One Evening [CD-single]

One Evening [CD-single]

Track Listings

1. Album Version

2. Remix By Vv

Tracks:

Bye Bye Birdie - Ann-Margret
Opening Credits - Columbia Studio Orchestra, Johnny Green
Telephone Hour
How Lovely to Be a Woman - Ann-Margret
We Love You Conrad [Film Version][#][*]
Honestly Sincere - Jesse Pearson
Hymn for a Sunday Evening - Ann-Margret, Mary La Roche, Paul Lynde, Bryan Russell
One Boy - Ann-Margret, Janet Leigh, Bobby Rydell
Put On a Happy Face - Janet Leigh, Dick Van Dyke
Kids - Paul Lynde, Bryan Russell, Maureen Stapleton, Dick Van Dyke
One Last Kiss [Gym Rehearsal Outtake][#][*] - Jesse Pearson
Lot of Livin' to Do - Ann-Margret, Jesse Pearson, Bobby Rydell
Sultans' Ballet [Film Version][#][*] - Columbia Studio Orchestra, Johnny Green
One Last Kiss - Jesse Pearson
Rosie - Ann-Margret, Janet Leigh, Bobby Rydell, Dick Van Dyke
Bye Bye Birdie (Reprise) - Ann-Margret, Janet Leigh, Bobby Rydell, Dick Van Dyke

Customer Reviews:

So much fun!.......2007-06-13

This is still such a classic and so much fun!

BYE BYE BIRDIE.......2007-03-03

I always enjoyed the film version of "Birdie" as well as the soundtrack and now this reissue includes "The Sultans Ballet" where Janet Leigh bites off more than she can chew when she invites a group of Sultans(Shriners) to dance. There are a couple of minor inclusions including "We Love You Conrad" and the rehearsal of "One Last Kiss" My only question is why didnt they use the complete version of "A Lot of Livin To Do" Even with the additional tracks the CD clocks in at 46 minutes so space wasn't a problem. It's quite understandable why the Russian Ballet was not included since it would be out of place on an otherwise perky and bright score.

While "Bye Bye Birdie" may not be one of the best scores it is zesty and cheerful to listen to on a gloomy day and as one of the numbers suggests it helps you to "Put On A Happy Face"

Bye Bye Birdie soundtrack.......2006-07-01

The product itself is excellent, but: 1) it took about three weeks to arrive; and 2) we didn't realize the film cut out and added so music. What we needed was a soundtrack for the stage production.

Love the movie...but the soundtrack?.......2006-05-04

I am a huge fan of the movie and the soundtrack is also amazing...the only thing I'm uspet about is that "One Last Kiss" on the cd is TOTALLY different!

Bye Bye Birdie was a good Buy Buy.......2005-08-02

Solid cast recording brings back the light-hearted msuicals of the 50s and 60s. Used as the primer for an upcoming stage version of the show, we listened frequently, and haven't tired yet.

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

Average customer rating:

Memories
Beautiful CD
From the first to last song, this is a masterpiece
Same Material - Much more impressive recording
My wife wont let me have hers.

One Fair Summer Evening
Nanci Griffith
Manufacturer: Mca Nashville
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Other Voices, Other Rooms
Flyer
The Last of the True Believers
From a Distance: The Very Best of Nanci Griffith
The Complete MCA Studio Recordings

ASIN: B000002PID
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Once In A Very Blue Moon
Looking For The Time (Workin' Girl)
Deadwood, South Dakota
More Than A Whisper
I Would Bring You Ireland
Roseville Fair
Workin' In Corners
Trouble In The Fields
The Wing And The Wheel
From A Distance
Love At The Five And Dime
Spin On A Red Brick Floor

Amazon.com essential recording

Nanci Griffith first built her audience through intimate, well-timed, and energetic concerts. This live set, recorded in August 1988 at the legendary Anderson Fair in Houston, contains her best performances of originals like "Workin' in Corners," "The Wing and the Wheel," and "Love at the Five and Dime," as well as songs by Bill Staines, Eric Taylor, and Julie Gold, songs she helped bring just shy of fame: "Roseville Fair," "Deadwood, South Dakota," and "From a Distance." Griffith learned her craft and got her chops down at Anderson Fair, and her gift for narrative shines brilliantly in her (often hilarious) between-song stories, and her unaffected, twangy whisper. She's backed by the subtlest and most sympathetic of bands, the Blue Moon Orchestra, and there's nary a misstep, a rare thing for a live album. --Roy Kasten

Customer Reviews:

Memories.......2007-05-17

Great CD! My mom and I used to drive around in our old camry listening to this (audio cassette) when I was younger. I recently purchased this CD for her as a present since our tape got eaten up a long time ago. Nanci is great appeals to all listeners in my opinion.

Beautiful CD.......2007-05-09

I love this CD! Great songs and Nanci's voice sounds great. The backup band is very tasteful. I highly recommend this.

From the first to last song, this is a masterpiece.......2007-04-21

A moving series of songs intertwined with Nanci's set up stories, from first to last this is a great CD. The pace and tempo of songs ebbs and flows carrying you on Nanci's well crafted journey. From the romantic "More Than a Whisper" and the enchanting "I Would Bring You Ireland" culminating in the fast paced, toe-tapping, vibrating "Spin on a Red Brick Floor", this is a collection to enjoy and treasure.

Same Material - Much more impressive recording.......2007-03-22

God this is a great album. Nanci Griffith is a national treasure.

Emerging on the wobbly legs of a foal in the late 70s, with anonymous production from people who didn't understand how to package her mousy persona, what MCA sold us was a cutesy, virginal, perky gal. This is not where Nanci's presence is now. If I play one of the early MCA CDs for someone, I know the first question will be "Are you sure this is the right speed?" because she has a high, nasal delivery. Griffith hung in there and has become a deeply affecting & personal singer-songwriter. Without changing terribly much about her voice, and singing the same songs at her live shows, and on this cd, Griffith has transformed both herself and the material. A tribute to taking your licks and developing your delivery/voice at live shows.

Usually live versions of studio songs suffer by comparison. Not here! Stripped of the earlier folky instrumentation and resung as a wiser, older woman, some of these songs become astonishing. In other hands, her standard topics (spinsters, wallflowers, living alone) would be ruminating or miserable, but Nanci's talent is to make anyone love these songs; witness Pearl Jam fan below, and I'm a young urban guy.

She pulls emotional devastation out of the one-two punch of "Working in Corners" and "More than a Whisper" in newly austere, stripped down versions. Both of them embody a "hanging in there despite my pain & regret" mood. I have a hard time getting to the other songs, which are almost all great, in deference to these two; over and over.

My favorite cds complement her voice with minimal, calm orchestrations. When a producer steers her back to over production, I've not enjoyed them as much. I allow myself to forget this CD (and Flyer) every now and then, so that I can rediscover them again. The impact of a fresh listen has never diminished. Both provide a rich pick me up.

Nanci Griffith is profound without being pompous. After a listen you want to write her a thank you note.

(Note: This review focuses on her emotional depth, but she's also darned funny & charming on this cd.)

My wife wont let me have hers........2007-03-13

This is the second copy of this cd I have purchased. It is the first of many Nancy cd's and my wife has the other. I just had to have my own.

