Gershwin

On this CD:

1. Porgy and Bess, opera Introduction and Summertime
Composed by George Gershwin
Performed by New York Philharmonic with Roberta Alexander, Gregg Baker
Conducted by Joseph Flummerfelt, Zubin Mehta

2. Porgy and Bess, opera A Woman is a Sometime Thing
Composed by George Gershwin
Performed by New York Philharmonic with Roberta Alexander, Gregg Baker
Conducted by Joseph Flummerfelt, Zubin Mehta

3. Porgy and Bess, opera Overflow
Composed by George Gershwin
Performed by New York Philharmonic with Roberta Alexander, Gregg Baker
Conducted by Joseph Flummerfelt, Zubin Mehta

4. Porgy and Bess, opera Since I Lose my Man
Composed by George Gershwin
Performed by New York Philharmonic with Roberta Alexander, Gregg Baker
Conducted by Joseph Flummerfelt, Zubin Mehta

5. Porgy and Bess, opera The Promise' Lan'
Composed by George Gershwin
Performed by New York Philharmonic with Roberta Alexander, Gregg Baker
Conducted by Joseph Flummerfelt, Zubin Mehta

6. Porgy and Bess, opera I Got Plenty O' Nuttin'
Composed by George Gershwin
Performed by New York Philharmonic with Roberta Alexander, Gregg Baker
Conducted by Joseph Flummerfelt, Zubin Mehta

7. Porgy and Bess, opera Bess, You is my Woman Now
Composed by George Gershwin
Performed by New York Philharmonic with Roberta Alexander, Gregg Baker
Conducted by Joseph Flummerfelt, Zubin Mehta

8. Porgy and Bess, opera O, I Can't Sit Down
Composed by George Gershwin
Performed by New York Philharmonic with Roberta Alexander, Gregg Baker
Conducted by Joseph Flummerfelt, Zubin Mehta

9. Porgy and Bess, opera It Ain't Necessarily So
Composed by George Gershwin
Performed by New York Philharmonic with Roberta Alexander, Gregg Baker
Conducted by Joseph Flummerfelt, Zubin Mehta

10. Porgy and Bess, opera There's a Boat Dat's Leavin' Soon for New York
Composed by George Gershwin
Performed by New York Philharmonic with Roberta Alexander, Gregg Baker
Conducted by Joseph Flummerfelt, Zubin Mehta

11. Porgy and Bess, opera O, Lawd I'm on my Way
Composed by George Gershwin
Performed by New York Philharmonic with Roberta Alexander, Gregg Baker
Conducted by Joseph Flummerfelt, Zubin Mehta

12. An American in Paris, tone poem for orchestra
Composed by George Gershwin
Performed by New York Philharmonic
Conducted by Zubin Mehta

13. Cuban Overture
Composed by George Gershwin
Performed by New York Philharmonic
Conducted by Zubin Mehta

Tracks:

Going To School featuring John Williams
IV. Allegretto poco mosso from Sonata in A Major for Violin and Piano
II. Andante con moto e poco rubato from Three Preludes
II. Largo from "Winter", Op. 8, No. 4, RV 297 from the Four Seasons
Doce de coco
II. Largo from Concerto No. 1 in G minor for Cello and Orchestra, Op. 49
Cinema Paradiso: Nostalgia from Giuseppe Tornatore Suite
The Swan from Carnival of the Animals (Chamber Version)
Yanzi (Swallow Song)
II. Andante from Concerto for Violin, Cello and Orchestra in A minor,
Soledad
No. 4 Mikin Pekko from Five Finnish Folk Songs
First Impressions featuring Edgar Meyer; Mark O'Connor
Song Without Words, Op. 109
Gabriel's Oboe from The Mission featuring Ennio Morricone

Amazon.com

Any new compilation CD starring Yo-Yo Ma is certain to please. This master of the cello takes the listener through so many types of music that the ear and mind never tire. The present selection is billed as a sort of "musical autobiography," and, indeed, it gives us a tour of Ma's musical life. The Silk Road Project is represented by Zhao's "Swallow Song," with its eerie, fascinating soundscape (specially re-recorded for this CD). We also accompany Ma on his excursions into the world of the baroque cello with Vivaldi or of the Finnish folk song (by Mamiya, a first recording). There are Gershwin's languid Second Prelude, with its intimations of the song "Summertime," and an all-new recording of a nine-minute heart-breaker by Astor Piazzolla ("Soledad"). Ma also gives us more familiar Brahms, Franck, and Saint-Saens. The compilation's mellow 65 minutes offer relaxing, beautiful music, all exquisitely played. Ma is joined by the best: Emanuel Ax, Kathryn Stott, John Williams (who plays piano on his own "Going to School" from Memoirs of a Geisha), Isaac Stern, and Claudio Abbado. This is a veritable Who's Who of superb musicians. --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews:

Pure Listening Pleasure.......2007-05-18

There is no pretension in this collection - just the pure, simple pleasure in Ma's performance and in our enjoyment.

