interesting insight in the developement of some of the songs. Though the sound quality is exellent CD 2 will mainly be of interest to hard-core Who fans. None of these alternate versions are better than the ones chosen for the album, though a few come close. The studio version of "Young Man Blues" which did not appear on the original album is a nice addition too!
The CD layer is stunning. I must have been sitting there with my mouth open after "Overture" began. I experienced emotion that wasn't there on previous listens to this on CD and vinyl. Yes, some of the tracks still sound dated, but most of this album is very good indeed, and this remaster is so incredible. If you own a great stereo rig, I highly recommend buying this - in fact, even if you don't have a great rig, I recommend it!
The Tommy album by The Who was the make or break for the group because if Tommy had failed, The Who would have probably disbanded due to lack of funds despite their concerts selling out based on Pete Townshend's guitar smashing and Keith Moon's drum kit demolishing at the end of each gig.
Guitarist Pete Townshend, under the gun after I Can See For Miles failed as a single in the UK(although it was their biggest ever hit here in the US) came up with a rock opera about a deaf, dumb and blind kid named Tommy whom becomes those aforementioned things after witnessing an event as a child that traumatized him(his father killing his step-father whom he considered his father).
Originally considered to be a single length album, the band felt it didn't make sense so they expanded it into a double album and the result is one of rock's Top 10 greatest double studio albums in history(alongside other classic double albums like the then-already released Jimi Hendrix's Electric Ladyland and The Beatles' White album and would help pave the way for more classics like The Rolling Stones' 1972 masterwork Exile on Main Street, The Who's 1973 release Quadrophenia, Elton John's 1973 classic Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, Genesis' 1974 masterwork The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, Led Zeppelin's 1975 classic Physical Graffiti, Pink Floyd's 1979 masterpiece The Wall and Bruce Springsteen's 1980 classic The River among many others).
Alot of classics appear on this album like the Overture, the classic Top 20 hit Pinball Wizard, Amazing Journey, the Underture(best instrumental on here which is basically a repeat of the album's other instrumental Sparks), Go to the Mirror, I'm Free, Cousin Kevin(one of bass player John Entwistle's greatest compositions), Fiddle About(about the perverted Uncle Ernie), Tommy's Holiday Camp(another excellent ditty written by drummer Keith Moon whom did an excellent rendition in the film version of Tommy in 1975) and the classic finale We're Not Gonna Take It/See Me Feel Me.
The other tracks on the album It's a Boy, 1921(You Didn't Hear It), Eyesight to the Blind, Christmas, The Acid Queen, Do You Think It's Alright, There's a Doctor I've Found, Tommy Can You Hear Me?, Smash the Mirror, Sensation, Miracle Cure, Sally Simpson and Welcome are all great pieces as well though tend to be overlooked.
The album made The Who legends for good and peaked at #4 on the Billboard chart and was their first Gold seller(eventually Platinum).
In 1996, the album was re-released as a remastered CD but used different masters for the remixed reissue.
In October of 2003(just in time for Tommy's 35th Anniversary), Geffen Records(formerly known as MCA) re-released the album as a 2-disc Hybrid SACD with the original mix on the CD layer and a killer 5.1 mix on the SACD layer and this version uses the very original tapes that were found in Universal's vault after being said that the original tapes were destroyed by Kit Lambert in a fire. As a result of the discovery of the original tapes, the sound quality is amazing on here.
Disc two has great outtakes and demos like I Was, The Who trying to record Sally Simpson with hilarious results and instrumental versions of Tommy Can You Hear Me and Tommy's Holiday Camp among many other rarities plus a cool booklet with rare photos.
Highly recommended.
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.
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.
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.
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!
Perhaps of greater interest to many listeners will be the relatively seldom heard artists, such as John McHugh, Florence Easton and Florence George. All three have very pleasant voices and aural personalities.
It is a somewhat mixed delight to hear Amelita Galli-Curci, John McCormack, Alma Gluck and Richard Werrenrath in recordings from the acoustic era. My personal favourite from that group is Galli-Cutci's charming version of A kiss in the dark.
Altogether, a well chosen mixture of the familiar and the out of the way, carefully and well re-recorded.
In any case - most people getting this set will already have the Mikado, and very probably Pirates and Pinafore for that matter, so you're really getting it for the others.
So just for the record - someone has to say this!
The Mikado is (of course) a wonderful piece, but it enjoys its long running status as the most successful of all the G&S operettas very largely for "extra-musical" reasons. It is visually so wonderful, with all those great authentic costumes, and the whole idea of satirising English institutions by pretending they are Japanese is of course brilliantly funny.
