Bells Are Ringing (1956 Original Broadway Cast) [Cast Recording] [Extra tracks] [Original recording remastered]

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
In 1956, Judy Holliday was at the peak of her fame--she had just won an Oscar for Born Yesterday, and her old buddies Comden and Green were about to write a Broadway show for her. Bells Are Ringing may not be among composer Jule Styne's top-drawer scores, but the show benefits from Comden and Green's reliably zany book and lyrics (it's simply impossible not to crack up at songs like "Mu-Cha-Cha"), and Holliday is magnificent as phone operator Ella Peterson. The bonus tracks include Styne doing "Boogie Woogie Shoogie, Baby of Mine," which was cut from the show because the vocally challenged leading man, Sydney Chaplin, couldn't handle it. But even he can't ruin the show's biggest hit (the wonderful "Just in Time"), which brilliantly manages to be equally emotional and funny--the exact combination that made Holliday such a compelling star, come to think of it. --Elisabeth Vincentelli

Tracks:

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

Customer Reviews:

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

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

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

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

Broadway - The American Musical (PBS Series)

Average customer rating:

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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The Best of Broadway - The American Musical (PBS Series)
Broadway: The American Musical
Broadway: The American Musical
Broadway - The American Musical (PBS Series)
Somewhere over the Rainbow: The Golden Age of Hollywood Musicals

ASIN: B00064ADMK
Release Date: 2004-10-19

Tracks:

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

Tracks:

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

Tracks:

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

Tracks:

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

Tracks:

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

Customer Reviews:

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.

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.

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.

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

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

Bells Are Ringing (1956 Original Broadway Cast)

Average customer rating:

Judy Holiday shines in this light, attractive score
Wonderful record of a great star performance.
Please Stop Those Bells From Ringing.
It rings my bells!
First Stereo Cast Album?

Bells Are Ringing (1956 Original Broadway Cast)
Jule Styne , Betty Comden , and Adolph Green
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

The Pajama Game (1954 Original Broadway Cast)
Fiorello! (1959 Original Broadway Cast)
Damn Yankees (1955 Original Broadway Cast)
Mame (1966 Original Broadway Cast)
The Music Man (1957 Original Broadway Cast)

ASIN: B00005ARE0
Release Date: 2001-03-20

Tracks:

Act I: Overture
Act I: Bells Are Ringing
Act I: It's A Perfect Relationship
Act I: On My Own
Act I: It's A Simple Little System
Act I: Is It A Crime?
Act I: Hello, Hello There!
Act I: I Met A Girl
Act I: Long Before I Knew You
Act II: Mu-Cha-Cha
Act II: Just In Time
Act II: Drop That Name
Act II: The Party's Over
Act II: Salzburg
Act II: The Midas Touch
Act II: I'm Going Back
It's a Perfect Relationship (Jules Styne plays and sings; previously unreleased)
Just in Time (Jules Styne plays and sings; previously unreleased)
Boogie Woogie Shoogie, Baby of Mine (Jules Styne plays and sings; previously unreleased)

Amazon.com

In 1956, Judy Holliday was at the peak of her fame--she had just won an Oscar for Born Yesterday, and her old buddies Comden and Green were about to write a Broadway show for her. Bells Are Ringing may not be among composer Jule Styne's top-drawer scores, but the show benefits from Comden and Green's reliably zany book and lyrics (it's simply impossible not to crack up at songs like "Mu-Cha-Cha"), and Holliday is magnificent as phone operator Ella Peterson. The bonus tracks include Styne doing "Boogie Woogie Shoogie, Baby of Mine," which was cut from the show because the vocally challenged leading man, Sydney Chaplin, couldn't handle it. But even he can't ruin the show's biggest hit (the wonderful "Just in Time"), which brilliantly manages to be equally emotional and funny--the exact combination that made Holliday such a compelling star, come to think of it. --Elisabeth Vincentelli

Customer Reviews:

Judy Holiday shines in this light, attractive score.......2005-04-07

To answer a question from another reviewer, yes BELLS ARE RINGING was the first original cast album that Columbia records taped in both stereo and mono. The mono release came first but in 1958 Columbia issued a stereo edition. (Note to collectors: The mono LP used different takes on some numbers. For example there was no crowd cheerng in Just in Time.) Columbia re-released the abum with a different more glamorous photo of Judy Holiday in 1960 to tie in with the release of the film. The album stayed in print right though the end of the Lp era in the late 1980s.

