Oh My [Import]

Product Description
First studio album in 5 years and 7th overall from Spiders & Snakes! A must for fans of early Bowie, T-Rex, Alice Cooper & Slade. Includes 90 minute bonus DVD featuring 15 music videos, interviews and photos! Features guest appearances from Angelo Moore of Fishbone fame on saxophone. Sansei Records. 2005.

Hollywood Ghosts,Spiders and Snakes,Sansei,Glam Rock,Heavy Metal,Rock,Rock/Pop

Average customer rating: Okalahoma MacRae and Jones head a superb and O.K. adaptation Broadway in a movie setting at it's very best! Wonderful Beauiful

Oklahoma! (1955 Film Soundtrack) Jay Blackton , Charlotte Greenwood , Shirley Jones , Gene Nelson , Gloria Grahame , Rod Steiger , James Whitmore , and Gordon MacRae Manufacturer: Angel Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Musicals | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music Traditional Vocal Pop | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Similar Items: South Pacific (1958 Film Soundtrack) The King and I (1956 Film Soundtrack) Carousel (1956 Film Soundtrack) The Music Man (1962 Film Soundtrack) My Fair Lady (1964 Film Soundtrack) ASIN: B00005A7XB Release Date: 2001-03-13

Tracks:

1. Overture - Rodgers & Hammerstein
2. Main Title - Rodgers & Hammerstein
3. Oh, What A Beautiful Mornin' - Gordon MacRae
4. The Surrey With The Fringe On Top - Gordon MacRae/Shirley Jones/Charlotte Greenwood
5. Kansas City - Gene Nelson/Charlotte Greenwood/Men's Chorus
6. Kansas City Ballet - Rodgers & Hammerstein
7. I Cain't Say No - Gloria Grahame
8. Many A New Day - Shirley Jones/Girls' Chorus
9. Many A New Day Ballet - Rodgers & Hammerstein
10. People Will Say We're In Love - Gordon McaRae/Shirley Jones
11. Pore Jud Is Daid - Gordon MacRae/Rod Steiger
12. Out Of My Dreams - Shirley Jones/Girls' Chorus
13. Out Of My Dreams Ballet - Rodgers & Hammerstein
14. Entr' Acte - Rodgers & Hammerstein
15. The Farmer And The Cowman - Gordon MacRae/Charlotte Greenwood/Gene Nelson/J.C. Flippen/James Whitmore/Gloria Grahame...
16. The Farmer And The Cowman Ballet - Rodgers & Hammerstein
17. All Er Nuthin' - Gloria Grahame/Gene Nelson
18. All Er Nuthin' Ballet - Rodgers & Hammerstein
19. People Will Say We're In Love - Gordon MacRae/Shirley Jones
20. Oklahoma - Gordon MacRae/Shirley Jones/Charlotte Greenwood/Gloria Grahame/Gene Nelson/Rod Steiger...
21. Finale: Oh, What A Beautiful Mornin' - Gordon MacRae/Shirley Jones/Charlotte Greenwood/Gloria Grahame/Gene Nelson/Rod Steiger...
22. Overture (LP Version) - Rodgers & Hammerstein

Customer Reviews:

Okalahoma.......2007-07-17

Very good quality reproduction, and enjoyable to listen to the full length movie soundtrack again.

MacRae and Jones head a superb and O.K. adaptation.......2007-03-16

The film adaptation of Oklahoma heralded a technological breakthrough in widescreen cinema just as the original stage musical ushered in the integrated book musical. As such this film adaptation was treated as a special occasion, well-supervised by the creators themselves. The soundtrack, featured here, boasts sterling performances from MacRae and Jones making the most of their portrayals of Curly and Laurey, backed by a charismatic cast and superb orchestrations. And of course let's not forget the enveloping stereo sound that holds up well even today.

Despite being a Hollywood star, Gordon MacRae performs the part of Curly as if he was born to play it even on the stage. He shines vocally in his renditions of Oh, what a Beautiful Mornin' and Surrey with the Fringe on Top. He is well-partnered by Shirley Jones as a fresh and pert Laurey, lending her beautiful voice to the part. Although we don't hear much of her on this soundtrack, her partnering MacRae in People Will Say We're in Love exudes a masterful chemistry, as if they were setting sparks off at each other in their rendition of the song. Gene Nelson makes a dashing Will Parker and is equally well-matched by Gloria Grahame as Ado Annie. Grahame renders I Cain't Say No splendidly and partners Nelson in All er Nothin'. The supporting cast is filled out by Charlotte Greenwood's suitably caustic Aunt Eller and Rod Steiger's Jud. It's a pity that the film cut the song Lonely Room, otherwise Steiger would have better demonstrated the dark hues of the character of Jud. Yet it all adds up to a wonderful renditionh of this classic musical, enough to elicit a spontaneous YEOW! during this year of the Oklahoma centenary.

This EMI-Angel reissue offers one the advantage of the dance music and the main titles. This means that the listener gets the Kansas City and Farmer and the Cowman dance sequences, as well as the extended Dream Ballet. The only downside is the extraneous sound effects lifted from a DVD copy of the movie. Yes I share many of your sentiments that these sound effects tend to grate, and long for Didier Deutsch to have used the original untainted studio vault versions. However, let's at least be thankful that the CD producers have offered us a more comprehensive version of the Oklahoma soundtrack that we could only have dreamt of in the past.

In short, this is a wonderful and valuable addition to the R&H discography, and is an equally celebrated rendition of the score like the original Broadway cast recording. Warmly recommended to those who seek even their first version of Oklahoma.

Broadway in a movie setting at it's very best!.......2007-03-06

I have the original Broadway version, but prefer this movie selection.
The CD is flawless and, in my opinion, there's nothing better than a Rodgers
and Hammerstein musical for music, lyrics and pure joy! This is the best!

Wonderful.......2007-01-30

A great way to introduce oneself to the world of the nearly extinct Hollywood musical.

Beauiful.......2006-06-05

A true musical theater classic. Wonderful melodies that will last for years to come.
Other classics not to forget about are:
Mary Poppins
My Fair Lady
The Wizard of Oz
Chitty Chitty Bang Band
The first Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
The Sound of Music
Oliver
West Side Story
Fiddler on the Roof
Singing in the Rain
The Wiz
Little Mermaid
Aladdin
Beauty and the Beast
Grease
The King and I
Oklahoma
The Music Man
South Pacific

My Voice Students are always asking me for recommendations so I though I'd post it for all! We can't forget about these great musicals!

Average customer rating: A little disappointed His Best Yet My oh my, We make a lot of Love! This is the BEST! Makes me remember why I love Harry! Would give it more than 5 stars if I could!