Christopher Parkening - The Great Recordings ~ By America's Preeminent Guitar Virtuoso

Average customer rating:

Excellent recording
Highly Recommended!
Amazing
A gentleman musical agreement!
Extreme virtuosity

Christopher Parkening - The Great Recordings ~ By America's Preeminent Guitar Virtuoso
Johann Sebastian Bach , François Couperin , Gabriel Fauré , Isaac Albeniz , Anonymous , Francisco Tarrega (y Eixea) , Silvius Leopold Weiss , Claude Debussy , Maurice Ravel , Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , Gordon Young , Georg Philipp Telemann , Heitor Villa-Lobos , Manuel de Falla , Manuel Ponce , Enrique Granados , Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco , Andrew York , Fernando Sor , Gaspar Sanz , Joaquin Rodrigo , and Christopher Parkening
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Duets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

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Christopher Parkening plays Bach
Simple Gifts: Christopher Parkening
The Christopher Parkening Guitar Method - Volume 2: Guitar Technique
In the Spanish Style / Christopher Parkening
Christopher Parkening - A Tribute to Segovia

ASIN: B000002RTR
Release Date: 1993-09-14

Tracks:

Fugue From Violin Sonata No. 1, BWV 1001 - J S Bach
Estudio brillante
Etude No. 1 In E Minor
Recuerdos de la Alhambra
Leyenda
Romance
Rumores de la Caleta
Capricho Arabe
Cantata 147: Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring
Well-Tempered Clavier: Prelude No. 1
Well-Tempered Clavier: Prelude No. 6
Cantata 140: Sleepers Awake
Prelude, Fugue, And Allegro: Allegro
Cantata 208: Sheep May Safely Graze
Les Barricades mysterieuses
Preambulo & Allegro vivo: Preambulo And Allegro vivo
Passacaglia
The Girl With The Flaxen Hair
Gymnopedie No. 1
Empress Of The Pagodas
Afro-Cuban Lullaby

Tracks:

Fourth Lute Suite: Praludium
Fairest Lord Jesus
Praise Ye The Lord, K. 339
Simple Gifts
Hymn Of Christian Joy
Cantata 29: We Thank Thee, Lord
Cantata 156: Arioso
Cantata 99: What God Hath Done
Canon
Dolly Suite: Berceuse
La Vida breve: Spanish Dance No. 1
Terezinha De Jesus
Prelude (In The Baroque Style)
Goyescas: Intermezzo
Prelude & Fugue No. 4 In E: Fugue
Evening Dance
Variations On A Theme Of Mozart
Canarlos
La Maja de Goya
El Noi de la Mare
Concierto de Aranjuez: Adagio - J. Rodrigo

Customer Reviews:

Excellent recording.......2007-05-12

If you are a fan of classical guitar than this is a must own set. I enjoy every moment.

Highly Recommended!.......2006-12-23

I would recommend this CD to anyone who loves music--period! Christopher Parkening is unquestionably one of the greatest classical guitarists of all-time. He embodies personal excellence like no other and is a brilliant artist. This CD is a must-have for any classical enthusiast. My favorite pieces include: Tárrega's "Recuerdos de la Alhambra," "Romance," Bach's "Prelude No. 6," and Rodrigo's "Concierto de Aranjuez." There are other versions of these pieces as well, but I always prefer Parkening's renditions, as they are oh so extraordinary--especially the recording of Aranjuez!! Other guitarists never seem to capture the essence of Rodrigo's musical masterpiece (e.g., Göran Söllescher in "Mad About Guitars"). But Parkening did! And the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra was a perfect accompaniment.

This CD is definitely worth buying. Included is a CD booklet, which illustrates the history of Parkening's illustrious career, interesting tidbits about all 25 recorded pieces, and several photos of his early life to his "breathtaking performance" at Rodrigo's 90th birthday celebration at the Royal Festival Hall in London, 1992.

Amazing.......2006-05-08

I am not going to go into great detail. I am working on a degree in classical guitar and I can say this is something to strive for. His musical interpretation of the peices represented here are some of the best I've heard. His tone,color, and phrasing is incredible.

A gentleman musical agreement! .......2006-03-16

In guitar ` s playing there have been many renowned performers, gifted of exuberant technique. But curiously the Apollonian playing is not by itself strictly enough. The guitar is the instrument which is closer to heart as any other one. It demands from you passion and sentiment. There have been three well known guitarists, one of them from England and the other one from Spain and the third one from Japan whose sensibility was totally absent in their performances.

But fortunately for us, there have been notable interpreters that have been maintained a desired balance and contrast between brain and heart, achieving great distinction and total acknowledgement around the world. I would name seven primordial names along the instrument `s story. First of all: the mythic soloist Andres Segovia, Regino Sainz de la Maza, John Williams, Alirio Diaz, Manuel Berrueco, Siegfried Behrend and Christopher Parkening, among the most representative ones of a great list.

Christopher Parkening `s career has made a brilliant colorist, an impeccable and sensitive interpreter of this well reduced repertoire. His profound artistic conviction and convincing phrasing has been a perpetual motive of constant invitations and presentations around the world.

Extreme virtuosity.......2005-09-25

CP has become my chief inspiration to improve as a classical guitarist. His performances here are, without exception, phenomenal. He makes the most difficult pieces sound effortless. I prefer CP over John Williams because, while Williams is also unquestionably a master, he sounds a bit robotic to me at times. CP, on the other hand, never sacrifices musicality to precision. He sublimely maintains both.

Average customer rating:

Instruments of the Orchestra - Great Reference Material!
Beginner or Expert
Very Informative and Enjoyable
Frank's view
Excellent Intro for Those Not Familiar with the Orchestra

Instruments of the Orchestra
Various Artists
Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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What to Listen for in Music
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The Life and Works of Ludwig van Beethoven
The Life and Works of Frédéric Chopin

ASIN: B00006O0NT
Release Date: 2002-12-03

Tracks:

