The Sondheim Collection (Studio Cast Re-recordings) [Cast Recording]

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
The Sondheim Collection samples tracks from Varèse Sarabande's vast stable of recordings, including Sondheim at the Movies, Sondheim: A Celebration, and Unsung Sondheim. In addition, tracks are culled from solo recordings by Laurie Beechman, Petula Clark, and Christiane Noll, as well as the duet of Emily Skinner and Alice Ripley. Also included are jazz instrumentals by Terry Trotter and even some songs from the Styne-Sondheim collaboration Gypsy. There's not a lot here to surprise most Sondheim fans, but it's a solid sampler. --David Horiuchi

Tracks:

'Not While I'm Around'
The Sound Of Music: 'Edelweiss'
'Wiegenlied'
'Gestilte Sehnsucht'
'Geistliches Wiegenlied'
'Wiegenlied (Wie sich der Auglein)'
'Sandmannchen'
The Consul: 'Mother's Aria'
'Brezairola' (Berceuse)
Chants d'Auvergue: 'Oi Ayai'
'Ar hyd y nos' (All Through The Night)
'Sehnsucht nach dem Fruhling'
'Lass mich schlummern, Herzlein, schweige'
Siete Canciones populares espanolas: 'Nana' (Berceuse)
'Cancion de cuna para dormir a un negrito'
'The Little Horses' (Lullaby)
'Cantiga de Ninar' (Baby's Goodnight Song)
'Susse, susse Sommernacht'
'Wiegenlied' (Schlafe, schlafe, holder susser Knabe)
Into The Woods: 'Stay With Me'

Amazon.com

This record is most notable for its performances. Kirchschlager's singing is ravishingly beautiful and deeply expressive; the pianists and other instrumentalists are all first rate. Its content seems designed less for consistent musical quality and a balanced program than for variety and popular appeal. Yet the predominantly slow songs induce a certain monotony, and Mozart and Menotti, Brahms and Broadway musicals make strange stylistic bedfellows. However, many gems stand out in the mix: the two Brahms songs with viola, in which the renowned Yuri Bashmet is unfortunately almost inaudible; two Schubert Cradle Songs, one famous, one unknown; several enchanting Spanish songs; a Haydn arrangement of a Welsh lullaby better known as "All through the Night"; a lovely romantic song by Zemlinsky; and a lush, soaring one by Miguel Kertsman written for Kirchschlager and just right for her expressively inflected voice. She identifies with every idiom and pours so much care and affection into each song that one can well imagine a loving mother singing to her child, and indeed the record is dedicated to her little son. --Edith Eisler

Customer Reviews:

Gentle crossover that gets a bit sleepy.......2006-06-01

When Sony's artist executives were German, they tried to promote the young Austrian mezzo Angelika Kirchschlager, but because of her difficult name (I am guessing) and the slackening classical music market, she never caught on. Today Kirchschlager is a star in Europe, and one sees her name on the Met roster. This, her second CD, is a gentle recital of lullabies, made more varied by adding Broadway tunes into the mix and bringing in star musicians like John Williams on guitar and Yuri Bashmet on viola.

The result is winning and thoroughly professional. Kirchschlager sings especially well in English, with a hybrid British-American accent but almost no German mannerisms. The closest comparison in terms of high mezzos would be with von Otter, and Kirchschlager's voice is at least as beautiful. But she lacks von Otter's imaginaiton, and after a while everything sounds a bit too square and placid--after all, these songs may be for babies, but the intended audience is also adults who go to lieder recitals, isn't it?

An Example of When Crossover Works.......2006-01-09

Angelika Kirchschlager is well known on the operatic stage and in chamber and orchestral programs where her forte is Mozart and Bach. Hers is a voice creamy rich and produced with incredible intelligence. She is also a communicator - in recital, in opera, in anything she does. It comes as no surprise then that an artist of this caliber (or her agent....!) is able to set the standard for the now ubiquitous 'crossover album' that most of the major singers find it necessary to make to gather in more admirers.

Selecting a wide variety of lullabies with varying settings feels so natural in Kirchschlager's elegant mezzo-soprano voice. Other artists have produced recitals of lullabies: Dawn Upshaw and Richard Goode immediately come to mind. But in this album, though not all of the works are of genius quality, Kirchschlager gives each her considerable talent and the result is a little night music that is equally as lovely for adults as for the intended audience of children (and of course their parents...).