Oh, My Nola Harry Connick Jr. Manufacturer: Sony ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Jazz | Styles | Music New Orleans Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music Swing General | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music Traditional Jazz General | Traditional Jazz & Ragtime | Jazz | Styles | Music Vocal Jazz General | Vocal Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music Contemporary R&B | R&B | Styles | Music General | R&B | Styles | Music General | Funk | R&B | Styles | Music Jazz Funk | Funk | R&B | Styles | Music General | Easy Listening | Pop | Styles | Music General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music Traditional Pop | Oldies | Pop | Styles | Music Traditional Vocal Pop | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music Musicals | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Similar Items: Chanson du Vieux Carre Not Too Late Freedom's Road Into White Duets: An American Classic ASIN: B000I2KNU2 Release Date: 2007-01-30

Tracks:

1. Working In A Coal Mine
2. Won't You Come Home, Bill Bailey ?
3. Something You Got
4. Let Them Talk
5. Jambalaya (On the Bayou)
6. Careless Love
7. All These People (Original Recording)
8. Yes We Can
9. Someday
10. Oh , My Nola - (Original Recording)
11. Elijah Rock
12. Sheik of Araby
13. Lazy Bones
14. We Make A Lot Of Love - (Original Recording)
15. Hello Dolly
16. Do Dat Thing - (Original Recording)

Amazon.com

Fresh off his Broadway stint in The Pajama Game, Harry Connick went back to his New Orleans roots and recorded a pair of albums in tribute to his hometown. Released the same day as the similarly themed but mostly instrumental Chanson du Vieux Carré, Oh, My Nola is a loose, effortlessly swinging album that ranks among Connick's best. He traces New Orleans' prodigious musical legacy with well-chosen covers peppered with some originals. Though he wrote only four tracks, at least one of them, "All These People," is a stand-out--a mid-tempo elegy about the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, with a strong contribution from gospel great Kim Burrell. When it comes to the covers, Connick chose tracks that either originated in New Orleans or found particular resonance there. The funky, exuberant take on Allen Toussaint's classic "Working in a Coal Mine" that opens the CD reflects the flavor of things to come, but even more fun are the seemingly left-field picks--you'll never think of "Hello Dolly" the same way after listening to the version found here. --Elisabeth Vincentelli

Amazon.com

Having grown up in New Orleans, Harry Connick, Jr. is an iconic product of a city famous for its rich musical history. His new release, Oh, my Nola, is the endearing ode to the rebirth of his hometown and the bright spirit of her people. The album is an impressive collection of classic songs associated with the city and her culture, and also features four original compositions. Sony BMG Music Entertainment and Harry Connick, Jr. proudly sponsor the New Orleans Habitat Musicians Village. For more information, visit http://www.habitat-nola.org/projects/musicians_village.php.

More from Harry Connick, Jr.

When Harry Met Sally: Music From The Motion Picture	Come by Me	30
Only You	Harry On Broadway: Act 1	Chanson du Vieux Carre

Customer Reviews:

A little disappointed.......2007-07-17

Not as upbeat and sassy as many of his other discs, but still worth a listen.

His Best Yet.......2007-07-15

I love every track on this this CD. I admit to trepidation upon hearing his version of "Jambalaya" but I think I prefer his version.

One of the best songs on the track, IMHO, is "Elijah Rocks", a song I'd never heard before. Usually repeat this one before gpoing on to the next tune.

His versions of "Bill Bailey" & "Hello Dolly" are equally excellent. They don't sound like I remember them, they sound better.

Also, he is definitely the star here, but he allows his band mates to have their turn in the spotlight. It isn't all about him.

Knowing the history behind "All These People" makes it even more poignant. Another new fave song of mine.

I esp like the fast upbeat songs, but even slow numbers like "Careless Love" & "We make a Lot of Love" are excellent.

"Yes We Can" is another one I remembered well by the Pointer Sisters. The message is esp. timely today & I love his version of it.

To be honest, I didn't find a bad song on the entire CD & I think this is his best work yet.

My oh my, We make a lot of Love! This is the BEST! .......2007-07-11

I cannot stop playing: We Make A lot of Love, Someday, Sheik of Araby, Elijah Rock, Something You Got, never a dull moment on this CD. I am long time fan and I love this. Great arrangements, great band. He is in excellent voice and his chops on the piano! This is what makes me buy his stuff on sight. Thanks to very interesting liner notes which gives the listener insight to each track. It's funky, jazzy, bluesy and all together soulful. Check out his very interesting duet with gospel artist, Kim Burrell!

Makes me remember why I love Harry!.......2007-07-10

I haven't bought a new Harry Connick Jr. cd in a while. I saw this one looking up at me in a store and I just had to have it. I popped it in to play as soon as I reached the car. I was blown away by this cd. The rhythm and soulful singing really spoke to me. Absolutely wonderful music!

Would give it more than 5 stars if I could!.......2007-06-28

I am great big HCJ fan, have been since "We Are In Love". But this is by far my favourite. I hope they come for a tour in Malaysia again, saw them in 2005, it was a wonderful experience.

Average customer rating: Beethoven for Babies Nicest classical CD I have found for my baby (& me) Ode To Beethoven Pseudoscientific crap, but some of the music is good here Nicest classical music CD I've found for my baby (& me)

Beethoven for Babies Manufacturer: Philips ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Beethoven | Beethoven, Ludwig van | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Bagatelles | Short Forms | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Sonatinas | Sonatas | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Romantic | Symphonies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Ballets & Dances | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Vocal & Song | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Flute | Reeds & Winds | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music CDs $7 - $10 | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music CDs $7 - $10 | Sonatas | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Sonatas | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Symphonies | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music $9.99 and Under | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music All Classical Music Blowout | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Beethoven, Ludwig van | ( B ) | Composers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Opera & Vocal | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Similar Items: Bach for Babies The Mozart Effect - Music for Babies - Playtime to Sleepytime Build Your Baby's Brain Mozart for Mothers-To-Be: Tender Lullabies for Mother and Child The Mozart Effect: Music For Babies: Nighty Night ASIN: B000009OU6 Release Date: 1998-08-11

Tracks:

1. Six National Airs With Variations, Op. 105: The Cottage Maid (Welsh)
2. Six National Airs With Variations, Op. 105: The Last Rose Of Summer (Irish)
3. Six National Airs With Variations, Op. 105: Chiling O'Guirg (Irish)
4. Six National Airs With Variations, Op. 105: English Bulls (Irish)
5. Ten National Airs With Variations, Op. 107: St. Patrick's Day (Irish)
6. Ten National Airs With Variations, Op. 107: O Mary, At The Window Be (Scottish)
7. Ten National Airs With Variations, Op. 107: Oh, Thou Are The Lad Of My Heart (Scottish)
8. Ten National Airs With Variations, Op. 107: Fur Elise
9. Ten National Airs With Variations, Op. 107: Piano Sonata No. 8 In C Minor ('Pathetique') - Adagio cantabile
10. Ten National Airs With Variations, Op. 107: String Quartet No. 13 In B-Flat - Alla Danza Tedesca. Allegro assai
11. Ten National Airs With Variations, Op. 107: Piano Sonata No. 7 In D - Menuetto (Allegro)
12. Ten National Airs With Variations, Op. 107: The Creatures Of Prometheus - Finale. Allegretto
13. Ten National Airs With Variations, Op. 107: Piano Sonata No. 18 In E-Flat - Menuetto (Moderato e grazioso)
14. Ten National Airs With Variations, Op. 107: Piano Sonata No. 20 In G - Tempo di menuetto
15. Ten National Airs With Variations, Op. 107: Symphony No. 8 In F - Allegro scherzando
16. Ten National Airs With Variations, Op. 107: Symphony No. 9 In D Minor ('Choral') - Ode To Joy
17. Ten National Airs With Variations, Op. 107: Piano Sonata No. 15 In D ('Pastoral') - Rondo (Allegro ma non troppo)
18. Ten National Airs With Variations, Op. 107: Symphony No. 6 In F ('Pastoral') - Hymn Of Thanksgiving

