So Alone

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Johnny Thunders's principal solo claim to fame, So Alone consists of Dollsy covers (the Shangri-Las' "Give Him a Great Big Kiss," the Chantays' surf chestnut "Pipeline," even the Dolls' "Subway Train") and gems of self-piteous wretchedness like "Leave Me Alone" and "You Can't Put Your Arms Round a Memory." The memory of what Junkie Johnny had been before heroin was almost enough to make So Alone a poignant experience--almost, but not quite. Oh, and "London Boys" was Thunders's sneering putdown of the London punk fraternity, several of whom (Steve Jones and Paul Cook, among others) are playing on the album. --Barney Hoskyns --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

So Alone
Average customer rating:

Let's Get Real, Real Gone....

an unheralded classic

Johnny at his peak

More than Punk - it's pure Rock 'N Roll

I'M ALONE...SO!!!

So Alone
Johnny Thunders
Manufacturer: Sire / London/Rhino
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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L.A.M.F.: The Lost '77 Mixes

New York Dolls

Hard Night's Day

Too Much Too Soon

All Dolled Up

ASIN: B000005JBG
Release Date: 1992-07-14

Tracks:

Pipeline
You Can't Put Your Arms Around A Memory
Great Big Kiss
Ask Me No Questions
Leave Me Alone
Daddy Rollin' Stone
London Boys
(She's So) Untouchable
Subway Train
Downtown
Dead Or Alive
Hurtin'
So Alone (Previously Unreleased)
The Wizard (Previously Unreleased)

Amazon.com

Johnny Thunders's principal solo claim to fame, So Alone consists of Dollsy covers (the Shangri-Las' "Give Him a Great Big Kiss," the Chantays' surf chestnut "Pipeline," even the Dolls' "Subway Train") and gems of self-piteous wretchedness like "Leave Me Alone" and "You Can't Put Your Arms Round a Memory." The memory of what Junkie Johnny had been before heroin was almost enough to make So Alone a poignant experience--almost, but not quite. Oh, and "London Boys" was Thunders's sneering putdown of the London punk fraternity, several of whom (Steve Jones and Paul Cook, among others) are playing on the album. --Barney Hoskyns

Customer Reviews:

Let's Get Real, Real Gone...........2006-10-02

Johnny Thunders' discography is such a vast and endless heap of cruddy sounding live albums (reissued ad nauseum), half-baked compilations, and other artifacts not worth the price of a bag of dope, that anyone not around back in the day might understandably be a bit overwhelmed by it all and wonder just how to identify the genuine great music made by a hugely important and influential guitarist and all-round rock 'n' roll original. There are of course two classic New York Dolls albums - "New York Dolls" (1973) and "In Too Much Too Soon" (1974) - which you'd be better off tracking down in their original vinyl since CDs of both titles date to the very early (more bluntly, premature) days of the format, and are in dire need of remastering. The debut sounds especially thin and lifeless, JT's dense chording and blistering solos drained just like the rhythm section is, so what you're left with sounds dinky - the piano on "Personality Crisis" was NOT intended to dominate! The best-sounding CD to feature the Dolls' original recordings, for now, remains 1994's 21 track compilation, "Rock and Roll", with 10 out 11 tracks from the debut, 7 out of 10 from "Too Much", and a few worthy rarities.
Johnny was as essential to the Dolls as Keith Richards is to the Stones, and like all the best collaborators (Mick/Keith, John/Paul, Reed/Cale, Duke/Strayhorn, etc.) each was in a way made complete by the other. Thunders' "primitivism" (for lack of a better word) and intuitive genius had a way of keeping the more conceptual/intellectual David Johansen grounded in the grime of the streets and subways (JT's riffs smeared and whined like a Subway Train grinding to a halt, noise transformed into something exhilarating and transcendent), and cut David's slight air of wariness and careerism with a romantic faith in rock 'n' roll salvation mixed with an anarchic defiance: defiance against commerce, the industry's everpresent, inevitable need to package, tame, and see some return on its financial investments; defiance, loud loose and snotty, at the era's cult of guitar-hero as technical virtuoso; Johnny's defiance would eventually turn against his and his fans best hopes and expectations, a process complicated by a small part of his 'fanbase' that gathered to see shows like they were viewing car accidents, waiting to see if he'd OD onstage, a morbid, voyeristic kick stimulated by the artist's perceived self-destructiveness (Johnny publicly embraced junk, of course, thus his career arc differed from another fallen genius, Sly Stone, whose audience simply stopped coming as Sly's downward spiral became increasingly evident). Johnny's singular brand of loyalty, a 'street cred' whose contradictions glared, meant 'defiance' darkened into a helpless betrayal of all expectations, personal and professional, and for much of his last decade, betrayal of his own talent.
Of course, all such compulsions to ward off pain and disorder and dread lead to the very nightmare of chaos one is trying to avoid. Yet, as a handful of Heartbreaking late-period songs and astonishing performances attest, Johnny never really extinguished his soul or humanity, even if his sometimes bloated hands and poverty and addiction meant his guitar playing did not keep pace with his (admittedly sporadic) remarkable evolution as a songwriter.
Where was I? After Thunders and Nolan split from the Dolls in 1975 they formed the Heartbreakers, who blew the Brits away on the "Anarchy Tour" (with Sex Pistols, Damned, etc) and made "L.A.M.F" (1977), a supposed punk classic that to me remains a rather uneven album. Inspiration wavers, with a few too many less than inspired rockers, whose eccentric rewrites of pop cliches were soaked with heroin references and salvaged by the raw energy and grimy ambience. Their sole studio set never achieves the status of a masterpiece on the order of either Dolls set, not to mention seminal debuts from the same season by Television, X-Ray Spex, The Clash, or whatever your faves might be from that vital and transformative era. "L.A.M.F." is still pretty essential, for Thunders' and Walter Lure's barbed wire twin-guitar attack, Jerry's relentlessly powerful (and reliable) drumming, and a handful of classics: the losers' anthem, "Born Too Loose," the great Yardbirds raveup/cop, "Baby Talk," Johnny's magnificent mid-tempo "It's Not Enough" (a moodier "Satisfaction"), the lurid/celebratory/hilarious take on junk life, "Chinese Rocks", and the red-hot rave-up "Pirate Love." The mix on the original lp was dreadful, but in the past two decades an endless string of upgrades has restored much of its power, and the latest 2-cd set of "lost '77 mixes" on disc one, with the second disc's assortment of alternates/demos/etc is definitive, for now.
Nothing really could have prepared fans for "So Alone," a brief, seemingly padded effort that underwhelmed more than a few fans and critics. "Slight," I recall thinking, tho' I dug it and kept playing it. On the surface, hardly a unified statement, rather randomly patched together when Real Records indicated a willingness to support a solo project six months after his "Downtown" single. Nor did we get a generous set of new original material. Ten songs clocked in just over 32 minutes on the original LP, and that includes two seemingly pointless remakes of Dolls songs (one from each of their lps), another unrecorded Dolls song going back to '74, three covers representing a retro/punk aesthetic (surf, girl group, and an Otis Blackwell classic that simultaneously pays tribute to Brit Invasion r&b as well). A Heartbreakers-written sendup of the Sex Pistols' "New York." Oh, and one fine new original that, by default, would be seen as a masterpiece. Finally, "So Alone" did not exactly impress me as a showcase for Johnny's guitar - he's in there, but usually with a couple other lead guitars, including contributions from some of Thunders' most accomplished students - Steve Jones (Sex Pistols), Peter Perritt (Only Ones), and ...
That was so long ago...Time has been kind to "So Alone," and - I assure you - not just because Thunders never really surpassed it. It just resonates with emotional depth and authority, a coherent sensibility hitherto only hinted at, and stands musically as a rock 'n' roll classic both dark and joyous, harsh and tender, remarkable for its stylistic range - here's a punk icon celebrating mid-60s Girl Groups (three guitars, sax, and Patti Palladin's vocal turn "Great Big Kiss" into a sexy, densely produced party classic worthy of Lesley Gore). Johnny opens his set with the Chantays' surf classic "Pipeline" and along with Steve Jones makes it roar with pure Pistols/Dolls adrenalen, and later trades verses with Small Faces'(and 60s Mod Icon) Steve Marriott and Thin Lizzy's Phil Lynott on a slinky, blues rock classic ("Daddy Rolling Stone"). With time, the disorganized circumstances of the album's construction (as with other accidental classics such as "December's Children" ) have become irrelevant. In a way, it's Johnny's tour de force, as he touches on a remarkable range of musical styles, influences, and perhaps more importantly, themes and emotions that never made it to the Heartbreakers album and were mostly filtered through David Johansen's words and vocals in the New York Dolls. "So Alone" also intends to be the first Johnny Thunders album on which the artist demands to be taken seriously as a vocalist - his singing is consistently effective, voice snarling, mocking, or sometimes breathy, almost girlish - that voice might convey vulnerability, tenderness, or even affectlessness; it would be utilized to magnificent effect on the hauntingly personal songs from "Hurt Me" (1984). The familiar behind-the-beat drawl, snide, playful, whiney (it never succumbs to punk caricature) enlivens his witty and affectionate response to the Sex Pistols on "London Boys", and Thunders ends the set with the scorching "Downtown," a dark track of an oddly insular power, a grimy urban blues featuring referances to Methadone and complacency amid squalls of vivid, barbed wire guitars, for once all of them played by Thunders.
Lest we forget, "Ask Me No Questions" is a prototypical Thunders original, with a fresh, galloping rhythmic approach and beautifully executed vocal, plus a one note chicken scratch guitar break from Peter Perrett. And "Untouchable," is one of Johnny's sexiest (and catchiest) originals, all yearning and melancholy except for those asides during the last verse...
After years of familiarity, the versions of "Leave Me Alone" (ne "Chatterbox") and "Subway Train" stand on their own, distinct from the Dolls' originals.
This 1992 CD edition of "So Alone" could use a new remaster from the original tapes. However, it has been expanded by nearly half its original length, enhanced by four superb bonus tracks, most of which became familiar songs in Thunders' live repertoire. "Dead Or Alive", a non-album single, has an animated Thunders imagining his own overdose with mordant humor and Stones-like crunch and energy (again Thunders plays all the guitars on this solid rocker). "Hurtin'", originally the B-side of "You Can't Put Your Arms 'Round A Memory" is another terrific addition, this time a adding dirty guitar runs over a catchy and propulsive shuffle beat and somehow hilarious/childlike/poignant lyrics. The vocal adds to the slightly bizarre and utterly characteristic mood. The title track to this set never made the final cut in 1978, but "So Alone" is familiar from live versions issued in subsequent years. It's a truly classic and soul searing Thunders song; this five minute version seems neither as passionate nor as developed as the truly devastating take on "Live At The Lyceum, 1984." Finally, Johnny adds an aptly fey vocal over a dub-like version of T. Rex's "The Wizard" - another gem that closes this essential set on a weird and wonderful note.
Thunders issued more studio and live material up to his death in 1991 (and the stream of product continues fifteen years later). Working with Jimmy Miller, the live/studio hybrids "In Cold Blood" and "Too Much Junkie Business" (both 1983) are incredibly raw, especially the low-fi "Junkie Business." The studio tracks from "In Cold Blood" appear as bonus material on Thunders beautiful and highly recommended 1984 acoustic set, "Hurt Me." "Que Sera Sera" (1985), was both darker (beginning with the cover) and more drab, hence less powerful than "So Alone", with a couple of remakes and new songs that wanly echoed old classics, but it still contains several gems. 1988's album of covers, "Copy Cats" was a disappointment in that Thunders played virtually no guitar, but his singing (partnered with Patti Palladin) and choice of material was committed and convincing, and the album is quite enjoyable...Many of Thunders' best new songs from his last four or five years were never recorded in the studio, and are scattered on various 1987 - 91 live sets. Perhaps the best of the posthumous live albums is the fierce "In The Flesh" from '87, with JT reunited with Jerry Nolan and Arthur Kane. They play like their lives depend on it, no stoned breakdowns or forgotton words. It's killer. RIP Johnny, Jerry, and Arthur.

an unheralded classic.......2006-09-11

Its a shame that Johnny Thunders was who he was b/c if he had been considered more mainstream, this would have been classified as a rock and roll masterpiece. This is not only a terrific album but it has also held up very well over time. "Cant put your arms around a memory" is the obvious highlight. The rest showcases Thunders diverse taste in music. I cannot say enough great things about this masterpiece.

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Now!

Johnny at his peak.......2005-10-07

This cd is Johnny at his peak. With Steve Jones and Phil Lynott on this album, It rocks out. Its what American rock and roll is about!

More than Punk - it's pure Rock 'N Roll.......2005-04-22

Johnny is thrown in with the Punk crowd even though he never really fit into the genre's sometimes confining borders. Both his work with the Dolls and his solo stuff is much more 60's Rock and Roll than 70's Punk. When he toured England with his band, The Heartbreakers, Punk bands of the era (Pistols, Clash, etc) wouldn't be caught dead playing blues-based music. However, they ALL respected Johnny and saw him for what he was, a great guitarist who could REALLY play - read John Lydon's biog, Rotten, for info about that tour.

This album is more Gene Vincent than Johnny Rotten, with some outstanding covers of early 60's classics (Pipeline, Daddy Rollin' Stone, Great Big Kiss). Johnny was always more of a heroin-soaked blues-man than a punk guitarist.

His voice is never on key, often stumbling through verses in his trademark junkie slur. His guitar playing is sometimes sloppy. Put those two qualities together and 99 times out of 100 you'll be listening to a trainwreck, but with So Alone, Johnny pulls everything off in spades! An all-star backing band makes this his most beautiful album.