Overture To 'Tannhauser'
Domna, Pos Vos Ay Chausida
We Don't Merely Use Instruments, We Play On Them. And They Play On Us.
Hungarian Dance No.7
The Violin Is One Of The Most Tender And Beautiful Instruments Ever Invented.
Violin Concerto In D Major (Adagio)
But For A Long Time It Was Seen As The Instrument Of The Devil.
The Soldier's Tale: Triumphal March Of The Devil
The Manipulative Seductiveness Of The Gypsy Violin.
Csardas Music
The Violin And The Initiation Of Nature
The Four Seasons (Spring, Mvt 1)
Birds Are Again Evoked In The Second Concerto, Especially Music's Natural Favourite.
The Four Seasons (Summer, Mvt 1)
Like The Devil, The Violin Is A Master Of Disguise.
Old Viennese Dance No.3 'Schon Rosmarin'
The Menacing Sensuality Of Ravel's Tzigane: A Very Different Side Of The Violin:
Tzigane
Do We Now Have The True Measure Of This Instrument? Not Just Yet.
Caprice No.24
The Many Effects Of The String Tremolando: Brandenburg Concerto No.4 (Last Mvt)/From Joy To Fright/Quartettsatz In C Minor/The String Tremolo Practically Spells The World Agitato.
Variations On A Theme Of Frank Bridge (No.7)
Prokofiev's Tremolo In Romeo And Juliet Should Not Be Heard Just Before Bedtime.
Romeo And Juliet: Act IV
Vivaldi Use It To Illustrate The Shivering Of Travellers Crossing The Ice.
The Four Seasons (Winter, Mvt 1)
The Violin Muted
Clair De Lune
The Gentleness Of Muted Strings Persists Even When A Whole Orchestra Plays.
Piano Concerto No.21 In C Major, K.467 (Slow Mvt)
The Pizzicato Violin
Pizzicato Polka
In Prokofiev's Second Violin Concerto, The Accompaniment Is Pizzicato.
Violin Concerto No.2 In G Minor (Slow Mvt)
Varieties Of Pizzicato: Colas Breugnon (The People's Feast)/Now A Drier, Leaner, Hungrier Pizzicato. There's Not A Lot Of Comfort Here./Capriol Suite (Tordion)/The Use Of Pizzicato As 'Percussion'/Romeo And Juliet (Act I)/Mahler Used Pizzicato...
The Planets (Mars - The Bringer Of War)
The Technique Of Double-Stopping Enables The Violin To Play Duets With Itself./Sonata No.3 In C Major For Unaccompanied Violin (Fugue)/Now A Later Example Of The Same Technique
Hungarian Dance No.4
Double-Stopping Is A Standard Feature Of A Lot Of Folk Music.
The Four Seasons (Autumn, Mvt 1)
Now The Same Technique, But The Sound Might Have Come From Another World.
Bolero
Double-Stopping Can Only Approximate The Sound Of A Real Violin Duet.
Cadenza To The Violin Concerto By Brahms
Now Compare That With A Real Violin Duet.
Forty-Four Duos (No. 1: Teasing Song)
Another Duo By Bartok, Demonstrating The Violin's Rich Lower Register
Forty-Four Duos (No.2: Maypole Dance)
And Now What May Be The Most Beautiful Accompanied Violin Duet In History
Concerto In D Minor For Two Violins (Largo)
The Soul Of The Violin Is In Song; But What About This Weird Passage?
Violin Concerto No.1 In D Major (Mvt 2)
The Use Of Harmonies In The Orchestra Can Be Both Magical And Unsettling.
Symphony No.1 'Titan' (Mvt 1, Opening)
Tchaikovsky's Use Of Harmonics In The Sleeping Beauty Is Both Strange And Darling.
The Sleeping Beauty (Act II, No.15: Entr'Acte)
Ravel's Harmonics In Mother Goose Effect A Magical Transformation.
Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Beauty And The Beast)
Stravinsky's Harmonics In The Firebird Transport Us Almost Into Another World./The Firebird (Introduction)
The Natural Upper Notes Of The Violins Have A Unique Emotional 'Grab'.
Also Sprach Zarathustra (Of The Afterworldsmen)
Still In Their Upper Register, The Violins Unleash The Energy Of A Young Colt.
Variations On A Theme Of Frank Bridge (No. 4)
Elsewhere, Britten Uses The Same High Register To Create A Very Different Mood.
Four Sea Interludes (Dawn) From 'Peter Grimes'
To End This Outing With The Violins, A Charming Little Elfin Dance
Elfenreigen

Tracks:

Introduction To The Viola
Viola Concerto (Mvt 1)
Khatchaturian Gets A Very Different Sound From It: Fuller, Fruitier, More Exotic.
Gayane Suite No.1 (Armen's Solo)
Very Nearly The Whole Of The Violin's Upper Register Is Also Available To The Viola.
Passacaglia, Op.33b From 'Peter Grimes'
The Viola Can Bring A Special, Rich Twanginess To Pizzicato That The Violins Lack./Don Quixote/Berlioz Drew Sounds From It That Retain Their Metallic Strangeness Even Today.
Harold In Italy (Mvt 4)
The Muted Viola: Intimate, Gentle, Poignant In Dvork
Cypresses (No.9)
The Massed Violas Of The Modern Symphony Orchestra In Mahler
Symphony No.4 (Mvt 3)
The 'Period' Viola In Bach
Brandenburg Concerto No.6 (Last Mvt)
The Cello: A Voice Of Unique Nobility
Suite No.1 For Unaccompanied Cello (Prelude)
Brahms And The 'Soul' Of The Cello
Piano Concerto No.2 In B Flat Major (Mvt 3)
Most Orchestral Composers Tend To Emphasize The Cello's Lower Register.
Cantata 'Herz Und Mund Und Tat Und Leben', BWV 147 (Soprana Aria: Bereite Dir, Jesu)
In The Time Of Beethoven The Cello Remained As Fundamental As Ever.
Symphony No.3 'Eroica' (Finale)
But The Cello Is Not Condemned To Spend Its Life In The Basement.
Elfentanz, Op.39
Not Only In Recital Showpieces Like That Is The Cello Is Used In Its Highest Register.
The Protecting Veil (Opening)
A Cello With An Identity-Crisis: The Pizzicato Flamencan
Flamenco
Double-Stopping In The Lower Reaches Of The Cello's Range
Solo Suiet For Cello And Piano (Sardana)
It's In The Middle Register That The Cello Really Comes Into Its Own.
Oriental Dance, Op.2 No.2
It Was To The Cellos That Beethoven Gave Two Of His Most Famous Themes./Symphony No.5 (Mvt 2)/Still More Famous Than That Theme Is This One From The Ninth Symphony.
Symphony No.9 (Finale)
Introduction To The Double-Bass
The Carnival Of The Animals (The Elephant)
But The Double-Bass Can Be Intensely Expressive And Graceful.
Elegy No.1 In D Major
The Range Of The Double-Bass Is The Greatest Of All The String Instruments/Allegro Di Concerto, 'Alla Mendelssohn'/And It's Also Capable Of Very Considerable Virtuosity.
Capriccio Di Bravura
Double-Bass Solos In Orchestral Scores Are Rare But Often Memorable./Symphony No.1 'Titan' (Mvt 3)/In His Third Symphony Mahler Makes A Very Different Use Of The Instrument./Symphony No.3 (Mvt 1)
The Double-Bass Muted In Prokofiev/Lieutenant Kije Suite (Kije's Wedding)/In Another Work Prokofiev Uses The Double-Bass To Enhance The Winds./Romeo And Juliet (Act III)/And He Combines The Bass Clarinet With A Shivering Tremolo From The Double-Basses....
Symphony No.5 (Mvt 3)/So Much For The Strings/On Now To The Winds

Tracks:

The Antiquity And Magic Of The Flute
Prelude A L'Apres-Midi D'Un Faune
The Versatility And Agility Of The Flute
Orchestral Suite No.2 In B Minor (Badinerie)
The Flute In Fifteenth-Century Spain
Sa'Dawi
Other Flutes: The Bass And Alto
Chamber Music No.II
The Piccolo - Aptly Named
La Naissance D'Osiris (Mvt 6)
From A Piccolo Of The Eighteenth Century To One Of Its Descendants In The Twentieth
Suite No.1 For Small Orchestra (Valse)
A Variety Of Techniques
Chamber Music No.II
Flutter-Tonguing. But Tchaikovsky Got There Eighty Years Before.
The Nutcracker (Act II, No.2: Scene)
From The Transverse To The Vertical: The Baroque Recorder
Recorded Suite In A Minor (Menuet II)
An Unfamiliar, Early Vision Of The Instrument
Naelden, Naelden
The Bachian Oboe
Cantata 'Ein Feste Burg Ist Unser Gott', BWV 80 (No.7: Duetto)
Introduction To The Cor Anglais Or 'English Born'
Symphony No.9 'From The New World' (Mvt 2)
The Loneliness Of The Cor Anglais
The Swan Of Tuonela
The Cor Anglais Joins The French Horn In Haydn.
Symphony No.22 'The Philosopher' (Opening)
Introduction To The Oboe D'Amore, Beloved Of Bach - But Also Of Ravel
Bolero
The Clarinet Family: Boxing The Compass, From The Depths Of The Bass Clarinet.../The Egyptian (Violence)/...To The Raucous And Squealy.../Taras Bulba (The Death Of Ostap)/...To The Shrill And Complaining...
Petrushka (No.8: Peasant With Bear)/...To The High Sprits Of A Playful Puppy./Symphonie Fantastique (Last Mvt)/And To The Downright Jazzy/Romeo And Juliet (Act II)
As The High Clarinets Tend To Be Loud, So The Bass Tends To Be Soft:
Gayane Suite No. 1 (Mvt 5)
The Bass Clarinet Is Used By Most Composers Mainly As A Colouring Agent.../Petrushka (No.4: The Blackamoor)/...But It Does Occasionally Get A Whole Tune To Itself./Iberia (Almeria).
The Range Of The Normal Clarinet Parts Goes Quite High...
The Snow Maiden (Scene 5: Melodrama)
...And Quite Low.
Peter And The Wolf (The Cat)
The Clarinet As Concerto Soloist
Clarinet Concerto In A Major (Rondo)
But That's Not The Instrument Mozart Wrote It For; This Is:
Clarinet Concerto In A Major (Rondo)
Introduction To The Saxophone
Hary Janos Suite (Mvt 4)
The Soprano Saxophone Has Quite A Different Feel To It.
L'Arlesienne Suite No.1 (Minuet)
The Little Sopranino Sax Goes Even Higher.
Bolero
The Most Famous Use Of The Saxophone Is In An Orchestration By Ravel.
Pictures At An Exhibition (The Old Castle)
The Saxophone Can Be Quite Contagiously Good-Humoured.
Sax-O-Phun
The Puffa-Puffa Image Of The Bassoon
Peter And The Wolf (Grandfather)
The Bachian Bassoon, In Accompanimental Mode
Cantata 'Weichet Nur, Betrubte Schatten' ('Wedding Cantata'), BWV 202 (Aria No.1)
Bizet Leaves The Puffa-Puffa Image Out, Allowing The Bassoon To Sing./Carmen Suite No.1 (Les Dragons D'Alcala)
And Ravel, Also In Spanish Mode, Does Likewise.
Bolero
The Bassoon As A Voice Of High Seriousness, Indeed Desolate Loneliness
Symphony No.3 (Opening)
The Eerie Bassoon In Its Highest Register
The Rite Of Spring (Opening)
Stravinsky Now Draws On Its Lowest Register, Lonely And Melancholy.
The Firebird Suite (1919, Berceuse)
The Bassoon As Concerto Soloist, Avoiding All Exaggeration
Bassoon Concerto In G Minor (Finale)
The Deep-Voiced Contra-Bassoon, As A Fairy-Tale Beast
Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Beauty And The Beast)
The French Horn Under Its Woodwind Hat
Wind Quintet, Op.43 (Last Mvt)
Now A More Prominent Role, In A Woodwind Quintet From An Earlier Era
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Op.100 No.5 (Mvt 2)
The Horn In Harmonious Blend With Strings In Another Quintet
Horn Quintet, K.407 (Finale)

Tracks:

The Trumpet As Virtuoso Soloist
Brandenburg Concerto No.2 (Last Mvt)
The Special Brillance Of Paired Trumpets
Concerto In C For Two Trumpets, RV537 (Mvt 1)
The Ceremonial Trumpet
Fanfare For The Common Man
Trumpets And Drums - An Incomparable Alliance
Messiah (The Trumpet Shall Sound)
The Versatility Of The Trumpet, From The Most Public To The Most Lonely
Piano Concerto In F (Slow Mvt)
The Trumpet As The Voice Of The City/An American In Paris/The Trumpet As Recruitment Officer/The Soldier's Tale (The March)/The Trumpet As Swaggerer
Carmen Suite No.2 (Habanera)
The Trumpet As The Voice Of Strength And Courage
Carmet Suite No.2 (Toreador's Song)
The Trumpet Muted/Petrushka (No.4: The Blackamoor)/Lieutenant Kije Suite (Opening)/The Trumpet As The Voice Of Weariness
Billy The Kid
The Trumpet As Character Actor
Pictures At An Exhibition (No.6)
The Trumpet As The Voice Of God
Mass In B Minor ('Et Exspecto')
The Birth Of The Trombone
Aenmerckt Nu Hier
The Birth Of The Brass As A Family
Canzon 12 In Double Echo
The Trombone In The Eighteenth Century
Trombone Concerto In B Flat Major (Finale)
The Tone Of The Tenor Trombone/Romance For Trombone And Organ/The Memorable Voice Of The Bass Trombone/Requiem (Mvt 2)/But The Bass Trombone Is More Than An Instrumental Bullfrog.
Hosannah
The Trombones Become Part Of The Orchestra.
Symphony No.5 (Finale)
The Wagnerian Trombone:/Overture To 'Tannhauser'
The Trombone As Caricaturist
Pulcinella (No.19: Vivo)
The Trombone As Raspberry/Concerto For Orchestra (Intermezzo)
The Horn And The Hunt
Horn Concerto No.4 In E Flat, K.495 (Finale)
The Challenging Horn Of The Baroque
Abaris Ou Les Boreades (Menuet)
The Scarcity Of First-Rate Players In Handel's Time
Walter Music (Minuet 1)
The Horn As Magician/The Firebird Suite (1919, Finale)
Horns And The Sound Of Nobility
Overture To 'Tannhauser' (Opening)
The Special Sound Of The Horn In Its Higher Register
Mass In B Minor ('Quoniam Tu Solus Sanctus')
The Trumpet-Like Sound Of Massed Horns
Symphony No.3 (Mvt 1, Opening)
The Tuba - Unfairly Maligned?
Symphony No.6 (Mvt 3)
The Tuba Perfectly Cast By Ravel
Pictures At An Exhibition (Bydlo)

Tracks:

Introduction. And We Begin With A Bang.
Fanfare For The Common Man/The Bass Drum On The Battlefields/Wellington's Victory, Op.91 (Opening)
At The Opposite Extreme Is The Triangle.
Piano Concerto No.1 In E Flat (Scherzo)
Categories Of Percussion: Tuned And Untuned. The Side Drum
Overture To 'La Gazza Ladra' - The Thieving Magpie (Opening)
The Side Drum In An Effective But Unexpected Role/Clarinet Concerto (Mvt 1)
The Tambourine. One Of The Oldest Instruments In The World
Den Hoboecken Dans
Even Older Is The Originally Oriental Gong.
Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Laideronette)
No Single Instrument Can Match The Gong In Evoking The Breaking Of Waves./Passacaglia, Op.33b From 'Peter Grimes'/But Gongs Don't Have To Be Struck To Be Effective.
Gymnopedie No.2
The Cymbals Are Generally Discovered Early In Life./The Sanguine Fan/And They Do More Than Clash Together Loudly. They Can Be Clashed Together Softly./Studio Example: But They Needn't Be Clashed Together At All/Studio Example: They Can Be Lightly...
Other Untuned Percussion Instruments Include The Whip.: Piano Concerto In G Major (Opening)/And Here Are No Fewer Than Twenty, Cracked By Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker (Act I, Scene 5)
More Versatile Than The Whip Are The Wood Blocks.../Studio Example/...Which Crop Up All Over The Place In Twentieth-Century American Music.
Rodeo (Hoe-Down)
Related To The Wood Blocks, By Sound, Are The Castanets./Jota Aragonesa/But The Castanets Were Also Used By Monteverdi Back In The Seventeenth Century.
Scherzi Musicali (Damigella Tutta Belle)
A Still Earlier Example From Fifteenth-Century Spain
Yo M'Enamori D'Un Aire
The Birth Of The Bongo
Symphonic Dances From 'West Side Story'
From The Streets Of New York To The Blacksmith's Shop/Il Trovatore ('Anvil Chorus')
Desert-Island Decibels: Grand Canyon Suite (On The Trail)/Arcana
From One Vegetable To Another: The Humble Squash, Or Marrow/Huapango
Onwards To The Tuned Percussion. First, The Timpani
Also Sprach Zarathustra (Introduction)
But The Drum Roll Can Be More Effectively Frightening Than The Big Bang.: Symphony No.2 'Resurrection' (Mvt 3)
Not One Drum Roll, But Many/Grand Canyon Suite (Sunrise)/Symphonie Fantastique (Last Mvt)
Taking Advantage Of Tunability
Music For Strings, Percussion And Celeste (Mvt 2)
The Russian Composer Rodion Shchedrin Takes A Downward Turn./Carmen Suite (Changing Of The Guard)/Tuned, Yes; But For The Truly Melodic We Must Look Elsewhere.
Introducing The Glockenspiel/Carmen Suite (Carmen's Entrance And Habanera)
Saint-Saens And The Xylophone
The Carnival Of The Animals (Fossils)
Ravel And The Xylophone
Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Laideronette)
Introducing The Marimba/Carmen Suite (First Intermezzo)
Introducing The Vibraphone
The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre (Narange Dolce)
The Vibraphone Goes Russian.../Carmen Suite (Carmen's Entrance And Habanera)/...And Is Joined By The Marimba./Carmen Suite (Carmen's Entrance And Habanera)
Introducing The Hungarian Cimbalom
Folk Dances
The Cimbalom And The Symphony Orchestra
Hary Janos Suite (Mvt 3)
Introducing The Tubular Bells
Hary Janos Suite (Viennese Musical Clock)
A More 'Up-Front' Approach From Rodion Shchedrin
Carmen Suite (Introduction)
But The Bells Can Also Make The Sinister Even More Sinister./Symphony No.7 'Sinfonia Antartica' (Mvt 1)
Introducing The Celeste
The Nutcracker (Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairy)
Magic, In The Use Of Collective Percussion
Miroirs (La Vallee Des Cloches)
Plucked Instruments: The 'Undercover Percussion'/Carmen Suite (Scene)
A Prime Case In Point Is The Harp, Irresistible To The Romantics./The Nutcracker (Act II, No.1: Scene)/The Non-Solo Harp As An Integral Part Of The Orchestra/Hungarian Rhapsody No.1
The Traditionally Subservient Role Of The Harpsichord In The Baroque Orchestra
Brandenburg Concerto No.2 (Slow Mvt)
The Piano: King Of The Tuned Percussion/Symphony No.3 'Organ' (Mvt 3)/And A Quarter Of A Century After That:
Petrushka (Russian Dance)
The Anti-Romantic Piano As An Integral Part Of The Orchestra
Music For Strings, Percussion And Celeste (Last Mvt)

Tracks:

Keyboard Instruments In The Orchestra - The Most Powerful Of Them All:
Symphony No.3 'Organ' (Finale)
But Things In Handel's Day Were Very Different.
Organ Concerto In B Flat, Op.4 No.3 (Last Mvt)
The Organ Is Difficult To Classify.
An Unexpected, Organ-related Guest
Concerto Pour Zampogna (Last Mvt)
Peasant-Fancying... And A Touch Of The Roaming Cowboy
Les Miserables (Drink With Me)
Outside Artefacts And The Power Of Association
Mahler's Sleighbells
Symphony No.4 (Opening)
A Roll-Call Of Some Unusual Guests/The Typewriter/Parade
Chains, And More/Integrales/An American In Paris/Sandpaper Ballet
Purpose-Built Oddities: Wind Machines/Symphony No.7 'Sinfonia Antartica' (Opening)
Don Quixote (Variation VIII)
National Calling Cards: The Guitar For Spain/Concierto De Aranjuez (Finale)
And The Guitar's Poor American Relative, The Banjo/Washington Breakdown
And Poorer Still, The Mouth Organ/The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre (Packing Up)
The Balalaika For Russia/Romeo And Juliet (Act II: No.14)
The Maracas For Mexico/The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre (El Desayuno)
The Bongos And Congas And A Whole Wealth Of Other Drums For Africa And Central America/Studio Example
The Sitar Of India/Evening Raga: Bhapoli
The Accordion For France (Especially Paris)/Paris Canaille
The Zither For Vienna/The Third Man (Theme)
The Cimbalom For Hungary/Folk Dances
The Guitar As An Integral Part Of The Orchestra/Rondena
There Are Whole Orchestras Of Balalaikas./Sveit Mesiats
The Effect Of The Wordless Human Voice, Used Purely As An Instrument/Symphony No.7 'Sinfonia Antartica' (Mvt 1)
Nocturnes
Instruments And the Imitation Of Nature. The Clarinet As Cuckoo
The Carnival Of The Animals (The Cuckoo)
The Flute As An All-purpose Aviary
The Carnival Of The Animals (The Aviary)
The Oboe As Duck
Peter And The Wolf (The Duck)
The Recording Of Reality. Does It Work As Well?
The Pines Of Rome (The Pines Of The Janiculum)
The Recording Of Reality Electronically Reborn In New Guises
Cantus Articus - Concerto For Birds And Orchesra (Mvt 2)
Beethoven Turns Avian: Cuckoo, Nightingale, And Quail
Symphony No.6 'Pastoral' (Andante Molto Mosso)
Some Improbable Casting: The Violin As Braying Donkey
The Carnival Of The Animals (Persons With Long Ears)
A Truly Orchestral Hee-haw To Be Reckoned With
Overture To 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'
A Thunderstorm In A Million
Symphony No.6 'Pastoral (Allegro-Allegretto)
the Instrumental Depiction Of A Silent World
The Carnival Of The Animals (The Aquarium)
Saint-Saens' Menagerie Takes A Curtain Call.
The Carnival Of The Animals (Finale)

Tracks:

The Grouping Of Instrumental Families. An Additive Approach. First, Two Violins
Forty-Four Duos (No.4)
A Great Contrast, Of Both Pitch And Character: Violin And Viola
Duo For Violin And Viola In B Flat Major, K.424 (Finale, Vars 1 & 2)/Studio Example
Arrival Of The Standard String Trio: Violin, Viola, And Cello
String Trio In B Flat (Menuetto)
The String Quartet: Two Violins, Viola, And Cello
String Quartet In F, Op.18 No.1 (Mvt 3)
The String Quintet - When The Extra Instrument Is A Second Viola
String Quartet No.5 In D, K.593 (Adagio)
The String Quintet - When The Extra Instrument Is A Second Cello
String Quintet In C (Mvt 3)
The String Sextet: Two Violins, Two Violas, And Two Cellos
String Sextet In B Flat (Mvt 2)
The String Octet: The Standard String Quaret Times Two
Octet In E Flat, Op.20 (Mvt 1)
Double The String Octet: A Fully Fledged String Orchestra
String Symphony No.2 (Finale)
The Massed Strings Of A Symphony Orchestra
Fantasia On A Theme Of Thomas Tallis
Contrasts Of Pitch And Instrumental 'Colour' In The Woodwind Section
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Op.100 No.5 (Theme)
In The First Variation It's The Horn That Gets The Lion's Share.
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 1
In Variation Two The Torch Is Handed To The Bassoon.
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 2
In Variation Three The Oboe Leads.
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 3
Variation Four: Conversation Before Returning To A Solo-dominated Texture
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 4
And Variation Five is Dominated By The Clarinet.
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 5
The Next To Be Featured Is The Virtuoso Flute.
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 6
Individual Farewells And A Closing Chorus
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 7
A Mixed Group: Clarinet, Bassoon, Horn, String Quartet, And Double-Bass
Octet In F (Mvt 3)
The Early Classical Symphony Orchestra Of Haydn And Mozart
Symphony No.29 In A, K.201 (Finale)
Strings, Wind, But No Brass. What Haydn And Mozart Never Knew
Canzon 28
Beethoven's Fifth: Two Horns, Two Trumpets, And Three Trombones Join The Team.
Symphony No.5 (Finale)
From Beethoven To The Massive Orchestras Of Berlioz, Wagner, And Mahler
Beethoven Changed The Face Of The Symphony And The Orchestra Forever
Symphoy No.6 'Tragic' (Mvt 1)
The Cult Of Orchestral Elephantiasis Reaches Its Peak.
Symphony No.1 'Gothic' (VI: Te Ergo Quaesumus)
When Large Doesn't Necessarily Mean Loud: Debussy
Images (Gigues)
A Crisis Of Confidence; The Orchestra's Survival Hangs In The Balance, But It Still Develops. The Ondes Martenot:
Turangalila Symphony (Chant D'amour 1)
The Advent Of The 'Early Music' Movement Brings A New Vitality And Freshness.
Balle De Xerxes (Gavotte En Rondeau)
Computer And Synthesiser: Friends Or Foes?
Concerto In D Minor For Two Violins (Largo)
A Speculative Look Ahead/Mass In B Minor ('Dona Nobis Pacem')

Customer Reviews:

Instruments of the Orchestra - Great Reference Material!.......2007-04-04

This set lends itself to greatly enhancing one's knowledge of the orchestra, instruments in it, and their usage. I am a huge music buff, and I still picked up a great deal I previously did not know. I highly recommend this for all who wish to understand the origin of music, as well as the processes that are employed to create music!

Beginner or Expert.......2007-03-12

This CD is excellent for the beginner or expert! To be able to haear the instrumets separately and then together really provides a good education. and/or refresher. The book thaty comes with the CD is alomost worth the price by itself!

Very Informative and Enjoyable.......2006-11-20

Whether you're a music novice or pro, "The instruments of the Orchestra" is a very worthwhile purchase. The 7 CDs, with a total of 8 hours, are expertly narrated by Jeremy Siepmann. He's a great speaker, very much like the late Leonard Bernstein was. Mr. Siepmann takes you on an unforgetable musical journey covering the origins and use of the various orchestral instruments throughout musical history. The balance between his narration and a wealth of musical examples, which range from snippets to entire movements, is superb. The comprehensive enclosed booklet is excellent and faithfully follows the 7 CDs in content. Even with my 40+ years of music training I still learned new things from this wonderful collection. Considering the excellence of the content, and a cost that translates to about $5 per disc, this collection is a great value. Grab it, you won't regret that you did. Five solid stars!

Frank's view.......2006-08-19

This boxed set of CD's with booklet achieved all I had hoped that it would. There are good samples of individual instruments and well done commentary on each. The only drawback was that some of the samples were too brief and could have been longer, hoiwever I guess this fits in with time constraints of the medium. It has given me a lot of clues as to future purchases of CD's for listening to individual instruments. Altogeth a satisfactory purchase and a welcome addition to my collection.

Excellent Intro for Those Not Familiar with the Orchestra.......2003-11-08

I've listened to classical music for years and am interested in composition. I bought this CD set to learn how an orchestra and its instruments work. I thought the CDs would be a nice but boring lecture. They aren't! Not only are they FUN but they are informative as well. I learned a huge amount from each CD and couldn't wait to listen to the next one.

The narrator and writer is a great speaker and holds your attention well. He is definitely knowledgeable. He provides musical examples for each point he makes, so you get to "hear" what he just talked about. I'd say the CDs are about 65% music and 35% narration. You'll learn about the range of instruments, some history, different ways to play them, how they sound, and how they are used in the orchestra. This CD set was a great learning experience and is sold at such a low price!

I recommend this CD for those who want to learn about classical music and those who know about it but are interested in learning more about the inner workings of an orchestra. You'll learn much useful information. For instance, the Rite of Spring (with that eerie start) is written for bassoon! I never knew a bassoon could sound like that but now I do.

The one complaint I have is the last CD. This deals with the orchestra. I wanted more of a tour of how the orchestra has been used through history up to the present. Instead, it was a tour of how different groups of instruments sound. I thought it could have been better. The other 6 CDs are excellent.

Send in the Clowns: The Ballads of Stephen Sondheim
Average customer rating:

Wonderful songs

Send in the Clowns: The Ballads of Stephen Sondheim

Manufacturer: RCA Victor
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Comedy Tonight: Stephen Sondheim's Funniest Songs

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

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Sondheim: The Stephen Sondheim Album

ASIN: B00006LSQJ
Release Date: 2002-10-22

Tracks:

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

Customer Reviews:

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

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

Average customer rating:

Wondrous gentle music
hauntingly beautiful
The voice of the soul
Divinely Joyous
Breathtaking!!!

Isabel Bayrakdarian ~ Joyous Light
Armenian Anonymous , Sahag Bartev , Khacadour Vartabed of Daron , Mekhitar Vartabed of Ayrivank , St. Gregory of Nareg , Gomidas Vartabed , Raffi Armenian , Isabel Bayrakdarian , and Elmer Iseler Chamber Orchestra
Manufacturer: Cbc
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | International | Styles | Music

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Ararat
A Long Journey Home

ASIN: B00005S6VZ
Release Date: 2002-04-16

Tracks:

Where Are You, O Mother
You Are A Profound Mystery
Trisagion - Isabel Bayrakdarian
We Celebrate
Chosen Of God
Joyous Light - Isabel Bayrakdarian
My Heart Trembles
Lord Have Mercy - Isabel Bayrakdarian
Entrance To The Tabernacle
The Fowl
The Mother Of The Lord
Open For Us, Lord - Isabel Bayrakdarian
Be Delighted, O Holy Church
Rejoice, O Holy Church - Isabel Bayrakdarian
You Are The Only Holy One
Doxology
O Gardener
The Lord's Prayer

Customer Reviews:

Wondrous gentle music.......2007-01-10

I first saw Isabel on an SBS programme and was amazed at the glorious sounds she was producing. This album is great, relaxing, full of strength and beauty. My only word of caution would be that unless you are in the right mood it can sound a bit repetitive by the time you get to the end of the album. However, I am very glad that I bought it.

hauntingly beautiful.......2006-08-22

Very beautiful melodies and a gorgeous voice - doesn't vary as much though as a whole cd -
can get monotonous after a few songs

The voice of the soul.......2006-01-01

Growing up in the Armenian church, it was impossible not to be powerfully moved by the music. Isabel Bayrakdarian was clearly also moved in the same way. Her singing is so flawless, yet it conveys the depths of her spiritual feelings. It is wonderful that people who have not been exposed to this music will have a chance to experience its power and beauty.