Amazon.com

For the parent looking to ease their child into a familiarity with classical music, this is a very well chosen set of Beethoven works. It begins with a generous selection of airs composed late in the composer's life. The presence of the flute as the lead instrument on these selections has a soothing quality that moves the ear in an ideally subtle way, especially as it gives way to the more excited piano sonata pieces. Zoltán Kocsis's reading of "Pathétique" is followed by Claudio Arrau's take on the 7th, 15th, and 18th sonatas and Sviatoslav Richter's lyrical take on the 20th ("Pastoral"). Programmed amidst the piano pieces, which are great studies in dynamics and musical spacing, are some fine orchestral snippets, none longer than five minutes. The collection does a fine balancing act, condensing works that don't inherently lend themselves to shortened renditions and carefully managing moods, entry, and egress to each segment. This is fine anthology work. --Andrew Bartlett

Customer Reviews:

Beethoven for Babies.......2007-05-21

My baby and I really enjoy this CD. It is so fun to feel the baby get excited when I play it. I have a pillow speaker and just place it right up against my stomach. It evens helps me to get in a nap or just rest for a while.

Nicest classical CD I have found for my baby (& me).......2005-09-01

This is a very pleasant CD to listen to, and I think the quality of the music is excellent. I enjoy listening to this with my 10 month old son, and we also listen to the radio and lots of modern music. I recently purchased 5 of the classical "Baby Einstein" CDs and I consider them to be inferior to this Beethoven for Babies CD. The Baby Einstein are very synthesized sounding and I think they are annoyingly mellow and kind of dopey. This Beethoven CD is beautiful. In fact I'm going to buy 1 or 2 more from this series.

Ode To Beethoven.......2005-05-13

The actual reason I bought this cd is for "Fur Elise" but it turned out to be much more than I bargained for. Before road rage sets in while sitting in a traffic jam during rush hour, play this. If you need to take it easy and escape from your reality, play this. Need something to play at work that's not explicit or offensive, play this. Of course, it's not Beethoven himself, but if you need some quiet time, play this. Even while you read, you could play this. If you want some authenticity to your collection, get Beethoven for Babies.

Pseudoscientific crap, but some of the music is good here.......2004-05-27

The 3 stars is only because the hucksters that put this together at least had the decency to tracks featuring Arrau & Richter on this CD. A lot of these "turn your baby into a genius with classical music" CDs and tapes feature only lousy musical performances from hack musicians you have never heard of.

That having been said, if you are stupid enough to believe any of this "Mozart Effect" horse manure --- which continues to have no support in any sort of controlled test environment --- then your babies will probably inherit your limited intellectual capacities & no amount of Beethoven & Mozart will ever be able to help them.

If, on the other hand, you are introducing Junior to classical music, you could do worse --- but you could also do better. Go get Arrau's complete Beethoven sonatas & concerti, get the Berg Quartett's complete Beethoven quartet cycle, and get John Eliot Gardiner's complete Beethoven symphonies --- just for a start. Also, don't stop with Beethoven & Mozart. My 9-month old daughter gets a diverse exposure to a thousand years of music, and very little is off limits. She got acquainted with the Bartok Quartets within her first couple of months, and it doesn't look like we have created an axe murderer or anything like that.

Anyway, if you want to create a classical music lover, do it right and go the distance, rather than doing it piecemeal with CDs like this. Your baby may still be a moron, but at least will be a moron with exquisite taste.

Nicest classical music CD I've found for my baby (& me).......2003-11-23

This is a very pleasant CD to listen to, and I think the quality of the music is excellent. I enjoy listening to this with my 10 month old son, and we also listen to the radio and lots of modern music. I recently purchased 5 of the classical "Baby Einstein" CDs and I consider them to be inferior to this Beethoven for Babies CD. The Baby Einstein are very synthesized sounding and I think they are annoyingly mellow and kind of dopey. This Beethoven CD is beautiful. In fact I'm going to buy 1 or 2 more from this series.

Average customer rating: One of the best ever! Kristen Chenowith Has its moments Great CD! This woman has what it takes, and then some...

Let Yourself Go Kristin Chenoweth , Jule Styne , George Gershwin , Richard Rodgers , Jeanine Tesori , Kurt Weill , Jerome Kern , Vincent Youmans , Ricky Ian Gordon , Richard Dworsky , Lawrence Ellington Duke / Brown , Harry Warren , Bobby Troup , Jason Alexander , Irving Berlin , Rob Fisher , and The Coffee Club Orchestra Manufacturer: Sony ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Gershwin | Gershwin, George | ( G ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Weill | Weill, Kurt | ( W ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Marches | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Vocal & Song | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Modern & 20th Century | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music Traditional Vocal Pop | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music General | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music Traditional Pop | Oldies | Pop | Styles | Music Classical Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Opera & Vocal | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Musicals | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Similar Items: As I Am Still I Can't Be Still You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown (1999 Broadway Revival Cast) Leonard Bernstein's Candide (Great Performances) WICKED: THE GRIMMERIE, A BEHIND-THE-SCENES LOOK AT THE HIT BROADWAY MUSICAL ASIN: B000059T4T Release Date: 2001-05-29

Tracks:

1. Let Yourself Go
2. If
3. How Long Has This Been Going On?
4. My Funny Valentine
5. Hanging Around with You (with Jason Alexander)
6. The Girl in 14G
7. I'll Tell the Man in the Street
8. I'm a Stranger Here Myself
9. Nobody Else But Me
10. Nobody's Heart Belongs to Me/Why Can't I?
11. Should I Be Sweet?
12. He's Just an Ordinary Guy
13. Going to the Dance with You
14. On a Turquoise Cloud
15. You'll Never Know
16. Daddy

Amazon.com

Kristin Chenoweth won a Tony for the supporting role of Sally Brown in the 1999 revival of You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown, made a memorably vampy Lily in the 1999 television film of Annie, and had an NBC sitcom created for her, Kristin! Now she grabs the spotlight in Let Yourself Go, her first solo recording. She mixes torchy standards ("My Funny Valentine," "How Long Has This Been Going On?") with Faith Prince-style sauciness ("If"), gets to show off her operatic and scat chops in the miniplay "The Girl in 14G," and shares a light duet with Jason Alexander (reviving his musical theater career post-Seinfeld). Perhaps her "Stranger Here Myself" isn't the weightiest you've ever heard, but this is an enjoyable album with a good deal of old-fashioned class, expertly accompanied by Rob Fisher and the Coffee Club Orchestra. --David Horiuchi

Customer Reviews:

One of the best ever!.......2007-04-24

Do I mean the best album or the best singer? You are correct if you said both! I saw Kristin Chenoweth on a PBS show "Broadway's Best at the Pops," (though it was not the first time I had heard her) and decided to check out the offerings here. This is a collection of the kind of music and performances I love. She has a great range, a precise pitch, and a great style that is at the same time true to the music and to herself. In an era when singers try to outdo each other re-interpreting the composer's original work, not usually with great success, she is a blessing!