Appassionato.......2007-05-18

With a little help of some of his friends Yo Yo Ma offered us another of his masterpieces. No other title could define better the tracks selection, pleasant and inspired.

Deep, Serious and diverse.......2007-04-26

Yo Yo Ma is simply fantastic, and has arrived as such a height of recognition that any production he is invovled in will be top of the line, as this is.

This is a darker collection than I expected. And like a serious, reserved friend, it can take a little longer to appreciate than the bubbly outgoing ones. I now find I like it very much, but it is serious "conversation."

There is great variety here as well, and I gave it to a friend's teenager who is considering whether she wants to learn the cello. Her response was much the same as mine. Initially not so sure, but over time, has really come to like it, too. This collection has great depth.

Yo-Yo Ma's Appassionato.......2007-04-13

For those who share Yo-Yo Ma's passion for music, and especially his passion for diversity in music, and for connecting with the spirit of global humanity, this recording has a prominant place in your library.

A soulful compilation.......2007-04-13

I love this album for the diversity of music and the great programming. I especially love the collaboration with Isaac Stern, no longer with us in body, but always in music. Thanks YoYo.

Gershwin: Rhapsody In Blue/An American In Paris

Average customer rating:

Gershwin/Bernstein: Rhapsody In Blue and American In Paris
A glorious tribute!
A Truly Great Performance
GLORIOUS!
The Definitive Version and Good Sound Quality!

Gershwin: Rhapsody In Blue/An American In Paris

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0000025MH
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Rhapsody in Blue
An American in Paris

Customer Reviews:

Gershwin/Bernstein: Rhapsody In Blue and American In Paris.......2007-01-16

In my opinion you just can't go wrong with Leonard Bernstein and the New York Philharmonic Orchestra. I have many of their recordings in addition to many recordings of other orchestras; some great, some not so much...but the New York Phil is cosistently great. This recording is a superb example of Gershwin's writing, thoughtfully reproduced by a fine orchestra. Both the brashness of the pieces and the subtleties are interpreted well by Mr. Bernstein and the orchestra. The soloists are nothing other than excellent. The brass section is easily as strong as the Chicago symphony's famous section, and the strings intonation is superb. The pathos and the humor of both pieces are readily projected by this sensitive orchestra and conductor. I couldn't recommend this recording higher!

A glorious tribute!.......2006-11-22

To play Gershwin accurately demands from the player, the absolute domain of an invisible taste, unsaid in the score. Few pianists (and Bernstein is among them) were able to convey the listener, this savoir vivre, humor, elegance, that idiomatic atmosphere that plainly justifies your effort.

To my mind, there just have been five pianists who have surmounted this peak: Oscar Levant, Jesus Maria Sanroma, Eugene List, Earl Wild and Leonard Bernstein.

So, under any pretext you should miss this invaluable musical gem.

A Truly Great Performance.......2006-08-19

I originally found this record in a used record store and purchased it for $1. This was not too long ago. After listening, i could not believe that this record only cost me $1 and that some idiot actually sold this to a used record store without listening first. I have never heard a performace of Rhapsody In Blue that is as powerful and heartfelt as this one. Bernstain melts into the piano, resulting in a performance that outshines so many Gershwin performances that exist. On the other side of the record is An American In Paris, a textbook tone poem, and i mean this as a great compliment. The images of Paris and a partially homesick/partially jubilant American strolling along exude from every note. When i found these great performances on CD, i snatched up a copy as quickly as i could. GET THIS RECORD. It is truly a Great Performance.

GLORIOUS!.......2006-07-21

This review refers to "Great Performances: Gershwin - Rhapsody in Blue/An American In Paris"(CD)

Well, how can you go wrong when Leonard Bernstein, with the help of the Columbia Symphony Orchestra and the New York Philharmonic, conducts(and performs brilliantly on piano)these two George Gershwin greats.You just can't. Even the quality of the CD is excellent.

Rhapsody will carry you away to some other place for a while. From that very first bluesy note, Bernstein and Orchestra will have you wrapped up in all it's jazzy glory. It's music that defines the word greatness and it's THE song I would pick (if I could only pick one) that exemplifies the masterfulness of American composers.