Divinely Joyous.......2005-09-28

Isabel Bayrakdarian is a certified classical music diva today, an excellent Mozartian, Handelian, songs and lieder recitalist and overall a very bright star in the current line-up of young sopranos. And this is how she started her recorded career- with a disc of Armenian liturgical music.
For me it is actually very refreshing to listen to songs in language that I don't understand at all- and a nice break from the usual Latin, German, and my native ones- but at the same time, knowing that they are sung by someone who understands the texts and has a spiritual connection to them is a nice bonus. (And if you want to explore the meaning behind the sounds, the original Armenian texts and translations are included in the CD booklet...) It's also a new musical experience to my ears- I am used to certain melismatic forms of Indian music, and Soeur Marie Keyrouz records of Byzantine chants, yet this music still sounds quite exotic to me. And, at all times, very beautiful.
Like Gregorian chant in its pure form, it would get somewhat monotonous, if it wasn't for Bayrakdarian's heartfelt delivery. I find that the opening song is my favourite and often end up listening to it over and over again, but the whole album is very addictive. Not all the songs have the same joyous rapture feel- some are melancholy tinged, some are both at the same time. You need to listen to this music to appreciate its strange charms. It's beautiful and deeply spiritual, all in one. It is certainly Sacred Joy for my ears.

Breathtaking!!!.......2002-08-14

This is a stunning recording. Isabel Bayrakdarian's voice is a wonderful clear soprano, rich and warm throughout its range and free of any roughness. Her long familiarity with this repertoire lets her shape each phrase beautifully and, apparently, effortlessly.

The disk derives from a concert that took place in Toronto in September, 2001 commemorating 1700 years of Christianity in Armenia. It consists of 18 pieces of liturgical music. In some Bayrakdarian sings a capella, but in most she is supported by a chamber orchestra. One is aware that this is not western music, but the modes in which it is written are just unusual enough to European ears to be a little exotic while remaining entirely accessible. It's not quite melodic, but not quite chant either. Bayrakdarian's melismas are always sensitive and subtle. The whole effect is soaring, haunting, ethereal, transporting, utterly wonderful.

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.

Average customer rating:

Not the best recording
Stunning Goldberg Aria
Great CD
Piano Perfection!
A Classic in Every Sense!

50 Most Loved Piano Classics

Manufacturer: Capitol
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Minuets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Etudes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Fantasies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Fugues | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Compilations | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Cantatas | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Easy Listening | Pop | Styles | Music

Orchestral Pop | Easy Listening | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music
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More Than 50 Most Loved Hymns
Piano Favorites
The Most Relaxing Piano Album in the World...Ever!
The World's Favorite Piano Music
25 Piano Favorites

ASIN: B000AHJ7SY
Release Date: 2005-08-30

Tracks:

'Aria' - 50 Most Loved Piano Classics
'Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring' - 50 Most Loved Piano Classics
Prelude No.1 In C Major, BWV 846 - 50 Most Loved Piano Classics
Minuet In G Major From Anna Magdalena Notebook - 50 Most Loved Piano Classics
Prelude No.22 In B-Flat Minor, BWV 891 - 50 Most Loved Piano Classics
'Siciliano' - 50 Most Loved Piano Classics
III. 'Rondo Alla Turca' - 50 Most Loved Piano Classics
I. Allegro - 50 Most Loved Piano Classics
Fantasy In D Minor - 50 Most Loved Piano Classics
II. Adagio Cantabile - 50 Most Loved Piano Classics
I. Adagio Sostenuto - 50 Most Loved Piano Classics
Fur Elise - 50 Most Loved Piano Classics
II. Minuet - 50 Most Loved Piano Classics
Impromptu Op.90 No.3 In G-Flat Major - 50 Most Loved Piano Classics
Moment Musicaux No.3 In F Minor - 50 Most Loved Piano Classics
Fruhlingslied (Spring Song) - 50 Most Loved Piano Classics
Venetian Gondola - 50 Most Loved Piano Classics

Tracks:

Waltz Op.64 No.1 In D-Flat Major Minute Waltz - 50 Most Loved Piano Classics
Prelude Op.28 No.15 Raindrop Prelude In D-Flat Major - 50 Most Loved Piano Classics
Nocturne Op.9 No.1 In B-Flat Minor - 50 Most Loved Piano Classics
Etude Op.10 No.12 Revolutionary - 50 Most Loved Piano Classics
Nocturne Op.27 No.2 In D-Flat Major - 50 Most Loved Piano Classics
GRand Valse Brilliante Op.18 In E-Flat Major - 50 Most Loved Piano Classics
Nocturne Op.9 No.2 In E-Flat Major - 50 Most Loved Piano Classics
Etude Op.10 No.3 In E Major - 50 Most Loved Piano Classics
Prelude Op.28 No.20 In C Minor - 50 Most Loved Piano Classics
Prelude Op.28 No.4 In E Minor - 50 Most Loved Piano Classics
Waltz Op.69 No.1 In A-Flat Major Farewell Waltz - 50 Most Loved Piano Classics
Kindererszenen (Scenes From Childhood) Op.15 No.7: Traumerei (Dreaming) - 50 Most Loved Piano Classics
Fantasiestucke (Fantasy Pieces) Op.12 No.1: Des Abends (In The Evening) - 50 Most Loved Piano Classics
Widmung (Dedication) - 50 Most Loved Piano Classics
Consolation No.3 In D-Flat Major - 50 Most Loved Piano Classics
Aria - 50 Most Loved Piano Classics

Tracks:

Hungarian Dance No.5 In F-Sharp Minor - 50 Most Loved Piano Songs
Intermezzo Op.118 No.2 In A Major - 50 Most Loved Piano Songs
Waltz Op.39 No.15 In A-Flat Major - 50 Most Loved Piano Songs
June - 50 Most Loved Piano Songs
Berceuse - 50 Most Loved Piano Songs
Tango - 50 Most Loved Piano Songs
Granada - 50 Most Loved Piano Songs
To A Wild Rose - 50 Most Loved Piano Songs
Clair DE Lune - 50 Most Loved Piano Songs
The Girl With The Flaxen Hair - 50 Most Loved Piano Songs
Golliwogg's Cake Walk - 50 Most Loved Piano Songs
Arabesque No.I - 50 Most Loved Piano Songs
Gymnopedie No.I - 50 Most Loved Piano Songs
The Maiden And The Nightengale - 50 Most Loved Piano Songs
Prelude Op.3 No.2 In C-Sharp Minor - 50 Most Loved Piano Songs
Prelude Op.23 No.5 Ini G Minor - 50 Most Loved Piano Songs
I. Pavane - 50 Most Loved Piano Songs

Customer Reviews:

Not the best recording.......2007-07-15

The songs were played flawlessly, however, it's really quiet. When you turn up the volume, you will hear hissing in the background.