Kristen Chenowith.......2007-02-26

I bought this CD for the Girl in 14G. Yes, it's that good...

Has its moments.......2007-02-19

After watching Candide endlessly and going to see Ms. Chenoweth in The Apple Tree, I was hungry for something more portable to listen to. At times this fits the bill, but what surprised me the most is how thin her voice comes across on this recording. Perhaps it was the joy of seeing her live that has ruined this listener; perhaps I need to upgrade my aging music system. Then again, maybe the recording is just not as good as Ms. C singing Bernstein or as good as staring at Ms. C command a Broadway stage.

Great CD!.......2007-01-19

I truly enjoy listening to this CD. Kristin Chenoweth's vocal style and abilities are very well-matched to the songs selected for this album. If you enjoy classic, older-style Broadway/popular tunes, I would highly recommend this CD. Ms. Chenoweth has a bright, expressive voice and does a fantastic job with this material.

As with any full-length CD, there are a couple of songs I am not as crazy about, but that has to do with the songs themselves, not Ms. Chenoweth's vocal performance. Overall, I love this album and have listened to it several times now, since receiving it as a Christmas gift last month.

This woman has what it takes, and then some..........2007-01-12

Kristin Chenoweth brings new life to some timeless Broadways tunes while introducing a few wonderful new ones. This high pitched vocal goddess effortlessly provides for a nearly flawless and easy listening experience. I definitly recommend this CD for anyone who enjoys jazz vocals, showtunes, or just a new spin on some old classics.

Average customer rating: Absolutely peerless once-in-a-lifetime greatness We love this album Simply great Porgy and Bess

Porgy & Bess Ella Fitzgerald , and Louis Armstrong Manufacturer: Polygram Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Gershwin | Gershwin, George | ( G ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Jazz | Styles | Music Swing General | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music Traditional Jazz General | Traditional Jazz & Ragtime | Jazz | Styles | Music Vocal Jazz General | Vocal Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Modern & 20th Century | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music English | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Classic Vocalists | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music Traditional Vocal Pop | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music Traditional Pop | Oldies | Pop | Styles | Music Similar Items: Porgy and Bess Gershwin: Porgy & Bess [With Members of the Original Cast] Porgy & Bess: High Performance George Gershwin - Porgy & Bess / Trevor Nunn · Sir Simon Rattle · W. White · C. Haymon · Glyndebourne Opera Ella & Louis Again (Dig) ASIN: B0000046Z5 Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

1. Overture
2. Summertime
3. I Wants To Stay Here
4. My Man's Gone Now
5. I Got Plenty O'Nuttin'
6. Buzzard Song
7. Bess, You Is My Woman Now
8. It Ain't Necessarily So
9. What You Want Wild Bess?
10. A Woman Is A Sometime Thing
11. Oh, Doctor Jesus
12. Medley: Here Come De Honey Man/Crab Man/Oh, Deh's So Fresh And Fine (Strawberry Woman)
13. There's A Boat Dat's Leavin' Soon For New York
14. Bess, Oh Where's My Bess
15. Oh Lawd, I'm On My Way

Amazon.com

Getting the two most personable voices in jazz to sing an hour's worth of George Gershwin's opera Porgy & Bess (Ella doing all the female parts, Satchmo all the male) was a good idea, but not quite as great as it sounded. Armstrong savors the down-and-dirty Charlestonisms that inspired the cadences of the music and lyrics, and they fit his happy rasp like an old shoe; Fitzgerald, conversely, sounds almost prissy every time she has to sing the word "ain't," though her melodic genius gets Gershwin's bold, supple tunes over. The arrangements are full-throttle Broadway, with a few leaps into Dixieland (including some fine Armstrong trumpet solos), but the disc works best when the vocalists break character and let their jazz side out. --Douglas Wolk

Customer Reviews:

Absolutely peerless.......2006-11-17

"Porgy and Bess" has just opened (with some controversy) in London's West End, though as a musical and not as an opera as it was originally conceived. Reviews have been promising and I aim to go down and see it soon. I decided to listen to this CD to put myself in the mood. I hadn't listened to it for years and I'd completely forgotten how good it actually is. Ella's voice blends with Louis' perfectly and Russell Garcia's orchestration gives them a dreamy landscape to perform against. I have one or two other CDs by Louis and Ella but this one is by far my favourite. The CD opens with "Overture" and its orchestral performance of classics like "Summertime", "I Wants To Stay Here", "I Got Plenty O' Nuttin'" and "It Ain't Neccessarily So" set the tone nicely, leaving one ever so keen for the vocal versions. Louis Armstong has a very rough tone to his voice but the emotion he packs with it is moving, most especially on the mournful "Bess, Oh Where's My Bess?" And we get all this and Louis' wonderful trumpet playing too?

Gershwin and Gershwin must be among the top composers of the last century and this opera showcases their talents more than anything I've heard. Ella and Louis are peerless as a vocal duo and though I doubt the West End performance will capture the magic in the same way they did, I still remain very keen to go see it. Is it opera or is it a jazz performance? I don't really know. I just know that I love it. And strongly recommend it.

once-in-a-lifetime greatness.......2006-10-06

Two thousand five hundred musicians have recorded "Summertime" --- it's a classic. (I bet most Americans can name Janis Joplin and no other singer.) As for "Porgy and Bess," the folk opera from which "Summertime" springs, it's such a classic that it's hard to believe anyone ever had a harsh word to say about it.

But after its premiere in 1935, no less than Duke Ellington said, "It has grand music and a swell play, but the two didn't go together. It does not use the Negro musical idiom --- the times are here to debunk Gershwin's lampblack Negroisms."

A quarter of a century later, the producers of the film version had trouble assembling a cast. Harry Belafonte rejected their offer to play Porgy. Sidney Poitier took the part --- and wished he hadn't. Poitier later wrote that the movie insulted black people; when he chose clips of his best performances for his tribute at the American Film Institute, he picked nothing from "Porgy and Bess."

And in 1985, when Grace Bumbry was a sensation as Bess in a Metropolitan Opera production, she slammed the opera: "I thought it beneath me, I felt I had worked far too hard, that we had come far too far to have to retrogress to 1935."

All that may be. All I know is that I have, in a long life, rarely been confronted with more genius than in the Fitzgerald/Armstrong recording of "Porgy & Bess." Set aside the achievement of George and Ira Gershwin in transforming DuBose Heyward's novel into a folk opera. Let's just focus on Armstrong and Fitzgerald, who were at the peak of their popularity when this record was made in 1957.