Again, Pirates and Pinafore enjoy a lot of their acclaim simply because we have heard them so often. And at least part of the initial success of these (admittedly very funny and entertaining) pieces was the vogue for "nautical drama" on the popular Victorian stage.
Iolanthe, Ruddigore, and Yoemen are all MUCH stronger musically than any of what another reviewer here keeps calling the "trilogy". Patience, Princess Ida, and the Gondoliers all excel either "nautical" operetta, at least musically, although not, perhaps, the Mikado. And I have had a lot of fun listening to my recording of the Sorcerer - although I think most at least of the other G&S operettas are even more interesting.
As for "Trial by Jury" it is really another thing altogether - but in its kind the most perfect thing either Gilbert or Sullivan had anything to do with!
This leaves Utopia and the Grand Duke.
Both of these were produced after the long running friendship between G&S had soured, and they have been sadly neglected ever since. Utopia is none the less both musically beautiful and very funny, and well worth taking an effort to come to grips with. The main point of the satire (which many commentators and reviewers seem to miss) is the way that the English language and British (especially English) institutions were being adopted, often rather uncritically, by countries around the world (most, but not all, of them members of the British Empire, of course). India is perhaps the country Gilbert had most in mind, but you could set it in any of a dozen other countries. The residual problems this has left in the post-colonial world ensure that this work is still far from dated. In some ways this operetta is about globalisation! What could possibly be LESS dated than that!
The Grand Duke, on the other hand, is a bit of an odd man out - I suppose you still have to say it is the weakest of all the G&S efforts. It's the ONLY one that didn't score a very respectable run on its first outing. Surprisingly, however, if an attempt is made to duplicate the musical and (especially) dialogue cuts that G&S would have done themselves if they had not by this time been at each other's throats all the time, a very entertaining piece can be made of it. I was very agreeably surprised by the Ohio Light Opera recording, which does just that - and I am coming round to the idea that the only thing really wrong with the Duke is that it is too long.
ANYWAY:
For all people (especially callow youth) who remain convinced that G&S only wrote three operettas worth listening to - all I can say is, buy this set, and give the lesser known ones a chance. Make sure you have a libretto in your hands as you listen, of course. It may even just need a single hearing in some cases, but otherwise, be patient. In the meantime, you really cannot have any conception of what you are missing.
For me, the performances themselves fall short. They were often recorded in a rush, sometimes late at night after a summer concert. I know that the Stadium Sym. is actually the NY Phil., but they don't sound particularly fine, and Bernstein's interpreatations, though vigorous, often border on the slapdash. Plowing through Beethoven's 3rd, Dvorak's 9th, Schumann's 2nd, Brahms' 4th and Tchaikovsky's 6th, I found few sparks of originaity, much less genius. This is a tough admission from one of LB's geat admirers, but there you are. The original recorded sound is also a bit thin and harsh.
Then there are the performances. I'm not the biggest fan of mono symphonic recordings, but these positively leap down your ears, unmannered, committed and electric. It's hard to believe what was achieved under the hasty recording conditions described in the booklet. The sound is a little fierce, but good enough to make this set a wonderful gift for any open-minded but symphonically ignorant acquaintance. I can easily imagine it turning someone on to classical music.
The performances are a revelation, because they demonstrate conclusively that Bernstein did not always "exaggerate" or "overinterpret" great music, as critics frequently claim. His performances here are very, very direct and straightforward, more like Fritz Reiner or Toscanini than like Bernstein.
If this album contained only Bernstein's early performances of these symphonies, it would be interesting, but it might not really attract that much attention, since he re-recorded all of these pieces in stereo in later years, and with the same orchestra.
What makes this set so valuable is that it contains his long out-of-print lectures on these symphonies, and far from what the previous reviewer claims, they never become boring and monotonous. No musician in our time, or maybe even in the history of music, was a better or more articulate and sensitive lecturer on music than Leonard Bernstein. His legendary appearances on the "Young People's Concerts" did more for the appreciation of classical music than all the "Beethoven's Wig" albums combined. (If you don't know what "Beethoven's Wig" is, check it out and shudder at how far music appreciation has fallen since Bernstein's death.)
Bernstein had a unique ability to make classical music accessible to everybody, without ever condescending to the listener or cheapening the music. His lectures on this album, previously only available to 1950's Book of the Month Subscribers (except for part of the Beethoven lecture, which is the only one that Bernstein did re-record in stereo), are invaluable both to music students and to those who are willing to listen. All of the lectures included cover all four movements of the symphonies discussed, except for the Brahms; that one is just as extensive as the others, but it covers only the first movement of the symphony.
However--be warned, the lectures do have a flaw that the symphonies themselves do not, and that is why I have subtracted one star.