An American In Paris is wonderful. The feeling of a tourist on the loose in Paris is expertly portrayed through this recording. The highs, the lows and all the delights. I felt a part of it all(and I'm a long way from Paris!)

Now, if you have read any of my other CD reviews, you know that right about here is where I complain ,and sometimes even take a star off of my rating, when a CD is too short(considering how easy it is to get music elsewhere these days). But I have to say, even though the total time on this CD is only about 35 minutes, what a glorious 35 minutes it is.
Rhapsody a wonderful 16:26 and American In Paris a Yummy 18:22.
It's music that never gets old. It stands the test of time, and many repeated playings.

So you may want to keep a copy of this in your car. A great way to start your day. Listen on the way to work, and you'll have that "what? me worry?" attitude. Also fabulous for destressing on the way home from a long days work.It just seems to make everything okay.

As I said the CD has a nice quality. It also has a booklet with some notes on how Gershwin came to compose these songs.

Gershwin performed by Bernstein..it was meant to be!
Enjoy it...Laurie

The Definitive Version and Good Sound Quality!.......2006-06-06

This ADD recording has surprisingly good sound quality for an older recording that hasn't been remastered. The performance by Bernstein and both the Columbia Symphonic and the NY Philharmonic on the pieces is simply breathtaking. You'd be hard pressed to find better interpretations of these Gershwin masterpieces. The only problem with this album is that it's very short and although would have been the perfect length on an lp or cassette as it was originally, it seems to be a waste of cd space here. Sony should probably remaster this and add some tracks like perhaps "Porgy and Bess" to make it a better value proposition. I hope they re-release a remastered version on mini-lp sleeve replica packaging too.

Gershwin: Piano Cto in F/Rhapsody in Blue in C (Hybr)

Average customer rating:

fun, satisfying listening
Waited 50 years for this version
Blew me away: incredible fluidity

Gershwin: Piano Cto in F/Rhapsody in Blue in C (Hybr)

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

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Volodos Plays Liszt
Haydn: Piano Sonatas

ASIN: B000NY164W
Release Date: 2007-05-08

Tracks:

I Allegro
II Adagio
III Allegro Agitato
Rhapsody In Blue
Cuban Overture

Amazon.com

Jon Nakamatsu won the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in 1997 and has made several fine recordings since then. This all-Gershwin program is probably his finest. He plays the Piano Concerto with great rhythmic sass, the Charleston always underpinning the melodies. Rather than opt for a showy reading of this or the Rhapsody in Blue, he and conductor Jeff Tyzik emphasize the music's sultry quality; the smoke-filled nightclub is there right alongside the concert hall at all times. The clarinet solo that opens the Rhapsody is stunningly evocative. Nakamatsu and the horn player duet with a keen jazz ear, and the solo piano work is songful and elegant. If you're looking for fireworks, there are plenty in the Concerto's finale - it's a thrilling reading. The Cuban Overture, a work so familiar that it's hard to look forward to, is given a terrific reading here by Tyzik and The Rochester Philharmonic, with the Latin percussion sounding wonderfully at home with the "regular" orchestra. This is a splendid release. --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews:

fun, satisfying listening.......2007-06-15

Jon Nakamatsu is one of the brightest rising stars in classical music. As a classical label owner, I have listened to a lot of music and this pianist is at the top. These fabulous pieces are treated with Nakamatsu's usual tenderness and lyricism that he affords his Chopin and Brahms CDs, and still leaves room for the jaunty, sassy, fun that these compositions ask for. Leave a space on your Favorites list for this one!

Waited 50 years for this version.......2007-06-01

This is a simply incredible album. It is the Rhapsody in Blue to add to your collection for both excellent sound quality & superb performance. Both soloist & orchestra are completely inspired. I've heard several competent but dutiful versions on disc, but this one soars. Heard it on HD radio & could not wait to own it.

Blew me away: incredible fluidity.......2007-05-12

I had the privilege of hearing Jon Nakamatsu perform a Beethoven Concerto recently and as a result, purchased this CD, loving Gershwin. I have several other versions of Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue, and this interpretation is the best for me. The fluid lines of play warm my heart. The humor found in the piece comes through with playful notes making me smile. The other pieces are similarly enjoyably performed. I just went on line to purchase all the rest of his albums, I liked this one so much. I can't wait until they arrive!