"Summertime" --- the first song --- sets the tone. A baleful horn figure, then violins. And then Armstrong's trumpet: slow, steady, dignified. But wait --- here comes a slurred note. And a cool little improvisation. Just enough of each. Very tasty.

Fitzgerald sings a verse. She is cool and formal. A lady. Not to be taken lightly. Now it's Armstrong's turn. Tender, but let's not kid ourselves --- this is not singing as others define it. This is melodic speech: rough, gutteral. And thus he is ideally cast: His Porgy may have his charms, but he'll have to stretch to keep Bess.

And so it goes throughout the CD. Trumpet mastery --- Armstrong has dazzling control. His tone is bright, but never shrill; there's a warmth in his playing no one else could produce. And Fitzgerald is just a study in inevitability; to hear her is to wonder how anyone could sing these songs any other way.

"I Got Plenty O' Nuttin'." "Bess, You Is My Woman Now." "A Woman Is a Sometime Thing." "There's a Boat Dat's Leavin' Soon for New York." "Bess, Oh Where's My Bess?" "Oh Lawd, I'm on My Way."

All brilliantly conceived, orchestrated and recorded.

The greatest trumpet player in this history of jazz.

The father of scat singing.

The queen of the jazz vocal.

There are no-brainers, and then there is this Ella Fitzgerald-Louis Armstrong collaboration --- music that imprints on your soul.

We love this album.......2006-08-22

We hope they will someday bring this beautiful story back to the stage

Simply great.......2006-03-04

The fusion between the great two voices and the orchestra is just brilliant. Very good brass and violins that accompany Fitzeralds and Armstrongs magic voices leaves you with your mouth open.

A must have for everyone!

Porgy and Bess.......2005-10-14

Could not find this anyway locally. It is a great recording

Average customer rating: Soviet Army Band & Chorus aren't taking any prisoners! Good music. Magnificent! I loved it! The ultimate collection

Best of the Red Army Choir Red Army Choir Manufacturer: Silva America ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | International | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Similar Items: Soviet Army Chorus & Band Russian Favourites The Hunt For Red October: Music From The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Best of Communism: Revolutionary Songs Echoes of a Red Empire ASIN: B000066RMJ Release Date: 2002-06-25

Tracks:

1. Kalinka
2. Partisan's Song
3. Souliko
4. Korobelniki
5. On The Road (A Soldier's Song)
6. My Country
7. The Red Army Is The Strongest
8. Moscow Nights
9. Along Peterskaia Street
10. Smuglianka
11. Troika Gallop
12. Ah Nastassia
13. Echelon's Song
14. My Army
15. Civil War Songs
16. Bella Ciao

Tracks:

1. National Anthem Of The USSR
2. Oh Fields, My Fields
3. The Cliff
4. The Cossacks
5. In The Central Steppes
6. Gandzia
7. Cossack's Song
8. The Roads
9. Song Of The Volga Boatman
10. Dark Eyes
11. Let's Go
12. The Birch Tree
13. The Road Song
14. The Samovars
15. Varchavianka
16. Slavery And Suffering

Customer Reviews:

Soviet Army Band & Chorus aren't taking any prisoners!.......2007-05-12

If you enjoy a good stiring martial male chorus then spend some time with these guys. They're all graduates of Soviet musical acadamies and any one of them could have graced the top opera houses of the world. You don't have to know any Russian to appreciate this CD. The songs are glorious (just don't translate them -- machine guns, death to foes, etc.), and will make you want to march on Berlin all over again.

Good music........2007-03-09

I had heard a few songs by the Red Army Choir in the past and happened upon this CD set a while back, I found it to be far better than I had hoped and would reccoment it to anyone who enjoys Russian folk music, choir in general, and cultural items from when Russia was still the Soviet Union.

Magnificent!.......2007-02-27

I'm so glad I stumbled onto this.

Spirited, committed, manly singing. Soul-shaking stuff! The ensemble is incisive; soloists are marvelous. The folk melodies are enchanting. The songs--and the singers--are bound up in the cultural fabric of the Cossacks, Tchaikovsky, Prokofiev, Tolstoy, Dostoevsky...on and on.., Chekhov, Trotsky, Nabakov... This music conveys the great romantic, dignified, boistrous soul of the Russian People. (Loosely speaking. Some members of the chorus were presumably of other nationalities once part of the Soviet Union. And some of the songs are not Russian).

I don't speak Russian, but listening to this makes me wish I did. What a beautiful-sounding language it is.

I loved it!.......2007-02-22

Even though I cannot speak Russian, the quality of this choral group is beyond excellent. Many of these pieces are extremely moving and stirring. The rendering of the Soviet anthem and the song "Let's Go" (V'put) come to my mind. "Let's Go" became a huge hit in Russia when it was featured in a movie about the Great Patriotic War, and indeed, hearing it - you can well imagine ranks upon ranks of hard-eyed, grim-faced Soviet soldiers striding into battle against the Wehrmacht.

The ultimate collection.......2004-06-15

Excellent performance by the choir and the orchestra. The grandeur, the charm, and the romance! Great collection of songs, sure to bring back memories!

Average customer rating: Great to Hear All those great Voices from the Past A Good One!

Greatest Hits: Broadway Manufacturer: Sony ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Bernstein | Bernstein, Leonard | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Gershwin | Gershwin, George | ( G ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Porter | Porter, Cole | ( P ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Vocal & Song | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Modern & 20th Century | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Musicals | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music General | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music $6.99 and Under | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music All Classical Music Blowout | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Bernstein, Leonard | ( B ) | Composers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Gershwin, George | ( G ) | Composers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Porter, Cole | ( P ) | Composers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Rodgers, Richard | ( R ) | Composers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Sondheim, Stephen | ( S ) | Composers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Opera & Vocal | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Classical Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Opera & Vocal | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Musicals | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Similar Items: The Best Of Broadway (Cast Recording Anthology) Only Broadway CD You'll Ever Need Greatest Songs from the Musicals The Best of Broadway - The American Musical (PBS Series) Very Best Of Broadway Musicals ASIN: B0000029PM Release Date: 1996-10-29

Tracks:

1. Oklahoma!: Oh, What A Beautiful Mornin' - John Raitt/Franz Allers
2. On The Town: New York, New York - Michael Kermoyan/Adolph Green/John Reardon/Cris Alexander & Chorus/Leonard Bernstein
3. Annie Get Your Gun: I Got The Sun In The Morning - Doris Day/Franz Allers
4. Fiddler On The Roof: If I Were A Rich Man - Topol/Gareth Davies
5. West Side Story: Tonight - Larry Kert/Carol Lawrence/Max Goberman
6. The Sound Of Music: The Sound Of Music - Mary Martin/Frederick Dvonch
7. My Fair Lady: On The Street Where You Live - Jerry Lanning/Theodore Saidenberg
8. Annie: Tomorrow - Andrea McArdle/Peter Howard
9. The Music Man: Seventy-Six Trombones - The Boston Pops Orchestra/John Williams
10. Anything Goes: You're The Top - Eileen Rodgers/Hal Linden/Julian Stein
11. Bye Bye Birdie: Put On A Happy Face - Dick Van Dyke/Elliot Lawrence
12. Mame: Open A New Window - Angela Lansbury & Cast/Don Pippin
13. Strike Up The Band: Strike Up The Band - The Chestnut Brass Co.
14. Sweet Charity: Hey, Big Spender - Helen Gallagher/Thelma Oliver/Fan-Dango Girls/Fred Werner
15. Bells Are Ringing: Just In Time - Judy Holliday/Sydney Chaplin/Milton Rosenstock
16. Gypst: Together, Wherever We Go - Ethel Merman/Jack Klugman/Sandra Church/Milton Rosenstock
17. Cabaret: Cabaret - Jill Haworth/Harold Hastings
18. Phantom Of The Opera: The Music Of The Night - The Boston Pops Orchestra/John Williams
19. Show Boat: Ol' Man River - William Warfield/Franz Allers
20. A Chorus Line: What I Did For Love - Priscilla Lopez & Cast/Don Pippin
21. A Little Night Music: Send In The Clowns - Glynis Johns/Harold Hastings

Customer Reviews:

Great to Hear All those great Voices from the Past.......2007-07-05

I just wanted to confirm what the first reviewer had to say about this CD. To hear Ethyl Merman, Mary Martin, Andrea McCardle etc. singing their trademark songs brought a lot of memories from the mid-centry musical theater back again. The last song by Glynis Johns is especially poignant.
You certainly can't beat the price!

A Good One!.......2006-11-10

This is a very good CD, mostly because it's the original artists. I've had some that were re-recorded by no name artists that were ghastly. This one is a really good one--including the sound quality. If I had one wish, I would wish it were longer!

Average customer rating: Not My Style Rockin' Western Collection Hard to Find Great Western Themes Western Music A great follow-up

Way Out West: The Essential Western Film Music Collection, Vol. 2 Manufacturer: Silva America ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Holdridge, Lee | ( H ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Newman | Newman, Alfred | ( N ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Rossini | Rossini, Gioacchino | ( R ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Pop | Styles | Music General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music Orchestral Pop | Easy Listening | Pop | Styles | Music Movie Scores | Soundtracks | Styles | Music Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music Television Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Indie Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: The Wild West: The Essential Western Film Music Collection Songs Of The West, Vol. 4: Movie & Television Themes From Alamo to El Dorado, Vol. 2 The Essential Elmer Bernstein Film Music Collection The Greatest Western Movie Themes ASIN: B000060PBU Release Date: 2002-03-26

Tracks:

1. The Hallejuah Trail-Overture
2. The Alamo-The Green Leaves Of Summer
3. The Alamo-Davy Crocket
4. The Big Country-The Welcoming/Finale
5. The Big Valley-Main Theme
6. Blazing Saddles-Blazing Saddles
7. Bonaza-Main Theme
8. Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid-raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head
9. The Comancheros-McBain/Main Title
10. Duel In The Sun-Main Title/The Legend/Orizaba
11. A Fistfull Of Dynamite-Duck You Sucker
12. For A Few Dollars More-Main Theme
13. Friendly Persuasion-Thee I Love
14. Giant-Main Theme
15. The Good, The Bad And The Ugly-Main Theme
16. The Good, The Bad And The Ugly-The Ecstasy Of Gold
17. Gunfight At The O.K. Corral-Suite
18. Hang 'Em High-Main Theme
19. The Hanging Tree-Main Title

Tracks:

1. High Caparral-Main Theme
2. How The West Was Won-Prelude/The Land
3. High Noon-Do Not Forsake Me Oh My Darlin'
4. The Jayhawkers-The Lynching/Two Brothers/The Hayhawkers
5. The Lone Ranger-William Tell Overture: Finale
6. Nevada Smith-Main Title
7. Old Gringo-Main Themes
8. Once Upon A Time In The West-Man With The Harmonica
9. One Eyed Jacks-Main Title
10. The Proud Rebel-Main Titles
11. The Quick And The Dead-End Titles
12. Quigley Down Under-End Titles
13. Rio Bravo-Rio Bravo/De Guella
14. The Scalphunters-Main Title
15. Shane-Main Theme: The Call Of The Farwaway Hills
16. The Shootist-Main Title
17. The Unforgiven-The Need For Love
18. Viva Zapata-Gathering Forces
19. The Virginian-Main Theme

Customer Reviews:

Not My Style.......2007-05-11

This CD has a lot of good songs on it, but it just too bland for our taste. We prefer Western music to sound as though genuine cowboys are singing it - not a fancy chorus!

Rockin' Western Collection.......2006-08-28

For anyone who likes movie/tv music from westerns should purchase this CD. What a wonderful collection of both film and tv with great renditions of each piece. I'm about to purchase Vol. 1 to complete my collection.

Hard to Find Great Western Themes .......2006-03-16

This CD has a number of great western themes that are not in some of the standard lists. For example it includes "The Hallejuah Trail", "Blazing Saddles", and "Giant". This CD also has what I consider the true theme of "The Comancheros". I have been disappointed with some other CDs I have purchased listing "The Comancheros" which had a song rather than this theme. Many of the tracks on this two disk CD go beyond the main theme music and are actually suites. The "Big Country" and "How the West Was Won" are just a couple of examples. It may be a little more expense than some CDs, but not bad for a two disk set. I am really happy with my purchase.

Western Music.......2005-07-29

I enjoy this CD. It has many familiar melodies. Good background for reading, nice to listen while driving. It is also the only CD I've ever found that has the great theme from the movie "Giant."

A great follow-up.......2003-08-29

This is the second collection by SilvaScreen, who are also responsible for "The Wild West: The Essential Western Film Music Collection" (see my review). And it's just as good as the first. There are themes in here that everyone will recognize ("Bonanza," "A Fistful of Dollars"), themes that may not be so familiar ("Duel in the Sun," "The Hanging Tree," the lively "Blazing Saddles"), and even themes you may not associate with Westerns at all ("The Friendly Persuasion"). And no duplication either: when this disc includes a piece from one of the same sources covered in its predecessor, it's a different piece. One great treat: the full lyrics to "Gunfight at OK Corral," which I've never heard outside the soundtrack of the movie itself. The arrangement from "Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid" includes not only the familiar song "Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head" but an overview of the music--seguing almost seamlessly into Bernstein's magnificent "The Comancheros," a rare find indeed. An expensive item, but if you love Western film music, well worth it.