Thomas Shepard has done his usual masterful job restoring the old tapes and even adding some previously deleted dance music. The only slight drawback is in the final song, I'm going Back, a short section of the stereo tape was damaged. You will note that from 2:28 to 2:59 the sound switches to mono.

A nice touch is using the old Columbia records label on the Cd!

The show itself proved unreviavable a few years ago when the wonderful Faith Prince to a crack at it. She is perhaps the the performer closest in style to Judy Holiday, (though she s NOT a star of the same calbre of Holiday!) but the book is too dated now. It was a pretty simplistic book even in 1956! And while the score has its share of gems, it also has a few non-so-steller moments (Hello Hello There, Salzburg, The Midas Touch) and a leading man (Sydney Chaplin) whose unsteady singing voice ruins his songs.

The movie soundtrack (with Holiday again this time teamed with Dean Martin, recently reissued by DRG) drops five of the songs and adds two new ones and gives us lusher orchestrations.

Despite the best efforts of Faith Prince (and the fact this it is the most complete recording of the score) the 2001 Broadway revival cast is a curiously dull recording that just never sparkles the way this origianl 1956 cast album does.

Wonderful record of a great star performance........2002-05-29

Bells Are Ringing is a classic, old-fashioned Broadway show from the days when musicals were still called "musical comedies" - and rightly so. Written primarily as a vehicle for the brilliant Judy Holliday and intended as nothing more ambitious than an evening's entertainment with a lot of laughs and a few memorable songs. The show's creative pedigree is impeccable - book and lyrics by the dependably witty Comden and Green and music by the great Jule Styne. The collaboration produced standards such as "The Party's Over" and "Just In Time" in a score than can only be described as bright and breezy. As was the custom with Columbia Records in those days, the cast album was recorded on the Sunday after the show's opening, so the performances are as fresh as ever. And the modern re-mastering has served the originals well.

Of course, Bells Are Ringing is first and foremost Judy Holliday's show and admirers of her tragically brief career will welcome this souvenir of her only Broadway musical. From the quiet heartbreak of "The Party's Over" to the belted-out showstopping "I'm Going Back" she is perfect with every word and note. Most of the rest of the cast is also good, although co-star Sydney Chaplin was hopefully a better actor than singer. And there is an unfortunate tendency to bring in the chorus when they are really not needed. But nothing gets in the way of Judy Holliday demonstrating the real meaning of star quality.

As a kind of bonus, the CD includes a few of the show's songs being sung and played by Jule Styne. These tracks are interesting but unlikely to be listened to more than once or twice. Judy, on the other hand, should be enjoyed over and over again.

Please Stop Those Bells From Ringing........2002-01-14

Bells Are Ringing had everything going for it. A good lead actress, repmise, plot, screenplay, and well-written lyrics. But the way that these were used where some of the worst ways you'd ever imagine. The 2001 revival recording of this is 100 times better, and Faith prince does so much better then Judy Holliday. This CD has some things that still work, like the screenplay and lyrics, but as a recording, this is just plain dull.

It rings my bells!.......2001-10-30

Not as smooth as the soundtrack in recording or casting, yet with a much more spontaneous feel. Not that there are any flaws in the casting, and it is not overproduced in the way I find the soundtrack to be. This is the one to have if you want this musical.

First Stereo Cast Album?.......2001-10-13

I read many years ago that this was the first ever stereo cast album from Columbia. The timing (late 1956) would be about right. Maybe someone who's savvy on recording history can confirm or deny this. If you want to see the film verson (also starring Judy Holiday) it's aired on TCM once in a while. It was the last musical produced by the legendary Arthur Freed.