Average customer rating:

pure genius
Another great Yo-Yo Disc
first disc great- second a flop
Encore
The Versatile Yo-Yo Ma

The Essential Yo-Yo Ma

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Appassionato
Yo-Yo Ma Plays Ennio Morricone
Vivaldi's Cello
Classic Yo-Yo
Silk Road Journeys: Beyond the Horizon

ASIN: B000A7Q29G
Release Date: 2005-08-16

Tracks:

Prde from Suite No. 1 in G Major for Cello, BWV 1007
II. Largo from "Winter", Op. 8, No. 4, RV 297 from the Four Seasons
Jesus, bleibet meine Freude (Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring), BWV 147
Schafe kn sicher weiden (Sheep May Safely Graze), BWV 208
Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme (Sleepers Awake), BWV 645
The Swan from Carnival of the Animals (Chamber Version)
Havanaise, Op. 83
Mtation from Tha
Liebesfreud Instrumental
Allegro ben ritmato e deciso from Three Preludes
Vocalise Vocal
IV. Allegro from Sonata in D minor for Cello and Piano, Op. 40
Andante Cantabile for Cello Solo and String Orchestra, Op. posth.
IV. Rondo alla Zingarese. Presto from Quartet No. 1 in G minor for Piano and Strings, Op. 25
III. Finale. Allegro moderato from Concerto in B minor for Cello and Orchestra, Op. 104

Tracks:

Cristal
A lenda do caboclo
Chega de Saudade Live
Wapango Live
Libertango
Appalachia Waltz Solo Cello Version
Butterfly's Day Out
1B
Pickin' from Three Pieces for Solo Cello
Simple Gifts
The Mission
Gabriel's Oboe
The Falls Album Version
The Eternal Vow from Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
The Cellist of Sarajevo - A Lament in Rondo Form for Solo 'Cello, Op. 12
Chi passa per'sta strada
Mido Mountain (Chinese Traditional)
Mohini (Enchantment)
Baroque in Rhythm from Suite for Cello and Jazz Piano Trio
Anything Goes Instrumental
I Could Have Danced All Night Extended version

Amazon.com

Here are three dozen pieces of music, all played by Yo-Yo Ma, culled from his extensive discography. Aside from the technical mastery and beautiful tone that are absolutes in all of his playing, one is dazzled by his curiosity and ability to adapt to so many forms and types of music. His Bach and Vivaldi are pellucid and played with non-sentimental crispness, his tango music gritty and rhythmically pungent, his jazz seemingly spontaneous, the "Meditation" from Thais simply ravishing, "Anything Goes" a romp, and the Appalachian music performed with both respect and a great twang, while the traditional Chinese music is fascinating. It's really a matter of how much Ma loves whatever he plays here, how entirely he becomes involved in it, and what a fine partner he invariably is to other musicians. This collection is a doozy--it is truly "essential." --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews:

pure genius.......2007-05-21

No instrument asks more from the soul of an artist as the cello does.
Yo Yo Ma shows to be master of the instrument and his interpretations en technique are pure genius. Everyone should have this album in his (or hers of course) basic classical collection

Another great Yo-Yo Disc.......2007-05-15

The set-up with the classical pieces on the first disc and the other on the second is excellent.

first disc great- second a flop.......2007-04-12

the first disc is awesome. the second disc is weird and boring.

Encore.......2007-03-31

Incredible. My young cellist (son) loves it. Beautiful music. The album is well organized and each song transitions nicely.

The Versatile Yo-Yo Ma.......2007-03-29

I've found this collection to be extremely delightful! It gives you a sense of the versatility of Yo-Yo Ma like no other, with one disc being dedicated more to his classical side, while the other explores jazz and world music venues. Not your typical "greatest hits" collection.

Stars & Stripes Forever and the Greatest Marches

Average customer rating:

Album matches content hype
Fun
invigorating!
Totally awesome!

Stars & Stripes Forever and the Greatest Marches

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000003F5U
Release Date: 1991-09-06

Tracks:

Aida: Grand March
Babes In Toyland: March Of The Toys
Semper Fidelis
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Yankee Doodle
Up The Street
The Damnation of Faust: Rakoczy March
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Valdres March
National Emblem March
The Stars And Stripes Forever

Customer Reviews:

Album matches content hype.......2007-05-31

I intially bought this album for a few selections I had heard from Classical 102.1 (KDFC-FM). I was pleasantly surprised that the entire album has a very satisfying collection of the greatest marches. I am very pleased with this album, and would recommend it for anyone who likes a broad range of famous marches.

Fun.......2007-01-21

This CD would make a great gift for anyone who enjoys marches. Some of the marches are popular, others are not. All are well-performed and can be enjoyed - LOUDLY!

invigorating!.......2006-12-05

Great recordings of stirring music. I like to play it loud while my kids and I clean house. It makes it go by fast.