With fine support from the London Metropolitan Ensemble, pianists Roger Vignoles and Helmut Deutsch, guitarist John Williams and violist Yuri Bashmet among others, Kirchschlager offers a rich variety of songs from Mozart, von Weber, Haydn, Brahms, Schubert, Canteloube, de Falla, Copeland, Sondheim, Rogers and Hammerstein and Zelimsky. And no matter the language or the setting they all work. This is an album to cherish and share and raises the respect for Angelika Kirchschlager even higher. Highly Recommended. Grady Harp, January 06

Lullabies for All Ages.......2005-07-13

I bought this CD as a gift for my first grandchild to introduce her to the world of classical music. But when I played it, it enchanted me and my grandchild's parents even more than it did the baby. Angelika Kirschlager is a young Austrian mezzo-soprano who had previously been unknown to me. She sings these simple songs with a beautiful round warmth of tone.

The twenty selections on this CD include Brahms famous lullaby together with two lesser-known songs of Brahms accompanied by piano and viola. Schubert's two lullabies are included, and they are melting. There is a Mozart song (the theme of which he used in the third movement of his final piano concerto) and a Haydn arrangement of the Welsh folk -song "All Through the Night", which features an accompanying trio of violin, cello, and piano.
Aaron Copland's arrangement of "All the Pretty Little Horses" will delight young listeners, and there are songs by Richard Rogers, Steven Sondheim, C.M. Von Weber, and others to fill out an enchanting CD of music and dreams. Ms Kirschlager's singing is the highlight of this CD. She is accompanied well by a variety of pianists and by performers on the guitar, violin, cello, and flute. Texts and translations for the songs are included in the liner notes.

Although I bought this CD for my granddaughter, others dear to me have expressed interest, and I will be buying another copy.

Thanks to my Amazon friend Scott Morrison for recommending this CD and to the other perceptive reviewers of this lovely music.

Robin Friedman

A Wonderful Gift for a Baby!.......2005-02-15

Our family has just been blessed with a new grandson and one of my very thoughtful friends had the brilliant and generous idea to send the baby a copy of this wonderful collection of lullabies and nightsongs done so stunningly by the marvelous German mezzo, Angelika Kirchschlager. I am happy to report that the very first selection, Schubert's 'Wiegenlied' ('Cradle Song'), seemed to make him smile, even at his tender age. This bodes well for his developing discriminating musical taste because Ms Kirchschlager is a terrific singer. Her various accompanists provide sensitive support for her lovely and perfectly managed voice. She sings with impeccable diction in several languages and even in English I don't pick up any accent at all.

I must point out, however, that Amazon has listed the contents of this disc in an order different from that on the CD, but the musical samples they provide do match the titles listed.

Scott Morrison

Voice of an Angel.......2000-05-02

I was first introduced to Ms. Kirchlager three years ago and was instantly impressed. Her sumptuous voice and incredible beauty make her a delight to listen to, time and time again. When Night Falls, is only the most recent of what promises to be a long and impressionable career. From the ever popular "Edelweiss" to the easily recognizable "Wiegenlied", Ms. Kirchschlager approaches each song with the same heart-felt emotion as if she were singing to her own child. I have often listened to her CD late at night to help myself fall into my own sweet dreamland of "The Little Horses".

The Sondheim Collection (Studio Cast Re-recordings)

Average customer rating:

Absolutely Fabulous!
Half & half

The Sondheim Collection (Studio Cast Re-recordings)
Stephen Sondheim
Manufacturer: Varese Sarabande
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Sondheim: The Stephen Sondheim Album
Send in the Clowns: The Ballads of Stephen Sondheim
Sondheim Sings, Vol. 2: 1946-1960
Simply Sondheim: A 75th Birthday Salute
A Collector's Sondheim (Musical Compilation)

ASIN: B00000IGRH
Release Date: 1999-04-20

Tracks:

More - Tom Fay/Lanny Meyers
You'll Never Get Away From Me - Michael Skioff/Larry Moore
I Remember - Tom Fay/Larry Moore
Mama's Talkin' Soft - Tom Fay/Steven Orich
No One Is Alone - Laurie Beechman
Old Friend Part II - Michael Rafter/Jonathan Tunick
Opening - Terry Trotter
Tht Old Piano Roll - James Stenborg/Larry Moore
Children Will Listen - Ron Abel/Steven Orich
You Could Drive A Person Crazy - Peter Matz
Loving You - Lanny Meyers
There's Always A Woman - Larry Moore
What Can You Lose? - Tom Fay/Larry Moore
By The Sea - Terry Trotter
Every Day A Little Death - Todd Ellison/David Siegel
Marry Me A Little - Todd Ellison/David Siegel
Send In The Clowns - Peter Matz
Sooner Or Later - Tom Fay/Lanny Meyers
Goodbye For Now - James Stenborg/Larry Moore

