My Friends [CD-single]

Editorial Reviews
Album Description
Reissue of the second single from the Peppers' 1995 album 'One Hot Minute'. It's backed with 'Coffee Shop' and the non-album B-sides 'Let's Make Evil' & 'Stretch'. Slimline jewel case. 1995 release. --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

Battlestar Galactica: Season One
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Good companion for Battlestar Fans
  • Captures the feel of the show
  • Awesome Soundtrack
  • BSG
  • Agree with everyone else
 Battlestar Galactica: Season One
Daniel McGrew , Ken Stacey , Lillis Ó Laoire , Melanie Henley Heyn , Michael Now , and Raya Yarbrough
Manufacturer: La-La Land Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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  1. Battlestar Galactica: Season 2
  2. Battlestar Galactica
  3. Battlestar Galactica: Season 2.5 (Episodes 10-20)
  4. Battlestar Galactica - Season 2.0 (Episodes 1-10)
  5. Battlestar Galactica - Season One

ASIN: B0009Q0F5U
Release Date: 2005-06-21

Tracks:

  1. Prologue
  2. Main Title (US Version)
  3. Helo Chase
  4. The Olympic Carrier
  5. Helo Rescued
  6. A Good Lighter
  7. The Thousandth Landing
  8. Two Funerals
  9. Starbuck Takes On All Eight
  10. Forgiven
  11. The Card Game
  12. Starbuck On The Red Moon
  13. Helo In the Warehouse
  14. Baltar Speaks With Adama
  15. Two Boomers
  16. Battlestar Operatica
  17. The Dinner Party
  18. Battlestar Muzaktica
  19. Baltar Panics
  20. Boomer Flees
  21. Flesh And Bone
  22. Battle On The Asteroid
  23. Wander My Friends
  24. Passacaglia
  25. Kobol's Last Gleaming
  26. Destiny
  27. The Shape Of Things To Come
  28. Bloodshed
  29. Re-Cap
  30. Main Title (UK Version)

Album Description

Presenting the original soundtrack from the first season of Sci Fi Channel's critically acclaimed, top-rated television series starring Edward James Olmos, Mary McDonnell, James Callis, Tricia Helfer and Katee Sackhoff. Composer Bear McCreary's dynamic score ingeniously melds orchestra, vocals and synth into an emotional experience that ranges from full-throttle action to soul-stirring drama. Packed with more than 78 minutes of music, this is a comprehensive collection of the very best musical moments from this amazing sci-fi drama's first season. Features both U.S. and U.K. main title themes and includes exclusive liner notes.

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Good companion for Battlestar Fans.......2007-05-07

If you're a Battlestar Galatica Fan, this audio is an excellent companion to your collection. Passacaglia, Forgiven, and The Shape of Things to Come are emotional and addictive orchestral soundtracks. Not every song from the first season is included in this CD. The opening credit songs for the UK and the US versions and the battle songs (The Thousandth Landing, Battle on the Asteroid) are included. Battlestar Muzaktica is quite odd and doesn't fit with the collection of songs.

5 out of 5 stars Captures the feel of the show.......2007-04-11

Has a great selection of songs from the 1st season. I like show/movie CDs that you can picture the scenes and emotion of the actors when you hear the song. The Celtic underlays are great, and the Taiko drumming style is very well used for building intensity in the music. If you really like the series, you should probably really enjoy the music as well!

5 out of 5 stars Awesome Soundtrack.......2007-04-11

If you like the music in a scene that just blends in and makes the scene even more emotional or suspenseful, that is what the scores from season one do on this cd. I initially bought it to for the prologue (cylon music) and the two main titles (U.S. and U.K.) but after listening to the entire cd, I have become completely addicted to it. The titles of the scores usually give you a hint of the scene and the liner notes also tell you the episode that they are from but the soundtrack has definitely made rewatching season one an even more intriguing experience. The scores with words, are written by Bear and are in various languages, but the words, especially the opera piece, are actually so dead one with the scene and in this specific scene hilarious. I love this soundtrack. If you are someone who is addicted to really grasping everything that happens in this show and watch and analyze it beyond face value, this is an added bonus to have in your collection. I highly recommend it!!!

4 out of 5 stars BSG.......2007-04-10

Man I love the Classic and the Present BSG's So Inaturally find the SoundTrack/Score A joy and very relaxing. They tend to sound very similar but they are very diffrent.

5 out of 5 stars Agree with everyone else.......2007-03-28

There have been lots of raving reviews of this album, as well as the equally sensational season 2 soundtrack. I just wanted to add my opinion on one track, "Destiny". An earlier review describes an Arabic string instrument being used, but it is actually a biwa, a traditional Japanese instrument that has such a distinct sound that it's hard to imagine it being used for anything other than traditional gagaku music. I don't know if anyone but McCreary has ever tried to use this instrument for something else, but it hardly matters. The fact that McCreary managed to use it so effectively in a piece that is so different from gagaku music is a perfect testament to his unique genius. I'm really looking forward to following McCreary's career.
Listen My Friends! The Best of Moby Grape
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Who Killed The Grape?
  • ''2ND TIER BAND INDEED''
  • On Your Way To Ooh Mama Ooh Omaha!!!!!
  • Reviewing the group rather than the record
  • Doesn't Live Up to the Hype
 Listen My Friends! The Best of Moby Grape
Moby Grape
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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  1. Sweeping Up the Spotlight: Jefferson Airplane Live at the Fillmore East 1969
  2. Just Roll Tape: April 26th, 1968
  3. Monterey International Pop Festival
  4. At the Kabuki Theatre
  5. Last Flight

ASIN: B000P46PWS
Release Date: 2007-05-15

Tracks:

  1. Hey Grandma
  2. Mr. Blues
  3. 8:05
  4. Omaha
  5. Sitting By the Window
  6. Indifference
  7. Bitter Wind
  8. Murder In My Heart For the Judge
  9. Can't Be So Bad
  10. He
  11. Motorcycle Irene
  12. Rose Colored Eyes
  13. Sweet Ride (Never Again)
  14. Ooh Mama Ooh
  15. Ain't That a Shame
  16. If You Can't Learn From My Mistakes
  17. Going Nowhere
  18. Seeing
  19. Changes, Circles Spinning
  20. Truly Fine Citizen

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Who Killed The Grape?.......2007-07-23

The much melinged and exhustively chronicled story behind Moby Grape goes something like this. The genius A&R team at Columbia Records signed MB in the summer of 1966. Thinking that they had the next Jefferson Airplane on their hands, they set out to launch their new find with a unique and untried promotion. Instead of selecting one or possibly two singles to release, they choose instead to release all 12 tracks as singles. This unfocused and confusing marketing stratgey led to little or virtually no air play on top-forty radio and mired the band for what could have been a huge initial launch.

The follow-up album "Wow" contained fewer songs that could have found their way into a top-forty format and some quirky gimmicks, like the "Gene Autry" track and the "Grape Jam" bonus Lp. But even these could not save Wow from mideocore sales and little or no air-play. So how valid is the theory that the Columbia Record Execs killed Grape or is there more to the story? I'm not so sure if it was a case of poor marketing or simply a band that couldn't produce a pure "radio-friendly". three minute, danceable, humable and not-so-forgettable single.