This album is almost NEVER mentioned on anyone's list of all-time great ones, but that is a big mistake. His legend is built on tales of heroin and junkie life, but to those who know his music, that stuff is only PART of his story. The real legend comes from his music, and this CD is a monument of pure Rock 'N Roll. Buy it.

I'M ALONE...SO!!!.......2005-01-03

This album is pretty neat. I often listen to it on my walk to work. It is a great way to deal with "aloneness". There is a reminiscent feeling of loneliness, but I find that the music empowers me enough to teach my high school students.

Send in the Clowns: The Ballads of Stephen Sondheim

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Wonderful songs

Send in the Clowns: The Ballads of Stephen Sondheim

Manufacturer: RCA Victor
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00006LSQJ
Release Date: 2002-10-22

Tracks:

Send In The Clowns (From 'A Little Night Music') - Cleo Laine
Losing My Mind (From 'Follies') - Barbara Cook
I Remember (From 'Evening Primrose') - David Korman
Liasons (From 'A Little Night Music') - Hermione Gingold
With So Little To Be Sure Of (From 'Anyone Can Whistle') - Jerry Hadley
Not A Day Goes By (From 'Merrily We Roll Along') - Bernadette Peters
Pretty Women (From 'Sweeney Todd') - Michael Rupert
In Buddy's Eyes (From 'Follies') - Barbara Cook
No One Is Alone (From 'Into The Woods') - Cleo Laine
Johanna (From 'Sweeney Todd') - Victor Garber
So Many People (From 'Saturday Night') - Suzanne Henry
Sorry-Grateful (From 'Company') - Stephen Collins
Too Many Mornings (From 'Follies) - Barbara Cook
Finishing The Hat (From 'Sunday In The Park With George') - Mandy Patinkin
Not While I'm Around (From 'Sweeney Todd') - Angela Lansbury
Like It Was (From 'Merrily We Roll Along') - Julie Andrews
Unworthy Of Your Love (From 'Assassins') - Annie Golden
Anyone Can Whistle (From 'Anyone Can Whistle') - Cleo Laine

Customer Reviews:

Wonderful songs.......2003-02-07

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

Sondheim - A Celebration at Carnegie Hall (1992 Concert Cast)

Average customer rating:

Great CD
Simply the Best
Inconsistent, but mostly excellent
"Celebration" is not strong enough a word
A maginificent evening, a magnificent album

Sondheim - A Celebration at Carnegie Hall (1992 Concert Cast)
Stephen Sondheim , Betty Buckley , Paul Gemignani , Patti LuPone , Liza Minnelli , and Bernadette Peters
Manufacturer: RCA Victor Broadway
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000003FDW
Release Date: 1993-02-23

Tracks:

Symphonic Sondheim: Sweeney Todd--orchestra, Jerry Hadley ("Johanna"), Eugene Perry,Herbert Perry ("Pretty Women")
Evening Introduction--Bill Irwin
Loveland/Getting Married Today--Ensemble, Jeanne Lehman, Mark Jacoby, Madeline Kahn
Waiting for the Girls Upstairs--George Lee Andrews, Michael Jeter, James Naughton/Love, I Hear--Michael Jeter/Live Alone and Like It--James Naughton
Someone Is Waiting--Richard Muenz/Symphonic Sondheim: Barcelona--orchestra
Being Alive--Patti LuPone
Good Thing Going--The Tonics
Losing My Mind/You Could Drive a Person Crazy--Dorothy Loudon
Our Time--Boys Choir of Harlem/Children Will Listen--Betty Buckley
Anyone Can Whistle--Billy Stritch
Water Under the Bridge--Liza Minnellli, Billy Stritch
Back in Business--Liza Minnellli, Billy Stritch, Ensemble

Tracks:

Symphonic Sondheim: Comedy Tonight--Bill Irwin, orchestra
Sooner or Later--Karen Ziemba
Pretty Lady--Mark Jacoby, Eugene Perry, Herbert Perry
Green Finch and Linnet Bird--Harolyn Blackwell
The Ballad of Booth--Patrick Cassidy, Victor Garber
Broadway Baby--Daisy Eagan
I Never Do Anything Twice--BETTY
With So Little to Be Sure Of--Jerry Hadley, Carolann Page
Not a Day Goes By--Bernadette Peters
Remember?--Ron Baker, Peter Blanchet, Carol Meyer, Bronwyn Thomas, Blythe Walker (Quintet)/A Weekend in the Country--Kevin Anderson, George Lee Andrews, Mark Jacoby, Beverly Lambert, Maureen Moore, Susan Terry, Quintet
Send in the Clowns--Glenn Close
Old Friends--Liza Minnelli
Sunday--Bernadette Peters, Broadway Chorus

Customer Reviews:

Great CD.......2006-08-06

This is a wonderful double CD of fabulous musical numbers performed by theatre greats and directed by a legandary musical director.

Simply the Best.......2005-06-29

First, to the person who criticizes the recording b/c of "Broadway Baby." Daisy Egan (who sings in in this recording) sounds like she's 10 becuase she IS young. She had just appeared on Braodway in Secret Garden and won a Tony for it. It's a joke...Broadway BABY...hello, it's a joke.

In a compilation of songs like this you're always going to have tracks that you prefer over others, but the majority of the renditions in this CD are great. This is simply one of the best collections of Sondheim out there. You get interpretations that span from "classical" (Green Finch), to bordering on insane (Anything Twice). This is to demonstrate how versatile this composer really is.

In my opinion, some of the best renditions are "Not a Day Goes By," "Anyone Can Whistle", "Girls Upstairs Medley," "Losing My Mind/Drive a Person Crazy," and "Weekend inthe Country." Makes me wish I had been there to witness it first hand.

If you love Sondheim and enjoy hearing Broadway performers, get this CD. A great recording.

Inconsistent, but mostly excellent.......2004-03-21

I am sure no knowledgeable person would deny how absolutely perfect all these songs are. However, the performances on this album are extremely inconsistent. It will go from an excellent rendition (Waiting for the Girls medley, Sunday, With So Little To Be Sure Of, Sooner or Later, Green Finch, Send in the Clowns, Pretty Lady) to the weird (I never Do Anything Twice), to the bad (Broadway Baby, Our Time). I still have absolutely no idea how they managed to butcher one of the best songs ever written--Good Thing Going--and turn it into smooth jazz elevator music. Why would they give Broadway Baby to someone who sounds like she's 10? That said, Liza Minelli, Glenn Close, Karen Ziemba, Dorothy Laudon and the "Waiting for the Girls" performers are all very good. And ending with Bernadette Peters and "Sunday" ends the set on a absolutley fabulous note.

"Celebration" is not strong enough a word.......2003-04-30

This review is by Crosley.

I have been a major Sondheim fan for quite some time, and I finally obtained a copy of this album. I was blown away by the excellent cast and phenomenal selection of music. It is obvious how much work went into this production, considering that this is the live recording of a one time show, and it's flawless. The songs cover all of his shows with the exception of "Passion," which was released 3 years after this show. Also, the shows for which he wrote only lyrics are ommited, like West Side Story, Gypsy, etc. Thus, you can find material from A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Anyone can Whistle, Company, Follies, A Little Night Music, Pacific Overtures, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Merrily we Roll Along, Sunday in the Park with George, Into the Woods, and Assassins.