The symphony recordings are obviously remastered from magnetic tape, but the lectures have been transferred from LP's. Thus, you will be able to hear an occasional click or pop from time to time, and there is a clearly audible "skip" on the Brahms lecture. It is NOT the CD being defective, or the laser beam on your player skipping; it is clearly the lecture recordings themselves. Deutsche Grammophon, which released this CD set, is very honest about the source of the transfers to compact disc, and is to be commended for this. (They mention it in the last page of the accompanying booklet.) But this shouldn't deter anybody from buying this enormously important Bernstein set.
Generally I find myself unable to appreciate the work of classical singers who do crossover albums, but Ian is an exception. It has been said elsewhere that he may lack a robustness in his voice, but here in fact, one would not wish for an overpowering tenor. He isn't at all overblown, unlike many other singers in crossovers. The lightness of his voice lends a kind of intimacy to these recordings, as if he were singing in a café or an at-home musical evening.
The material is, of course, a departure from Schubert, &c., but he handles it well. However, I do think that he has a better emotional feel for the 19th century German romanticists and the 20th century British classical composers (i.e. Britten). This recording is pleasant but it seems to me to lack the emotional depth of Ian's Schumann in particular - a perceived deficiency that might lie with the composer Coward rather than the performer.
I like to listen to this CD when I want to listen to Ian sing, but am not in the mood for his more serious/depressing recordings (a la Schubert & Britten). The lyrics are pretty inane, the same goes for the songs themselves - melodically speaking - but Ian makes them special. So four stars.
Starting in the late 1960's Danny Mack recorded for several Nashville labels. Danny Mack has played with some of the biggest stars in country music. On this CD Danny Mack has focused on a return to the great traditional country themes that we all love so well. This marks the first CD for Danny Mack on Apco Records & his first new release in ten years. Now that Danny Mack has teamed up with Apco studios owner/producer Ted Alexander , A new path for country music has been laid. With the hard work of musicians such as Duane Rust,Arliss Scott,Howard Walker,Ron Griggs,Al Griggs,David Ray,Larry Callihan,Sherril(Speedy)Wyatt & back up vocals by Marsha Alexander & Reah Ivey, The new CD "I only see you" is a hit with country music fans all over the world. Danny Mack would like to give a special thanks first to God for the talent he has been given & also to his wife Carolyn for her support. A special thanks to Ted & Shirley Alexander,Marty Alexander & Apco engineers Mark & ! Darrin McCuiston. Thanks to Ken Andrus & Oakwood.
Product Description
Country music with a hint of blues! Up beat & moving to the soul of any country music fan. Songs that go straight to the heart of country music.
I Only See You,Danny Mack,Apco,Country,Country music with a hint of blues, upbeat & moving to the soul of any country music fan.
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ASIN: B0000DJZAH Release Date: 2003-10-28 |
Tracks:
- Overture
- It's A Boy
- 1921
- Amazing Journey
- Sparks
- Eyesight To The Blind (The Hawker)
- Christmas
- Cousin Kevin
- The Acid Queen
- Underture
- Do You Think It's Alright
- Fiddle About
- Pinball Wizard
- There's A Doctor
- Go To The Mirror!
- Tommy Can You Hear Me?
- Smash The Mirror
- Sensation
- Miracle Cure
- Sally Simpson
- I'm Free
- Welcome
- Tommy's Holiday Camp
- We're Not Gonna Take It
- See Me Feel Me/Listening To You
Tracks:
- I Was
- Christmas (Out-Take 3)
- Cousin Kevin Model Child
- Young Man Blues (Version 1)
- Tommy Can You Hear Me? (Alternate Version)
- Trying To Get Through
- Sally Simpson (Out-Takes)
- Miss Simpson
- Welcome (Take 2)
- Tommy's Holiday Camp (Band's Version)
- We're Not Gonna Take It (Alternate Version)
- Dogs (Part 2)
- It's A Boy
- Amazing Journey
- Christmas
- Do You Think It's Alright?
- Pinball Wizard
Customer Reviews:
The Who Classic Masterpiece AS YOU NEVER HEARD BEFORE.......2007-06-12
The Sound in both Stereo (from the original master tape discovered in the vault of UMG) and 5.1 (mixed by Pete Townshend himself) is great...
As you put the disc in your player you'll hear the great differences from the 1996 reissue even if you have only a "simple" CD player..
If You're a great Who fan and you a have SACD player buy ABSOLUTELY this album and enjoy it 'til the laser of your player won't work anymore...
The second disc is clearly for fans only but the quality of some track even if are demos or outtakes is very very good!!