Stunning Goldberg Aria.......2006-02-21

Who is the performer of that amazing recording of the Goldberg Aria??!?! It must be Gould.

Great CD.......2006-01-29

Nice set of songs. I enjoyed it a lot, I see no reason why anyone wouldn't like this CD set.

Piano Perfection!.......2005-10-16

Saw it on TV and thought the music was beautiful, but forgot to write the information down... but managed to buy it online (now I see it frequently at the music stores)and I absolutely love this album -- all my favorite pieces! (I'm not big on writing comments or reviews, but was compelled by the artistry and passion I heard throughout this CD!)

A Classic in Every Sense!.......2005-10-12

I overheard some people at the record store talking about this album - one guy was actually a piano teacher and couldn't stop raving about it. I bought the album on his recommendation and couldn't be happier - it's stunningly beautiful. Beethoven's "Moonlight" sonata is haunting and Chopin's "Minute Waltz" is spectacular in its precision and speed! This will make a great stocking stuffer at Christmas for my friends (... I'm getting them now cause I've gone to a couple places and they're out of stock). If you're into piano, this is truly a classic!

Average customer rating:

Crossover at Its Best
If Dawn Upshaw had made only one album...
Great songs by a better than average singer. Buy It.
A must album for all musical theatre lovers.
Timeless recording

I Wish It So
soprano Dawn Upshaw , Marc Blitzstein , Eric Stern , Stephen Sondheim , Kurt Weill , Leslie Stifelman , Leonard Bernstein , and Matthias Naegele
Manufacturer: Nonesuch
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

General | Musicals | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music

Traditional Vocal Pop | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music

General | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music

General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B000005J2V
Release Date: 1994-08-02

Tracks:

I Wish It So
There Won't Be Trumpets - Sondheim
What More Do I Need? - Sondheim
That's Him
The Girls Of Summer - Sondheim
The Saga Of Jenny
Like It Was
Stay Well
I Feel Pretty
Glitter And Be Gay
My Ship
In The Clear
Never Get Lost - Take Me To The World
My New Friends - Bernstein

Amazon.com essential recording

With a spirit of innocence and excitement, no audible breaks of register, and perfect diction, Dawn Upshaw graces us with a satisfying crossover recording in which each song is a fully realized musical monologue. The eclectic and infrequently performed repertoire, from Bernstein, Blitzstein, Sondheim, and Weill, compliments her charm and interpretive acuity. There's her humorous "Saga of Jenny," her adorable "That's Him," her poignant "Like It Was," and her freshly vibrant "I Feel Pretty." Conductor Eric Stern is divine in his arrangements and accompaniment. This is one of the best musical theater albums available. --Barbara Eisner Bayer

Customer Reviews:

Crossover at Its Best.......2006-11-15

"I Wish It So" is the CD that first introduced the exceptional "crossover" talents of soprano Dawn Upshaw. The album, which comprises (mostly) little-heard songs by Kurt Weill, Marc Blitzstein, Leonard Bernstein, and Stephen Sondheim, opens with the title number, a lyrical gem from Blitzstein's JUNO, and continues with Sondheim's vibrant "There Won't Be Trumpets," in which Upshaw, rather than belting, lets her voice ring. She then slam-dunks Sondheim's "What More Do I Need," a truly raucous number. Other highlights include the two songs from Weill's LADY IN THE DARK: the haunting ballad "My Ship" and the witty "The Saga of Jenny," presented here in a superb jazz arrangement. The sound of Upshaw's lower middle voice in this number is thrilling. Her combining of Blizstein's "Never Get Lost" and Sondheim's soaring, life-affirming "Take Me to the World" is perfect, as is her musical yet emotional rendition of "Like It Was" from Sondheim's MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG. The album climaxes with the mock-coloratura aria "Glitter and Be Gay" from Bernstein's CANDIDE, in which Upshaw scales the heights with consistently pure and beautiful tone. In a day when many great opera singers attempt, unsuccessfully, to sing "popular" song, "I Wish It So" is an example of crossover at its very best. It is a CD that no one who loves both opera and musicals should miss.

If Dawn Upshaw had made only one album..........2006-08-24

I have a weak spot for crossover albums by opera stars, which can often be train wrecks or embarrissing self-parodies. There's not a cringe-worthy note in this one, however. Dawn Upshaw has never been as vibrant on disc, and her style in pop music (albeit serious pop music) surpasses expectations. She is a master at touching vulnerability and stars-in-her-eyes vulnerability. There's no current Broadway star who can match her in any of these songs form Sondheim, Weill, and Bernstein, certainly not for sheer beauty of voice and charm. Upshaw went on to make an excellent album of Rodgers and Hart songs, but nothing else quite matches this first effort.

Great songs by a better than average singer. Buy It........2006-04-24

'I Wish It So' sung by popular / classical switch hitter, Dawn Upshaw is a very, very good interpretation of classical American musical theatre pieces by four masters of the genre, Leonard Bernstein (music), Marc Blitzstein (lyrics), Stephen Sondheim (lyrics) and Kurt Weill (music). As I am most familiar with female interpretations of Kurt Weill's songs, especially by the likes of his widow, Lotte Lenya and Weill interpreter extraordinare, Ute Lemper, I have to say that while Upshaw does them justice, she does ont outshine the very best Weill interpretations. Primarily, I believe she suffers from never actually performing the works on stage, as Lenya has.

And, since Ute Lemper did an album with a similar collection of songs (Illusions) from Sondheim and others, I thing Lemper still has the edge on interpreting other composers as well.

On the positive side, I find Upshaw's interpretation as good or better than almost everyone else who makes a career out of these songs, such as, dare I say it, Barbra Streisand. This is a good thing, because I believe Upshaw is not up to the very best mezzos who share her classical works. She can't hold a candle, for example, to Renee Fleming or Anne Sofie von Otter, although her interpretations of Weill are as good as von Otter, just not as good as Lenya and Lemper.

A very, very nice album if you like female vocalists.

A must album for all musical theatre lovers........2005-04-21

Dawn Upshaw once again disproves the adage that opera singers can't sing showtunes properly. Her diction, her ability to act out the lyrics and her crystal clear angel-like voice are just heavenly. Miss Upshaw could teach quite a few Broadway and Cabaret singers a thing or two about interpretation and she would have her hands full teaching opera singers like Te Kanawa or Fleming how to put over a showtune properly. Simply divine!

Timeless recording.......2004-07-20

This is an endlessly rewarding album by an operatic soprano who demonstrates an expressiveness and range rare in crossover albums of this sort. Upshaw modifies her classical technique without compromising it, narrating with a conversational tone and youthful ebullience well-suited to musical theater. She continues her tradition of championing obscure American art songs with three gorgeous Blitzstein pieces, and wisely avoids the standard, overdone Sondheim showpieces in favor of several gorgeous lesser-known songs. "I Feel Pretty" is given a refreshing makeover, while "Glitter and Be Gay" demonstrates both her impressive vocal control and comedic prowess. Despite the odd choice of "There Won't Be Trumpets", which demands a belter to properly execute the climax, this album is a well-conceived and cohesive collection that becomes more enjoyable on each subsequent listen.

Music: