Funny Girl (1964 Original Broadway Cast) [Cast Recording]

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com essential recording
After countless alterations, a revolving door of writers and directors (which included Jerome Robbins, Bob Fosse, Sidney Lumet, and Garson Kanin), crazed tryouts, and an opening night that was delayed five times, Funny Girl turned out to be an unadulterated smash--and it still sounds great this much further on. Composer Jule Styne, at the peak of his brassy powers, custom-fitted the show to its star, Barbra Streisand, and she ran away with it. Streisand's delivery of "People" still sends a chill down the spine, and she completely radiates with the life-force of someone who's a star and knows it. Funny Girl is a delirious, larger-than-life Broadway epic that projects showstopping energy but never loses track of its characters' humanity. They just don't make 'em like that anymore. --Elisabeth Vincentelli

Tracks:

I Am What I Am (from "La Cage aux Folles")
Anthem (from "Chess")
On The Street Where You Live (from "My Fair Lady")
What Kind of Fool (from "Stop The World I Want to Get Off")
Some People (from "Gypsy")
I'll Be Seeing You (from "Right This Way")
Gold (from "Camille Claudel")
Don't Rain On My Parade (from "Funny Girl")
The Impossible Dream (from "Man of La Mancha")
A New Life (from "Jekyll & Hyde")
Edelweiss (from "The Sound of Music")
Unusual Way (from "Nine")
Man of La Mancha (from "Man of La Mancha")

Amazon.com

The people who felt betrayed when Linda Eder covered several pop songs on 2002's Gold will be relieved that her follow-up, Broadway My Way, is a return to the Great White Way. As if to prove that she isn't limited to either the songs of Frank Wildhorn or ballads, Eder tackles some well-known show tunes. The ballads tend to be overwrought, so it's best to look for the uptempo numbers. The singer's take on "Some People" is technically fine but so va-va-voom showbiz that it lacks the deranged edge that makes the song so compellingly dramatic. Things work a lot better on "I Am What I Am": while Eder doesn't take it to the top (or rather over the top), this is as close as she gets to Mermanizing a number. Elsewhere, "Don't Rain on My Parade" (immortalized by Streisand) and "Man of La Mancha" are appropriately brassy and triumphant, with Eder roaring her way through both songs. Fans of both Eder and Wildhorn should note that the singer reprises her Svengali's "Gold," the title track from her previous album, and an excerpt from his long-in-the-works Camille Claudel. --Elisabeth Vincentelli

Album Description

On the eagerly awaited Broadway My Way, Atlantic recording artist and acclaimed Broadway sensation Linda Eder performs classics including 'On the Street Where You Live' (from My Fair Lady), 'Edelweiss' (from The Sound of Music), 'Don't Rain On My Parade' (from Funny Girl) and 10 other great broadway songs performed in a whole new voice. 2003.

Customer Reviews:

Linda Eder - Great Voice.......2007-07-06

This lady has one great voice. She can certainly sell a song. My only reservation about her is that she's a bit cocky. I think she could use some humility.

Not a voice.......an instrument.......2007-02-17

Unbelievable breath control, phrasing, and style. My 10 yr. old Granddaughter who heretofore has listened and loved the usual rap
and hip-hop, heard me playing this disc and begged me to buy her
one........and I did, and she plays it all the time, and to her
friends. Linda Eder exceeds the Streisand mystique by far.

the best female singer of the great american standards........2006-07-24

i am turning 60 years old this year. i went to my 1st.broadway
musical in 1960. over the years i have had the honor to see
almost all of the giants of american song, garland, streisand,
patti lupone, lena horne, betty buckley, barbaracook etc. in
"broadway, my way" linda eder cements her place as the best of the best. from an anthem like "i am what i am" to the lovely
"on the street where you live" captures you body and soul.
i loved this album, and don't ever miss a chance to see her live. JOHN POWER

The powerful and beautiful voice of Linda Elder.......2006-02-23

A great selection of songs. Tremendous amount of energy in Linda's voice. I just love it.

Linda Eder shines with her Broadway album.......2006-02-18

Wow! Linda Eder has an outstanding voice. She sells Broadway in the styles of Judy Garland and Barbra Streisand. After hearing this you will want more.

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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Leonard Bernstein's Candide (Great Performances)
WICKED: THE GRIMMERIE, A BEHIND-THE-SCENES LOOK AT THE HIT BROADWAY MUSICAL

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.