Average customer rating:

This needs a more articulate review...
happy music

Moondog 1 & 2
Moondog
Manufacturer: Beat Goes On
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00004YU0K
Release Date: 2000-11-06

Tracks:

Theme
Stamping Ground
Symphonique No. 3 (Ode to Venus)
Symphonique No. 6 (Good for Goodie)
Minisym No. 1
Lament, No. 1
Witch of Endor
Symphonique No. 1 (Portrait of a Monarch)
Bells Are Ringing
Voices of Spring
What's the Most Exciting Thing
All Is Loneliness
My Tiny Butterfly
Why Spend a Dark Night With Me
Coffee Beans
Down Is Up
Be a Hobo
Remember
I Love You
Nero's Expedition
No, The Wheel Was Never Invented
With My Wealth
This Student of Life
Some Trust All
Wine, Women and Song
Sadness
Maybe
Each Today Is Yesterday's Tomorrow
Imagine
You the Vandal
Trees Against the Sky
Behold
Sparrow
Pastoral

Customer Reviews:

This needs a more articulate review..........2005-12-10

To tell the truth, the only reason I even listened to this disc in the store is because I spotted the cover, and wondered what the hell a guy who looked like that could sound like. I had a gushing smile on my face as I realized there was real talent and expression behind Moondog's odd facade. The first album on this disc (there are two herein) is made up of more "orchestral" material like none you've ever heard before (one of these tracks "stamping Grounds" is in "The Big Lebowski". The second album is made up of a series of short "rounds"; cyclical songs with naturally repetitive compositions (think row row row your boat, or three blind mice). Due to the familiar nature of such song forms, and the unique compositions employed by Moondog, the second album is quite buoyant and joyful. This is an all around great and very familiar listening experience, and quite a timeless set of albums. Get it while you still can!

happy music.......2002-12-28

Moodog is a realy composer of all time. Is create a new conception of street music and universal sound
Paris, 27/12/02 France

Bells Are Ringing (1960 Film Soundtrack)

Average customer rating:

a lovely recording
It's a charmer; for the second time on CD
"Made In Hollywood, USA"

Bells Are Ringing (1960 Film Soundtrack)
Adolph Green , Jule Styne , and Betty Comden
Manufacturer: Drg
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Bells Are Ringing
Bells Are Ringing (1956 Original Broadway Cast)
Trouble Is a Man
Damn Yankees: An Original Soundtrack Recording (1958 Film)
Bells Are Ringing (Ws Sub Amar)

ASIN: B0000658MU
Release Date: 2002-05-21

Tracks:

Overture
It's A Perfect Relationship
Do It Yourself
It's A Simple Little System
Better Than A Dream
I Met A Girl
Just In Time
Drop That Name
The Party's Over
The Midas Touch
I'm Going Back
Finale

Customer Reviews:

a lovely recording.......2003-06-04

This is the film soundtrack to BELLS ARE RINGING, which again features the incantory Judy Holliday as Ella Peterson, the lovestruck telephone operator. If you only want to buy one of the three currently-available recordings of BELLS ARE RINGING, this is the one to get.

This recording has long been the favorite of many admirers of this score, primarily because of Andre Previn's gorgeous new arrangements, and secondly because of the better performance of Judy Holliday, who is more polished here than on the original Broadway cast-album. Added to the mix is crooner Dean Martin, who turns the rather passive character of Jeff Moss into a more fully-realised character in the piece.

There are also seasoned Broadway veterans Eddie Foy Jr. and Hal Linden who both make the most out of their brief moments on disc. The highlights on this reissue by the good folks at DRG include "It's a Perfect Relationship", "I Met a Girl" and "It's a Simple Little System". Listeners will delight on Holliday and Martin's snappy wordplay in "Just in Time", and will be swept up into musical-comedy heaven with "The Party's Over". The brand-new Overture is a delight, too.

I own all three recordings (original Broadway w/ Holliday and the revival w/ Faith Prince) but this is the recording I play most often.

Highly-recommended.

It's a charmer; for the second time on CD.......2002-06-02

The CD is a charmer, but contrary to the advertising, the 1960 "Bells Are Ringing" soundtrack has been on CD before, back in 1989. The CD version sounded great then, and it sounds great now. Lushly orchestrated film versions of Broadway shows usually sound swell on CD, and often make up for their film's flaws. Normally, the star's voices are fresh and rested (not ragged from eight stage appearances a week)and the performances are top-notch ("Paint Your Wagon" is still the big exception). "Bells Are Ringing," is a good film, but again, like virtually all stage-to-screen musicals, that little something always gets lost. On the plus side, several lesser songs were dropped, and the two replacements, "Better Than A Dream" (a counterpoint song just made for stereo) and "Do It Yourself" make the soundtrack far more pleasant than the Broadway album. In fact, "Better Than a Dream" was quickly added to the revised stage show after 1960. Why "Do It Yourself" wasn't added is a mystery -- it's far superior to its original stage counterpart "Independent" and serves the same purpose as the "You've Got to Do It" soliliquy that has never been recorded. Judy Holliday is wonderful, of course, and Dean Martin is quietly charming.

"Made In Hollywood, USA".......2002-05-22

Film director George Sidney's (died May 5, 2002) 1960 movie musical version of Bell's Are Ringing provided a fine LP recording of Jule Styne, Comden and Green's gently sentimental and always humorous score. The effective musical direction was provided by Andr'e Previn resulting in a recording that many find preferable to the stage version. Judy Holiday and a correctly restrained, warm voiced Dean Martin provide the musical with the sparkling spirit needed. DGR has provided a perfect sounding stereo CD with an informative booklet. P.S. Two other LP movie soundtracks that are considered by some to be more enjoyable listening experiences than their stage versions are: Half A Sixpence and Finian's Rainbow. It would be wonderful to have them available on CD.

Bells Are Ringing (2001 Revival Broadway Cast)

Average customer rating:

1956 recording still wins over 2001
a fine revival
Good only if you saw the show.
Have "Faith" in These Bells
SORRY, WRONG NUMBER!

Bells Are Ringing (2001 Revival Broadway Cast)
Faith Prince , Betty Comden , Adolph Green , Jule Styne , Tina Landau , Marc Kudisch , and David Garrison
Manufacturer: Varese Sarabande
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Bells Are Ringing (1956 Original Broadway Cast)
Grey Gardens - A New Musical (2006 Original Broadway Cast)
Spring Awakening (2006 Original Broadway Cast)
Bells Are Ringing
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (2005 Original Broadway Cast)

ASIN: B00005LNGT
Release Date: 2001-06-26

Tracks:

Overture
Bells Are ringing
It's A Perfect Relationship
Independent
It's A Simple Little System
Better Than A Dream
Hello, Hello There
I Met A Girl
Is It A Crime?
Long Before I Knew You
Mu-Cha-Cha
Just In Time
Drop That Name
The Party's Over
Salzberg
The Midas Touch
Long Before I Knew You (reprise)
I'm Going Back
Just In Time (reprise)/Finale
The Music And Lyrics Of Dr. Kitchell

Amazon.com

Although she's not averse to doing new material (she appeared in William Finn's Falsettoland, for instance, and let's not forget that brilliant bomb called Nick and Nora), Faith Prince is a living embodiment of Broadway's golden age. From her star-making turn as Miss Adelaide in the 1992 revival of Guys and Dolls to superb performances in the recent revivals of Little Me and The King and I, Prince always is perfectly attuned to classic material. In this short-lived revival of the 1956 musical Bells Are Ringing (directed by Tina Landau, whose previous musical-directing experience was on Floyd Collins), the singer reprises a role created by Judy Holliday and once again proves her versatility. The duet with Marc Kadisch on "Just in Time" is particularly delicious, doing full justice to that beloved song. --Elisabeth Vincentelli

Customer Reviews:

1956 recording still wins over 2001.......2006-08-11

I have always loved the 1956 Original Broadway Cast recording. The orchestrations and singers' musical talent and vocal inflections are brilliant. I was thrilled to see that there was a 2001 revival of this play, and looked forward to hearing the score captured with 2001 recording technology. Unfortunately, where the 1956 cast and orchestra shine, the 2001 version is completely without a soul. The 2001 orchestra sounds as though it must have been one of those "orchestra machines" they are using now in some productions-- there is no warmth or artistic interpretation to the music-- just notes being mechanically played off a page (or computer code I guess).

I also didn't understand, as I did in the Broadway Cast recording, why the female lead would have any attraction for the male lead. In the 2001 recording, answering-service girl Ella Peterson works for Jeff Moss's answering service. The short amount of dialog during the song (changed from the 1950's wording) sounds like he is having her cover for him while he juggles his various girlfriends. He sounds patronizing in his delivery. Then she sings a song about how she's fallen in love with this guy? Then later when pursuing her, he just sounds needy and annoyingly shrill instead of the genuine and confident interpretation by Sydney Chaplin in the 1956 recording.

If you want the soundtrack to this wonderful play, I recommend the Original 1956 Cast Recording with Judy Holliday and Sydney Chaplin (more genuine then the movie's Dean Martin in my opinion) playing the two leads. After hearing the 2001 version, the 1956 CD sounds surprisingly rich and stereophonic.

a fine revival.......2003-01-04

BELLS ARE RINGING was brought back to Broadway in 2001, in an ill-fated revival that only lasted a couple of months due to lukewarm notices.

Tony-winner Faith Prince (GUYS AND DOLLS) gives her all in the lead role of hopeless romantic Ella Peterson. The role is virtually owned by the late Judy Holliday, who starred in the original Broadway run and later the under-rated movie version. Prince gives us a fresh new look at Ella, with glowing readings of "It's a Perfect Relationship", "Just in Time" and the still-delicious "The Party's Over".

Marc Kudisch, in the decidedly-wooden role of Jeff Moss, sings wonderfully in his songs including the frenetic "I Met a Girl" and "Long Before I Knew You".

This cast also includes Beth Fowler as Sue and Martin Moran as Sandor, who share the comical duet "Salzburg".

Most of the criticism in this revival was aimed at Tina Landau's direction, and the age of the book which seemed too old-fashioned for 'modern' theatregoers. Still, a great musical and a great recording for fans.

Highly-recommended

Good only if you saw the show........2002-07-18

I loved the revival of the musical. It's classic! It's so funny and charming and unpretentious. But unfortuneately this album displays the musical as dull and lifeless. Faith Prince comes off as overplayed and "kitschy" and Mark Kudisch comes off as bored. When I saw the show neither seemed that way at all. The song "I'm Going Back" brought the house down on Broadway, but I often skip that track when I listen to the cd, I'm sorry to say. Luckily, the big hit from the show "The Party's Over" is still as beautiful as the first time it was written-- and Thank God. It's a good play... a good cast... and has good music! It just comes off as very poor and dull...

Have "Faith" in These Bells.......2002-06-29

Let's face it..."Bells Are Ringing" is hardly a substantive Broadway classic. It's theme is dated, as are its notions of the male/female relationship, and many of its references remain staunchly in the 1950s conventionailty of its genesis. But you know what? These shortcomings are equally some of this shows definite charms. "Bells..." is a quintessential example of the Broadway musical's prime years of the 50s and 60s. It's light, entertaining, funny, hummable, and just plain fun. There's none of the "sterm-and-drang" that would come post-Viet Nam. This new recording, quite frankly, is a vast improvement over the original for one simple reason: the two leads can actually sing. Judy Holliday was a marvel of an actress, and this show was tailored to her abilities, but her raspy voice actually detracted from the cleverness of these songs. And Sidney Chaplin, poor soul, was a hapless singer even at the best of times. This time out, Faith Prince reinvents the role as her own and displays both the musical and comedic flair that make her such a unique presence on the legit stage. If only she received more roles of this stature. Can somebody please tailor a new vehicle worthy of her talents? Mark Kudisch brings a pleasing baritone and an effortless energy to his role, and the two play off one another beautifully on this recording. Although some of these songs have dated somewhat, it's still a thrill to hear them delivered as if they were just composed. Of course, "Just in Time" and "The Party's Over" have justifiable reputations, but there are more goodies behind the hits. "It's a Perfect Relationship", "Hello, Hello There", "Drop a Name" and I'm Going Back" are all lively and delicious musical cotton candy, funny and fun to hear with these performers. What makes this CD so good is that it's one of the best produced original cast recordings in years. The singers sound like they're right next to you, adding to the intimacy and personable nature of their characters. There's none of the bobast and canyon-like distance so typical of the post-Lloyd Webber age. Here, you feel like you're listening to a couple of old chums and you're just aching for them to find each other. Of course, you know they will, but their musical journey is still a hoot. This "Bells Are Ringing" is a simple, direct, joyously ebullient lark from start to finish. It's a great addition to any Broadway collection, and a reminder of why those simple musical-comedy shows were such a treat in their heydey. Enjoy.