There are two striking things about this CD (besides the music and performers themselves). First of all, some of the songs are completely stylistically reworked. The most obvious are "Good Thing Going" and "I Never do Anything Twice." Both are traditionally very ballady with a piano accompaniment, but here they have been redone as jazzy tunes. The result is excellent. Such reworkings demonstrate that Sondheim writes music for virtually any style, and in these cases, across several styles. It's a great example of his variety. The other interesting thing is how many songs have overlapping melodies of songs from different shows. Case in point, "Our Time" and "No one is Alone" are sung seperately by the Harlem Boys Choir and Betty Buckley (the original Grizabella in Webber's atrocious "CATS," although Buckley was excellent) respectively, and then combined. Putting these two songs together offer different meanings to each, and the music is only enhanced. Another example, the trio of "Waiting for the Girls Upstairs," "Love, I Hear," and "Live Alone and Like It" are sung in that order, and then the latter two are combined. Again, the meanings of the songs change, this time in an almost narrative style, and offering different takes on love in the same montage. Lastly (at least for this review, there are more), Dorothy Laudon's (the original Ms. Hannigan in Annie) combination of "Losing my Mind" and "You Could Drive a Person Crazy" is brilliant. Those who are familiar with these songs will wonder how exactly they fit, but trust me, they do. She swtiches back and forth between melodies to create a number that starts poignant and beautiful, and soon moves to become uproariously funny. Both the song reworkings and overlapping melodies of unrelated songs are all for the better.

I recommend this recording to anyone wanting to get better acquainted with some of Sondheim's best work, or those already familiar who want to hear a tour de force of phenomenal music. It has been said that Sondheim is a masterful lyricist (which he is), but lacks real talent for music. This CD is the final proof that such critics are wrong. His music may take a few listenings to get into, contrary to Webber or Wildhorn, but unlike those two, he doesn't cater to the audience. He challenges them to think outside of traditional musical theater in a glorious repertoise of shows that reach for a smarter, more sophisticated form.

A maginificent evening, a magnificent album.......2001-12-16

There's something to be said for the first concert you ever see at Carnegie Hall. I was fortunate enough to have this be my first. This entire evening was devoted to his genius and the performers did not disappoint.

This wonderful double CD shows off the best and brightest of the musical theatre composer and it is, as one person put it, "an embarassment of riches." With songs from his finest works done in amazing arrangements (listen to that harmony in "We Had a Good Thing Going"!) combined with fabulous performers this is a Sondheim lovers delight.

Tracks:

OKLAHOMA: Oh, What A Beautiful Mornin'
State Fair: It Might As Well Be Spring
South Pacific: Some Enchanted Evening
OKLAHOMA: The Surrey With The Fringe On Top
South Pacific: Bali Ha'i
Carousel: June Is Bustin' Out All Over
The King And I: Something Wonderful
Allegro: So Far
Allegro: A Fellow Needs A Girl
The King And I: I Have Dreamed
Allegro: What A Lovely Day For A Wedding
Me And Juliet: No Other Love
The Sound Of Music: Edelweiss
Carousel: If I Loved You
South Pacific: There Is Nothin' Like A Dame
South Pacific: Younger Than Springtime
Allegro: Come Home
South Pacific: This Nearly Was Mine
Carousel: Soliloquy
Carousel: You'll Never Walk Alone

Amazon.com

In the opening song of "Something Wonderful," Welsh bass-baritone Bryn Terfel sings, "All the sounds of the Earth are like music." They most definitely are when Terfel surrounds them with his resonant baritone. Every phrase of Rodgers and Hammerstein's music is imbued with uncommon sensitivity, impeccable phrasing, and dazzling beauty. Terfel's rich and meaty voice shares a plate with delicate pianissimos, unabashed sentimentality, and swaggering forthrightness. He successfully tackles songs originally written for women. In "It Might as Well Be Spring," he transforms dippy into dapper. And he turns "Bali Hai" into a foreboding, demanding, and seductive call; the listener must helplessly succumb to the world of his sensitive manliness. His interpretations of the old standards--"If I Loved You," "Soliloquy," "This Nearly Was Mine," "Some Enchanted Evening"--are stellar. Despite the temporary lulls caused by the second-class songs from "Allegro," Terfel does a first-class job of bringing them to life. Undoubtedly one of the best crossover records of all time. --Barbara Eisner Bayer

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

I have just been introduced........2007-01-22

I came across the CD by sheer accident and am I glad I did. Wonderful music. Thanks for the music Bryn.

Great Music + Terrific Lyrics +Decent Singing = Very Nice CD.......2005-01-27

While not an expert on technical singing I really, really like this CD. I think Terfel's voice is pretty decent & he sings both male/female lead R & H songs for a total of twenty cuts. One cut I really enjoyed , but had never heard before was the song "So Far"
from R & H's "Allegro" with those Richard Roger's hooks & terrific Oscar Hammerstein lyrics. Felt that the orchestra on this session made a good move using the original orchestrations for a classic R & H feel. I concur with the reviewer regarding the miking of Terfel's voice in this session which seems too low forcing the listener to turn up the volumne.

A new meaning of throat singing........2004-06-11

I cannot believe that the critics of today can rave about such an inferior singer as Byrn Terfel. He sings so badly, I can't believe he has had the career he's had. I don't care how many roles he's sung, he hasn't any vocal technique at all. If anyone would care to hear great singing, buy the; "Thomas L. Thomas" Voice of Firestone video and listen to a great Welsh singer. This is a great artist and vocal technician. Try; "John Charles Thomas," "Lawrence Tibbett," or "Nelson Eddy." Bryn Terfel couldn't carry their music cases!

Superb matchmaking in Terfel's R&H recital.......2004-03-09

You might think that it is a very superflous mismatch for an opera singer to try his vocal cords on the Broadway songs of Rodgers & Hammerstein. However, in this R&H offering by Bryn Terfel, he proves that it is a perfect match between singer and repertoire for a classical crossover record of this pedigree. Terfel communicates the essence of each of the 20 songs to the listener, and allows them to sound fresh and new. And it helps that he has been a R&H fan for many years with the music already close to his heart. He is given superb backing from the well-conducted Opera North forces an warm, natural recording.

From the first phrase of Terfel's uplifting opening version of "Oh, what a beautiful morning" from Oklahoma!, we listeners intuitively know that this is not going to be your superflous run-of-the-mill classical crossover offering of R&H songs. Terfel uses his big voice to great effect in Billy Bigelow's two songs from Carousel, "If I loved you" and the pivotal "Soliloquy" that builds up to a devastating climax. When he does this for Emile's two big solos in South Pacific, "Some Enchanted Evening" and "This Nearly Was Mine," he also makes them sound fresh and intuitively conveys their essence. He also thrills us even when his voice is soft and tender, such as on Lietunant Cable's "Younger than Springtime" and especially on Captain von Trapp's "Edelweiss" from The Sound of Music.