Amazon.com

The Sondheim Collection samples tracks from Varèse Sarabande's vast stable of recordings, including Sondheim at the Movies, Sondheim: A Celebration, and Unsung Sondheim. In addition, tracks are culled from solo recordings by Laurie Beechman, Petula Clark, and Christiane Noll, as well as the duet of Emily Skinner and Alice Ripley. Also included are jazz instrumentals by Terry Trotter and even some songs from the Styne-Sondheim collaboration Gypsy. There's not a lot here to surprise most Sondheim fans, but it's a solid sampler. --David Horiuchi

Customer Reviews:

Absolutely Fabulous!.......1999-10-02

When I got home after finding yet another Sondheim CD, I immediately put this one into the player. And I loved every second of it! Those of you who are against modifications to traditionality of songs might not enjoy a couple of the numbers... like Children Will Listen (Which has a nifty arrangement) or You'll Never Get Away From Me (which I personally haven't heard before... bad me!) But it's all VERY good either way and I found it to be absolutley glorious! I raved on for weeks to my friends about how I loved this new CD my mom got me. And the "Every Day A Little Death" performed by Emily Skinner and Alice Ripley is almost to die for!!! Absolutely beautiful! I recommend anyone and everyone to get this wonderful CD NOW!!!

Half & half.......1999-06-14

There are a lot of wonderful tracks on this that show why Sondheim is considered such a genius. His songs from the motion picture "Dick Tracy", including Jane Krakowski's stunning rendition of "Sooner or Later", are all wonderful, as are the songs from "Unsung Sondheim", such as "The Old Piano Rag". Also, Christiane Noll's "Marry Me A Little" is charming. However, Petula Clarck's version of "Children Will Listen" (a beautiful, sweet song, turned into plain icky) and Judy Kuhn's "You'll Never Get Away From Me" (if I were Jule Styne, I'd have her shot for turning that beautiful song into a jazzy salsa piece of grabage) make it dangerously close to being bad. I'd say go for it if you're seriously interested in Sondheim.

Average customer rating:

jackie& roy are always a joy to listen to...please reissue .

Stephen Sondheim Collection
Jackie Cain , and Roy Kral
Manufacturer: Landmark Distributor
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000000PIQ
Release Date: 1990-06-01

Customer Reviews:

jackie& roy are always a joy to listen to...please reissue ........1999-02-03

jackie cain&roy kral first gained recognition when they were kids with the charlie ventura band in the 1940's. they were doing "bebop" and scat long ago.While this album is wonderful..I sure would love to see several of their albums & tapes reissued for today's "swing dancers". I'll be one of the first in line..'way to go..jackie & roy!

The Andrew Lloyd Webber Collection / Encore

Average customer rating:

Lovely
Encore!
Another way to make money on the back of Sarah

The Andrew Lloyd Webber Collection / Encore

Manufacturer: Decca Broadway
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Time to Say Goodbye
Eden (US Release - 16 tracks)
Sarah Brightman Classics
The Songs That Got Away
Dive

ASIN: B00006LLOO
Release Date: 2002-10-15

Tracks:

Phantom of the Opera
Unexpected Song
Chanson d'Efrance
All I Ask of You
Don't Cry for Me Argentina
Another Suitcase in Another Hall
Love Changes Everything
Amigos Para Siempre (Friends for Life)
Memory
Gus: The Theatre Cat
Anything But Lonely
Macavity: The Mystery Cat
Tell Me on a Sunday
Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again
Pie Jesu
Music of the Night

Tracks:

Whitsle Down the Wind {From Whistle Down the Wind}
Away from You {From Rex}
Guardami (With One Look) {From Sunset Boulevard} [Italian Version]
Think of Me {From the Phantom of the Opera}
One More Walk the Around the Garden {From Carmelina}
Surrender {From Sunset Boulevard}
If I Ever Fall in Love Again {From the Crooked Mile}
Half a Moment {From Jeeves}
Piano (Memory) {From Cats} [Italian Version]
What More Do I Need {From Saturday Night}
There Is More to Love {From Aspects of Love}
Last Man in My Life {From Song and Dance}
In the Mandarin's Orchid Garden {From East Is West}
Nothing Like You've Ever Known {From Tell Me on a Sunday and Song and D
Chi il Bel Sogno Di Doretta {From la Rondine}

Amazon.com

In a career that's veered from '70s pop chanteuse to Broadway star and neo-operatic diva, Sarah Brightman has brought a critics-be-damned sense of dramatic scale to nearly every project she's tackled. This two-CD package of 31 hits brings together selections from Brightman's original Andrew Lloyd Webber Collection, including many definitive versions of Lloyd Webber classics. Also included are songs from her album Encore, which itself was largely culled from her Songs That Got Away and Surrender song anthologies, although they do include four previously unreleased outtakes from those collections.