A Landmark Classic Now Made Even Better........2006-12-26
Every song on the cd sounds like it was recorded just yesterday. It is 100 % crystal clear, perfectly remixed and remastered. It gives you a clearer view of the story as well as a more pleasurable than ever listening experience. Pete Townshend and the people involved in this truly put their hearts into making "Tommy" better than ever.
The bonus disc is also worth it. A lot of awesome raritis. The liner notes are an interesting read, and the album itself is of course a masterpiece nobody should be without.
A Milestone of Early Rock!.......2006-09-29
All band members were obviously extremely talented musicians and both Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend were/are great singers. Apart from few exceptions like "Cousin Kevin" all songs are outstanding; and it's really great to have the whole story on one CD - compared to the old double vinyl album.
Though the storyline may seem a little weird today ( to me it always did ), there is so much great music on this album.
The second bonus CD gives a very interesting insight in the developement of some of the songs. Though the sound quality is exellent CD 2 will mainly be of interest to hard-core Who fans. None of these alternate versions are better than the ones chosen for the album, though a few come close. The studio version of "Young Man Blues" which did not appear on the original album is a nice addition too!
I Love it !.......2006-09-06
The CD layer is stunning. I must have been sitting there with my mouth open after "Overture" began. I experienced emotion that wasn't there on previous listens to this on CD and vinyl. Yes, some of the tracks still sound dated, but most of this album is very good indeed, and this remaster is so incredible. If you own a great stereo rig, I highly recommend buying this - in fact, even if you don't have a great rig, I recommend it!
The Who's classic rock opera gets a 35th birthday celebration fit for a king!.......2006-08-13
The Tommy album by The Who was the make or break for the group because if Tommy had failed, The Who would have probably disbanded due to lack of funds despite their concerts selling out based on Pete Townshend's guitar smashing and Keith Moon's drum kit demolishing at the end of each gig.
Guitarist Pete Townshend, under the gun after I Can See For Miles failed as a single in the UK(although it was their biggest ever hit here in the US) came up with a rock opera about a deaf, dumb and blind kid named Tommy whom becomes those aforementioned things after witnessing an event as a child that traumatized him(his father killing his step-father whom he considered his father).
Originally considered to be a single length album, the band felt it didn't make sense so they expanded it into a double album and the result is one of rock's Top 10 greatest double studio albums in history(alongside other classic double albums like the then-already released Jimi Hendrix's Electric Ladyland and The Beatles' White album and would help pave the way for more classics like The Rolling Stones' 1972 masterwork Exile on Main Street, The Who's 1973 release Quadrophenia, Elton John's 1973 classic Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, Genesis' 1974 masterwork The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, Led Zeppelin's 1975 classic Physical Graffiti, Pink Floyd's 1979 masterpiece The Wall and Bruce Springsteen's 1980 classic The River among many others).
Alot of classics appear on this album like the Overture, the classic Top 20 hit Pinball Wizard, Amazing Journey, the Underture(best instrumental on here which is basically a repeat of the album's other instrumental Sparks), Go to the Mirror, I'm Free, Cousin Kevin(one of bass player John Entwistle's greatest compositions), Fiddle About(about the perverted Uncle Ernie), Tommy's Holiday Camp(another excellent ditty written by drummer Keith Moon whom did an excellent rendition in the film version of Tommy in 1975) and the classic finale We're Not Gonna Take It/See Me Feel Me.
The other tracks on the album It's a Boy, 1921(You Didn't Hear It), Eyesight to the Blind, Christmas, The Acid Queen, Do You Think It's Alright, There's a Doctor I've Found, Tommy Can You Hear Me?, Smash the Mirror, Sensation, Miracle Cure, Sally Simpson and Welcome are all great pieces as well though tend to be overlooked.
The album made The Who legends for good and peaked at #4 on the Billboard chart and was their first Gold seller(eventually Platinum).
In 1996, the album was re-released as a remastered CD but used different masters for the remixed reissue.
In October of 2003(just in time for Tommy's 35th Anniversary), Geffen Records(formerly known as MCA) re-released the album as a 2-disc Hybrid SACD with the original mix on the CD layer and a killer 5.1 mix on the SACD layer and this version uses the very original tapes that were found in Universal's vault after being said that the original tapes were destroyed by Kit Lambert in a fire. As a result of the discovery of the original tapes, the sound quality is amazing on here.
Disc two has great outtakes and demos like I Was, The Who trying to record Sally Simpson with hilarious results and instrumental versions of Tommy Can You Hear Me and Tommy's Holiday Camp among many other rarities plus a cool booklet with rare photos.
Highly recommended.
