i have dreamed

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Minneapolis-based Connie Evingson combines her experience in musical theater with her jazz singing in I Have Dreamed, a 55-minute set of Broadway standards backed by a crack ensemble. If there's a fault here, it's that the selections seem a little too safe--an overreliance on My Fair Lady and Rodgers and Hammerstein tunes that we've heard umpteen times before. That's probably why the highlight is a searing take on The Golden Apple's "Lazy Afternoon," with guitar and percussion providing her only accompaniment. Evingson fans will want this CD, but novices would do better to start with her more straightforward jazz releases, Fever: A Tribute to Peggy Lee and Some Cats Know. --David Horiuchi

About the Artist
Jazz vocalist Connie Evingson is based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She has appeared in clubs and concert halls in New York, Chicago, Kansas City, San Francisco, Scottsdale, Seattle, and Rome, Italy, and has been a guest soloist with the Minnesota Orchestra and the Toronto Symphony conducted by Doc Severinsen. Ms. Evingson is a member of the popular vocal jazz ensemble Moore By Four, recording and touring in the U.S., Europe, and Japan since 1986. Her theatrical credits include productions of... read more

i have dreamed

Tracks:

Main Title - 20th Century-Fox Orchestra/Alfred Newman
I Whistle A Happy Tune - Marni Nixon/Rex Thompson
My Lord And Master - Rita Moreno
The March Of The Siamese Children - 20th Century-Fox Orchestra/Alfred Newman
Anna And The Royal Wives - 20th Century-Fox Orchestra/Alfred Newman
Hello, Young Lovers - Marni Nixon
A Puzzlement - Yul Brynner
Getting To Know You - Deborah Kerr/Marni Nixon
Garden Rendezvous - 20th Century-Fox Orchestra/Alfred Newman
We Kiss In A Shadow - Leona Gordon/Reuben Fuentes
I Have Dreamed - Leona Gordon/Reuben Fuentes
Shall I Tell You What I Think Of You? - Deborah Kerr/Marni Nixon
Something Wonderful - Terry Saunders
Prayer To Buddha - Yul Brynner
Waltz Of Anna And Sir Edward - 20th Century-Fox Orchestra/Alfred Newman
The Small House Of Uncle Thomas - Rita Moreno
Song Of The King - Yul Brynner/Marni Nixon
Shall We Dance? - Deborah Kerr/Marni Nixon/Yul Brynner
The Letter - 20th Century-Fox Orchestra/Alfred Newman
Something Wonderful (Finale) - Chorus/Alfred Newman
Overture (LP Version) - 20th Century-Fox Orchestra/Alfred Newman

Amazon.com essential recording

Compared with the Broadway cast recording, the 1956 soundtrack to the film version of The King and I wins hands down. Yul Brynner is the king (literally and figuratively) in both formats (how could anyone else own such a role?), but the movie's score has better sonics, Brynner's voice is stronger, and the tunes are more memorable (thanks to Alfred Newman's conducting and Ken Darby's scoring) than on any of the various cast recordings. Marni Nixon sings the role of Anna (played onscreen by Deborah Kerr), Brynner delivers his hallmark performance, and the best-loved tunes--"Hello, Young Lovers," "Getting to Know You," and "I Whistle a Happy Tune" are the versions we'll always remember. A classic. --James Hendrickson

Customer Reviews:

FINALLY, KEER AND NIXON BOTH SING.......2007-05-26

WHAT A COMPLETE JOY TO HEAR MARNI NIXON AND
DEBORAH KERR BOTH SING. TRULY A COLLECTORS
ITEM WITH ALL THE NOSTALGIA, OUTSHINES ALL
OTHER ATTEMPTS TO RE-MASTER THIS MAGNIFICANT
MUSIC.

The King and I--a distinguished, beautiful score laced with tenderness and sorrow.......2007-04-08

The King And I soundtrack is presented magnificently on this excellent 76 minute CD. This CD offers us much music and vocals that were cut from the film as well as material that never made it to the record album release of the soundtrack back in 1956. We get stunning performances by giants including Yul Brynner, Terry Saunders and Marni Nixon. This CD is so complete and generous with it's treatment of the soundtrack that it must be considered as the definitive soundtrack edition of the music from The King And I.

The CD starts off with the music for the "main title" of the film; and this also serves as an appetizer to whet out appetites for what's to come. "I Whistle A Happy Tune" gives us Marni Nixon singing the vocals for Deborah Kerr; the melody is infectiously catchy; this song is one of the highlights of the CD. "My Lord And Master," performed by Leona Gordon who sang the vocals for Rita Moreno, is another masterpiece with a softness to it that belies the pain Rita's character Tuptim feels because she is separated from her one true love. "The March Of The Siamese Children" is performed by the 20th Century Fox Orchestra to perfection without a single superfluous note; the melody infuses this number with an Asian flavor as well.

Other gems on this CD--and that would, quite honestly, include every single track--include "Hello, Young Lovers" sung by Marni Nixon as Deborah Kerr's character Anna Leonowens laments a love gone awry back in England; the touching and heartrending "We Kiss In A Shadow;" Terry Saunders as Lady Thiang performing "Something Wonderful" with exceptional sensitivity and "Shall We Dance?" which is performed by Deborah Kerr, Marni Nixon and Yul Brynner. As you listen to numbers like "Shall We Dance?" that calls for Anna, played by Deborah Kerr, to speak and then sing, you will have a hard time discerning where Deborah Kerr leaves off speaking and Marni Nixon starts singing. It's THAT good.

As long as I include the words "Something Wonderful" when writing this review I must add that the extras you get are stupendous. As I stated above, the CD boasts much that the record album soundtrack never included. Indeed, we get music that didn't even make it to the final cut of the movie! I loved the beautiful and sensitive rendition of "The Small House Of Uncle Thomas" which was previously unreleased and "Shall I Tell You What I Think Of You" is a marvelous song--cut from the final edited edition of the film--that highlights Anna's contempt for the King's backward ways.

The CD package offers more still. Along with the CD comes a generous 32 page booklet with an extensive essay by Charles L. Granata that tells the history of both the stage play and the making of the stage play into a major motion picture at Fox. In addition, you get the song credits and there are rarely seen photographs as well.

The quality of the sound shines like solid gold. These performances reflect great sensitivity to the emotions each character felt. It is a special treat to listen to Yul Brynner's songs; he infuses each song and even every word with just the right emotions so that the listener experiences exactly what his character feels at every turn.

This CD is one of the very few that truly remind me of the old MGM logo which boasted of having "more stars than there are in the heavens." Indeed, five stars are nowhere near enough for this treasure. I highly recommend this CD for people who truly loved and appreciated The King And I both in its several onstage productions as well as on the big screen; and fans of show tunes will delight in this CD soundtrack with its' diamonds scattered broadly in all directions.

A fine King and I soundtrack reissue.......2007-02-10

Of the three recent EMI-Angel R&H film soundtrack reissues, I find that this reissue of the King & I soundtrack is the best-executed. The King and I shows a new maturing of the R&H element and this superb 1956 film adaptation more than certainly does it justice. The superb soundtrack presented here includes the complete score, along with some of Alfred Newman's underscoring, and boasts splendid performances by Marni Nixon and Yul Brynner. And of course the orchestra is sumptuous and properly lush, enveloping us in sweltering renditions of some of Rodgers' most heartfelt melodies.

I won't reiterate the critic-proof performances here. Other reviewers have covered them elsewhere. Nixon as a voice-dubber is in her element as Anna, and portrays her characterfully. Brynner is in his element as the King, as firm, commanding and authoritative as we've always known him to be. This performance shows him at his best, ripe, fresh and mature. Leona Gordon and Reuben Fuentes shine as the star-crossed lovers Tuptim and Lun Tha, bringing a melancholic quality to their brief numbers. It's really a treat to hear their renditions of the omitted songs My Lord and Master and I Have Dreamed. Rita Moreno as the real Tuptim acquits herself well when narrating the Uncle Tom's Cabin ballet sequence, presented for the first time on an official soundtrack recording. It's good to also hear Terry Saunders as Lady Thiang, in a heartfelt, humane and imploring rendition of Something Wonderful, and she is the icing on the cake of this superb soundtrack recording.

This EMI-Angel R&H soundtrack offers an extra benefit in addition to the extra musical sequences. Unlike the companion CDs of Oklahoma and Carousel, it presents the extra material from the original unmixed studio vault masters, except for the Prayer to Buddha and the Uncle Tom's Cabin ballet. This means that this reissue is blessedly free of the extraneous sound effects that plague the Oklahoma and Carousel CDs. I know that the sound effects and little snippets of dialogue drown out the music, but at least these reissues are a start in presenting comprehensive R&H soundtracks worthy of their films. What a pity that none of these R&H soundtrack reissues aren't 2-CD sets, otherwise we would have been able to hear the underscore.

In short, this is a superb presentation of a fine R&H film soundtrack.

great album.......2006-07-15

Great songs for kids to learn to sing along, instead of bubble gum fluff.

a classic.......2006-06-05

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

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

Bryn Terfel - Something Wonderful (Bryn Terfel sings Rodgers & Hammerstein)

Average customer rating:

I have just been introduced.
Great Music + Terrific Lyrics +Decent Singing = Very Nice CD
A new meaning of throat singing.
Superb matchmaking in Terfel's R&H recital
Broadway or Opera... This CD is indeed ýSomething Wonderfulý

Bryn Terfel - Something Wonderful (Bryn Terfel sings Rodgers & Hammerstein)
Bryn Terfel , English Northern Philharmonia , Paul Daniel , Opera North Chorus , Richard Rodgers , and Oscar Hammerstein II
Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000001GRP
Release Date: 1996-09-10

Tracks:

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

Amazon.com

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

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Tracks:

On A Clear Day
A Cock-Eyed Optimist
Hello, Young Lovers
Here I'll Stay
My Fair Lady Shuffle: Overture/Wouldn't It Be Loverly/Let A Woman/Just You Wait/Poor Professional...
Getting To Know You
Living In The Shadows
Bewitched
I Have Dreamed
My Funny Valentine
Camelot Suite: Camelot/The Simple Joys Of Maidenhood/How To Handle A Woman/If Ever I Would...
Crazy World
If I Loved You
Edelweiss
The Sound Of Music

Customer Reviews:

5 STARS AND THEN SOME !!.......2006-02-10

Oh Julie, the songs you sang on this CD are superb. I wish you could still give us that joy. If you can only sing in the low registers, give us jazz!! You can do it I just know you can!!

Pretty Sad, .......2005-10-27

Hollywood veteran Julie Andrews has had a glorious career, but not without its downsides. Her legend is built on "The Sound of Music" and "Mary Poppins" and other glorious roles. Her abilities as a singer were never impressive or great, her voice often sounded weak, but she always knew how to sing around her very limited vocal range. On this collection she performs some of the greatest Broadway tunes ever written and even though she does a good job, her voice just doesn't hold up against many of these tunes. Her warmth is felt all over the album, in "Here I'll Stay" she wraps her gentle, but narrow, voice around it and in "My Funny Valentine" she sticks to the lower register of her voice. However, in the re-recording of her classic "Sound of Music" and in "On a Clear Day You Can See Forever" her voice fails her, it often sounds thin and airy and it's actually quite sad to listen to. When all is said and done Julie Andrews remains a great talent, and most of that talent is largely due to her amazing capability as a performer and her genuine warmth.

I FELL IN LOVE WITH JULIE ALL OVER AGAIN.......2005-06-25

As a young kid growing up in the Philippines I remember my Dad playing his state-of-the-art Aiwa tape recorder back in the 60s and hearing Julie Andrews' voice - truly the voice of an angel! Now, hearing these songs again with adult ears I fell in love with her voice all over again !

A Great Julie Andrews CD.......2002-01-27

If you are a fan of Dame Julie's and musicals, this is the cd for you. It is a compilation of songs from prevously released albums; The King and I, The Music of Richard Rodgers, Here I'll Stay, and Victor/Victoria, Original Broadway Cast Recording.
I found the material to be very well put together giving the listener selections from My Fair Lady, Camelot, The Sound of Music, Victor/Victoria and others. What more could you want?
As for Ms. Andrews, she is superb. There is simply no one like her. I have heard comments that prior to the infamous throat surgery she was unable to handle the difficult material and hit those high notes. This is just not true. All you have to do is listen to these songs recorded in the early 90's to know that she still had a marvelous voice. Lets hope that one day she will be able to sing and record again. If not, these may be her last recordings so treasure them.

The My Fair Lady suite is wonderful and Ms. Andrews definitely hit the high note at the end of "I Could Have Danced All Night".
Her version of "Edelweiss" and "The Sound of Music" are lovely.
Also worth listening to is "Living in the Shadows" written for the Broadway production of Victor/Victoria so you won't find it on the movie soundtrack. The lyrics are by Leslie Bricusse who also penned "Crazy World", which is another great selection on this cd.

Overall this is a cd worth having in your collection, so buy it today. Otherwise you are missing out.

Climbing Every Mountain with Mary Poppins.......2002-01-22

Julie Andrews and her music have been an inspiration to me
every since I stepped into a theater and watched Mary Poppins
(many years ago). I admire her talent and her voice on this CD. I know it is not as clear a voice as she used to have but I still enjoy listening to her. I listen to this CD when I want a "pick me up" and am proud to have it as part of my collection.

Average customer rating:

You'll be disappointed
Pretty good musical mix

Greatest Songs from the Musicals
Various Artists
Manufacturer: Soho
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000077JS0
Release Date: 2002-10-21

Tracks:

Aquarius [From Hair] - Steve Brooker, NSO Ensemble, , Caroline O'Connor
If I Can't Love Her [From Beauty and the Beast] - Ethan Freeman, National Symphony Orchestra, Martin Yates
I Could Have Danced All Night [From My Fair Lady] - Katrina Murphy, National Symphony Orchestra
Can You Feel the Love Tonight? [From The Lion King] - John Barrowman, National Symphony Orchestra, Martin Yates
What I Did for Love [from a Chorus Line] - National Symphony Orchestra, Catherine Porter, Martin Yates
This Is the Moment [From Jekyll and Hyde] - Gary Mauer, National Symphony Orchestra, Martin Yates
All That Jazz [From Chicago] - Paulette Ivory, Julian Kelly, Katrina Murphy, National Symphony Orchestra, Sally Ann Triplett
Impossible Dream [From Man of La Mancha] - Ethan Freeman, National Symphony Orchestra, Martin Yates
America [From West Side Story] - National Symphony Orchestra
Written in the Stars [From Aida] - Simon Bowman, NSO Ensemble, Sally Ann Triplett, Martin Yates
Mame [From Mame] - Jerry Lanning, National Symphony Orchestra, Martin Yates
Some Enchanted Evening [From South Pacific] - Thomas Allen, John Owen Edwards, Philharmonic Orchestra
I Am What I Am [From LA Cage aux Follies] - Janet Glazener, Leslie Uggams
One Song Glory [From Rent] - Sean McDermott, Martin Yates

Tracks:

Phantom of the Opera [From The Phantom of the Opera] - Ethan Freeman, Claire Moore, National Symphony Orchestra, Martin Yates
I Dreamed a Dream [From Les Miserables] - National Symphony Orchestra, Jacqui Scott, Martin Yates
Bui Doi [From Miss Saigon] - Ethan Freeman, National Symphony Orchestra, Martin Yates
As Long as He Needs Me [From Oliver!] - National Symphony Orchestra,
Time Warp [From the Rocky Horror Picture Show] - Anita Dobson, NSO Ensemble, Martin Yates,
Memory [From Cats] - Kim Criswell, National Symphony Orchestra, Martin Yates
Why God Why [From Miss Saigon] - Graham Bickley, National Symphony Orchestra, Martin Yates
I Know Him So Well [From Chess] - Katrina Murphy, NSO Ensemble, Sally Ann Triplett, Martin Yates
One Day More [From Les Miserables] - National Symphony Orchestra, Martin Yates
Peggy Sue [From Buddy Holly Story] - Dominic Curtis
Empty Charis at Empty Tables [From Les Miserables] - Graham Bickley, National Symphony Orchestra, Martin Yates
Dancing Queen [From Mamma Mia!] - Julian Kelly, NSO Ensemble, , Caroline O'Connor
All I Ask of You [From The Phantom of the Opera] - Andrew Halliday, , National Symphony Orchestra, Martin Yates
We Will Rock You [From We Will Rock You] - Martin Yates

Tracks:

It's a Grand Night for Singing [From State Fair] - National Symphony Orchestra
If I Were a Rich Man [From Fiddler on the Roof] - Jerry Lanning, National Symphony Orchestra
I Talk to the Trees [From Paint Your Wagon] - Ethan Freeman, National Symphony Orchestra, Martin Yates
Over the Rainbow [From The Wizard of Oz] - Gillian Bevan, , John Owen Edwards, , Royal Shakespeare Company
Bless Yore Beautiful Hide [From Seven Brides for Seven Brothers] - Hal Fowler, National Symphony Orchestra, Martin Yates
Grease [From Grease] - John Barrowman, NSO Ensemble, Martin Yates
Woman in Love [From Guys and Dolls] - Gregg Edelman, , Emily Loesser, National Symphony Orchestra
Secret Love [From Calamity Jane] - Debbie Gravitte, National Symphony Orchestra
Quintet [From West Side Story] - National Symphony Orchestra
I Will Always Love You [From the Best Little Whorehouse in Texas] - Salena Jones, John Pearce
Money, Money [From "Caberet"] - Maria Friedman, National Symphony Orchestra, Jonathan Pryce
If My Friends Could See Me Now (Sweet Charity) - Jacqueline Dankworth, National Symphony Orchestra, Martin Yates
Thank Heaven for Little Girls [From Gigi] - Ron Moody, National Symphony Orchestra, Martin Yates
Singin' in the Rain [From Singin' in the Rain] - Craig Barna, National Symphony Orchestra, Paul Robinson

Customer Reviews:

You'll be disappointed.......2006-09-02

Not the original artists. Very weak versions of beloved songs by marginal to downright bad vocalists.

Pretty good musical mix.......2006-03-10

Lots of great and clear vocals. I was looking for a musical mix and this has a nice sampling of many major songs but also some more recent stuff. I haven't purchased an import before but I would do it again if the opportunity presented itself. It is somewhat annoying to have three cds when I think it could have fit onto two. Still, more than I have complaints, I have compliments about it.

The King And I (1977 Broadway Revival Cast)

Average customer rating:

Best version of King and I
CD by which all other KING AND I discs are measured
good revival recording; Constance Towers is lovely
Required listening!
A MUST FOR ALL 'KING AND I' FANS

The King And I (1977 Broadway Revival Cast)
Oscar Hammerstein II
Manufacturer: RCA Victor Broadway
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000002W40
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Overture
Arrival At Bangkok/I Whistle A Happy Tune
My Lord And Master
Hello, Young Lovers
March Of The Siamese Children
Children Sing, Priests Chant
A Puzzlement
The Royal Bangkok Academy
Getting To Know You
So Big A World
We Kiss In A Shadow
A Puzzlement
Shall I Tell You What I Think Of You?
Something Wonderful
Finale To Act I
Western People Funny
Dance Of Anna And Sir Edward
I Have Dreamed
Song Of The King
Shall We Dance?
Finale

Customer Reviews:

Best version of King and I.......2004-07-26

This 1977 version really tells you what this show is made of!!! Yul Brynner is in prime form with A Puzzlement (finally being recorded with the full score), and Constance Towers makes a fine Anna Lenowans. The added dialouge tracks add a special personality to the CD, and help the listener who may have never seen the show to understand it. The 1956 soundtrack (remastered) is okay compared to this, and the 1951 Decca Broadway album is deplorable compared to this. Only version you will ever need. Highly Reccomended!!!!!!!!!

CD by which all other KING AND I discs are measured.......2004-02-17

By the time RCA recorded this album of the 1977 revival of THE KING AND I the show had been playing on Broadway for six months and the cast had settled happily into their roles. The result is a vividly theatrical recordng that, except for the "Small House of Uncle Thomas" ballet, contains the entire musical score.

I would like to correct reviewer Arne Anderson: Brynner was not dying from cancer when this production played. He returned to Broadway with the show again in 1985 just six months before his death and by that time, yes, he voice was showing noticable deterioration. But when this production played the Uris theatre in 1977 and 78 he was in fine voice. True, it is not the youthful voice heard on the original 1951 cast album but with the years come many more layers to the performance.

It also helps that several dialogue moments such as the King's soliloquy "So Big a World" are included on this record. The dialogue also plays an important part in the way Thomas Z. Shepard has laid out the record. For example, the famous "Shall We Dance" sequence. On this recording, the whole scene is prsented and suddenly what on other KING AND I cd's is just another great R & H song, is a dramatic highlight. Also, the Cd closes with a recording of the entire final scene. It is incredibly moving.

Constance Towers sounds properly mature as Mrs Anna, and all the secondary roles have been thoghtfully cast by wonderful singer/actors. Bear in mind, Richard Rodgers was still alive when this production and recording were made and was at the recording sessions. In fact, it would be the final cast recording of one of his shows he would supervise. This guarantees it is an authenic recording.

The package includes good background notes and a fully detailed synopsis of the show.

This album was recorded Monday October 31, 1977. On Tuesday November 1, 1977 I attended the performance at the Uris theatre. It was my first Broadway show. So, for me, this album holds extra special memories.

good revival recording; Constance Towers is lovely.......2003-10-12

This cast album to the acclaimed 1977 Broadway revival of THE KING AND I is a must-own for all fans of the beloved Rodgers and Hammerstein musical. Yul Brynner again heads the cast as the imperious King, with Constance Towers as Mrs Anna and June Angela as Tuptim.