Besides the obvious highlights in this R&H offering, Terfel unearths some new delights. He does this by trying his vocal cords on songs that were originally intended for women, most notably in Nettie's two big numbers in Carousel, "June is busting out all over" and "You'll never walk alone", which he pulls off convincingly in a straight-laced and serious manner without sounding cliched. (In the booklet, "You'll never walk alone" was stated as being sung by the Chorus, but then in the show, it is sung by Nettie.) He is also wistful on "It might as well be Spring" from State Fair, and philosophical on Lady Thiang's "Something Wondreful" from The King and I. He also evokes a dreamlike quality on Bloody Mary's "Bali Ha'i" in South Pacific. The other unusual thing that Terfel does is include some unknown songs and treat them ravishingly. Four of them are from Allegro, highlighted by a charming "So Far," a reflective "A Fellow needs a girl" and a powerful "Come Home", and he also sings "No Other Love" from Me and Juliet as ravishingly as "I Have Dreamed."

If I have any quibbles, there are only two minor ones. Terfel's R&H offering runs for 74 minutes, and still has six minutes of empty space on a CD. I'm sure that Terfel could have given thought to the Mother Abbess's "Climb Every Mountain" from The Sound of Music, which I consider a more universal and less-cliched song than "You'll never walk alone" from Carousel. It would have suited his full-throated, big-voiced characteristic very well. Also, this offering of R&H seems to be lopsided to emphasise more of the first part of R&H. Sixteen tracks cover R&H from Oklahoma to South Pacific, with four tracks that cover their second half from The King and I to The Sound of Music. As such I would have liked to hear him sing a more balanced repertoire of R&H songs with equal emphasis to both halves of their collaboration. Perhaps he might record a Volume 2 with songs from the latter part of their collaboration in the near future. But with 74 delightful minutes of Terfel's R&H offering, how could anybody complain about the quality of this recital, especially with a lavish booklet complete with copious notes by R&H expert Ethan Mordden and full lyrics.

Overall, though, I'm very sure that this R&H offering is both a highlight of Terfel's discography, and can ably recommended with his recording of Schubert songs to anybody who wants to get to know his work well. It can also be recommended to Rodgers & Hammerstein fans old and new.

By the way, I also recommend the Rodgers & Hammerstein Songbook for Orchestra, with another superlative Telarc offering by the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra and Erich Kunzel. This recital is just as outstanding as Terfel's R&H offering. And, there is a wealth of cast recordings that new R&H fans will want to snap up, so this Terfel disc will be an ideal stepping-stone for them.

Broadway or Opera... This CD is indeed ýSomething Wonderfulý.......2003-07-25

It becomes clearer with every disk Bryn releases... he turns whatever he touches into gold! This CD is indeed `Something Wonderful'. From the first listen I was in love with this disk and can't get enough.

To begin, Rodgers and Hammerstein couldn't be more appropriately sung. From a time before electric amplification the sweeping melodies of Richard Rodgers were intended to be sung as Bryn illustrates. As I say every time, his diction is impeccable, his musicianship is unsurpassed, and his enthusiasm is wonderful. As for Oscar Hammerstein, I'm sure he doesn't mind a little foreign accent... because every word is clear and understandable.

To compare the accent of Terfel to Pavarotti and Carreras is simply misguided. Although Pavarotti and Carreras are top-notch for what they do, neither pursues `Broadway' music seriously. Their ventures into the medium are limited to Gala concerts and the occasional snippet on a CD... not on stage depicting a role, but simply to sing a beautiful song. Mr. Terfel, on the other hand, researches the roles, coaches them, and is constantly pursued to perform them. His accent is one of slight vowel or consonant differences, which do not detract from the beautiful music. The music is well done and the story clear. Lets not nitpick diction or the French will have our hides for Les Miserables!

For the music, the recording quality is great. One reviewer mentioned poor sound quality and I do believe that person may have a bad disk or player... on my end the sound is full and robust; Bryn's voice dominates the sound. The orchestrations are full and lush. When dealing with modern houses and theatres the orchestra pits are usually quite small, and consequently the ensembles themselves. CDs like this one allow for fully orchestrated music to be heard, with a large symphony of musicians. The numbers that utilize chorus, which sings very well, are well balanced.

This disk is a great buy in my book. Bryn Terfel is a phenomenal performer and he sings this genre excellently. Check out his `If Ever I Would Leave You', `Under The Stars', `We'll Keep a Welcome', `Songs of My Welsh Home', and numerous classical recordings like `Opera Arias', `Meet Bryn Terfel', `The Vagabond', `Wagner', `Schumann Lieder', and an large collection of full opera recordings. Enjoy.

Rodgers & Hammerstein: Songbook for Orchestra (Orchestral Suites)
Average customer rating:

Irresistible

"Some Enchanted Evening" with Kunzel and the Cincinnati Pops

Excellent!

Great Arrangments

Rodgers & Hammerstein: Songbook for Orchestra (Orchestral Suites)

Manufacturer: Telarc
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Lerner & Loewe Songbook for Orchestra

Rodgers & Hammerstein - The Complete Overtures ~ Opening Night / Hollywood Bowl Orchestra · Mauceri

Puttin' on the Ritz: The Great Hollywood Musicals

The Sound Of Music (1987 Studio Cast)

Classics of the Silver Screen

ASIN: B000003CXQ
Release Date: 1992-01-28

Tracks:

Oklahoma!
Carousel
State Fair
South Pacific
The King And I
Cinderella Waltz
Flower Drum Song
The Sound Of Music

Customer Reviews:

Irresistible.......2005-07-29

From beginning to end this CD is pure delight. A great recording has great music, a great performance, and great sound; this one scores on all three counts.

Rodgers and Hammerstein's musicals dominated Broadway in the 1940s and 1950s, and American musical theater has produced no more consistently eloquent and durable voice than Richard Rodgers. From his fertile genius flowed a surprising number of memorable songs, many of which have passed into and become an accepted and beloved part of modern American culture.

This well-filled CD (77:36) features symphonic arrangements (all but two by Robert Russell Bennett) of the music from Oklahoma (1943), Carousel (1945), State Fair (1945), South Pacific (1949), The King and I (1951), Flower Drum Song (1958), and The Sound of Music (1959). All the great tunes are here in suites from each musical that average 10-12 minutes in length. The arrangements are expert: rich, varied, and colorful. The performances are polished, idiomatic, and irresistible; Kunzel and this orchestra are thorough masters of this kind of material. And Telarc's sound (recorded 1991) is state-of-the-art (engineer Michael Bishop deserves to take a bow).

In short, there's nothing here to cloud your listening pleasure (the only quibble I can imagine is that some of your favorites may not last long enough), so it's hard for me to envision anyone with ears and a taste for music who wouldn't enjoy this CD. Warmly recommended. Finally, if you like this one as much as I do, you might want to know that the same team has produced a companion volume, the Lerner & Lowe Songbook for Orchestra.