Average customer rating: It's Dreamy My Favorite Composer of all time An American classic from Hampson that brings smiles and tears OMG!!! More than 10000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 stars, one of the best album in the world!!! It's simply lovely

American Dreamer: Songs of Stephen Foster; Thomas Hampson; Jay Unger; Molly Mason Thomas Hampson , Jay Ungar , Molly Mason , Garrison Keillor , David Alpher , Mark Rust , Michael Parloff , Peter Ecklund , John Kirk , Arnold Kinsella , and Stephen Foster Manufacturer: Angel Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Foster, Stephen | ( F ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Vocal & Song | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Violin | Strings | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Hampson, Thomas | ( H ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Musicals | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music General | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music General | Oldies | Pop | Styles | Music Tin Pan Alley | Oldies | Pop | Styles | Music General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music $9.99 and Under | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music All Classical Music Blowout | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Foster, Stephen | ( F ) | Composers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Hampson, Thomas | ( H ) | Performers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Opera & Vocal | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Similar Items: Song of Home Song of America Harvest Home Civil War Classics Stephen Foster Song Book ASIN: B000002SK7 Release Date: 1992-10-20

Tracks:

1. Opening Solo Violin
2. Jeanie With The Light Brown Hair
3. Hard Times Come Again No More
4. The Voice Of Bygone Days
5. Foster Favorites Medley (Ring, Ring The Banjo (1851) Oh! Susanna (1848) Camptown Races (1850)
6. Open Thy Lattice, Love (1844)
7. Beautiful Dreamer (1864)
8. That's What's The Matter
9. Old Home Medley (Old Folks at Home (1851) My Old Kentucky Home, Good Night (1853)
10. Molly! Do You Love Me? (1850)
11. Sweetly She Sleeps, My Alice Fair (1851)
12. Comrades, Fill No Glass For Me (1855)
13. Dancing On The River (Nelly Bly (1850) The Glendy Burk (1860) Angelina Baker (1850)
14. My Wife Is A Most Knowing Woman (1863)
15. Gentle Annie (1856)
16. Linger In Blissful Repose (1858)
17. Ah! May The Red Rose Live Alway (1850)

Customer Reviews:

It's Dreamy.......2007-01-10

This is a very wonderful recording of Stephen Foster by a master singer.
Foster's songs are of a more innocent and naive time in the American psyche, a time that it would not hurt us to remember, given the wretched brutality of American culture today (something you'll appreciate after listening to this recording).

The songs are beautifully sung by Mr. Hamspon, and the musical accompaniment with piano, mandolin, tuba, banjo, etc. seems a perfect setting for this period music. I enjoyed the musical interludes of Foster songs (not sung by Mr. Hampson), such as "Oh, Suzanna", "My Old Kentucky Home", and "Camptown Races." They are foot-stompin' and finger-snappin' good in a non-syncopated way.

Mr. Hampson's voice is so beautiful, and he has done such a wonderful job with these song's you'll just have to hear it, and when you do, tell me that you're not dreaming.

I remember reading a quote by John Phillip Sousa that decried the use of syncopation in American popular music. I never understood it until listening to this recording. The richness and intensity of American popular music (as experienced in the work of Stephen Foster) has been lost.
Everything has to be so cool today, thanks to syncopation, and "cool" really means no emotion.

If emotion is what you want, emotion is what you'll get with Stephen Foster's songs. It was a time when the death of loved ones (especially those who died in their youth) was experienced more often (see "I Dream of Jeannie with the Light Brown Hair" and "Gentle Annie"). And we were not protected from the vicissitudes of fate by myriad government programs, modern medicine and universal prosperity (see "Hard Times").
Husbands and wives had their differences then, as today, (see the amusing song "My Wife is a Most Knowin' Woman") The passion of the Civil War (Foster was a Unionist),is reflected in a wonderful, fun song, "That's What's the Matter."

If you love good music, and you have heart which can be stirred, and you love your country, this is for you.

I love this recording. It has opened up the door to my "beautiful dreams," dreams of bygone days, lost love, and whatever else we pine for.

I wanted to buy several copies for my friends, but somehow I felt that the impact of this recording was so personal, that it could not be shared with others. Not that they couldn't enjoy it, but that I could not begin to share the intense emotion and reverie stirred in my heart by these beautiful songs.

My Favorite Composer of all time.......2006-08-20

Growing up playing his stuff on piano, I love the instrumentality of this CD..the violins give off that wail that he speaks of..I am not sure what it is about Stephen Foster but these verses..grab me like no other..there is so much sensitivity to it..

I dream of Jeannie with the light brown hair
Born like a vapor on the summer air
I see her tripping where the bright streams play
Happy as the daisies that dance on her way
Many were the wild notes her merry voice would pour

but the violins in this CD make this CD the best out there..
FYI should you be into astrology Stephen Foster is definition of Cancer...Sun and Moon conjunct in Cancer with mars in Scorpio..i love his lyrics..almost to the point of obsession..

An American classic from Hampson that brings smiles and tears.......2006-07-17

Stephen Foster was the greatest American composer of sentimental parlor ballads--he so perfectly imitated folk songs that his music wound up turning into them. In an age of home music-making and later of families sitting around the radio, Foster's songs were a staple, often performed by crossover artists from opera like Lawrence Tibbett. Those were plump, ripe styles of singing, highly flavored by church hymns.

In this 1992 collection of 17 Foster favorites, plus a few rareties, Hampson drops the platform manner and goes straight for heartfelt sincerity. His tone is plain yet sweet, his expression intimate. He is accompanied by instruments redolent of the Victorian drawing room (guitar, fiddle, upright piano), and the mood they create brings tears and smiles of remembrance. This music is embedded in America's genes, and it's wonderful to realize that every note is still alive and throbbing with feeling.

OMG!!! More than 10000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 stars, one of the best album in the world!!!.......2005-11-25

Simply one word, WOW!!!
Thomas Hampson's voice is simply fantasic. His voice is very different from regular operatic baritone voice, very sweet, and rich. I really cant believe an operatic baritone can sing folk song like THIS good, in my opinion he sounds even better than his opera works in this album. His voice and the background music matches perfectly, the outcome would move u to tears, and u can feel the origin of MUSIC. This album really shows what the word MUSIC means, and the songs simply just ALL beautiful. I like his "beautiful dreamer", "my life is well knowing woman", and "jeanie with the light brown hair" the most. When I listen the songs I would just imagine that I am in the world of past USA, and I can feel the life of the ppl in the past USA~ just like watching an old classic movie, it would touch ur heart and fall in love with this album.

It's simply lovely.......2004-12-14

I didn't know Stephen Foster (I thought): wrong: Oh Susanna, etc, I knew, but had no idea who the composer was.

This CD is a revelation. The melodies are so beautiful, as are the poems, and Thomas Hampson just brings them to life as wonderfully as ever. I especially love "Beautiful Dreamer" - it gives me butterflies - and "My wife is a most knowing woman" - the way he makes the voices and the indignation is just brilliant. If one needed reminding what a brilliant singer Mr Hampson is - this disk does it.