SORRY, WRONG NUMBER!.......2002-01-25

Ringing? More like clunking. Way back in '56, Comden and Green sat down and wrote a musical for their chum Judy Holliday. With Jule Stein's help, this trio concocted the classic Bells Are Ringing---a musical marvel about a telephone answering service in New York City. The original recording---recently reissued with bonus tracks by Sony Legacy---is also a classic, and belongs in every show music library. This recording of the recently deceased Broadway revival does not. The music and lyrics are still wonderful and moving and funny, but star Faith Prince is cloying and charmless. Sorry, wrong number.

Elaine Stritch - At Liberty (2002 Original Broadway Production)

Average customer rating:

A National Treasure
Stritch is superb
Entertaining but grating on the ears
Great Broadway Review
Elaine Stritch at Liberty

Elaine Stritch - At Liberty (2002 Original Broadway Production)
Elaine Stritch , Irving Berlin , John/ Stritch, Elaine Lohr , Porter P. Grainger , Albert Hague , Stephen Sondheim , Carl Sigman , Richard Rodgers , Sir Noel Coward , George Gershwin , Jule Styne , John Campo , and Billy Miller
Manufacturer: Drg
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Elaine Stritch at Liberty
Bea Arthur on Broadway - Just Between Friends
Stritch
Company - A Musical Comedy (1970 Original Broadway Cast)
Company (2006 Broadway Revival Cast)

ASIN: B000060P33
Release Date: 2002-04-02

Tracks:

There's No Business Like Show Business (Berlin)
Caca
I Want a Long Time Daddy (Grainger)
A Piece of Mahler
This Is All Very New to Me (Hague/Horwitt)
Going to New York
Marlon Brando
Broadway Baby (Sondheim)
My First Broadway Show
Civilization (Hilliard/Sigman)
Ethel Merman
Can You Use Any Money Today? (Berlin)
Pal Joey
Zip (Hart/Rodgers)
Ben Gazzara
Nokl Coward
Why Do the Wrong People Travel (Coward)
Richard Burton
But Not for Me/If Love Were All (Gershwin/Gershwin)
I'm Still Here (Sondheim)
Booze
Little Things You Do Together (Sondheim)
The Ladies Who Lunch (Sondheim)
John Bay
There Was Never a Baby Like My Baby (Comden/Green/Styne)
I've Been to a Marvelous Party (Coward)
God So Quickly
The Party's Over (Comden/Green/Styne)
Absent Almost Always
Something Good (Rodgers)

Tracks:

I'm Still Here (Sondheim)
Booze
Little Things You Do Together (Sondheim)
The Ladies Who Lunch (Sondheim)
John Bay
There Was Never a Baby Like My Baby (Comden/Green/Styne)
I've Been to a Marvelous Party (Coward)
God So Quickly
The Party's Over (Comden/Green/Styne)
Absent Almost Always
Something Good (Rodgers)

Amazon.com

Elaine Stritch is a legend and she knows it. And so she came up with a whole one-woman show about the best topic she could think of: her life in the theater. And what a trip it's been. From Ethel Merman to Noel Coward, Stritch has worked with some of the greatest names to grace the American stage, and she has anecdotes about all of them (most are included on this recording). In this show, she hits all the marks with the acuity of a seasoned pro who's seen it all and whose love for the theater remains undiluted. Stritch is not a traditionally pretty singer (those gravelly pipes!), but she absolutely knows how to give life to a song, extracting the last drop of meaning, dropping pauses for effect with deadly accuracy. Sondheim's "Ladies Who Lunch" and "Broadway Baby" will be hers forever, and a case could be made for the hilarious "Zip" (from Pal Joey) and the obscure, spectacularly politically incorrect "Civilization" (from the revue Angel in the Wings) as well. Fittingly, this two-CD set includes "I'm Still Here," which may well be Stritch's motto. If you're looking for a concise yet bewitching history of the musical, this is it. --Elisabeth Vincentelli

Customer Reviews:

A National Treasure.......2007-07-05

This double CD is stuffed full of great songs and amazing stories. My favorite stories are of Elaine's date with Marlon Brando, what she thought some lyric are/meant, and her time in Compant. The total honesty that she brings it all together is touching and inspiring.