"Some Enchanted Evening" with Kunzel and the Cincinnati Pops.......2003-12-26

Erich Kunzel's Rodgers and Hammerstein anthology with the Cincinatti Pops Orchestra is one of the best and most ravishing instrumental Rodgers and Hammerstein albums of all time. With sumptuous arrangements and warm, natural Telarc recording, this glorious 77-minute CD presents sweeping, melodic arrangements of over 60 Rodgers and Hammerstein selections, spanning eight scores, and Kunzel allows the Pops to play with a characterful and polished understanding of the Rodgers and Hammerstein idiom. The disc is enough to cheer you up on a dull day and make you smile, and it might even want to make you feel like a convert to Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals.

This CD has all the scores arranged chronologically. The OKLAHOMA! suite that opens this disc promises a feast for the senses, Kunzel ably evokes the territory's "bright, golden haze" in the way he conducts the various excerpts, until you feel the atmosphere of the country charm of the show, and the love-affair between Curly and Laurey. Then, in CAROUSEL, he ably evokes the pathos of this tragic R&H masterwork, especially in the truncated Waltz, but he leads a wonderfully melodic "June is Bustin' Out All Over" and a devotional "You'll Never Walk Alone." Although this suite does not include Billy's pivotal Soliloquy, it includes "If I Loved You" as an expression of his love for Julie, and within minutes you could be soaked in the ups and downs of the show's mood.

After a brief STATE FAIR suite, with sweeping renditions of "It Might As Well Be Spring" and "It's a Grand Night for Singing", we are brought into the disc's showstopping highlights. These highlights are the excerpts from SOUTH PACIFIC, THE KING AND I, and THE SOUND OF MUSIC. But yet Kunzel conducts the rest of the disc until the various suites amount to a series of showstoppers. These three suites present wonderfully-arranged versions of their many familiar classic songs, with well-played solos. The SOUTH PACIFIC suite presents the songs in chronological order, yet preserves the atmosphere of the show at the same time. Kunzel ably brings out the romance in "Some Enchanted Evening" and "Younger than Springtime," and contrasts it with the exotic and dreamlike "Bali Hai'i" and the comic "There is Nothing like a Dame" and "I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair". Although the suite ends quietly with a reprise of "Dites-Moi" rather than the reprise of "Some Enchanted Evening," within minutes we are swept into the KING AND I suite. Kunzel ably brings out the Oriental pathos in this score, and he captures the warmth of Anna's rapport with the King's Siamese children in "Getting to Know You", and with the King himself in "Shall We Dance." There is also romance in the love ballads "I Have Dreamed" and "We Kiss in a Shadow." Similarly, in the selection from THE SOUND OF MUSIC, Kunzel conducts this until the orchestra soaks itself in the atmosphere of this Austrian R&H score. This SOUND OF MUSIC suite has more of a feel of the score compared to the bonus track on Sony's reissued version of the Broadway recording. You can almost feel as if you are following the progress of the Trapp family and how it lifts its spirits with the joy of music. Kunzel gives us a soaring version of the title song, and spirited versions of "Do-Re-Mi" and "My Favourite Things." He balances it with the open-air quality of "Edelweiss" and "The Lonely Goatherd." Although this suite could have included "Something Good," the love ballad written for the film, the three recollections of the songs that were cut from the movie only last for a while. And, the towering version of "Climb Every Mountain" crowns this portion of the disc, and this sumptuously-produced recording. But, I should also mention the infectuous FLOWER DRUM SONG medley, where Kunzel turns this underrated score into a work of art, until it convinces you to buy the cast recording. And, don't forget about the brief CINDERELLA WALTZ, too, when Kunzel conducts it magically, until you feel like you are in the company of Cinderella and the Prince. He is able to show how this R&H score marked a comeback for R&H after the failiures of Me and Juliet, and Pipe Dream.

Overall, this glorious Rodgers and Hammerstein recording is guarunteed to make you want to pucker your lips out for a whistle or sing along (to paraphrase another revew for Kunzel's Disney Spectacular disc) - even if this recording is music only, and as long as you know the words to the songs (and you might know a large handful of them already.) There is always a certain magic in this fine CD that makes you feel like you're sitting in the theatre watching these musicals, until it makes you feel like it is truly, to borrow two R&H song titles, "Some Enchanted Evening" and "Something Wonderful" to be in Kunzel's company for this R&H offering. It would certainly be one recording that could make you feel willing to buy the complete cast recordings of the shows. And I guaruntee that it will make you feel willing to pull out your existing copies of the cast recordings to listen to them again. I also guaruntee that it will be a cornerstone in any Rodgers and Hammerstein collection, just as it is in mine. Recommended heartily to any Rodgers and Hammerstein enthusiast and to fans of Erich Kunzel's work. And, you can play it while reading the Richard Rodgers biography, Musical Stages, until Rodgers himself would count this as his favourite disc in the afterlife.

By the way, most of the arrangements for the suites on this CD were done by the veteran R&H orchestrator Robert Russell Bennett, and it surely adds to the appeal of this recording. This itself is enough to amount to the icing on the cake, since Kunzel conducts them well on here, and since this recording still allows the suites to have the original theatrical atmosphere. And, although this recording is like the Mauceri collection of the Rodgers & Hammerstein overtures in compiling orchestral suites of Rodgers & Hammerstein, I think that I like the Kunzel recording even more because Kunzel has more magic in his conducting of these suites.

Excellent!.......2003-04-08

This is one of the best Erich Kunzel/Cincinnati Pops collections we own! A must for Rodgers and Hammerstein fans, too.

Great Arrangments.......2001-09-02

This is a first rate album with great arrangments and orchestrations. If you're a Rodgers and Hammerstein fan, you can't afford to miss this specatacular album

Bernadette Peters Loves Rodgers & Hammerstein

Average customer rating:

A Great Recording by A Great Artist.
To the critics of "BP Loves RH"...
Not Totally Awful, but She is Much Better than This
Am I missing something?
The Fabulous Miss B Does It Again!!!

Bernadette Peters Loves Rodgers & Hammerstein
Bernadette Peters
Manufacturer: Angel Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Sondheim, Etc.: Bernadette Peters Live at Carnegie Hall
Sondheim Etc. Etc.: Bernadette Peters Live at Carnegie Hall (The Rest of It)
I'll Be Your Baby Tonight
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Bernadette Peters in Concert

ASIN: B000062R9C
Release Date: 2002-06-10

Tracks:

It's a Grand Night for Singing
If I Loved You
The Gentleman Is a Dope
It Might as Well Be Spring
Out of My Dreams
So Far
Something Wonderful
I Haven't Got a Worry in the World
Mister Snow
Some Enchanted Evening
There Is Nothin' Like a Dame
You'll Never Walk Alone
Something Good

Amazon.com

Bernadette Peters Loves Rodgers & Hammerstein ... and if they could hear this collection, they would love her right back. The curly-haired, honey-voiced Tony-winning star has been more closely associated throughout her career with Stephen Sondheim and Jerry Herman, but she's perfectly suited to the grand waltzes and introspective moments of the R&H canon. "If I Loved You," "It Might As Well Be Spring," and "Something Wonderful" would probably make anyone's wish list for this combination of star and songs (a list that would also last much longer than 46 minutes). Other welcome selections include "Some Enchanted Evening," "Out of My Dreams," the little-known "I Haven't Got a Worry in the World" (from the play Happy Birthday), and the inside joke of "There Is Nothing Like a Dame," all supported by the baton and orchestrations of Sondheim favorite Jonathan Tunick. This is a warm valentine to the beloved songwriting team. --David Horiuchi

Customer Reviews:

A Great Recording by A Great Artist........2004-10-14

I totally disagree with the previous negative reviews of this cd. What were they listening to anyway? Certainly not this recording. First,Bernadette Peters is THE greatest Broadway musical performer of our time. I rate her right up there with Merman,Martin,Verdon,and Channing. She has a beautiful and distinctive voice,and her acting ability shines through every song. One reviewer said that these songs were originally written for large,operatic voices. What??? With the exception of Pinza,this is simply not true. When I have heard opera singers perform R&H songs,it just doesn't work. Too big. Actually,Bernadette suits these songs perfectly. Her somewhat softer voice gives a new dimension and insight to the grand old standards. I will give special praise for her performance of the songs: IF I LOVED YOU, OUT OF MY DREAMS, SOMETHING WONDERFUL, and SOME ENCHANTED EVENING. And extra special praise for SOMETHING GOOD. She brings life and passion to this song;I have never heard it performed better. I was greatly moved by it. If you love Rodgers & Hammerstein and if you love Bernadette Peters, BUY THIS ALBUM! You will love it.

To the critics of "BP Loves RH"..........2004-04-17

I would ask detractors of this CD to consider the dates and location when and where this album was recorded: Sept 19, 21 and 24, 2001 at the Record Plant(sic)in NYC. Get it yet?

What if you were BP and Tunick, professionals as you are, recording a RH album for Angel eight days after 9/11? Would you be at your best? And singing "well worn, sentimental" RH songs recalling a time when NYC was the Great Big Apple of the World. Wouldn't a lump be in your throat? Listen to "It Might as Well Be Spring" again. Does it sound cheerful and relaxed? Or a little sad?

My friends, this is BP's 9/11 tribute to a City that has treated her like royalty. With Dame and Dope being the only exceptions, perhaps Tunick's otherwise subdued orchestrations reflect the mood of the day and of the performers and engineers present at the studio. This is why I heartily recommend this recording to BP fans. I didn't get it either until I read the stats.

Not Totally Awful, but She is Much Better than This.......2003-11-21

Bernadette Peters is a legend; one of the few true Broadway musical legends still performing today; and that's why it pains me to say that her latest album is also her weakest work.

While her beautiful voice is still intact and capable of being as gorgeous as ever, she just doesn't seem to breath life into any of these songs. Even "Some Enchanted Evening" and "You'll Never Walk Alone" -- two songs that beg for emotion -- don't even get near the credit they deserve. And during some of the tunes, her voice seems to almost crack, although it never quite does.

I don't want to sound mean here. I love Bernadette Peters; but I also know she is much better than this album. Want proof? Purchase the cast recording of Gypsy :)

Her masterful concert for PBS was done just a couple years earlier. It's almost hard to believe this is the same energetic and spunky singer.

It's a grand night for singing? One wouldn't think so by listening to this.

Am I missing something?.......2002-12-31

I received my copy of this CD the day after watching an American Masters bio of Richard Rogers, and I was psyched. I love Bernadette Peters and I adore Rogers & Hammerstein - but I was sorely disappointed in this album. All the way through it I kept having the feeling they had to wake Ms. Peters up between cuts. Even songs like "It's a Grand Night for Singing" had about as much spark as a wet match. The arrangements just did not do justice to either Ms. Peters or Rogers and Hammerstein.

I feel like a traitor, but I just cannot recommend this CD.

The Fabulous Miss B Does It Again!!!.......2002-11-21

Not that I ever, EVER doubted it, but this album just reaffirms in my mind that Bernadette Peters can do ANYTHING! Every single song is gorgeous. Each note sung with extraordinary passion. And she has colored each lyric with layers and layers of meaning and subtext, a skill that has led to her being known as the foremost interpreter of the works of Stephen Sondehim.

Not that there's not some fun in there, too. "The Gentleman is a Dope" and her version of "There Is Nothin' Like a Dame" (she is the first female to record this, I might add!) are great examples of how she is able to bring her wonderful comic abilities into the music of perhaps the greatest team of composers ever.

Her renditions of songs like "Something Good", "Some Enchanted Evening" and "If I Loved You" are enough to make you believe in love all over again. Then, you have the playful "Mister Snow", which seems like it was written just for Bernadette, and "You'll Never Walk Alone", which still sends chills up my spine every time I hear it.

But let's not forget the fabulous opening tune "It's A Grand Night for Singing", her beautiful version of "It Might As Well Be Spring", the light and lovely "Out Of My Dreams", the extremely enjoyable "So Far", a terrific interpretation of the classic "Something Wonderful" and the carefree "I Haven't Got A Worry in the World".

Tracks:

Nice Work If You Can Get It
Isn't It Romantic
Swinging On A Star
Ask Me Again
Rhode Island Is Famous For You
'S Wonderful
Wonder Why
Too Marvelous For Words
Where Do You Start
Theme From The Bad And The Beautiful
Easy To Love
Alexander's Ragtime Band
Who Are You Now?
You're An Education
You Are There
Sophisticated Swing
Love Can Change The Stars
Come Out, Come Out Wherever You Are
Half Of April (Most Of May)
Marianne
They Can't Take That Away From Me
I Love A Piano

Tracks:

That's Entertainment
My Favorite Year
Ten Feet Off The Ground (With Rosemary Clooney)
I Never Felt Better
Someone To Watch Over Me
Kiss Her Now
The Ugly Bug Ball
For You, For Me, Forever More
The Mole People
And So To Bed
You're All The World To Me
Old Friend
Isn't It A Pity (with Rosemary Clooney)
Pattisserie
Open Your Eyes
For Love Alone
I Won't Send Roses/Time Heals Everything
Get Out And Get Under The Moon (with Page Cavanaugh)
My Romance
Love Is Here To Stay
Violin (with Liza Minnelli)

Amazon.com

The line between evangelist and entertainer has always been somewhat indistinct. But as showcased on this 43-track, double-disc collection culled from his '87-'96 recordings for Elektra/Nonesuch/Atlantic, Michael Feinstein's dedication to spreading the gospel of the American song often blurs it beyond recognition. While the singer's pedigree for the task is impeccable (a long-term stint as Ira Gershwin's assistant and early career sponsorship by Liza Minnelli), his interpretations often succeed by playing off a tense axis of fervent emotionalism and a joyous sense of irreverence.