Her 1998 recording of the title song from ex-husband Andrew Lloyd Webber's Whistle Down the Wind succeeds by emphasizing its melodic grace with a deft, airy touch, while the remainder rescue worthy songs from obscure or failed musicals. From Lerner and Lane's 1959 Carmelina comes the lovely "One More Walk Around the Garden." Stephen Sondheim's youthful 1954 debut, Saturday Night, yields a sprightly take on "What More Do I Need," and an operatic reading of "In the Mandarin's Orchid Garden," from the Gershwins' unproduced 1929 East Is West, is also included. If the selection leans a little too heavily on the Lloyd Webber connection elsewhere (including Italian versions of "Guardami (With One Look)" from Sunset Boulevard and "Piano (Memory)" from Cats, delivered in her patently restraint-free soprano), they're only reminders that shrewdness has hardly been the least of Brightman's talents. --Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews:

Lovely.......2007-01-09

Both of these discs afford great pleasure. The Lloyd Webber compilation presents many of his biggest hits in fine performances by his ex-wife. The Encore disc gives fascinating glimpses of worthy but little known pieces from musicals. Arrangements are wonderful, and Sarah Brightman is in excellent voice throughout. At times she has a tendency to wax a bit operatic, but she certainly does have the chops to bring it off successfully, so I'm not complaining. Obviously, Ms. Brightman was trained in the classical tradition, and she knows how to use her voice to best advantage in service to the material. In short, she has musical integrity.

Encore!.......2004-09-29

Before she was a sparkling pop/classical diva, Sarah Brightman was a Broadway star and the onetime wife of the legendary Andrew Lloyd Webber. This two-disc set that includes her "Encore," a collection of songs from mostly-obscure musicals, and "The Andrew Lloyd Webber Collection," several of Webber's songs (mostly picked from "Songs That Got Away" and "Surrender").

"Andrew Lloyd Webber Collection" starts off with the gothic "Phantom of the Opera," but quickly moves on to lighter fare in the airy "Unexpected Song," a soaring duet with Cliff Richards in "All I Ask Of You," the sparkling "Love Changes Everything," and some tepid forays into the shrill "Don't Cry for Me, Argentina" and "Memory."

"Encore" is far more ethereal and steady. The piano-led "Whistle Down The Wind" starts it off on a strong note, before the aching "Away From You," operatic "Think of Me," affectionate "If I Ever Fall in Love Again," and the symphonic "Nothing Like You've Ever Known." A particular highlight is the sparkling "What More Do I Need," a little tune that celebrates how love brightens up even the most dingy little apartment, in the most miserable weather. "With your love/what more do I need?"

Sarah Brightman was obviously on solid footing with these two CDs. It might leave a bad taste in some fans' mouths that "Collection" is mostly compiled from a pair of other Brightman albums, but if listeners don't have "Surrender" and "Songs That Got Away," this two-disc set would be an excellent way to acquaint themselves with it.

"Encore" is steady and well-suited for Brightman's voice, as well as having a sort of Victorian-garden air. "Andrew Lloyd Webber Collection" has the most flaws of the two -- some of the songs like "Memory" aren't suited to Brightman's voice, and she comes across as shrill and uneasy. But in songs written for her talents and "Encore," her voice alternately soars and murmurs in an airy soprano.

Sarah Brightman reached her artistic pinnacle so far in the velvety "Eden," but her stuff here is still quite beautiful. "The Andrew Lloyd Webber Collection/Encore" two-pack is a satisfying look at some of Brightman's Broadway-based songs.

Another way to make money on the back of Sarah.......2002-11-28

Yes, it's true. Sarah has nothing to do with these cds, but her voice. It's another record that Andrew Lloyd Webber's Really "not that" Useful Group release to make money. Those two cds are very good though. If you have one of them, i suggest to get the other separatly.