Totally awesome!.......2005-03-27

My father was a Marine in the ETC, he told me stories about how they went floor to floor checking for bad guys humming this music. I think it is great music to listen to, I really like track 3, it says so much in the title alone. I hope everybody like this music as much as I do!

Oh, Lady, Be Good! Best of the Gershwin Songbook

Average customer rating:

Oh, Lady, Be Good! Best of the Gershwin Songbook by Ella Fitzgerald
no one like Ella...
Oh Lady Be Good is BETTER Than Good!
MUST HAVE!!!!
The Best of the Best....

Oh, Lady, Be Good! Best of the Gershwin Songbook
Ella Fitzgerald
Manufacturer: Polygram Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Pure Ella

ASIN: B000004711
Release Date: 1996-01-30

Tracks:

Fascinating Rhythm
'S Wonderful
Someone to Watch over Me
He Loves and She Loves
Oh, Lady, Be Good!
A Foggy Day
How Long Has This Been Going On?
Let's Call the Whole Thing Off
But for Me
My One & Only
I've Got a Crush on You
Nice Work if You Can Get It
The Man I Love
Funny Face
Embraceable You
They Can't Take That Away From Me
I Got Rhythm

Amazon.com essential recording

Ella recorded five LPs' worth of Gershwin tunes for her songbook series, which was frankly a little much, so this single disc skims the cream. These songs are the ur-texts of American pre-war pop, straightforward love songs made to flow off a singer's tongue, and here they're in the hands of a master. Nelson Riddle's arrangements tend toward the soupy side--the bombastic string sections are distinctly nonjazz--but Ella, as always, sings with absolute taste and authority. She doesn't seem to be living inside the lyrics the way she does with, say, the Cole Porter songbook, but the simplicity of the Gershwins' melodies and sentiments let her get across some gently nuanced, technically exquisite singing. --Douglas Wolk

Customer Reviews:

Oh, Lady, Be Good! Best of the Gershwin Songbook by Ella Fitzgerald.......2007-01-09

I love Ella and I love Gershwin. They're both great! The musical arrangements by Nelson Riddle are another story. They take away from Ella's beautiful voice and misinterpret Gershwin beautiful music. You get over it after a few listenings however and the music is still enjoyable. I guess it's a product of the era it was made in.

no one like Ella..........2004-08-18

frankly, there's no one out there i'd rather hear sing gershwin than ella fitzgerald, and this is an excellent compilation of ella singing some gershwin classics.

however, i was initially disappointed by this cd b/c i'd been searching for an album the showcased ella as opposed to the songs themselves. the highlights of this album are gershwin's songs (and ella does them sweet justice), but if you want a simple collection of ella at her best, in my opinion this isn't it.

Oh Lady Be Good is BETTER Than Good!.......2003-07-11

For those who want to hear Ella weave her magic in crisp, sparkling STEREO this is one of the VERY best of her many CDs. On this one she performs a unique, slow-tempo "Oh Lady Be Good" (that's right, SLOW and MELLOW as you've never heard it before and as only she could do it - and this alone is worth the price of admission). All the other top Gershwin goodies ("A Foggy Day", "But not For Me", "The Man I Love", etc.) are enhanced by Nelson Riddle's incomparable arrangements recorded in magnificent wrap-around sound that puts you right in front row center. So buckle up. This is a thrill-ride you'll want to experience again and again and again!

MUST HAVE!!!!.......2002-10-13

Anyone who enjoys Ella Fitzgerald has to have this album in their collection. Every since I bought it, it's played on a continual basis on my stereo system.You'll appreciate this album as one her her greatest.

The Best of the Best...........2002-09-22

Ella's voice is part of my childhood. She and George Gershwin played my lullabies. Not a bad introduction to music. Even now when I can't sleep I bring her back and let her sing in my head. Was there ever anything as lovely as Ella's voice? Everything falls away except the for the pure magic of her voice, the orchestra soaring...
This CD comes as close to the old "Ella Sings Gershwin" LP my parents had that I have found. Only "Clap a'Yo Hands" is missing. These are songs you love to listen to and love to sing. All my life I'll be grateful that Ella taught me how to sing! How can you not sing when you hear "Someone to Watch Over Me"? "The Man I Love"? How sweet is "I've Got a Crush on You"? I feel like I've just found buried treasure! I've got more Ella recordings that anything else in my collection, but like the CD itself says, "The Best of the Best of the Best of the Best." It's fabulous to have the all these amazing songs on one CD.
I just got myself a great present. You should get one too!