If his readings of romantic standards can sometimes tend toward the precious, they're often balanced here by sheer dramatic power and telling insights ("Isn't It Romantic" fairly bristles with ironic chauvinism) and a few loopy curves ("The Mole People," the Sherman Brothers' "The Ugly Bug Ball," and the previously unreleased "Rhode Island Is Famous for You"). Feinstein's dedicated song archaeology is also showcased on several gems: "Violin," a duet with Liza Minnelli; "My Favorite Year," a rejected ballad for the film of that name; the sublime "lost" Gershwin classic "Ask Me Again."

Sprinkled with live performances (the forum where Feinstein's talents seem most energized) and studio outtakes and featuring a lengthy print interview with the singer, the set chronicles both the pioneering efforts of one of pop music's most successful revivalists and, crucially, the cream of his beloved American songwriters, from stalwarts Gershwin, Berlin, and Porter to later legends like Herman, Styne, Lane, Martin, and Mercer. --Jerry McCulley

Album Description

The definitive collection of performances by the Grammy nominated singer features 43 tracks from 14 albums released by Elektra, Elektra Nonesuch, and Atlantic labels from 1987-1996. Plus 8 previously unreleased live tracks only available here 'Rhode Island is Famous For You', 'S Wonderful', 'Alexander's Ragtime Band', 'I Love A Piano', 'Patisserie', 'Get Out And Get Under The Moon' (with Page Cavanaugh), 'Love Is Here To Stay' & 'Violin' (with Liza Minnelli). 2 Digipacks housed in a slipcase with a booklet. Rhino Records. 2002.

Customer Reviews:

Mixed feelings.......2005-10-05

This album has some GREAT songs on it; sophisticated swing being one of my favorites. However many of the other songs are too operatic and lame. I give three stars but this album is definatly worth it just for some of the better songs.

Your love for this superb collection will be here to stay..........2002-07-18

The magnificently talented Michael Feinstein has made one wonderful album after another for nearly two decades. Now that Elektra and Rhino have put together this anthology, I am blown away by the versatility and diversity in Feinstein's recorded output. Such amazing rare gems, combined with the most beloved favorites in the history of American Popular Song. Assembled with wit, intelligence, and obvious affection on the part of the record company, this set is a keeper. You'll love it!

He's done it again.......2002-07-15

Is there anything this man can't sing? This collection is so varied as to be the definitive collection of songs for any occassion.

This is perfect background music for a dinner party for a whole group but especially for two. Light, romantic and just gorgeous. You just can't go wrong when Michael Feinstein is your musical choice.

Way to go Michael, you've done it again!

Absolutely 'S WONDERFUL!.......2002-06-10

There are very few contemporary performers who can hold their own with the truly great interpreters of American popular song. Michael Feinstein is truly the ONLY performer of the "younger" generation who really understands what these songs are all about. His incredible knowledge of this music, and his enthusiasm and passion for it have fueled his career. Rhino Records has done a truly outstanding job of putting together an anthology that exemplifies why Mr. Feinstein has become so beloved by audiences around the world. The packaging is excellent, and filled with interesting photos and background information about many of the selections.

This collection not only contains all the favorites one would expect, but a neat group of surprises too. I especially love the duets with people like Liza Minnelli and Rosemary Clooney, and the various collaborative efforts with songwriters like Jule Styne and Burton Lane accompanying Michael at the piano.

This collection is a classic to be treasured. Bravo Michael!
Bravo Rhino!

A beautiful 2 disc CD-another hit for Michael.......2002-06-09

I have every CD Michael has ever made and this is by far one of the best ones because of Michael's range in singing and his wonderful singing voice. I love his duets with Rosemary Clooney and Liza Minelli. He is a wonderful performer on this double CD and am looking foward to the next CD.

Average customer rating:

Generally, a pleasant surprise
Very pretty!

The Broadway I Love

Manufacturer: Atlantic / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Domingo Songbook
Placido Domingo: A Love Until The End Of Time
Perhaps Love
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Be My Love

ASIN: B000002ISY
Release Date: 1991-11-08

Tracks:

The Fantasticks: Try To Remember
South Pacific: Younger Than Springtime
Miss Saigon: The Last Night Of The World
Very Warm For May: All The Things You Are
Stop The World - I Want To Get Off: What Kind Of Fool Am I?
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Amazon.com

Placido Domingo's blazing tenor enriches these traditional Broadway show stoppers, supported by mammoth orchestrations in perfect balance and enhanced by his trademark musicianship and intelligence. In "All I Ask Of You," he excitingly explodes like a bursting water balloon. His duet with Carly Simon ("Last Night of the World") works in an intergalactic way--music makers from separate planets can successfully collaborate. In "Send In the Clowns," we are reminded of the tune's prettiness; while others find a poignantly delicate moment, Domingo's personal revelation is the size of Mt. Olympus. And why not? He is a god of song. An exception is made for "Our Love is Here to Stay," winner of the most-likely-to-appear-in-an-elevator award. Overall, a dazzling music experience. --Barbara Eisner Bayer

Customer Reviews:

Generally, a pleasant surprise.......2003-01-19

This is a compilation of lovely Broadway songs, beautifully sung. I liked most of the selections in every way--singing, orchestration, etc. I found the piece from "Miss Saigon" ("The Last Night in the World"), with a moving duet with Domingo and Carly Simon, to be astonishingly beautiful. I was surprised that these two could collaborate so well reminiscent of Mary Martin and Ezio Pinza), I have enjoyed repetitive listening of this track. The only downer, in my view, was "Over There." Sad to say, Placido does not do justice to George M. Cohan. For reasons I don't completely understand, he substitutes "The boys are coming" for the very triumphant "The Yanks are coming" line, which is the heart of the song. Toss this ridiculous mistake out, maybe a fifth star.

Very pretty!.......2001-01-14

I found this one in my library system and checked it out because of "So In Love" -- and quickly fell in love with the rest of it! There are classically trained opera singers who cannot pull off singing Broadway, but Domingo is not one of them. Granted, the idea of hearing "Oh, What A Beautiful Mornin'" sung with an Italian accent seems a little strange, since everyone knows that a cowboy is supposed to be singing it, but I think Domingo's accent adds to the charm of the songs.

I only gave this album four stars because I didn't care for the arrangements of the songs from "West Side Story" and also because the combination of Domingo and Carly Simon seemed mismatched. The duet with Rebecca Luker, however, in "All I Ask Of You," is what I would consider the highlight of the CD. Their voices blend so well and they have the same classic style. Ted Huffman's boy soprano adds a lot to "Try To Remember," enhancing the soaring prettiness of the melody. The arrangement of "Send In The Clowns" is a masterpiece, while Domingo sings it with convincing sadness. Also his portrayal of "Our Love Is Here To Stay" has the gentle simplicity that I believe the Gershwins meant for it.