Average customer rating:

Stephen Sondheim Collection
Jackie Cain
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Musicals | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music
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Spring Can Really Hang You up the Most

ASIN: B000008AID
Release Date: 1993-11-09

Tracks:

Merrily We Roll Along/Comedy Tonight/The Little Thing You Do Together
Barcelona
So Many People
Love Is in the Air
Not a Day Goes By
Goe-Why-Don't-You-Love-Me-Blues
Theme from Stavisky
I Remember
Merrily We Roll Along/Together Wherever We Go
Anyone Can Whistle
I Do Like You
Johanna
Everybody Says Don't
Merrily We Roll Along/Side by Side by Side
Send in the Clowns

Average customer rating:

AWESOME!

Stephen Sondheim Collection
Jackie & Roy
Manufacturer: Drg
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music

Tracks:

Merrily We Roll Along/Comedy Tonight/The Little Thing You Do Together
Barcelona
So Many People
Love Is in the Air
Not a Day Goes By
Goe-Why-Don't-You-Love-Me-Blues
Theme from Stavisky
I Remember
Merrily We Roll Along/Together Wherever We Go
Anyone Can Whistle
I Do Like You
Johanna
Everybody Says Don't
Merrily We Roll Along/Side by Side by Side
Send in the Clowns

Customer Reviews:

AWESOME!.......2006-02-06

Track Listing:

1. Merrily We Roll Along/Comedy Tonight/The Little Thing You Do 2. Together
3. Barcelona
4. So Many People
5. Love Is in the Air
6. Not a Day Goes By
7. Goe-Why-Don't-You-Love-Me-Blues
8. Theme from Stavisky
9. I Remember
10. Merrily We Roll Along/Together Wherever We Go
11. Anyone Can Whistle
12. I Do Like You
13. Johanna
14. Everybody Says Don't
15. Merrily We Roll Along/Side by Side by Side
16. Send in the Clowns

Average customer rating:

The DIVAS Collection is filled with West End Divas!

Divas Collection

Manufacturer: First Night Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Modern & 20th Century | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B00004S8BJ
Release Date: 2003-06-17

Tracks:

Anything Goes [From Anything Goes] - Elaine Page
I Dreamed a Dream [From Les Misbles] - Patti LuPone
Easy Terms [From Blood Brothers]
Movie in My Mind [From Miss Saigon] - Joanna Ampil, Sonia Swaby
I'm in Love With a Wonderful Guy - Gemma Craven
Losing My Mind [From Follies] - Julia McKenzie
Last Man in My Life [From Tell Me on a Sunday] - Marti Webb
I Don't Know How to Love Him [From Jesus Christ Superstar] - Claire Moore
Smoke Gets in Your Eyes [From Kern] - Elisabeth Welch
Wasted Life Blues [From Blues in the Night] - Carol Woods
Maybe This One Time [From Cabaret]
I Got Lost in His Arms [From Annie Get Your Gun] - Suzi Quatro
As Long as He Needs Me [From Oliver!] - Sally Dexter
Someone to Watch Over Me [From Crazy for You - Ruthie Henshall
On My Own [From Les Misbles] - Kaho Shimada
Tell Me It's Not True [From Blood Brothers] - Stephanie Lawrence

Customer Reviews:

The DIVAS Collection is filled with West End Divas!.......2001-12-26

This cd entitled, "The Divas Collection" is a compilation album filled with West End Divas and Their favorite songs from the shows they played in!

1)"Anything Goes" - Elaine Paige
2)"I Dreamed A Dream" - Patti LuPone
3)"Easy Terms" - Petula Clark of Blood Brothers
4)"The Movie In My Mind" - Joanna Ampil & Sonia Swaby
5)"I'm in Love With A Wonderful Guy" - Gemma Craven
6)"Losing My Mind" - Julia McKenzie
7)"The Last Man In My Life" - Marti Webb
8)"I Dont't Know How To Love Him" - Claire Moore
9)"Somke Gets In Your Eyes" - Elisabeth Welch of Kern
10)"Wasted Life Blues" - Carol Woods of Blues in the Night
11)"Maybe This Time" - Kelly Hunter
12)"I Got Lost In His Arms" - Suzi Quatro
13)"As Long As He Needs Me" - Sally Dexter
14)"Someone To Watch Over Me" - Ruthie Henshall
15)"On My Own" - Kaho Shimada
16)"Tell Me It's Not True" - Stephanie Lawrence of Blood Brothers

These are all great songs but I don't think the best singers were chosen to represent them. But they are all wonderful and enjoyable tracks taken right off the cast album of each of their shows.

Music:

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