Very few people have the length or variety of a career that Elaine Stritch has had. I am sure that she has enough stories to do ten more shows.

If you love Broadway then you must buy this CD.

Stritch is superb.......2007-06-27

The only disappointment is that I missed the show live. This is a terrific honest performance by an actor who has a deep well of experience from which to draw. From her early childhood memories, through acting school, her loves, her struggles and more, Ms Stritch weaves a fascinating and completely enthralling story. Ultimately, she lives the songs, rather than just performs and this is what really marks her out.
I am so glad, she's still here!

Entertaining but grating on the ears.......2007-05-11

I've never been able to understand what is so great about Elaine Stritch's singing. It's simple: she can't sing. I've tried and tried to like her, and I do, as an actress, but NOT as a singer. Listening to these CDs, all I hear is a grouchy old lady voice with no vibrato, no range, and no ability to hold notes. If she were to try out for American Idol she would get cringes! I love her humor and honesty, and that's why I bought this, but the voice...ugh.

Great Broadway Review.......2007-04-11

I thoroughly enjoy this collection of stories from her experiences from a teenage girl in Michigan through her career, very funny, some sad and great entertainment.

Elaine Stritch at Liberty.......2007-01-19

Completely entertaining---a bit maudilin in places, but a must have for any Elaine Stritch fan.

Certainly worth the money!

Average customer rating:

Dallas Christmas Gala (Hybr)

Manufacturer: Delos Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Sacred & Religious | Classical | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B00005MHQQ
Release Date: 2001-11-27

Average customer rating:

35 unmistakable tracks
Wonderful
The Different Drummer We Once Were
For those who love the music
Moondog

Moondog

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Avant Garde & Free Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

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Classical Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music

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ASIN: B0000026QJ
Release Date: 1989-07-20

Tracks:

Madrigals: Rounds And Canons: No. 12-Nero's Expedition
Madrigals: Rounds And Canons: No. 13-No, The Wheel Was Never Invented
Madrigals: Rounds And Canons: No. 14-With My Wealth
Madrigals: Rounds And Canons: No. 15-This Student Of Life
Madrigals: Rounds And Canons: No. 16-Some Trust All
Madrigals: Rounds And Canons: No. 17-Wine, Woman And Song
Madrigals: Rounds And Canons: No. 18-Sadness
Madrigals: Rounds And Canons: No. 19-Maybe
Madrigals: Rounds And Canons: No. 20-Each Today Is Yesterday's Tomorrow
Madrigals: Rounds And Canons: No. 21-Imagine
Madrigals: Rounds And Canons: No. 22-You The Vandal
Madrigals: Rounds And Canons: No. 23-Trees Against The Sky
Madrigals: Rounds And Canons: No. 24-Behold
Madrigals: Rounds And Canons: No. 25-Sparrow
Madrigals: Rounds And Canons: No. 26-Pastoral

Customer Reviews:

35 unmistakable tracks.......2005-02-24

You don't need to buy the double-disc "Moondog 1 & 2" to hear the two albums - all that music can also be heard on this (75 minute) single disc.
Even though the only cover art of this edition is the original front cover of the 1969 "Moondog" (no original back-cover thereof nor any art from the 1971 "Moondog II",) all 35 tracks are nicely crammed in here.
What's listed under "Listen to samples" on the amazon page are only the last 20 tracks of this CD and all titles are linked to the wrong tracks.