The Best of Broadway - The American Musical (PBS Series)

Average customer rating:

Some interesting choices, indeed
Great CD
Great selections, but bad transfers
Yes this is Some of the Best of Broadway!
The music of Broadway comes alive

The Best of Broadway - The American Musical (PBS Series)

Manufacturer: Decca Broadway
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Very Best Of Broadway Musicals
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Broadway - The American Musical (PBS Series)
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Ultimate Broadway

ASIN: B0002W4T9E
Release Date: 2004-10-05

Tracks:

There's No Business Like Show Business
Swanee
Ol' Man River
You're The Top
Oklahoma
Luck Be A Lady
I Could Have Danced All Night
America
My Favorite Things
People
If I Were A Rich Man
The Impossible Dream
Cabaret
Let The Sunshine In
Send In The Clowns
One
Tomorrow
Memory
The Music Of The Night
Good Morning Baltimore
Defying Gravity

Amazon.com

A companion to the fabulous PBS series, the 21-song, 77-minute The Best of "Broadway: The American Musical" provides about as good a single-disc compilation as anyone could hope for. (There's also a five-CD version.) What sets it apart from so many other "best of Broadway" collections is its breadth--because it had access to a variety of record-label vaults it doesn't have to try to disguise gaps by using revivals or solo recordings. Here you get all the authentic stuff, including: Paul Robeson singing "Ol' Man River" from the first modern American musical, Show Boat; Ethel Merman singing "You're the Top"; the title song from Oklahoma!; Julie Andrews singing "I Could Have Danced All Night" from My Fair Lady; West Side Story's "America"; Betty Buckley singing "Memory" from Cats; Hairspray's "Good Morning Baltimore"; and "Defying Gravity" from Wicked, the newest show discussed in the PBS series. And it's hard to argue with the songwriters represented: Irving Berlin, Jerome Kern, Cole Porter, Rodgers and Hammerstein, Frank Loesser, Lerner and Loewe, Leonard Bernstein, Bock and Harnick, Kander and Ebb, Stephen Sondheim, and Andrew Lloyd Webber, among others. Obviously, no single-disc compilation could ever please everyone (did we really need two ALW songs?), but as a sampler intended for people who watched the series and want to hear more of the Great White Way, The Best of "Broadway: The American Musical" can't be topped. --David Horiuchi

Customer Reviews:

Some interesting choices, indeed.......2006-03-02

This is a pretty good compilation, but I have to wonder at some of the choices that went into it.
"Good Morning Baltimore" is almost the least impressive song from Hairspray. "You Can't Stop the Beat" was a much more anthemic song from that show.
I agree that it's too bad Les Mis didn't make it in. I would have traded that for anything Sondheim, although that's a personal preference :) .
Still, the opportunity to hear the original performers and orchestras perform these works, all in one place, is a great deal.

Great CD.......2005-11-01

This one plays in the car, on the ipod and in the house. When the kids were little they would ask if we could take them to "The Street". That is what they called Broadway (little did they know at that time how famous that street is). They still love it and we can not get enough of it. This CD covers the best and makes you want to go and see a live performance. You can not beat that.

Great selections, but bad transfers.......2005-07-27

This is a great taste of broadway. If you enjoyed the B'Way series at all, then you will probably enjoy this CD. My problem with it is that some of the songs sound like they were not remastered at all- the transfer to CD is terrible. The orchestrations in "You're the top" by Ethel Merman are muffled, and the song sounds like it was taken straight from an old record and slapped onto the CD without fixing it up. It doesn't sound very clear, which is a bit upsetting and annoying. Maybe this is just because that particular recording is older than some of the songs chosen to be on this CD. The more modern songs sound crisp and new and beautiful. "Swanee" is also very low quality as if it were just taken off of a record and put on the CD without any restoration. I just feel that these songs deserved better treatment and that we as customers deserve better treatment. Decca could have restored these songs and made them sound really good, but they decided just to slap them on the CD without touching them up.

I am surprised that nothing was chosen to be on this recording from Les Miserables since it had been on Broadway for 16 years and its tour is running until 2006. There were selections from Cats, Phantom of the Opera and Wicked, so I am not sure why nothing was chosen from Les Miserables.

Other than these few nit pickings, I think that this is a great introduction to musicals. It gives a little taste across the spectrum. Try getting the cast recordings of the songs that you really like on this collection. It's worth buying if you're a huge broadway fan.