Yul Brynner asked his good friend Yuriko (the original Eliza in the "Uncle Tom's Cabin" ballet in the 1951 Broadway production and later the film version) to direct this production and also recreate Jerome Robbins' choreography for the ballet. Yuriko perfectly reproduced all this and more with this sumptuous revival, which embarked on an extensive touring season following it's Broadway engagement, before coming back to New York in 1985, the year that Brynner succumbed to cancer.

Constance Towers is quite lovely in the role of Mrs Anna, offering up glowing renditions of "I Whistle a Happy Tune", "Getting to Know You", "Hello Young Lovers" and "Shall I Tell You What I Think of You?".

June Angela, apparently the youngest actress to play Tuptim in a major revival, lets her gorgeous soprano loose with her breathtaking "My Lord and Master" as well as her duets with the Lun Tha of Martin Vidnovic (OKLAHOMA!) in "I Have Dreamed" and "We Kiss in a Shadow".

Hye-Young Choi is a lovely Lady Thiang, singing a heartbreaking "Something Wonderful". The rest of the cast is superb.

All-in-all, an essential cast album of THE KING AND I, and one you will really adore.

Required listening!.......2000-06-16

The 2 love duets between Martin Vidnovic and June Angela are worth the price of admission in themselves, plus you get the complete score including "I Have Dreamed", which for some unbelievable reason was cut from the film.

A MUST FOR ALL 'KING AND I' FANS.......2000-02-10

BRILLIANT! A MUST for all 'King and I' fans. It has ALMOST ALL the 'King and I' songs, except for 'The Royal Dancing Wives' Dance' and 'Uncle Tom's Cabin - The Ballet'. However, the voices are more 'opera-based', especially June Angela and Constance Towers, but what does that better? The singers are simply SUPBERB. Constance Towers portrays a SPLENDID Anna, even though Marni Nixon has a sweeter, smoother voice. June Angela sings 'My Lord and Master' and the other songs BEAUTIFULLY, I don't know how she reached all those high notes, but then again, Rita Moreno is 'smoother'. Yul Brynner is wonderful as usual, Martin Vidvonic(Lun Tha) sings MUCH better than Carlos Riva's singing voice in the 1956 movie, and as for Hye-Young Choir, I think she beats Terry Saunders. Her best song is 'Western People Funny'. And Gene Profanto and Alan Amick who play Prince Chulalonkorn and Louis are BRILLIANT too, and they sing 'A Puzzlement(reprise)' REALLY well. However, Constance Tower's 'Shall I Tell You What I Think of You' is not that good, and Marni Nixon is alot better anyway, because Towers sounds like an old woman at times. Anyway, overall, this IS a MUST!

Rodgers & Hammerstein: Songbook for Orchestra (Orchestral Suites)

Average customer rating:

Irresistible
"Some Enchanted Evening" with Kunzel and the Cincinnati Pops
Excellent!
Great Arrangments

Rodgers & Hammerstein: Songbook for Orchestra (Orchestral Suites)

Manufacturer: Telarc
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Lerner & Loewe Songbook for Orchestra
Rodgers & Hammerstein - The Complete Overtures ~ Opening Night / Hollywood Bowl Orchestra · Mauceri
Puttin' on the Ritz: The Great Hollywood Musicals
The Sound Of Music (1987 Studio Cast)
Classics of the Silver Screen

ASIN: B000003CXQ
Release Date: 1992-01-28

Tracks:

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

Customer Reviews:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Average customer rating:

Learning About Love While Yearning
Great !
Number one
she believes the hype
Lovely voice, lovely songs

The Broadway Album

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Back to Broadway
The Movie Album
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The Third Album

ASIN: B00000264K
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Putting It Together
If I Loved You
Something's Coming
Not While I'm Around
Being Alive
I Have Dreamed/We Kiss In A Shadow/Something Won..
Adelaide's Lament
Send In The Clowns
Pretty Women/The Ladies Who Lunch
Can't Help Lovin' That Man
I Loves You Porgy/Porgy, I's Your Woman Now...
Somewhere

Amazon.com

As its title indicates, this 1985 recording marked Barbra Streisand's return to her Broadway roots (significantly, she had dropped her pop-period Guilty perm and returned to straight hair). The CD contains a broad selection of show tunes, from Guys and Dolls's "Adelaide's Lament" to Sweeney Todd's "Not While I'm Around." But let's face it: this may also be one of Babs's most dated albums, due to typically '80s synthesizer-heavy arrangements that simply don't work with the material. Company's "Being Alive" is scarred by a preening alto sax, while West Side Story's "Something's Coming" features what sounds suspiciously like syndrums. But--and it's a pretty big "but"--Streisand sounds more buttery than ever ("Send in the Clowns" may be one of her finest '80s moments), so much so that she often manages to overcome the cheesy production. Now that's a singer. --Elisabeth Vincentelli

Customer Reviews:

Learning About Love While Yearning.......2007-06-09

C. Kenneth Burkholder, who via an understanding was at the time of the original release of this was Barbra's prospectve father-in-law and whose death has occurred, said of this "If I Loved You", "That's nice." The tragicomic rendition of part of Adelaide fascinatingly points out some dangers of stripping for pay.
Just past the beginning of creating "What Times Are," a musical by (a) pacifist(s) as well as an adaptation of my play "What Time Is It, Neil Armstrong?," which is a sequel to my novel "How Did That Sun Get Out," I am inspired by the yearning apparent in "The Broadway Album"--a yearning not for perfection but for worthwhile ways for people all over the earth and in space to spend time.

Great !.......2007-02-27

I bought the CD to replace my worn-out cassette tape, and I was pleased to find it has one more track -- Adelaide's Lament -- which I enjoyed. Nice to have another comic song to balance out the love songs. She brings out the beauty of these lovely tunes.

Number one .......2007-02-05

Barbra is the number one female ballad singer of all time. No one has her range of feeling, the sheer lyric power of her voice, her sometimes exaggerated but often poignant power to dramatically express feeling. She can create the chill down the spine with a small trill or with a wild unexpected crescendo. 'Broadway' is her first home, and acting a song as she sings it comes natural to her.
This is one of her finest albums.

she believes the hype.......2006-10-12

This is from the big-shot who thinks she can control a political party and tell fans what to think about issues despite being a high-school dropout. She's a good singer, but not the best. She basically needs to shut the eff up and sing. Hey, those are her words, right?

Lovely voice, lovely songs.......2006-08-02

This album contains the choicest of Broadway hits given an outstanding interpretation by the Streisand. Barbra's flawless voice moves up and down with ease as the melodies unfold. Perfect!

My Favorite Things: A Richard Rodgers Celebration

Average customer rating:

Actually a great recording -
The glass is half full on this project
Rodgers - 5, Pops - 3
A Mixed Bag
Boston Pops: A Richard Rodgers Celebration

My Favorite Things: A Richard Rodgers Celebration
Jason Danieley , and Boston Pops Orchestra
Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0000640NM
Release Date: 2002-04-23

Tracks:

Main Title (Oklahoma!)
"My Favorite Things" (The Sound of Music)
"The Surrey with the Fringe on Top" (Oklahoma!)
Overture to Babes in Arms
"Slaughter on 10th Avenue" (On Your Toes)
"March of the Clowns" (Nursery Ballet)
"I Have Dreamed" (The King and I)
"Grant Avenue" (Flower Drum Song)
"D-Day" (Victory at Sea)
"The Sound of Music" (The Sound of Music)
"Mountain Greenery" (The Garrick Gaieties of 1926)
"The Carousel Waltz" (Carousel)
"Shall We Dance?" (The King and I)

Customer Reviews:

Actually a great recording -.......2003-10-12

The more I listened to this CD, the more I was blown away by some of the arrangements and orchestrations. Some of it I'd heard before i.e. the Oklahoma! overture based on the Robert Russell Bennet film arrangement; some of it I hadn't heard quite this way like the "Babes in Arms" overture or "Surrey with a Fringe on Top" in swing time. I especially liked the "My Favorite Things" arrangement which diverges from the original. I highly recommend it because most of the arrangements/orchestrations are very powerful in their own right and you may not have heard it all before. A few of the arrangements feature newer vocalists as the other reviews indicate. I reserve comment on this one because it is always difficult to compare an unfamiliar vocalist with Julie Andrews for example.
Also, I have taped two 1 hour Rodgers specials off PBS which feature some of these performances. I'd love for PBS to put these episodes on a DVD instead of the usual pledge drive DVD fare.

The glass is half full on this project.......2002-10-16

To do a celebration of Richard Rodgers music is simply grand. Without question he was the backbone of what we have come to know as "Broadway Magic".

For this occasion the Boston Pops did a good job of paying tribute to this master tunesmith. I think Richard would be more than proud to see his masterpieces performed in such a manner.
BRAVO to the B.P.O.!

If there were any shortcomings to this project it would have to be two things. First, I felt like they should have used better vocalists. Second, I felt like the repertoire was not as good as it could have been. Some of the tunes performed here I really disliked. I can think of a lot of songs I would have rather been listening to.

I think it would safe to recommend this cd to all the die hard Richard Rodgers fans.

Rodgers - 5, Pops - 3.......2002-09-15

Keith Lockart is certainly a solid heir to the Boston Pops of Arthur Fiedler. His performances are crisp, and lively. The Pops likes working with him, and it shows. And, I own every Keith Lockart/Boston Pops disc so far. But....although there were some interesting additions to this repertoire, especially the scenario of "Victory at Sea", I was really turned off by the so-so vocal renditions. They really detracted from the overall fun of the disc. Certainly the music of Richard Rodgers is timeless (not EVERTHING he wrote was delicious), but Lockhart missed the boat with this one. It's a neat album if you have a player that can pick and choose what you listen to, but after the first few tunes, I got a bit restless.

A Mixed Bag.......2002-07-18

The two most interesting items in this collection are "Slaughter on Tenth Avenue" in an effective arrangement Broadway orchestrator/arranger Hans Spialek made for Paul Whiteman and "The March of the Clowns" from "Nursery Ballet," a number from a Whiteman commission recently discovered in the bandleader's archives. Patrick Hollenbeck arranged the march for the Pops and has the style right, so it's too bad the other two movements of the original suite weren't included in this release.

Otherwise, the most satisfying selections on the disc are the Main Title from the film version of "Oklahoma!" (the work of Robert Russell Bennett), the overture to "Babes in Arms" (Don Walker's orchestration captures the spirit of the Broadway original in full orchestra terms), "D-Day" (Lockhart paces it more as a jaunty march than an epic one), and the "Carousel Waltz."

I confess that I like big-orchestra arrangements of show music even though I know I'm not supposed to, but the remaining instrumental numbers are played in arrangements (by Sammy Nestico, Don Sebesky, and Alexander Courage) that I don't like. They are mostly fussy, heavy, lacking in fun, and tinged with elements from the Big Band era that sound out of place in these surroundings. It's too bad Hollenbeck didn't do these arrangements, too. Failing that, the Pops music library must still have arrangements Bennett, Leroy Anderson, and Richard Hayman did of Rodgers scores, and I don't understand why they weren't used here. They never wear out their welcome.

The singers are uniformly disasters. Martina McBride ("My Favorite Things"), Jason Danieley ("I Have Dreamed"), and Collin Raye ("The Sound of Music") are described on the label as "vocalists." The term tells you all you need to know about their lack of any sense of the appropriate style for their numbers. They are club, not theater, singers. Their vocalizings can't hurt Rodgers, but they are jarring to the listener in the context of the rest of this disc. Their voices, as voices, are mediocre, and the arrangements (each by a different person) of the pieces don't help. (Some comparably dubious items have been included in most recent Pops recordings. Each has some interesting, unusual things along with others that don't really belong. I wonder if they are the price Lockhart has to pay in order to record the interesting stuff.)

The Boston Symphony and Pops were the orchestras I grew up with, so it hurts to have to say that this disc is such a mixed bag.

(By the way, Nelson Riddle recorded an LP of his own splendid arrangements of the principal numbers from "Oklahoma!", and I wish Capitol would resurrect it from the vaults as a salute to Rodgers's memory in his centennial year.)

Boston Pops: A Richard Rodgers Celebration.......2002-05-08

What a wonderful celebration this recording is! The scope and beauty of Richard Rodgers' music has seldom been given a better airing than on this CD by the Boston Pops. An absolutely stunning recording in both performance and choice of selections. We are treated not only to fresh and memorable instrumental renditions of beloved standards such as "The Surrey With The Fringe On Top", "Where Or When" and "Shall We Dance", but also to a few of Richard Rodgers' less frequently heard compositions such as the jazzy "Grant Avenue", the stirring "D-Day Theme" from Victory At SEA, and a premier recording of a very delightful "March Of The Clowns", a piece originally commissioned by Paul Whiteman in the 1930s. The artists chosen to sing the three vocals on this CD are exceptional. In fact, this particular recording would be worth owning if for no other reason than to enjoy Jason Danieley's spine-tingling rendition of "I Have Dreamed". And after hearing Mr. Collin Raye's beautiful masculine rendition of "The Sound Of Music", one will never again think of that classic as being primarily suited only for a female vocalist. In short, this Boston Pops CD is a richly satisfying treat -- lush and nostalgic, as well as being upbeat and as contemporary as year 2002 -- a worthy tribute to the timelessness of Mr. Rodgers' musical genius.