Average customer rating:

I Love A Parade review
The Boston Pops does it again!
Great music
If you want to get into a happy mood, listen to this cd!
If you love patriotic music, this is your cd

I Love a Parade John Williams

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B0000027CY
Release Date: 1991-05-21

Tracks:

I Love a Parade
Midway March
Washington Post March
Seventy-Six Trombones
El Capitan
South Rampart Street Parade
Semper Fidelis
Liberty Bell March
Colonel Bogey March
Strike Up The Band
The Thunderer
Hands Across The Sea
King Cotton
Pops On The March
Under The Double Eagle
The Stars And Stripes Forever

Customer Reviews:

I Love A Parade review.......2006-07-27

After being at a summer spectacular event where the fireworks were coordinated with upbeat "march" music, I set out to find a CD that contained similar songs. I found "I Love A Parade" to be the prefect solution. The Boston Pops are great to begin with and this collection of songs is no different! I have it in the CD player and have it playing in the background when we have BBQ's or dinner parties and people always ask where I got it! Bottom line, it's a fun, upbeat collection that reminds us of simpler times and what it means to be proud of our country!

The Boston Pops does it again!.......2004-08-10

If you like the sounds of American music at its best then this is the C.D.to own in your collection. The Boston Pops has 16 of the best march tunes around on the c.d. From 76 Trombones to the Liberty Bell March to The Stars and Strips Forever, this is a highly recommended C.D.! Enjoy!

Great music.......2002-02-17

If your looking for fun music to listen to to this is the cd to get. I play the trombone and its fun to listen to these great players.

If you want to get into a happy mood, listen to this cd!.......2001-01-10

As a former high school and college marching band member, I remember playing many of these marches, and listening to them done by the Boston Pops is fantastic. I love the arrangements. I bought a tape of this cd on impulse, and now I plan to buy the cd for myself and another for one of my brothers. I have been listening to it every time I get in my car. Marches really do make most people feel good, I think. I would recommend this to anyone.

If you love patriotic music, this is your cd.......2000-07-25

As far as a patriotic cd goes, this is one that you will probably want to kill for. Just kidding! This is a great selection of patriotic music. The orchestra gives a great performance of these masterful songs. I personally rather listen to beautiful romantic love songs than patriotic songs, but this music is an important part of American history and i think we need it.

Tracks:

Medley: Overture/Gershwin Medley
I'll Build A Stairway To Paradise
Who Cares
Funny Face
Medley: Love Walked In/Love Is Sweeping The Country
Swanee
Porgy & Bess Medley
Lady Be Good

Amazon.com

In this decade of twin musical obsessions--for fond revisits to classic American composers and for all things '80s--it's a wonder Patti Austin hasn't stolen the show with a Great American Songbook set sooner. Her '80s duets--"How Do You Keep the Music Playing" and "Baby Come to Me" among them--remain indelible, and she's already proved she's a worthy interpreter with 2002's justly praised For Ella. Plus, her voice on Avant Gershwin, rich and to the rafters, suggests she's been ready to give this material a spin for decades. From the first moments of "I Got Rhythm," part of the opening "Overture/Gershwin Medley," Austin swings through these songs with the ease and exuberance of a born showman; you can practically see her onstage in a slinky evening gown, arms outstretched, head back, eyes squeezed shut, surges of electric sound all around her. Her "Porgy & Bess Medley" benefits from a manufactured breeziness that suits "A Woman Is a Sometime Thing" and "Summertime" especially well, and her "Swanee" saunters closer to modern sensibilities by replacing the "mammy" of the original with a simple "momma." In addition to Austin's energy, the spirit of jazz gives these numbers juice. The WDR Big Band, which Austin has worked with previously, comes at a tune with a blend of boisterousness and sophistication, and Austin has a way of melting right in. She convincingly makes a case that she may have been born a bit late, but she was made to sing these songs. --Tammy La Gorce

Customer Reviews:

Sorely Disappointed!.......2007-06-27

I think Patti Austin is one of the great talents of our time. However, this offering is terribly disappointing. For me, Gershwin is an icon, and I have heard Ms. Austin render Gershwin before (with Gregory Hines at the Hollywood Bowl). At that venue, she soared, and gave fresh meaning to the words and music of the Gershwins. At that time, I longed to have her do a complete album of Gershwin standards. Sometimes, what one wishes for can be a disaster. Such is the case with this album. The music is compromised by the overly "creative" jazz interpretations, and as a result, the lyrics are equally compromised. The Gershwins were genius. Why do some musicians believe they can "improve" upon that brilliance, simply because George and Ira are not here to challenge such sordid interpretations of their creations? Ms. Austin is lost in the shuffle, and her talent is rendered, for this listener, useless. Wouldn't it be nice if Austin has stayed with the script and done the Gershwins justice? This offering?...and injustice to Austin, George and Ira Gershwin, and to aficionados of the standards. Better luck next time, if there is one.