Even after repeated listenings, I can't help but think that "Listen My Friends" contains some beautiful songs by a band that could not be viewed as short on "chops". No way, these guys could hold their own with most any band of their day, But was the song writing first rate? Could they stack up against The Airplane, The Doors, The Byrds, The Jimi Hendrix Experience or The Who? I'll have to agree with other reviewers who have called them "second tier". Afterall what's so bad about being considered in the same breath as Steve Miller, Country Joe & The Fish, Santana, The Blues Project, Electric Flag, The James Gang, Love and............

3 out of 5 stars ''2ND TIER BAND INDEED''.......2007-07-12

Reading these overblown hyped up reviews was truly a treat!!To much acid i suspect,especially S.king.The claim that they had better '5 part' harmony then the BEACH BOYS is especially ridiculous and also the claim that J.Spence was a top 5 best guitarist makes me cringe ,just listen to his vibrato and string bending and you'll hear the same amatuerish uncontrolled drivel that many lower tiered guitarist displayed in that era.I know this soundS like just a bashing session but it is not,it's just reality., the music on this disc is very good for what it is a SAN FRANCISCO TYPE MUSIC BAND, NO BETTER NO WORSE THAN THE OTHERS FROM THAT AREA AND TIME!

5 out of 5 stars On Your Way To Ooh Mama Ooh Omaha!!!!!.......2007-07-09

Where exactly do you place Moby Grape in the strata of American pop music circa 1966-69? I can't honestly place them in the upper echelon with the likes of The Byrds, Dylan, Simon & Garfunkle, Hendrix and the Doors. But certainly they do belong smack-dab in the middle of the second tier, with The Jefferson Airplane, Janis Joplin, The Dead, Buffalo Springfield, The Band, Mamas & Pappas, Santana, Steve Miller Band and of course Love, the other great Bay area band that never had a top-40 hit.

With that said "Listen My Friends" will provide you with your 20 song fix of MG. Actually there's only 19 tacks. The last cut is a throw-away radio ad. I wasn't a huge fan back then. But I did have the first two Lp's and the Grape Jam Lp, an interesting jam session with Mike Bloomfield & Al Kooper. This new collection has sure found a home in my car. Listening to it has gotten me back into a Ooh Mama Ooh!!!Grape Moby solid groove ....Or maybe its that Murderous vendetta for The Judge that keeps you comming back for another look at Motorcycle Ireane?....What ever your taste in Grape Jam, Listen My Friends is vintage and ripe. Pop a grape into your mouth right now. Close your eyes and you'll be on your way to Omaha....Ooh Mama Ooh...Omaha!!!!Enjoy.

1 out of 5 stars Reviewing the group rather than the record.......2007-06-12

A new record is out, and I want to know if it is good. I already know the previous work of Moby Grape and I do not need Sam King telling me how good the group is. He is right but redundant. I want to know if there is anaything new on the record that I have not got or heard. From reading the 8 reviewers, I see no mention of any new material. I assume that everything on the record is recycled from the original releases and several previous compilations. A proper review might then begin with: "why does anyone need this. The second hand stores have copies of the previous compilations." The next issue is why the record company did not release something new, like the Amsterdam concert. Should record companies be rewarded when they have such conservative release policies. Why buy these songs again? Foolish, right.

1 out of 5 stars Doesn't Live Up to the Hype.......2007-06-09

Moby Grape is absolutely the most over-rated group to emerge from the late sixties. What little appeal they might have had is mitigated by the ridiculous claims of their followers, i.e. "better first album than the Beatle, Byrds, Stones, Airplane et al". At best, this is a highly debatable claim. At worst, it's a complete falsehood (my view).

Spence's work on the first two Airplane albums is better than his work with the Grape thanks to the far superior vocals of Marty Balin/Signe Anderson/Grace Slick and the intiguing guitar interplay provided by Casady, Kantner and Kaukonen.

I've tried to get into the Grape, several times. But the hype is such a turn off. Particularly when the group fails miserably to live up to it.
American Angels
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • spiritual americana
  • Rich Heritage
  • Superb
  • Can't walk away from it!
  • Mana from Heaven
 American Angels

Manufacturer: Harmonia Mundi Fr.
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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  4. A Portrait Of Anonymous 4
  5. The Origin of Fire: Music and Visions of Hildegard von Bingen

ASIN: B0001ADB4Q
Release Date: 2004-02-10

Tracks:

  1. Holy Manna
  2. Abbeville
  3. Wondrous Love
  4. Sweet Hour Of Prayer
  5. Jewett
  6. Dunlap's Creek
  7. New Britain
  8. The Morning Trumpet
  9. Resignation
  10. Poland
  11. Wayfaring Stranger
  12. Sweet By And By
  13. Blooming Vale
  14. Idumea (I)/Idumea (II)
  15. Sweet Prospect
  16. Shall We Gather At The River
  17. Amanda
  18. Invitation
  19. Parting Hand
  20. Angel Band

Amazon.com

This, Anonymous 4's final recording, is a break from their usual "early music" periods and locations; it presents American music, religious in nature, from the 18th and 19th centuries. And it's absolutely beautiful from start to finish. Their normal, exquisite technique and purity here blend to sound the way we imagined the ladies' choir in church meetings in America past might have sounded: sweet, sincere, and with harmonies recognizable yet somehow fresh. Some of the songs begin with the women singing "fa, so la" exercises, which was called "shape note" singing because some places taught singing with notes as shapes--circle, rectangle, diamond, triangle. But it's the music that counts, and there are treasures here. They include two versions of "Amazing Grace," one familiar, one with an unusual melody and a piece called "Blooming Vale" which is as sophisticated as anything on their previous albums. "Shall We Gather at the River" is performed with a clarity and loveliness that makes us forget that it's normally sung as background to movies about the Great Depression. The foursome sometimes sing in rich harmonies and occasionally alone or in pairs or trios. This is glorious Americana and highly recommended. --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars spiritual americana.......2007-01-06

I have some of the older Anonymous 4 recordings which are more medieval
and gregorian in style (I love them!). They move on to cover spiritual
basics of the 1800s. If you like classical music, perfect harmonies
and spiritual americina, then you will be blessed!

5 out of 5 stars Rich Heritage.......2006-10-11

Anonymous 4 consistently produces exquisite and authentically beautiful recordings and this one presents early American hymns in ways few groups can manage. Some tunes are highly recognizable while others are 'new' to me but a refreshing reminder of the singing heritage of religious societies in times past. For those who enjoy old hymns and authentic renderings, this is a must buy.

5 out of 5 stars Superb .......2006-08-07

This collection of American Christian music is not only an enthralling musical experience but a spiritually uplifting one as well. Anonymous Four have transferred their luminous vocal quality to a new space with perfect success.

5 out of 5 stars Can't walk away from it!.......2006-08-07

My only "complaint" about the CD is that I absolutely HAVE to sit and listen to the entire thing whenever I start it up! I usually have music playing in the background while doing other things, but not this one! There are no tracks that I find myself wanting to skip over as in most collections. In fact, I usually find myself going back and listening to selected tracks again (and again and...) after taking the hour+ to listen to the whole thing through once.

These four ladies produce a unique and remarkable sound. I can't recommend it enough.