Average customer rating: Yankee Doodle Dandy Review Yankee Doodle Dandy Amazing! Wonderful! Just buy it - you won't be sorry! What a find!! A Soundtrack Every American Should Own

Yankee Doodle Dandy Various Artists Manufacturer: Rhino / Wea ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Musicals | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music Rhino Records | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Similar Items: Yankee Doodle Dandy (Two-Disc Special Edition) George M. Cohan Tonight! Show Boat: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (1951 Film) Singin' in the Rain (1952 Film Soundtrack) The Unsinkable Molly Brown ASIN: B000066RM7 Release Date: 2002-06-18

Tracks:

1. Main Title: Warner Bros. Signature/Yankee Doodle/Yankee Doodle Boy/Mary's A Grand Old Name/Off The Record - Warner Bros. Orchestra
2. Early Years Sequence: Columbia The Gem Of The Ocean/The Dancing Master/While Strolling Through The Park One Day/At A Georgia Camp Meeting - Walter Huston
3. I Was Born In Virginia - Walter Huston
4. The Warmest Baby In The Bunch - Sally Sweetland
5. Harrigan - Sally Sweetland
6. Yankee Doodle Boy - James Cagney
7. Little Johnny Jones Sequence: The Yankee Doodle Boy/Good Luck Johnny/Little Johnny Jones Special/Finale Special/All Aboard For Old Broadway/Rocket/Give My Regards To Broadway - James Cagney
8. Medley: Oh, You Wonderful Girl/Blue Skies, Gray Skies/The Belle Of The Barber's Ball - Walter Huston
9. Mary's A Grand Old Name - Sally Sweetland
10. Forty-Five Minutes From Broadway - James Cagney
11. Fay Templeton Medley: Mary's A Grand Old Name/Forty-Five Minutes From Broadway/So Long, Mary - Irene Manning
12. You're A Grand Old Flag - Walter Huston
13. Over There - Frances Langford
14. Medley: In A Kingdom Of Our Own/Love Nest/Nellie Kelly, I Love You/The Man Who Owns Broadway/Molly Malone/Billie - Frances Langford
15. Off The Record - James Cagney
16. Finale And End Cast: Over There/Yankee Doodle Boy - James Cagney
17. You Remind Me Of My Mother (Outtake) - James Cagney
18. Medley: Oh, You Wonderful Girl/Blue Skies, Gray Skies/The Belle Of The Barber's Ball (Piano Only Version) - Walter Huston
19. Give My Regards To Broadway (Rehearsal) - James Cagney
20. You're A Grand Old Flag (Rehearsal) - James Cagney

Amazon.com

When one thinks of musicals from Hollywood's golden age, the initials MGM come almost instantly to mind. Indeed when veteran song-and-dance man George M. Cohan was negotiating a film based on his colorful life story, his first choice was Metro--until a falling out with studio chief Louis B. Mayer. But L.B.'s loss eventually became Warner Brothers'--and film history's--gain when the Burbank studio's Cohan musical became a massive, patriotic hit in the opening months of World War II. As chronicled in this vibrantly restored, first-ever complete soundtrack for the film, it was a compelling twist of fate. James Cagney turns in one of the screen's most ostensibly unlikely--and ultimately indelible--musical performances (netting him his only Best Actor Oscar ^®), teaming with studio music director Roy Heindorf to update Cohan's once-quaint turn-of the-century patriotic ditties ("You're a Grand Old Flag," "Over There," "Yankee Doodle Boy") and infectious vaudevillian chestnuts ("Give My Regards to Broadway," "Harrigan") with bracing dollops of the studio's '40s orchestral sass--and, just months after Pearl Harbor, some crucial historical parallels. Also included are four bonus tracks that remarkably survived the film's preproduction, including an outtake of "You Remind Me of My Mother" and voice-and-piano-only rehearsal versions of "Give My Regards to Broadway" and "You're a Grand Old Flag" that further underscore Cagney's deceptively effortless ability to sell a song despite his limited musical gifts. It's a long overdue showcase for a true American film musical gem. --Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews:

Yankee Doodle Dandy Review.......2006-11-03

It's an old movie with an old soundtrack, but I loved the movie, I love the music, and I'm very happy with my purchase.

Yankee Doodle Dandy.......2006-06-30

Excellent in black and white and color. James Cagney also got a medal from a President. (President Reagan!} If you like entertainment...this is it!

Amazing! Wonderful! Just buy it - you won't be sorry!.......2005-03-05

I am so very glad I bought this CD. I own the DVD of "Yankee Doodle Dandy" and watch it all the time, so I almost didn't buy this, wondering if I really needed yet another CD.

Well, thank God I didn't pay any attention to that dumb idea!

If you love "Yankee Doodle Dandy" and Cagney, you just have to buy this soundtrack. It's like being able to take the movie with you anywhere ... it's not just the songs - as others have said - but also includes bits of Cagney's voice-overs, even the tap-dancing from the end of "Little Johnny Jones." And since the audio system in my car is better than my TV's, it all seemed even bigger, richer and better. (George M. would love that!)

Wonderful, wonderful stuff!

What a find!!.......2003-06-15

I haven't been able to see this movie on TV since Turner bought it (don't get TCM), but if you've seen the movie several tims, as I have, listening to this CD is very nearly as good as watching it all the way through. (I'm so delighted with it that I'm even willing to forgive TCM for putting a paper ad inside with the disc.)

Monumental effort must have gone into this soundtrack, given the age of the original recordings. The tracks here are crisp, clear, and bright, with no evidence of how long ago they were first put down. The editors were also generous in their inclusion of dialogue that ties some of the tracks together (for example, we hear the man tell Johny Jones to watch for the skyrocket, then we hear the skyrocket as it leads into "Give My Regards to Broadway"). There are a couple of places where the endings are slightly abrupt but this is because, in the movie, the music fades into extended dialogue.

The only bit of dialogue I expected to hear in a song, but didn't, is in "Over There" near the very end of the film, when Cagney/Cohan has fallen in step with the soldiers going off to WWII, as they're singing "Over There", when the soldier nearest him says something like, "What's wrong, old timer, don't know the words?" and Cagney says, "Seems to me I do" and starts singing along. That's minor and pales next to how wonderful the rest of this soundtrack is.

One of the biggest treats on this CD is that we get to hear some of Cagney's tapping, notably in "Give My Regards to Broadway", "You're a Grand Old Flag", and - one of my favorite moments in movie history - when he dances down the White House stairs to "Yankee Doodle" near the end).

The outtake is not a humorous one, simply a track they decided not to use. It and the rehearsal tracks are all just the performers voices with piano accompaniment. I especially enjoyed hearing Cagney rehearsing "You're a Grand Old Flag".

If you like Cagney, if you like Cohan's music, if you like movies "the way they used to make them", or if you're not ashamed to get a little choked up with patriotism once in a while, you will not be disappointed in this CD!

A Soundtrack Every American Should Own.......2002-09-23

Finally! If you own that Hollywood Soundstage abomination of the "Yankee Doodle Dandy" soundtrack you can finally pitch it. Here is the real article. Rhino (Turner Classic Movies Music) lovingly restored the music from the beloved "Yankee Doodle Dandy" motion picture starring James Cagney. This soundtrack sounds astonishing considering it's 60 years old. It's very obvious some loving care was taken in it's production for which we all should be greatful. The liner notes also are great with informative text and wonderful photos from the movie. The marvelous George M. Cohan songs gives one goosebumps and bring tears to the eyes. We all need this type of patriotic pep rally, especially in these tough times. As I've said, this soundtrack belongs in every American's home just as much as that "Grand Old Flag"! I believe there are plans to release the movie on DVD, hopefully soon.

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