"Moondog I" (tracks 1-9) opens with "Theme" and "Stomping Ground" - two somewhat coherent pieces which a few years ago were made quite famous through the soundtrack of Coen Brothers' wonderful movie "The Big Lebowski." The album features a 50+ piece orchestra, which, among other greats, includes jazz veterans Don Butterfield (tuba) and Ron Carter (double bass.) In the list of personnel, Moondog is not credited for playing percussion, but the bass, which I assume is a misprint.
The beautiful Charlie Parker homage "Lament I: Bird's Lament" is here performed in its original form, but can also be found on the 1994 Moondog recording "Sax Pax For a Sax" on only saxes and percussion.
The orchestral performances on "Moondog I" aren't flawless, but should not be judged harshly because of the very personal, highly individual, and wonderfully eccentric form of compositions that they are. Budget, which is a very common issue when it comes to orchestral recordings, is another element that probably has not allowed much rehersing or many (if any) re-takes.

Before ordering this disc I knew that I'd love "Moondog I" since I'd heard most of it previously, but I was skeptical towards "Moondog II" because of some reviews I'd read of it. I was however curious, and listening to it when it had arrived was a very nice surprise.
Aside from performances by Louis "Moondog" Hardin (percussion, piano, vocals) and his daughter June (vocals,) "Moondog II" features 6 other musicians who, at different points throughout the album, play virginals, recorders, harpsichords, ancient organs, guitars, schom, viola de gamba, and troubadour harp. These instruments alone make a very individual sound, but the compositions (many of which are in 5/4 and 5/8) and the poetry make this the most wonderful group of rounds (short vocal canons) you've ever heard.

In my 600+ CD collection, this is among my favorites.

Wonderful.......2004-01-26

Beautiful, quirky, fascinating. A combination of classical, jazz, and improv, this collection made me close my eyes and just feel the music. Interspersed with several of Hardin's two-line poems as punctuation, the musical pieces are truly a wonder.

The Different Drummer We Once Were.......2004-01-05

I bought this album because of a memory, but the music stands up remarkably well to a more objective listening.

It was my first trip to New York City, and my father approached the wildly-dressed, tall and intiimidating figure standing on the corner of 56th St. and 7th Ave. They conversed in Norwegian long enough for me to draw nearer and realize the stranger represented no threat. In fact, I left with a book of hs canons, which remains in my collection of piano literature to this day.

I met Moondog once again--serendipitously, on Milwaukee's Wisconsin Avenue one day in the seventies. I have no idea how he got there or how he left, but this time I wanted to protect him from the insensitive pedestrians swirling around us and threatening our shared moment.

Moondog's music is as singular as he is, and offers a glimpse into his creative spirit. It begins with an idea and a form, not with an emotion or sentiment. Each piece is simple and brief, but not simplistic or fragmentary. He avoids any form of dissonance, even seventh chords and "blue" notes (flatted thirds). Music, like life, he seems to be saying, can be a straightforward, delighting adventure, providing one cherishes the quest itself above its so-called object and maintains a focused attention on the wonders of the present moment.

My only slight disappointment with this recording is that the madrigals, sung by Moondog and his daughter, are subjected to some studio effects that make them sound more artificial and commercial than they deserve to be.

For those who love the music.......2003-11-29

It is simple, it is clear, it is wonderful! I don`t know what style is this. Some people call it `jazz`, but second disc is strongly attached to european madrigal canons. I think, if we listen really good music, we never asked about styles. I heard familiar tunes from Tchaikovsky to Resident`s Duck Stab. You must have this if you`re music lover. If you`re musician (who plays music, dont `have a job`) you must have it too. Listen once or twise, if you don`t like it, simply put it on the shelf. Properly time will come.
P.S. My favorite `I love you` and `Nero`s Expedition`

Moondog.......2002-05-16

I was in the St. Thomas Boys Choir in the early 70's. We would walk to church for rehearsal, and pass Moondog, standing on the corner, usually by the ABC building. A couple of us would talk to him in our free time...he knew our names by our voices. We would listen to his poetry, and he seemed intigued by our choir, although he never heard us, I think. I got his album around this time, and have had it ever since. Fascinating pieces, very intricate, but also with "a hook"...that you find yourself humming along with. I heard he moved to Germany, where he wrote a nine hour canon. Overall, an amazing life story, and an incredible talent.