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Handel: The Masterworks (Box Set)
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ASIN: B00062FLI8 Release Date: 2004-11-30 |
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Andrew Lloyd Webber: Now & Forever
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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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Ah, Sweet Mystery of Life: The Songs of Victor Herbert
Manufacturer: Asv Living Era ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Herbert
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ASIN: B00004U9MZ Release Date: 2000-08-22 |
Tracks:
- Ah, Sweet Mystery Of Life! - Richard Crooks
- Gypsy Love Song - CHARLES KULLMAN
- Romany Life - Jeanette MacDonald
- March Of The Toys - Victor Young & His Concert Orchestra
- Kiss Me Again - Florence Easton
- (The Day Is Done...) Moonbeams - Richard Crooks
- Italian Street Song - Florence George/The Max Terr Choristers
- I'm Falling In Love With Someone - CHARLES KULLMAN
- 'Neath The Southern Moon - Nelson Eddy
- Tramp, Tramp, Tramp! - Nelson Eddy
- Paul's Address: (My Commander As Envoy Bids Me Come...) No Country Can My Own Outvie - John McCormack
- I List The Trill In Golden Throat - Alma Gluck/Charles Schuetz
- The Cricket On The Earth - Christie MacDonald/Reginald Werrenrath/Howard Ratty
- Sweethearts - Richard Tauber
- To Land Of My Own Romance - John McHugh
- When You're Away - Richard Tauber
- Neapolitan Love Song - Richard Crooks
- Ireland, My Sireland (When Shall I Again See Ireland?) - John McCormick/Dominic Melillo
- Eileen Alannah Ashthore - John McCormick/Dominic Melillo
- Thine Alone - CHARLES KULLMAN
- A Kiss In The Dark - Amelita Galli-Curci
- Indian Summer - Richard Tauber
- Ah, Sweet Mystery Of Life! - Jeanette Macdonald/Nelson Eddy
Customer Reviews:
Some old favourites, and some unfamiliar, enjoyable voices and songs.......2007-03-11
Perhaps of greater interest to many listeners will be the relatively seldom heard artists, such as John McHugh, Florence Easton and Florence George. All three have very pleasant voices and aural personalities.
It is a somewhat mixed delight to hear Amelita Galli-Curci, John McCormack, Alma Gluck and Richard Werrenrath in recordings from the acoustic era. My personal favourite from that group is Galli-Cutci's charming version of A kiss in the dark.
Altogether, a well chosen mixture of the familiar and the out of the way, carefully and well re-recorded.
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Mario Lanza: My Romance
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ASIN: B000056BUT Release Date: 2001-01-09 |
Tracks:
- All The Things You Are
- Kiss
- Song Is You
- Where Or When
- Love Is The Sweetest Thing
- I'll See You Again
- Night & Day
- Your Eyes Have Told Me So
- They Didn't Believe Me
- If I Loved You
- Only A Rose
- You & The Night & The Music
- Sylvia
- On The Street Where You Live
- Fools Rush In
- Beautiful Love
- I've Got You Under M
- Long Ago & Far Away
- You Are Love
- I'll Be Seeing You
- My Romance
Customer Reviews:
The best from The Best Singer and Tenor of all time........2007-04-24
Gorgeous.......2001-11-25
Another great CD by the greatest singer of all time!!!.......2001-07-17
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The Complete Gilbert & Sullivan (Box Set)
Manufacturer: Decca ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Ballets
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ASIN: B00008LJEO Release Date: 2003-05-13 |
Customer Reviews:
Don't underestimate those "unknown" Operettas!!.......2005-07-07
In any case - most people getting this set will already have the Mikado, and very probably Pirates and Pinafore for that matter, so you're really getting it for the others.
So just for the record - someone has to say this!
The Mikado is (of course) a wonderful piece, but it enjoys its long running status as the most successful of all the G&S operettas very largely for "extra-musical" reasons. It is visually so wonderful, with all those great authentic costumes, and the whole idea of satirising English institutions by pretending they are Japanese is of course brilliantly funny.
Again, Pirates and Pinafore enjoy a lot of their acclaim simply because we have heard them so often. And at least part of the initial success of these (admittedly very funny and entertaining) pieces was the vogue for "nautical drama" on the popular Victorian stage.
Iolanthe, Ruddigore, and Yoemen are all MUCH stronger musically than any of what another reviewer here keeps calling the "trilogy". Patience, Princess Ida, and the Gondoliers all excel either "nautical" operetta, at least musically, although not, perhaps, the Mikado. And I have had a lot of fun listening to my recording of the Sorcerer - although I think most at least of the other G&S operettas are even more interesting.
As for "Trial by Jury" it is really another thing altogether - but in its kind the most perfect thing either Gilbert or Sullivan had anything to do with!
This leaves Utopia and the Grand Duke.
Both of these were produced after the long running friendship between G&S had soured, and they have been sadly neglected ever since. Utopia is none the less both musically beautiful and very funny, and well worth taking an effort to come to grips with. The main point of the satire (which many commentators and reviewers seem to miss) is the way that the English language and British (especially English) institutions were being adopted, often rather uncritically, by countries around the world (most, but not all, of them members of the British Empire, of course). India is perhaps the country Gilbert had most in mind, but you could set it in any of a dozen other countries. The residual problems this has left in the post-colonial world ensure that this work is still far from dated. In some ways this operetta is about globalisation! What could possibly be LESS dated than that!
The Grand Duke, on the other hand, is a bit of an odd man out - I suppose you still have to say it is the weakest of all the G&S efforts. It's the ONLY one that didn't score a very respectable run on its first outing. Surprisingly, however, if an attempt is made to duplicate the musical and (especially) dialogue cuts that G&S would have done themselves if they had not by this time been at each other's throats all the time, a very entertaining piece can be made of it. I was very agreeably surprised by the Ohio Light Opera recording, which does just that - and I am coming round to the idea that the only thing really wrong with the Duke is that it is too long.
ANYWAY:
For all people (especially callow youth) who remain convinced that G&S only wrote three operettas worth listening to - all I can say is, buy this set, and give the lesser known ones a chance. Make sure you have a libretto in your hands as you listen, of course. It may even just need a single hearing in some cases, but otherwise, be patient. In the meantime, you really cannot have any conception of what you are missing.
A few details.......2004-03-28
Wonderful set, if a little inconsistent at times........2003-07-07
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Dittersdorf: Arcifanfano, King of Fools
Manufacturer: Video Artists Int'l ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Dittersdorf
| Dittersdorf, Karl Ditters
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ASIN: B000003LIK Release Date: 1994-12-12 |
Tracks:
- Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act I: Overture
- Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act I: Chorus - We've Traveled Far (Semplicina, Gloriosa, Garbata, Sordidone, Malgoverno, Furibondo)
- Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act I: Recitative - Approach! What Is Your Name, Sir? (Furibondo)
- Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act I: Aria - With A Sword That Is Sterner Than Moses (Furibondo)
- Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act I: Recitative - Unhappy Oddling (Gloriosa)
- Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act I: Aria - My Fair Skin, My Bare Chin (Gloriosa)
- Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act I: Recitative - Was Ever There Insanity (Sordidone)
- Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act I: Aria - Snugly Hidden Safe From Prying (Sordidone)
- Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act I: Recitative - Madness Beyond All Measure (Malgoverno)
- Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act I: Aria - When The Purse Is Clinking (Malgoverno)
- Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act I: Recitative - There, Like A Vapor (Semplicina)
- Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act I: Aria - O Look So Woeful (Semplicina)
- Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act I: Recitative - Such As She Seems To Be Frigid (Garbata)
- Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act I: Aria - Let's Sing, Let's All Be Jolly (Garbata)
- Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act I: Recitative - For All Types Of Confusion
- Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act I: Aria - The Fierce One Lives Only For The Slaughter
- Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act II: Recitative - I Beg You To Stop (Malgoverna, Gloriosa, Garbata)
- Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act II: Aria - We Praise The Sun For Beauty (Malgoverna)
- Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act II: Recitative - Bumpkin, Coarse-grained (Gloriosa, Garbata)
- Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act II: Aria - If You Will Love Me, I Will Love You (Garbata)
- Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act II: Recitative - No, They Cannot Persuade Me! (Gloriosa)
- Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act II: Aria - Lovely Ladies, You Enjoying (Gloriosa)
- Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act II: Recitative - Where's My Lover, Sweetheart (Sordidone)
Tracks:
- Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act II: Aria - Sordidone, Be A Bunny
- Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act II: Recitative - Are You Hiding? (Sordidone, Garbata)
- Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act II: Duet - See Comely Phyllis Wander (Garbata, Sordidone)
- Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act II: Recitative - Don't Come Near Me (Semplicina, Furibondo)
- Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act II: Aria - The High And Mighty Lion (Furibondo)
- Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act II: Recitative - Quiet At Last (Semplicina)
- Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act II: Duet - Semplicina, Do You Hear Me? (Semplicina)
- Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act II: Quartet - Ever More Bitter Shall Be My Raging (Gloriosa, Garbata, Malgoverno, Furibondo)
- Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act II: Recitative - What Now? What New Forms Of Madness? (Gloriosa, Sordidone, Malgoverno, Furibondo)
- Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act II: Chorus - Long Live King Arcifanfano (Semplicina, Gloriosa, Garbata, Sordidone, Malgoverno, Furibondo)
- Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act III: Aria - Earth, Our Dearest, Good And Nearest (Sordidone)
- Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act III: Aria - That His Sowing Yield A Growing (Malgoverno)
- Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act III: Recitative - What Has The Fool Committed (Malgoverna, Gloriosa)
- Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act III: Aria - Ask Of Beauty, She Will Answer (Gloriosa)
- Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act III: Recitative - Hop And Stop It! (Furibondo, Gloriosa)
- Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act III: Aria - All Of This Planet, I Cry To Each Man (Furibondo)
- Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act III: Recitative - What's Unleashed These Dreadful Roars? (Garbata, Furibondo)
- Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act III: Aria - I'm Simple And I'm Candid (Garbata)
- Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act III: Recitative - What Mischief And Load This Purse Is!
- Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act III: Aria - Goddess Bright As Morning
- Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act III: Recitative - Mother Always Used To Tell Me (Sordidone, Semplicina)
- Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act III: Aria - What A Lot I Need What I Need Lot's Of! (Sordidone)
- Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act III: Recitative - May He Not Come To Harm (Semplicina)
- Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act III: Aria - There's A Devil In A Ducat (Semplicina)
- Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act III: Recitative - Gather, O Subjects, About Us (Gloriosa, Garbata, Semplicina)
- Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act III: Duet - If You Marry Me (Semplicina)
- Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act III: Chorus - With Curiosity All Aflame (Semplicina, Gloriosa, Garbata, Sordidone, Malgoverno, Furibondo)
- Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act III: Recitative - Quiet, Please, We Implore You!
- Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act III: Chorus - The Wise And The Mad Have Got One Word For Their Dwelling
Customer Reviews:
A Comic-Opera Treasure!.......2007-01-28
an obscure delight!.......2002-07-31
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Lay Aside All Earthly Cares: Orthodox Choral Works in English
Manufacturer: Cappella Romana ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Vocal & Song
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ASIN: B000AXWHE4 Release Date: 2005-09-13 |
Tracks:
- Bless the Lord, O my soul
- O gladsome Light
- Lord, now let Thy servant
- Rejoice, Virgin Theotokos
- Praise the Name of the Lord
- The Great Doxology, No.1
- Bless the Lord, O my soul
- The Second Antiphon
- Only begotten Son
- Holy God, No.2
- Alleluia, No.1
- Cherubic Hymn (Special melody: The thief beheld)
- A mercy of peace
- It is truly meet
- Our Father / One is holy / Praise the Lord, No.1
- Praise the Lord from the heavens, No.2
- I will receive the cup, No.2
- Their proclamation has gone out, No.2
- Rejoice in the Lord
- Receive the Body of Christ, No.1,2,1
- Blessed be the name of the Lord
- Psalm
- All of creation
- Troparion for the Sunday of Orthodoxy
- Let my prayer arise
- Now the Powers of heaven
- Taste and see
- Thy bridal chamber
- The wise thief, No.2
- The wise thief, No.3
- Let all mortal flesh
- What shall we call you, Mary
Customer Reviews:
Just heavenly.......2007-01-30
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Leonard Bernstein: The 1953 American Decca Recordings
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ASIN: B00067GKF6 Release Date: 2005-02-08 |
Customer Reviews:
It's wonderful to have Bernstein back, but the performances fall short.......2006-11-26
For me, the performances themselves fall short. They were often recorded in a rush, sometimes late at night after a summer concert. I know that the Stadium Sym. is actually the NY Phil., but they don't sound particularly fine, and Bernstein's interpreatations, though vigorous, often border on the slapdash. Plowing through Beethoven's 3rd, Dvorak's 9th, Schumann's 2nd, Brahms' 4th and Tchaikovsky's 6th, I found few sparks of originaity, much less genius. This is a tough admission from one of LB's geat admirers, but there you are. The original recorded sound is also a bit thin and harsh.
Come back Lennie, we need you.......2006-02-22
Then there are the performances. I'm not the biggest fan of mono symphonic recordings, but these positively leap down your ears, unmannered, committed and electric. It's hard to believe what was achieved under the hasty recording conditions described in the booklet. The sound is a little fierce, but good enough to make this set a wonderful gift for any open-minded but symphonically ignorant acquaintance. I can easily imagine it turning someone on to classical music.
For Bernstein enthusiasts, it's like owning a gold mine.......2005-06-19
The performances are a revelation, because they demonstrate conclusively that Bernstein did not always "exaggerate" or "overinterpret" great music, as critics frequently claim. His performances here are very, very direct and straightforward, more like Fritz Reiner or Toscanini than like Bernstein.
If this album contained only Bernstein's early performances of these symphonies, it would be interesting, but it might not really attract that much attention, since he re-recorded all of these pieces in stereo in later years, and with the same orchestra.
What makes this set so valuable is that it contains his long out-of-print lectures on these symphonies, and far from what the previous reviewer claims, they never become boring and monotonous. No musician in our time, or maybe even in the history of music, was a better or more articulate and sensitive lecturer on music than Leonard Bernstein. His legendary appearances on the "Young People's Concerts" did more for the appreciation of classical music than all the "Beethoven's Wig" albums combined. (If you don't know what "Beethoven's Wig" is, check it out and shudder at how far music appreciation has fallen since Bernstein's death.)
Bernstein had a unique ability to make classical music accessible to everybody, without ever condescending to the listener or cheapening the music. His lectures on this album, previously only available to 1950's Book of the Month Subscribers (except for part of the Beethoven lecture, which is the only one that Bernstein did re-record in stereo), are invaluable both to music students and to those who are willing to listen. All of the lectures included cover all four movements of the symphonies discussed, except for the Brahms; that one is just as extensive as the others, but it covers only the first movement of the symphony.
However--be warned, the lectures do have a flaw that the symphonies themselves do not, and that is why I have subtracted one star.
The symphony recordings are obviously remastered from magnetic tape, but the lectures have been transferred from LP's. Thus, you will be able to hear an occasional click or pop from time to time, and there is a clearly audible "skip" on the Brahms lecture. It is NOT the CD being defective, or the laser beam on your player skipping; it is clearly the lecture recordings themselves. Deutsche Grammophon, which released this CD set, is very honest about the source of the transfers to compact disc, and is to be commended for this. (They mention it in the last page of the accompanying booklet.) But this shouldn't deter anybody from buying this enormously important Bernstein set.
Bernstein's Early American Recordings.......2005-04-02
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Noel Coward Songbook
Ian Bostridge Manufacturer: EMI Classics ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General
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ASIN: B00006HM8Z Release Date: 2002-09-17 |
Tracks:
- I Travel Alone
- Parisian Pierrot
- Poor Little Rich Girl
- World Weary
- Mary Make-Believe
- A Room With A View
- Dance, Little Lady
- If You Could Only Come With Me
- I'll See You Again
- Zigeuner
- The Dream Is Over
- Any Little Fish
- Twentieth Century Blues
- Mad Dogs And Englishmen
- Let's Say Good-bye
- Something To Do With Spring
- The Party's Over Now
- Someday I'll Find You
- Never Again
Customer Reviews:
a voice teacher and early music fan.......2006-03-25
Mad dogs and an Englishman called Ian .......2005-09-02
Generally I find myself unable to appreciate the work of classical singers who do crossover albums, but Ian is an exception. It has been said elsewhere that he may lack a robustness in his voice, but here in fact, one would not wish for an overpowering tenor. He isn't at all overblown, unlike many other singers in crossovers. The lightness of his voice lends a kind of intimacy to these recordings, as if he were singing in a café or an at-home musical evening.
The material is, of course, a departure from Schubert, &c., but he handles it well. However, I do think that he has a better emotional feel for the 19th century German romanticists and the 20th century British classical composers (i.e. Britten). This recording is pleasant but it seems to me to lack the emotional depth of Ian's Schumann in particular - a perceived deficiency that might lie with the composer Coward rather than the performer.
I like to listen to this CD when I want to listen to Ian sing, but am not in the mood for his more serious/depressing recordings (a la Schubert & Britten). The lyrics are pretty inane, the same goes for the songs themselves - melodically speaking - but Ian makes them special. So four stars.
Coward the Composer, Quite Charming without the Camp.......2002-11-18
COWARD'S THEATRE SONGS.......2002-09-30
The theatre songs of Noel Coward take a very different kind of approach than Bostridge gives them. They need an actor who happens to be singing. Except for a very few of the songs on this CD (written by Coward for operettas instead of musical comedies) Bostridge's approach is absolutely without any character. All of these numbers are impeccably sung by Bostridge, but none of them are ever really acted. Coward's songs MUST be acted whether they were written in a comic or sentimental vein. The result is another misfired cross-over album in what otherwise is a splendid career.
Music Album:
- Just a-Pickin' & a-Sin [Import]
- Keep It on the Country Side
- Life [Import]
- Live Fast Love Hard [Live]
- Live From Uranus [Live]
- Live - It Was Just a Matter of Time [Live]
- Love Songs For A Wedding (karaoke)
- Mavericks [Karaoke]
- Mixed Emotions
- Move It on Over [Box set]