Could have been better........2007-06-16

Given that it's Patti Austin it's not unfair to expect a lot. Unfortunately, she misses the mark here. As expected there is nothing technically wrong with the album, it's just that the arrangements are lackluster, and the song pairings don't really work.

Incredible voice though.

Austin may have just found her niche!.......2007-06-10

A performer for over thirty years, Patti Austin has done it all: pop, R & B, a little gospel, standards, and even a highly sought after jingle singer. It wasn't until 2002's Grammy-worthy "For Ella" that it appeared that the singer was now getting recognition for her singular vocal style as she paid tribute on that album to one of jazz's greats, Ella Fitzgerald.

Now, five years later, Austin takes on the music of the Ira and George Gershwin, who along with Cole Porter and Irving Berlin, were possibly the greatest songwriters of all time, not just the twentieth century. Backed by a full band and recorded live last year in Germany, Austin lets it all out as she interprets songs that will stand the test of time long after the current chart-toppers have turned to dust.

Austin's vocal instrument is so flexible that she is able to be poignant yet sassy, seductive yet saintly, trashy yet classy, and provocative yet conservative.

She can do it all and really pours it on thick with the opening twelve-minute long "Gershwin Medley" and the equally impressive "Porgy and Bess Medley." Even the remaining songs are lustrous and provide a venue for one of the great songstresses of the last and this century.

Austin is just hitting her prime and, besides her singing, she has a new look, having shed some pounds and getting a makeover.

When one looks at the singer, glamorously decked out and coiffed on the back cover, one can only exclaim, "D**N! She looks just as good as she sounds."

Gershwin done right!.......2007-06-09

I've been a fan of Patti Austin's magnificent voice since the time she was doing great songs in the pop/R&B vein like "Baby Come to Me." Since she released the fantastic "For Ella" - and now this one - I am in love all over again.

Using the Gershwin songbook as a springboard, Patti and the amazing WDR Big Band/Orchestra (under Michael Abene's brilliant direction) compliment each other all the way. I loved the unique approach taken by both vocalist and arranger, and the live audience recording was right on the mark!

Patti, the music was amazing - and so were the photos!

She is a swinger!.......2007-06-03

I'm a great fan of Patti... I don't like very much swing and live but I had to buy her new album! I prefer the old albums, but I admit I've never heard Patti singing so good.

Average customer rating:

One of the best ever!
Kristen Chenowith
Has its moments
Great CD!
This woman has what it takes, and then some...

Let Yourself Go
Kristin Chenoweth , Jule Styne , George Gershwin , Richard Rodgers , Jeanine Tesori , Kurt Weill , Jerome Kern , Vincent Youmans , Ricky Ian Gordon , Richard Dworsky , Lawrence Ellington Duke / Brown , Harry Warren , Bobby Troup , Jason Alexander , Irving Berlin , Rob Fisher , and The Coffee Club Orchestra
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Traditional Vocal Pop | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music

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Similar Items:

As I Am
Still I Can't Be Still
You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown (1999 Broadway Revival Cast)
Leonard Bernstein's Candide (Great Performances)
Meredith Willson's The Music Man (TV Film)

ASIN: B000059T4T
Release Date: 2001-05-29

Tracks:

Let Yourself Go
If
How Long Has This Been Going On?
My Funny Valentine
Hanging Around with You (with Jason Alexander)
The Girl in 14G
I'll Tell the Man in the Street
I'm a Stranger Here Myself
Nobody Else But Me
Nobody's Heart Belongs to Me/Why Can't I?
Should I Be Sweet?
He's Just an Ordinary Guy
Going to the Dance with You
On a Turquoise Cloud
You'll Never Know
Daddy

Amazon.com

Kristin Chenoweth won a Tony for the supporting role of Sally Brown in the 1999 revival of You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown, made a memorably vampy Lily in the 1999 television film of Annie, and had an NBC sitcom created for her, Kristin! Now she grabs the spotlight in Let Yourself Go, her first solo recording. She mixes torchy standards ("My Funny Valentine," "How Long Has This Been Going On?") with Faith Prince-style sauciness ("If"), gets to show off her operatic and scat chops in the miniplay "The Girl in 14G," and shares a light duet with Jason Alexander (reviving his musical theater career post-Seinfeld). Perhaps her "Stranger Here Myself" isn't the weightiest you've ever heard, but this is an enjoyable album with a good deal of old-fashioned class, expertly accompanied by Rob Fisher and the Coffee Club Orchestra. --David Horiuchi

Customer Reviews:

One of the best ever!.......2007-04-24

Do I mean the best album or the best singer? You are correct if you said both! I saw Kristin Chenoweth on a PBS show "Broadway's Best at the Pops," (though it was not the first time I had heard her) and decided to check out the offerings here. This is a collection of the kind of music and performances I love. She has a great range, a precise pitch, and a great style that is at the same time true to the music and to herself. In an era when singers try to outdo each other re-interpreting the composer's original work, not usually with great success, she is a blessing!

Kristen Chenowith.......2007-02-26

I bought this CD for the Girl in 14G. Yes, it's that good...

Has its moments.......2007-02-19

After watching Candide endlessly and going to see Ms. Chenoweth in The Apple Tree, I was hungry for something more portable to listen to. At times this fits the bill, but what surprised me the most is how thin her voice comes across on this recording. Perhaps it was the joy of seeing her live that has ruined this listener; perhaps I need to upgrade my aging music system. Then again, maybe the recording is just not as good as Ms. C singing Bernstein or as good as staring at Ms. C command a Broadway stage.

Great CD!.......2007-01-19

I truly enjoy listening to this CD. Kristin Chenoweth's vocal style and abilities are very well-matched to the songs selected for this album. If you enjoy classic, older-style Broadway/popular tunes, I would highly recommend this CD. Ms. Chenoweth has a bright, expressive voice and does a fantastic job with this material.

As with any full-length CD, there are a couple of songs I am not as crazy about, but that has to do with the songs themselves, not Ms. Chenoweth's vocal performance. Overall, I love this album and have listened to it several times now, since receiving it as a Christmas gift last month.

This woman has what it takes, and then some..........2007-01-12

Kristin Chenoweth brings new life to some timeless Broadways tunes while introducing a few wonderful new ones. This high pitched vocal goddess effortlessly provides for a nearly flawless and easy listening experience. I definitly recommend this CD for anyone who enjoys jazz vocals, showtunes, or just a new spin on some old classics.

Average customer rating:

Salute to America
A good choice but...
Ho-Hum
"Boston Pops".. Alway's do the Job!
Full-Spirited

Salute to America

Manufacturer: Mca Special Products
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

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General | Pop | Styles | Music

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Similar Items:

The Very Best Of The Boston Pops
I Love a Parade John Williams
Stars & Stripes Forever and the Greatest Marches
Swing Swing Swing
Pops Roundup

ASIN: B0000047JW
Release Date: 1995-04-16

Tracks:

Candide (Overture)
New York, New York (America Medley)
Lonely Town (America Medley)
America (Ameriaca Medley)
Battle Hymn of the Republic
American Salute
America the Beautiful
This Land is Your Land
76 Trombones
St. Louis Blues March
Strike Up the Band
When the Saints go Marchin' In

Customer Reviews:

Salute to America.......2006-07-27

Very similar in quality and music to I Love A Parade and a very upbeat reminder of why we are a patriotic nation. The arrangements and quality of the songs are great.

A good choice but..........2005-06-29

It is not the best CD that I have bought but it is an honest one. The orchestration is good, the choice of tunes is excellent and the tunes are well played. As you know, it is always difficult to say : I like it or I hate it because hearing a CD is a question of personal point of view. In my case, I may not say that I like it or I hate it, I prefer some other orchestration but it us a good CD.

Ho-Hum.......2005-06-08

I wanted some rousing marching music. This album is half asleep. The sound quality is poor. Apparently Mr. Williams writes better music than he conducts.

"Boston Pops".. Alway's do the Job!.......2001-10-03

John Williams/Boston Pops.. Salute to America.

And they do! They salute America! This is a wonderful C.D
Battle Hymn of the Republic, is great..

New York, New York,will bring tears to your eyes!
12 renditions in all..

All these are performed wonderfully, and well worth the money!

I would recommend this to anyone who loves patriotic music, it will stir the heart and soul of Americans....

Full-Spirited.......2000-09-02

I'm a classical music/opera person for the most part. But I find this CD entralling. Even the organization of the CD is ideal-almost like a symphony--with the rousing Candide Overture and the musical medleys at the beginning, the patriotic songs as the B section, and the Dixieland and other music from American musicals to finish up. And I particularly like the orchestration of the medleys. A wonderful CD.

Music Review:

Music Review

music review

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