5 out of 5 stars Mana from Heaven.......2006-05-08

I think the title of this CD is perfect. I first heard an interview for this CD on Public Radio and fell in love. I had never heard Anonymous 4 before then but look for all I can find of their music now. The title is perfect as the women sound like Angels and the music lifts the spirit. I find myself singing the old version of Amazing Grace all the time now. Incredible and a huge blessing to all who hear it.
Let Me Introduce My Friends
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • I am from Barcelona!
 Let Me Introduce My Friends
I'm from Barcelona
Manufacturer: Mute U.S.
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000MQ55GQ
Release Date: 2007-03-20

Tracks:

  1. Oversleeping
  2. Collection Of Stamps
  3. We're From Barcelona
  4. Treehouse
  5. Jenny
  6. Ola Kala
  7. Chicken Pox
  8. Rec & Play
  9. This Boy (feat. Loney, Dear)
  10. Barcelona Loves You
  11. The Saddest Lullaby (feat. Mathias Alrikson)
  12. The Painter
  13. Glasses

Amazon.com

"We started this journey in the summer of 2005. None of us knew we would become a band," says the liner note in I'm from Barcelona's debut album, Let Me Introduce My Friends. For all their newness, Barcelona loves simplicity, singing about stamp collections, oversleeping, and treehouses--with lean guitars and drums bolstered by glockenspiel, ukulele, and well over 20 voices. Irresistibly sunny and numerically massive, Barcelona intricately weaves single-syllable choruses behind Emanuel Lundgren's chesty lead vocal, dizzying the ears. So many voices come to the fore that songs like "Treehouse" are unabashed tapestries of pop delight, exuberant and magnetic and chiming. The Swedish ensemble doesn't play the French horns and harps that mark Polyphonic Spree, but they do indulge every rock opera (as in Hair) inclination that can fit under their purview. Everyday's mid-summer here. --Andrew Bartlett

Album Description

U.S. EXCLUSIVE BONUS TRACKS! LET ME INTRODUCE MY FRIENDS is a collection of bubblegum classics filled with extravagant call-and-response backing vocals, shimmering pop spirit and youthful optimism.

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars I am from Barcelona!.......2007-03-20

Fawlty Towers fans are going to recognize the name of I'm From Barcelona -- that's what the waiter Manuel always says to explain odd stuff: "I am from Barcelona!"

But their debut album "Let Me Introduce My Friends" is nothing like Spanish music. Instead, this lovable, enormous Swedish band sounds sort of like a cross between Architecture in Helsinki and the Polyphonic Spree -- sunny, twinkly, shimmery pop music.

It opens with Emanuel Lundgren drawling, "Daaaaaaamn!/Oversleeping again/Daaaaaaaaamn!/I can't believe I did it once again." He then describes what he'll have to do to "make it on time." It's a mundane topic for a pop song, but it's framed with a sparkling pop tune full of catchy guitar, twinkly xylophone and the occasional bell chime.

The songs that follow are in the same mold -- the lyrics are about confusion, chicken pox, broken hearts, stamp collecting, and finding a spot for the perfect treehouse. And the songs wrapped in them are just as charming: folky pop, driving guitars, twee little sugarpuffs, shimmery bell-augmented pop, and the sprawling orchestral sound of "Olakola."

"Let Me Introduce My Friends" is basically pop for people who like bands with a slightly sugary sound, but a pleasant melody as well. "Let Me Introduce My Friends" is basically all sunshine, spring grass and childlike fun -- very charming.

You can't really single out any band members, since there are almost thirty of them, but the instrumentation is nicely polished and solidly played. The songs are wrapped in unstoppable swirling riffs, banjo, solid percussion, sweeps of wobbly and/or sputtering synth, rattling bells and what sounds like a xylophone.

Lundgren has a nice smooth voice, although at times he sounds a bit like he's singing a nursery rhyme. The lyrics are a bit short and simplistic, but they do admittedly sum up the childlike enthusiasm of the music ("You know I can't believe I'm telling everyone that I know/That every stamp in my collection is a place we could go!").

"Let Me Introduce My Friends" has rather simple songwriting, but deliciously twee pop and some solid, catchy tunes. Nice, unpretentious fun.
Playin' with My Friends: Bennett Sings the Blues
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Good Solid tunes
  • Playing With My Friends
  • Tony Bennett and the Blues
  • "The Man"
  • Bennet and friends
 Playin' with My Friends: Bennett Sings the Blues
Tony Bennett
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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  2. A Wonderful World
  3. From This Moment On
  4. The Art of Romance
  5. Tony Bennett Sings for Lovers

ASIN: B00005QVV2
Release Date: 2001-11-06

Tracks:

  1. Alright, Okay, You Win - with Diana Krall
  2. Everyday (I Have The Blues) - with Stevie Wonder
  3. Don't Cry Baby
  4. Good Morning, Heartache - with Sheryl Crow
  5. Let The Good Times Roll - with B.B. King
  6. Evenin' - with Ray Charles
  7. I Gotta Right To Sing The Blues - with Bonnie Raitt
  8. Keep The Faith, Baby - with k.d. lang
  9. Old Count Basie Is Gone
  10. Blue And Sentimental - with Kay Starr
  11. New York State Of Mind - with Billy Joel
  12. Undecided Blues
  13. Blues In The Night
  14. Stormy Weather - with Natalie Cole
  15. Playin' With My Friends - with various duet artists

Amazon.com

Tony Bennett's commercial renaissance of the 1980s and '90s was aided by a string of albums that communicated his essential values while providing conceptual rings (Sinatra, Astaire, women singers) for record buyers to grasp. Playin' with My Friends links duets with an assortment of marquee artists to a set of blues and blues-influenced standards. While Bennett is no Joe Turner or Bobby Bland, his upbeat style melds well with that of most of his guests. He achieves the proper level of brio on "Let the Good Times Roll" with B.B. King and sits in spiritedly with Stevie Wonder ("Everyday [I Have the Blues]") and Ray Charles (a moaning "Evenin'" that's the standout cut). In fact, it's the visitors, not the host, who occasionally misfire: Sheryl Crow sounds unsure of her putative pain on "Good Morning, Heartache," while Natalie Cole is simply too glib to make for a convincing "Stormy Weather." Still, Bennett, his small band, and the best of these cameos make Playin' more than just another series of superstar walk-ons. --Rickey Wright

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Good Solid tunes.......2007-02-06

I really enjoyed this disc, lots of very smooth, heartfelt tunes delivered in earnest with a wide assortment of folks, ranging from .... everywhere. If you are looking for serious hard core jazz, look somewhere else, if you are looking for something that sounds great and you can relax to without dissecting it. Get this disc.

5 out of 5 stars Playing With My Friends.......2007-01-19

First class performance by TB with some good company. I will enjoy this work as long as I can hear and when the hearing is gone it will play on in my mind.

5 out of 5 stars Tony Bennett and the Blues.......2007-01-19

Fabulous album! Especially love the duet with Ray Charles and BB King. I pour a glass of wine, turn it up full volume and start cooking up a gourmet feast in my kitchen while I dance, chop and groove to the great music.

5 out of 5 stars "The Man".......2007-01-09

I would advice any music lover to take advantage of this excellent disc before we loose that which is irreplaceable

5 out of 5 stars Bennet and friends.......2007-01-03

He has such a love of music and people, it shows in everything he does. He will never stop singing with everything he has. He makes us all feel like we are his friends.
Broadway - The American Musical (PBS Series)
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Fabulous for any Broadway-lover
  • Top Shelf
  • TERRIFIC CD'S
  • Great Collection of Broadways greatest Songs
  • Great Compilation!
 Broadway - The American Musical (PBS Series)

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00064ADMK
Release Date: 2004-10-19

Tracks:

  1. Give My Regards To Broadway- Joel Grey
  2. Swanee- Al Jolson
  3. When The Moon Shines On The Moonshine- Bert Williams
  4. A Pretty Girl Is Like A Melody- John Steel
  5. My Man- Fanny Brice
  6. Fascinating Rhythm- Fred Astaire, Adele Astaire
  7. If You Knew Susie (Like I Know Susie)- 78rpm Version Eddie Cantor
  8. Someone To Watch Over Me- Gertrude Lawrence
  9. Bill- 78 rpm Version Helen Morgan
  10. Ol' Man River- Paul Robeson
  11. Ain't Misbehavin'- Louis Armstrong & His Orchestra
  12. Ten Cents A Dance- Ruth Etting
  13. Body And Soul- Libby Holman
  14. Brother, Can You Spare A Dime- Bing Crosby
  15. Night And Day- Fred Astaire
  16. Heat Wave- Ethel Waters
  17. Smoke Gets in Your Eyes- Tamara
  18. You're The Top- Ethel Merman
  19. Summertime- Anne Brown
  20. September Song- Walter Huston
  21. My Heart Belongs To Daddy- Mary Martin
  22. It Never Entered My Mind- Shirley Ross
  23. Bewitched, Bothered, Bewildered- Vivienne Segal
  24. Oh, How I Hate To Get Up In The Morning- Irving Berlin
  25. Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin'- Alfred Drake

Tracks:

  1. New York, New York- Cris Alexander,Adolph Green,John Reardon
  2. If I Loved You- John Raitt,Jan Clayton
  3. Come Rain Or Come Shine- Ruby Hill,Harold Nicholas
  4. There's No Business Like Show Business- Ensemble
  5. How Are Things In Glocca Morra? From "Finian's Rainbow"- Ella Logan
  6. Once In Love With Amy- Ray Bolger
  7. Wunderbar- Alfred Drake,Patricia Morison
  8. Some Enchanted Evening- Ezio Pinza
  9. Lost In The Stars- Todd Duncan
  10. Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend- Carol Channing
  11. Luck Be A Lady- Robert Alda,Guys
  12. Getting To Know You- Gertrude Lawrence
  13. Who Cares?- Jack Carson,Betty Oakes
  14. Stranger In Paradise- from " Kismet" Doretta Morrow,Richard Kiley
  15. Ballad Of Mack The Knife- Gerald Price
  16. Hey There- from "The Pajama Game" John Raitt
  17. Whatever Lola Wants- Gwen Verdon
  18. I Could Have Danced All Night- Julie Andrews
  19. Standing On The Corner- from "The Most Happy Fella, 1956" Shorty Long,John Henson,Alan Gilbert
  20. The Party's Over- Judy Holliday
  21. Glitter And Be Gay- Barbara Cook
  22. Tonight- Larry Kert, Carol Lawrence

Tracks:

  1. Seventy-Six Trombones- Robert Preston
  2. I Enjoy Being A Girl- from "Flower Drum Song, 1958" Pat Suzuki
  3. Everything's Coming Up Roses- Ethel Merman
  4. My Favorite Things- from "The Sound Of Music" Mary Martin
  5. Put On A Happy Face- from "Bye Bye Birdie" Dick Van Dyke
  6. Try To Remember- Jerry Orbach
  7. Camelot- from "Camelot" Richard Burton
  8. Love Makes The World Go 'Round- Anna Maria Alberghetti
  9. I Believe In You- Robert Morse And Co.
  10. The Sweetest Sounds- Diahann Carroll,Richard Kiley
  11. Comedy Tonight- Zero Mostel
  12. What Kind Of Fool Am I?- Anthony Newley
  13. As Long As He Needs Me- Georgia Brown
  14. Hello, Dolly!- Carol Channing,Cast
  15. People- Barbra Streisand
  16. Anyone Can Whistle- from "Anyone Can Whistle" Lee Remick
  17. If I Were A Rich Man- Zero Mostel
  18. Night Song- Sammy Davis, Jr.
  19. The Impossible Dream- Richard Kiley
  20. If My Friends Could See Me Now- Gwen Verdon
  21. Open a New Window- from Mame Voice

Tracks:

  1. Willkommen- from "Cabaret" Joel Grey
  2. Let The Sunshine In- James Rado,Lynn Kellogg,Melba Moore,Cast
  3. I'll Never Fall In Love Again- Jill O'Hara,Jerry Orbach
  4. The Ladies Who Lunch- from "Company" Elaine Stritch
  5. Tea For Two- Roger Rathburn,Susan Watson
  6. I'm Still Here- Yvonne De Carlo
  7. I Don't Know How To Love Him- Yvonne Elliman
  8. We Go Together- Adrienne Barbeau,Barry Bostwick,Walter Bobbie,Cast
  9. Corner Of The Sky- John Rubinstein
  10. Send In The Clowns- Glynis Johns
  11. Ease On Down The Road- Stephanie Mills,Tiger Haynes,Ted Ross,Hinton
  12. One- from "A Chorus Line" Cast
  13. All That Jazz- Chita Rivera,Ensemble
  14. Tomorrow- Andrea Mcardle
  15. Don't Cry For Me Argentina- Patti Lupone
  16. Come Follow The Band
  17. Lullaby Of Broadway- Jerry Orbach
  18. And I'm Telling You I'm Not Going- Jennifer Holliday
  19. The Bells Of St. Sebastian- Raul Julia

Tracks:

  1. Memory- Betty Buckley
  2. I Am What I Am- George Hearn
  3. Move On- Bernadette Peters,Mandy Patinkin
  4. Do You Hear The People Sing?- Michael Maguire,Cast
  5. The Music Of The Night- Michael Crawford
  6. You're Nothing Without Me- James Naughton,Gregg Edelman
  7. The American Dream- Jonathan Pryce,Cast
  8. Doctor Jazz- Gregory Hines,Company
  9. With One Look- Glenn Close
  10. On Broadway- Adrian Bailey,Frederick B. Owens,Ken Ard,Victor Trent Cook
  11. Le Jazz Hot- Julie Andrews,Ensemble
  12. Seasons Of Love-
  13. Hakuna Matata- Max Casella,Tom Alan Robbins,Scott Irby-Ranniar,Jason Raize
  14. I Wanna Be A Producer- Matthew Broderick,Ensemble
  15. Dancing Queen- Louise Plowright,Jenny Galloway
  16. Good Morning Baltimore- Marissa Jaret Winokur
  17. Movin' Out- Michael Cavanaugh,Band
  18. I Go To Rio- Hugh Jackman,Company
  19. Defying Gravity- Kristin Chenoweth,Idina Menzel

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Fabulous for any Broadway-lover.......2007-01-30

Packs into 5 CD's a sampling of Broadway tunes from the 20's thru (almost) today, mostly from original cast recordings. Includes not just well-known hits, but also some lesser-known gems. Sound quality is first rate, booklet is informative too. Have given this as a gift to several friends with rave reviews.

5 out of 5 stars Top Shelf.......2007-01-04

This is THE definitive collection of Broadway hits. I have other collections, and none of them measure up. A great deal of care was obviously taken in compiling and presenting this box set. It covers a lot of ground, starting with some long-forgotten but still very enjoyable hits from the days of yore, and finishing with present-day favorites. To the best of my knowledge, the recordings are by those who made them famous. You won't be disappointed.

5 out of 5 stars TERRIFIC CD'S.......2006-03-23

THESE BROADWAY MUSICALS CD'S ARE A BROADWAY LOVERS DREAM. WITH EACH SONG, MEMORIES COME FLOODING BACK. BOTH THE FAMILIAR AND THE FORGOTTEN SONGS ARE A TRUE LISTENING PLEASURE. IF YOU LIKE BROADWAY, YOU'LL LOVE THIS SET.

5 out of 5 stars Great Collection of Broadways greatest Songs .......2005-06-14

This Collection was perfectly made it has almost all the most famous Broadway songs on this 5 cd set. The Music is great and has Broadways greatest treasures like "Memory""People""With One Look""Give my regards Too Broadway" just to name a few of this numerous cd set with over 100 songs. This is a great buy if you like musicals or The music of Broadway

5 out of 5 stars Great Compilation!.......2005-01-17

If you are a fan of the Broadway Musicals, this is a collection that you should purchase. Since I got the 5 disc set I've enjoyed listening to it. The majority of the songs are done by the original singers. The collection is priceless considering that you will have over 100 songs from popular musicals since the beginning of Broadway
With A Little Help From My Friends
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Two stars only
  • One of Joe Cocker's best
  • His Best
  • Joe Cocker's Terrific Debut
  • 1969's Rock N Roll Rookie Of The Year!
 With A Little Help From My Friends
Joe Cocker
Manufacturer: Interscope Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00001X590
Release Date: 1999-10-05

Tracks:

  1. Feeling Alright
  2. Bye Bye Blackbird
  3. Change In Louise
  4. Marjorine
  5. Just Like A Woman
  6. Do I Still Figure In Your Life?
  7. Sandpaper Cadillac
  8. Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood
  9. With A Little Help From My Friends
  10. I Shall Be Released
  11. The New Age Of Lily
  12. Something's Coming On

Customer Reviews:

2 out of 5 stars Two stars only.......2007-05-16

One star for Lennon - McCartney cover, second one for Jimmy Page guitar. Unfortunatelly, didn't have a chance to listen to original version (this one is remastered version).

5 out of 5 stars One of Joe Cocker's best.......2007-03-09

When I fist listen to the old vynil LP it seems fantastic to me, now it sounds the same. It's impossibe not to own this CD.

5 out of 5 stars His Best.......2004-11-13

This is Joe's first album and it is his best IMHO. His following release, Joe Cocker, is also highly praised but I think falls a distant second to this one. Alot of soul and great musicians to back him up, including Jimmy Page. This one is great.

5 out of 5 stars Joe Cocker's Terrific Debut.......2004-08-15

WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS is an exceptional debut from Joe Cocker. It contains a wonderful mix of covers and a few originals, and the title cut rips the Beatles' original to shreds any day. Also not to be missed is Cocker's rendition of "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood", sung to sound like it's coming from an at-heart pacifist who occasionally loses his cool on other people. Pointing out other highlights is pointless, as this album should be taken as a whole.

5 out of 5 stars 1969's Rock N Roll Rookie Of The Year!.......2004-02-25

Joe Cocker's 1969 debut album "With a Little Help From My Friends", is without question, one of the greatest debut albums of the classic rock era. This release packs a punch from the very start. Beside the title track, which is one of the most recognized rock songs ever recorded, Joe is simply stunning, on tracks like "Feeling Alright", which also was a huge hit and his version of "Bye Bye Blackbird". His take on Dylan's "I Shall Be Released", and "Just Like A Woman" are some of the most gut wrenching, and emotional versions of these songs ever waxed. At the time of it's release 35 years ago, rock and soul had never been blended, with such power and grace. Jimmy Page and Stevie Winwood along with B.J Wilson and long time Cocker keyboard man Chris Stainton, were all part of the supporting cast, that helped this album become a huge hit, that propelled Joe Cocker to rock stardom, that continues to this day, some 35 years later.
My Life, My Friends, My Music
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Classic, swingin' big band blues with terrific vocals...
 My Life, My Friends, My Music
Sugar Ray & The Bluetones
Manufacturer: Severn
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000P7V4JO
Release Date: 2007-06-19

Tracks:

  1. Oh Babe
  2. Little Green Talking Frog
  3. I Want To Be With Her
  4. You Better Change Your Ways
  5. Money Taking Mama
  6. Shut Your Face
  7. I Don't Know
  8. No Sorrow No More
  9. The Last Words Of A Fool
  10. Oh, Oh, Oh Pretty Baby
  11. Do You Remember?
  12. Think It Over Again
  13. I Like My Baby's Pudding
  14. My Last Affair
  15. Until the Real Thing Comes Along

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Classic, swingin' big band blues with terrific vocals..........2007-07-04

At last, the 4th release on Severn Records from the great Sugar Ray and the Bluetones. This CD, unlike the last, "Hands Across the Table," offers up more of a big band sound (reminds me more of Ray's great release from 1998, 'Sweet & Swingin' on Bullseye Blues and Jazz). Sugar Ray once again wrote 7 of the 15 generous tunes, and includes long standing bandmates Michael 'Mudcat' Ward on acoustic bass, Neal Gouvin on drums, and Anthony Geraci on piano, all in top form, including of course Ray on his harp.

What truly makes this a special CD, with incredible musicianship, is having the likes of the great Duke Robillard playing guitar on 8 of the tracks (what took so long for these 2 New England greats to get together)? and the outstanding 'Monster' Mike Welch on the other 7 songs (has Mike matured as a player and a singer, or what)?

Then, the coup is having 4 (yes, four) wonderful Roomful of Blues alumni (one still current) along to provide that inspiring big band sound. Doug 'Mr. Low' James on the baritone sax, Greg Piccolo on the tenor sax, the incomparable Carl Querfurth on the trombone, and one of the original members of Roomful, still playing an awesome trumpet for them, Mr. Bob Enos. I ask you folks, does it truly get much better than this? Give a listen and decide for yourself...mesmerizing, toe tapping music.

'Oh Babe' is a swinging, rollicking shuffle with great horns that will get you moving from the get-go. 'Little Green Frog' again features wonderful horns and reminds me a bit of a long lost Commander Cody and his LPA tune. 'I Want to be With You' is an opportunity for Ray to really display his incredible baritone -- great ballad/love song. 'You Better Change Your Ways' is another example of Ray's ability to use his voice to grab the listener, while 'Money Taking Mama' features great harp, piano and lyrics that will bring a smile to your face. The same is true of 'Shut Your Face,' a Sugar Ray original with all of the horns and guitar and lyrics to make you chuckle and nod your head in agrement...'I Don't Know' is a true catchy tune, while 'No Sorrow No More' exhibits excellent harp while expressing the sentiments of peace at last. 'The Last Words of a Fool' is a classic blues tune...other favorites (although I cannot honestly say that there are any weak songs on this CD) include 'My Last Affair,' 'Oh, Oh, Oh Pretty Baby (great harp and horns), 'Do You Remember'(great harp).

Bottom line is that this is a must have for all fans of Sugar Ray and the Bluetones. Moreover, any blues fan can't help but love and enjoy the ability of all of these outstanding musicians to play together, egos set aside, to create a truly masterful CD. Definitely worth the wait...

There are liner notes by both 'Mudcat' Ward and Sugar Ray. Mudcat sums it up well by stating, "...you'll find yourself thoroughly transported, by blues playing professionals, and finding multiple joys in the journey." Sugar Ray notes that "this collection represents the culmination of my past musical endeavors, a never-ending musical pilgrimmage." Let's all hope that it continues for many years to come...

If you're looking for hard pounding blues guitar then this CD is not for you. This is big band, blues, jazz, great vocals combined, often reminiscent of days past. If you like stellar musical performances with outstanding vocals, this one's a must have, a true keeper...the CD is fun to listen to, there is no need to skip any songs, so just sit back and let Sugar Ray and the Bluetones, Duke Robillard, Mike Welch, and as Ray notes a "killer" horn section entertain you with one of the top blues releases of 2007. Pick it up, and enjoy! And by all means if they are in your area, get out there to see/hear them -- they are as good live, maybe even better. And they are always avaialble to chat, sign autographs, etc. Don't skip/miss the opportunity to see and hear "some of the best musicians on this planet"...buy the CD, enjoy it, share it with friends. Yes, it's that good...
Arthur Fiedler & The Boston Pops Play the Beatles
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Could have been better
  • awesome music
  • AMAZING!
  • Arthur Fiedler and the Boston Pops do the Beatles
  • Some Moments - but doesn't live up to expectations
 Arthur Fiedler & The Boston Pops Play the Beatles

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00004KH76
Release Date: 2000-03-07

Tracks:

  1. Eleanor Rigby
  2. And I Love Her
  3. Ob-La-Di, Ob-la-da
  4. Hey Jude
  5. With A Little Help From My Friends
  6. Yellow Submarine
  7. I Want To Hold Your Hand
  8. Penny Lane
  9. A Hard Day's Night
  10. The Fool On The Hill
  11. Yesterday
  12. Michelle
  13. I Want To Hold Your Hand
  14. And I Love Her
  15. A Hard Day's Night
  16. I Want To Hold Your Hand

Customer Reviews:

2 out of 5 stars Could have been better.......2006-08-22

Not the best treatment of Beatles music from the classical point of view. London Symphony was much better.

5 out of 5 stars awesome music.......2006-03-10

Hearing the Beatles music arranged in classical format shows what great musicians and composers Lennon and McCartney were.

5 out of 5 stars AMAZING!.......2005-01-08

I cannot help but smile when I listen to the beautiful arrangements on this album. It blends the Beatles' genius for melody with the great percussive sound and incredible energy of Arthur Fiedler and the Boston Pops. I've heard other orchestral versions of Beatles songs, but none has compared to this one (if anyone has found a better CD, please post a note here). Any Beatles or Pops fan should definitely own this CD. I can't stop listening!

4 out of 5 stars Arthur Fiedler and the Boston Pops do the Beatles.......2005-01-01

As conductor of the Boston Pops for almost half a century, Arthur Fiedler brought popular classical music and pop music with a classical twist to the people. Leonard Bernstein was providing an intellectual and more glamorous musical education for Americans, but Fielder was coming into our living rooms on a weekly basis with his Boston Pops concerts. Fielder and the Boston Pops produced a lot of records, mostly with RCA in the 1950s through the 1970s, most of which offered everything from classical overtures and ballet pieces to movies themes and the hits of the Beatles.

It was inevitable that with over a hundred albums the Boston Pops would do the Fab Four. They were the first orchestra to perform the songs of the Beatles in 1964 when Fiedler returned from a trip to Liverpool ("I Want to Hold Your Hand" was the first one they ever did). These are not just these songs played by a classical orchestra but rather arrangements done for this purpose. You will notice that one of the standard ways of arranging these songs is to use the chorus as the introduction for the song (e.g., "Eleanor Rigby," "Hey Jude"). If you can guess from the drumming at the beginning of "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da" or "Yellow Submarine" what those songs are then you are way ahead of me, but that is the sense of fun that Fiedler brought to these songs by giving them the John Phillip Sousa treatment.

Sometimes it is such the simple elegance of doing the guitar parts with strings, as with "And I Love Her," or even the staccato strings of "Penny Lane," that makes the songs enjoyable. Then there are the mood chances invoked by turning "A Little Help From My Friends" into a work of minor chords. My assumption is that if you pick up this album you will know the songs, but not these arrangements, so you should just forget about looking at the play list and just listen to the music.

There are a quartet of bonus tracks on the album, featuring live versions of "I Want to Hold Your Hand," "And I Love Her," and "A Hard Day's Night." These are not different versions of these songs, which is too bad because I thought it would be interesting to see if the Pops arrangers could come up with different classical ways of doing the same songs. The final track is actually Fiedler talking about how the Pops came to play the Beatles music, as a "novelty." I have not listened to this sort of music for a while, but it makes for nice background music and there are more albums out there. Remember "Saturday Night Fiedler"?

3 out of 5 stars Some Moments - but doesn't live up to expectations.......2004-09-30

During the 20th century, Arthur Fiedler was one of the most celebrated conductors of orchestral music. He is most famous for being the longtime conductor of the Boston Pops Orchestra. As someone who is a novice to classical music, I have found Arthur Fiedler's music very easy to get into. Namely, Fiedler made classical music easy - for the everyday fan to enjoy. One way Fiedler accomplished this is through doing popular tunes in the classical style. Fiedler's style often added a new gusto to classical music concerts by including not only popular music, but also Broadway tunes, jazz, folk, and advertising jingles - all done in the classical style (in the late 70s, he even did Saturday Night Fever tunes - 'Saturday Night Fiedler'). One might get very excited to hear that there is a collection in which Fiedler does Beatles tunes. I've always thought the Beatles' music would lend itself perfectly in the classical music arena - especially their later works. On this particular collection "Arthur Fiedler and the Boston Pops Orchestra play The Beatles", it does have it moments where things work very well. However, overall this collection did fall short on my high expectations that I had.

There are several things that disappoint me about this collection. For starters, there is only a total of two songs from the Beatles best three albums: "Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" has one song ("With a Little Help From My Friends"), The "White Album" has one song ("Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da"), while there is no songs from "Abbey Road". As mentioned above, I thought the Beatles' later material lent itself well to being played with an orchestra. These albums are really the cornerstone of this period, yet there is two songs between these three albums. I understand that Fiedler's "Play the Beatles" was put together in 1969, but I still expected much more of a presence from these albums. I think many of the tunes on these albums could have lent itself very easily to classical music. For example, songs such as "Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band", "Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds", "When I'm Sixty-Four", "Day in the Life", "Come Together", "Golden Slumbers", "Carry That Weight", "Birthday", and "Helter Skelter" would have sounded wonderful being played under the classics. I don't know if the Fiedler and the Boston Pops ever did these songs, but if they did - they should have been included. If they were done, it would be nice to hear them on an updated version of this collection. Some of these tunes are available on other classics collection, but Fiedler's Orchestra was the best at playing this music, so I would have liked to have heard it here.

The other thing that disappoints me are some of the selections themselves. Most of the tunes do keep to the sound you would expect from the Beatles, but some do not sound as good as I would expect. "With a Little Help From My Friends" just doesn't sound much like the original tune. The song that I consider the signature song by the Beatles - "Hey Jude" is an extreme disappointment - it just doesn't capture the magic of the original song. Songs like "Michelle" and "And I Love Her" do keep to the Beatles sound, but they somehow miss the mark. Perhaps these two songs aren't the best songs to be done with a Classical Orchestra.

However, this collection is not all bad. There are some positive points that do shine. There are several songs which surprise me on how well they sounded being played in the classical sense. "Eleanor Rigby" is one of those. You can feel a lot of power and emotion with that song. Another song that surprises me how well it sounds being played as a classical piece is "Penny Lane". Fiedler is also able to demonstrate a lot of power by playing by playing "Penny Lane' as a classical piece. In "Yellow Submarine", Fiedler puts a military and marching band spin on the song. It gives the song a whole new dimension. As for my favorite piece on the collection - it has to be "Fool on the Hill". Somehow I almost like "Fool on the Hill" played as a classical piece better than how the Beatles do it. Other songs that sound good are a couple of the Beatles' earlier tunes - "I Want to Hold Your Hand" and "A Hard Day's Night"

It is worth noting that there are some live versions of these songs included with Fiedler's studio recordings. In particular there are live versions of "And I Love Her" and "A Hard Day's Night". There are also multiple versions of the same song included. You will hear three different recordings of "I Want To Hold Your Hand" (one from 1964 and two from 1969 - you will hear a change in tempo). There are also two versions of "A Hard Day's Night" (the live 1965 version and a 1969 studio recording). Counting the live and studio versions - there are also two versions of "And I Love Her".

It is also worth noting that on the final song (the third version of "I Want To Hold Your Hand"), there is a spoken introduction by Arthur Fiedler which is about 1 minute long in which Fiedler explains why he started playing Beatles music. The liner notes contain a one panel writeup by Peter Dellheim that discuss a little more background about the success Fiedler has had playing the Beatles.

Overall, this isn't a bad collection. I had higher expectations knowing how good a conductor Arthur Fiedler is as well as knowing how good many of the Beatles' songs would have sounded. This might appeal to the Beatles fan wanting to hear songs Classical, and possibly even vice versa - but if you want to go deeper with the Beatles being played classical, you may have to go elsewhere.
Gilbert & Sullivan - Highlights from The Mikado, The Pirates of Penzance, H.M.S. Pinafore, The Yeomen of the Guard, Trial of Jury
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • The Best Of Gilbert And Sullivan
  • Pure delight
  • Delicious G&S samplings abound here.
  • Fine Intro to G&S
 Gilbert & Sullivan - Highlights from The Mikado, The Pirates of Penzance, H.M.S. Pinafore, The Yeomen of the Guard, Trial of Jury
Nicholas Folwell , Arthur Sullivan , Marie McLaughlin , Rebecca Evans , Anthony Rolfe Johnson , John Mark Ainsley , Alwyn Mellor , Anne Howells , Barry Banks , Eric Garrett , Felicity Palmer , Gareth Rhys Davies , Janice Watson , Julie Gossage , Neill Archer , Pamela Helen Stephen , Peter Savidge , Richard Stuart , Richard Suart , Richard Van Allan , Sir Thomas Allen [baritone] , Sir Charles Mackerras , and Welsh National Opera
Manufacturer: Telarc
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000003D1Y
Release Date: 1996-01-23

Tracks:

  1. A Wandering Minstrel I
  2. Behold The Lord High Executioner!
  3. Three Little Maids From School Are We
  4. Braid The Raven Hair
  5. The Flowers That Bloom In The Spring
  6. On A Tree By A River, A Little Tom-tit Sang, 'Willow, Tit-willow'
  7. For He's Gone And Married Yum-Yum
  8. We Sail The Ocean Blue
  9. I'm Called Little Buttercup
  10. My Gallant Crew
  11. When I Was A Lad
  12. Things Are Seldom What They Seem
  13. Never Mind The Why And Wherefore
  14. Climbing Over Rocky Mountain
  15. Poor Wand'ring One
  16. How Beautifully Blue The Sky
  17. I Am The Very Model Of A Modern Major-General
  18. When The Foeman Bares His Steel
  19. Ah, Leave Me Not To Pine
  20. With Cat-Like Tread
  21. Is Life A Boon?
  22. I Have A Song To Sing, O!
  23. Were I Thy Bride
  24. Oh, A Private Buffoon Is A Light-Hearted Loon
  25. When A Wooer Goes A-Wooing
  26. When I, Good Friends, Was Called To The Bar
  27. A Nice Dilemma We Have Here
  28. Oh, Joy Unbounded

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars The Best Of Gilbert And Sullivan.......2004-03-15

At the end of the 19th century (1870's, 80's and 90's) the compatible duo of librettist and composer Gilbert and Sullivan popularized the pre-Broadway entertainment of Savoy opera. These were light operas or operettas whose content was satire and comedy, full of bouncy melodies and beautiful singing, highly entertaining theatrical works staged at London's Savoy theatre. Gilbert and Sullivan did not always get along and in fact there was a time when they ended their professional relationship because personal conflicts surfaced. But they managed to create the world's most beloved light operas, over 40 of them. Their most famous are what I call the Big Three- The H.M.S. Pinafore, The Pirates Of Penzance and The Mikado. Other works include their first hit Trial By Jury, The Yeomen Of The Guard, Princess Ida, The Gondoliers, Patience and several others. A standard signature of Gilbert and Sullivan was in the colorful cast- a comic actor with a special kind of baritone voice, a canary-like and sweet-voiced coloratura or lyric diva, a mezzo soprano with strong chest register and a lyric tenor as the romantic hero. On this album, English conductor Sir Charles Mackerras, a popular figure in the classical music scene and opera, guides the Chorus and Orchestra Of the Welsh National Opera in generally well-delivered performances of excerpts from the operas The Mikado, The H.M.S. Pinafore, The Pirates Of Penzance, Yeomen Of The Guard and Trial By Jury. Although I feel that the recordings made by the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company, with Isodore Godfrey conducting and starring the best cast of the Gilbert and Sullivan repertoire- the singers of the 60's and 70's- tenor Phillip Potter, soprano Valerie Masterson, baritone John Reed, Donald Adams and mezzo soprano Christine Palmer. Their version of the Pirates Of Penzance and the Mikado far outshine the Welsh National Opera in technical mastery and vibrant tone color.

But these are fine excerpts. Especially appealing is the famous and cheerful "Three Little Maids From School Are We", a trio that imitates Japanese style melody. Most of the Mikado does this, for it was inspired by Japanisme or the new fashion in Victorian England- everything Japanese, from prints to paintings to poetry. Gilbert and Sullivan simply "Japanized" their English operettas. The Finale "For He's Gone To Marry Yum Yum" is an ebullient and pleasant finale. Not featured here is the domineering and powerful Katisha, a figure who stands out in the Mikado.

The H.M.S. Pinafore is Gilbert and Sullivan's most popular work. The sea chanty "We Sail The Ocean Blue" opens the opera with appropriate atmosphere and it seems to fit perfectly with the other scene in which the Captain greets his crew and they sing his praises "My Gallant Crew..I am the Captain Of The Pinafore". A beautiful melody that seems to come out of a romantic Offenbach tune is "I"m Called Little Buttercup". The finale, not featured here, is also very engaging "For He Is An Englishman" which can almost resemble a British national anthem. The Yeomen Of The Guard was Gilbert and Sullivan's "serious opera" eventhough it remains very Savoyard. The plot deals with Tudor England and takes place at the London Tower. "I have a song to sing" makes use of what can be taken for an English ballad of the Renaissance. Trial By Jury, about the eccentric and hilarious activity of a court trial, has a sextet that although different in composition, has the sextet "Che Mi Frena" from Donizetti's Lucia Di Lammermoor in mind. All in all, an excellent recording sure to delight young and old.

5 out of 5 stars Pure delight.......2003-08-02

--Gilbert & Sullivan--
William Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan were a match made in heaven, yet on earth their pairing seems even with hindsight a most unlikely coupling. Both were destined for other things, Gilbert in fact for decidedly non-musical careers. Introduced by a mutual friend, Fred Clay, the fledgling lyricist Gilbert met the military-band-leader's son Sullivan and together continued to conspire to inspire the delights of audiences from high Victorian times down to the present, as their work in musical theatre comedy continues to provide merriment throughout the English-speaking world and beyond.

--The Music--
This collection includes highlights from five of the most popular Gilbert & Sullivan operettas: The Mikado, HMS Pinafore, The Pirates of Penzance, The Yeoman of the Guard, and Trial by Jury. The arrangements and orchestrations are delightfully energetic and clear; the characterisation and vocal qualities of the leads are perfect for their roles. The haughty if misplaced Lord of the Admiralty has the perfect combination of insecurity and pompous officiousness. The Plaintiff and the Defendant in the Trial are perfectly cast. This is a collection of highlights - at least three but no more than seven songs each, but this gives a good flavour of the music. The recordings on this collection come from complete performances by Mackerras and the WNO.

--Sir Charles Mackerras--
Mackerras is one of the geniuses of the twentieth century musical scene. Having a conducting career that includes the Hamburg Opera, the English National Opera (formerly Sadlers Wells Opera), and the Welsh National Opera (the performers for this piece), he has also conducted major orchestras on the continent of Europe and in the United States. The holder of many major awards and honourary doctorates, he has devoted much time and energy to the preservation and performance of eighteenth and nineteenth century music, as well the restoration of historical musical venues, such as the Estates Theatre in Prague, scene of the original production of Don Giovanni (Mackerras conducted the opera there to commemorate the bicentenary of the death of Mozart).

--Welsh National Opera Orchestra and Chorus--
The seeds of the WNO were planted in Cardiff during World War II by music lovers; the first performances occurred a year after the war's end, with Cavalleria rusticana and Pagliacci on the bill, with Faust the next night. Popular appeal was so great that the WNO was established, later adding choruses in both Cardiff and Swansea. The professional chorus was established in 1973, with a strength that matches the orchestra. They continue an ambitious performance schedule for recording and live events; Mackerras remains the Conductor Emeritus, as the WNO continues under the direction of Carlo Rizzi. The list of awards the WNO has won over the years is staggering - they are a world class institution by any measure.

--Other performers--
Notable singers such as Richard Stuart, Rebecca Evans, Felicity Palmer, John Mark Ainsley and Anne Howells lead the chorus with stunning vocals and clever characterisations of the parts they play. Many (such as Stuart and Evans) play the leading roles across several of the pieces of the disc.

--Liner Notes--
The liner notes give a good introduction and biographical information about Gilbert and Sullivan, as well as synopses of the five pieces presented here. It does not, unfortunately, include any information about Mackerras, the WNO Orchestra and Chorus, or the other special performers. It also does not include the lyrics to the songs. Were the quality of the CD not so great, this might cost it a star in rating.

--Overall Impressions--
I play this CD in my car, in my home and in my office frequently. It is a great sing-along work and a great comedic relief from the stresses of the day. The music is bubbly and clear; the recording quality is excellent and crisp. I recommend this to any Gilbert & Sullivan lover, any fan of musical comedy, opera and operettas, and anyone who delights in good music.

5 out of 5 stars Delicious G&S samplings abound here........2003-05-06

The first thing I should be saying is "What an infectuous G&S CD." Indeed this is, with this fine sampling of the peppy and bright Mackerras series. I know I have praised its "Mercedes-Benz quality" elsewhere on these pages, but that doesn't stop me from saying that everyone is in fine voice. This generously filled CD may only focus on five operas, but at least you can savour a reasonable choice sampling of delights from each one. Of particular interest is Richard Suart's patter-baritone parts and the soaring lyric soprano of Rebecca Evans. The selection on this disc is filled with a mixture of familiar favourites and lesser-known gems such as the female choruses in Mikado and Pirates. Mackerras is a true G&S conductor, but one who always springs rhythms crisply, and adopts peppy tempo for the fast bits. The one drawback is that this selection is far too infectuous that you'll want to shell out money to buy the full 5-CD Mackerras cycle - an incredible bargain with most of the operas fitted onto one disc each. But still, this is at least a decent G&S sampling for beginners, capped with Steven Ledbetter's copious liner notes. It will leave you wanting to say "dammit I'm going to play it again."

5 out of 5 stars Fine Intro to G&S.......2000-12-30

This is the perfect CD for those who may not be familiar with G&S, or for the initiated who want a smattering but don't have the mother of all CD changers. The difficulty with any G&S Greatest Hits CD is determining which pieces to leave off; while one could easily point to any number equally good bits, it would be difficult to argue about the quality of the choices included. The only problem, such as it is, is that after listening to it I am usually induced to go back and listen to the whole opera anyway. The Mackerras recordings are uniformly excellent. I have read elsewhere the criticism that they are too 'operatic' for light opera. If by this it is meant that the singers are too good, then I leave it to the discretion of the listener when the singing becomes too good to be enjoyable.

Music:

  1. Negotiation Limerick File [CD-single]
  2. Nothing Safe: Best of the Box
  3. Now I Got Worry
  4. Oh Perfect Masters
  5. Once Upon a Time in America [CD-single] [Import]
  6. One Beat
  7. Ownliness
  8. Paintin' the Town Brown: Ween Live 1990-1998 [Enhanced] [Explicit Lyrics] [Live]
  9. Rarities [Import]
  10. Recalling the Pink Cloud (4-cd set)

Music

music

Music

Live [Live]

Paderewski: Piano Concerto; Polish Fantasy

Pierre Fournier: Cello Works [Box set]

Star Box: Willie Nelson [Import]

Us vs Them

Purcell - Dido and Aeneas / Hunt-Lieberson · Saffer · P. Elliott · M. Dean · Brandes · PBO · McGegan

The Best of Chet Baker Sings

Let's Make a Splash!

Sittin' Here Pickin' the Blues [Extra tracks] [Original recording remastered]

Orange and Blue

Slap-Happy

Mpb Classe a [Import]

Painted Pony [CD-single] [Enhanced] [Import]

Luzzaschi: Quinto Libro de' Madrigali

The Life of a Trio: Saturday and Sunday