Yes this is Some of the Best of Broadway!.......2005-04-08

This CD from Decca Broadway is a wonderful selection of some of

the "Greatest Hits" of the Broadway stage. Decca and Sony have

done an excellent job of remastering the various recordings, some

of which still show some of their age, but come across quite

well. Are there a lot of songs that I would have put on this

disc? Yes, but the ones on here are good choices. I may have to

get a copy of the Five disc set and the DVD's just to see if any

more of my favorites made it on the list. What this disc seems to

try to do is show the evolution of the Broadway song from it's

early days to the present. It succeeds quite well I think.

If you enjoy Broadway theater this CD is a must!

The music of Broadway comes alive.......2004-10-07

I loved listening to this CD. The music from Broadway's best loved musicals are on this album. I recogized most of these songs, even though I've only seen a few of them on the local stage. I have so many favorites on this CD. It is hard to pick one. I'm a big fan of Barbara Streisand. I loved her performance of People from Funny Girl. Memory is the hit song from the musical Cats. Betty Buckley's performance of this song is so emotional and sincere.

I loved the song Annie. It is a wonderfully optimistic song performed by the original Annie Andrea McArdle. Another highlight for me is the song One performed by the cast of a Chorus Line. Luck Be A Lady Tonight is another of my favorite broadway songs on this CD from Guys and Dolls. The music of the night is a beautiful song by Michael Crawford from Phantom of the Opera. Richard Kiley has such a strong and powerful voice. He sounds so inspirational singing The Impossible Dream from Man from La Mancha. My dream is to see some musicals on Broadway someday and listen to these songs performed live.

I'm surprised that there isn't any music from Miss Saigon or Jesus Christ Superstar included here. I think they are classic musicals with great songs Maybe they will appear on a future compilation from PBS.

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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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

Funny Girl (1964 Original Broadway Cast)

Average customer rating:

THE MUSIC THAT MAKES ME SUBLIME
Broadway Funny Girl Soundtrack
Classic Streisand Role!
Early Great Barbra
Blah

Funny Girl (1964 Original Broadway Cast)
Jule Styne , Bob Merrill , and Barbra Streisand
Manufacturer: Angel Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000002SNJ
Release Date: 1992-11-17

Tracks:

Overture - Ralph Burns And His Orch
If A Girl Isn't Pretty - Jean Stapleton/Kay Medford/Danny Meehan/Chorus
I'm The Greatest Star - Barbra Streisand
Cornet Man - Barbra Streisand
Who Taught Her Everything - Kay Medford/Danny Meehan
His Love Makes Me Beautiful - John Lankston, Barbra Streisand/Chorus
I Want To Be Seen With You Tonight - Sydney Chaplin/Barbra Streisand
Henry Street - Chorus
People - Barbra Streisand
You Are Woman - Sydney Chaplin/Barbra Streisand
Don't Rain On My Parade - Barbra Streisand
Sadie, Sadie - Barbra Streisand/Chorus
Find Yourself A Man - Danny Meehan/Jean Stapleton/Kay Medford/Ensemble
Rat-tat-tat-tat - Danny Meehan/Barbra Streisand/Chorus
Who Are You Now? - Barbra Streisand
The Music That Makes Me Dance - Barbra Streisand
Don't Rain On My Parade (Reprise) - Barbra Streisand

Amazon.com essential recording

After countless alterations, a revolving door of writers and directors (which included Jerome Robbins, Bob Fosse, Sidney Lumet, and Garson Kanin), crazed tryouts, and an opening night that was delayed five times, Funny Girl turned out to be an unadulterated smash--and it still sounds great this much further on. Composer Jule Styne, at the peak of his brassy powers, custom-fitted the show to its star, Barbra Streisand, and she ran away with it. Streisand's delivery of "People" still sends a chill down the spine, and she completely radiates with the life-force of someone who's a star and knows it. Funny Girl is a delirious, larger-than-life Broadway epic that projects showstopping energy but never loses track of its characters' humanity. They just don't make 'em like that anymore. --Elisabeth Vincentelli

Customer Reviews:

THE MUSIC THAT MAKES ME SUBLIME.......2007-05-04

Now you can hear what is missing from the 1968 film version of "FUNNY GIRL"-- and that's actually quite a lot! Barbra Streisand sings a super "Coronet Man." There's a bit more for supporting players Danny Meehan and Kay Medford to do (they sing a funny "Who Taught Her Everything") because, I assume Streisand had to be off stage sometimes to change costumes. Jean Stapleton of "All In The Family" fame is distinctively heard in "If A Girl Isn't Pretty."
Broadway Cast Albums were recorded live with orchestra; just like the a live Broadway show. In later years, Barbra developed such an obsession with perfection and absolute control. She does not have that luxury here. She just has to do it big time, and boy, does Barbra deliver the goods!! I like the more intimate sound throughout. This is the only version of "People" I like, because Barbra sings it so simply and straightforward. By 1967-1968, Barbra had sung the song so often, she became too stylized. Her version of "Don't Rain On My Parade" here is every bit as thrilling as the movie version. The arrangement in the movie is just bigger and brassiier.
It's a sin that the haunting and superb songs "Why Are You Now?" (where Fanny Brice privately expresses doubts about her relationship with beloved husband Nick Arnstein) and "Music That Makes Me Dance" were omitted from the movie version. These are two of Barbra's most sublime and classic performances. Because they were dropped from the movie, they remain lesser known. Also, Barbra's record label Columbia passed on the original Broadway Cast Album; so Capitol got it. "Music That Makes Me Dance" was dropped from the movie in favor of Fanny Brice's signature torch ballad "My Man." Barbra sings "My Man" at full dynamic, emotional throttle to give the movie a heartbreaking finale, but the movie should have included both songs.
The ending is completely different. Fanny Brice is devastated by the loss of Nick Arnstein, but she's going to survive. Barbra sings a determined, valiant reprise of "Don't Rain On My Parade", belting out, "Let's give 'em hell, Brice. We'll cry a little later. Well, Brice, that's life in the theatre. Nobody, no nobody, is gonna rain on my-- PARADE!!" You go, girl!! I love the movie, but I never listen to the movie soundtrack anymore (although I own it, too). When I want "FUNNY GIRL", I turn to this divine, sublime Broadway Cast Album. If you love Barbra at her best, you've GOT to get this original Broadway Casr Album, too!! 5 Stars. Highest Recommendation!!

Broadway Funny Girl Soundtrack.......2007-01-10

Barbra at her fabulous freshman best, most of the songs are better on the movie album but there are some songs that were dropped from the broadway version that unfortunately did not make it to the movie and it would be a shame not to have them!

twinspin

Classic Streisand Role!.......2006-07-29

While not her first show, "Funny Girl" proved to be Barbra Streisand's ticket to immortality. Too bad she lost that year's Best Actress Tony to the equally deserving (?) Carol Channing in "Hello Dolly" ... though she ultimately won the 1968 Oscar for the film version of the classic role.

Composer Jule Styne's terrific score was tailor-made for Ms. Streisand and contains several theatrical standards.

Best tracks include:

I'm The Greatest Star
People
Don't Rain On My Parade
Who Are You Now?
The Music That Makes Me Dance

Yes, there are a few tracks I regularly skip, but, overall the score is terrific!

Early Great Barbra.......2006-07-23

The fun of this cast album is hearing young Streisand. She still projects so much star quality in her voice, that the album is a gem. But compared to later years, when her voice has aged, improved and been somewhat trained, her singing pails. Yet it's fun to hear, even when she cracks, as in the end of Don't Rain On My Parade. Still a great score, but get the film soundtrack, Barbra's voice is much better on it.

Blah.......2005-02-27

It was a good recording but i found the actual songs kinda Blah. They had no spice or spunk. . . Just kinda boring.

Somewhere over the Rainbow: The Golden Age of Hollywood Musicals

Average customer rating:

They were right--there is NO business like the show business they did way back when !!!
One of the best cds I ever bought.
Never Sounded Better
Somewhere Over The Rainbow
"Hollywood Musicals of the Golden Age are still among us"

Somewhere over the Rainbow: The Golden Age of Hollywood Musicals
Various Artists
Manufacturer: Rhino / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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That's Entertainment!: The Best Of The M-G-M Musicals - Motion Picture Soundtrack Anthology

ASIN: B000066RO5
Release Date: 2002-06-04

Tracks:

Singin In The Rain - Gene Kelly
Theres No Business Like Show Business - Betty Hutton, Howard Keel, Keenan Wynn & Louis Calhern
'S Wonderful - Gene Kelly & Georges Guetary
Thats Entertainment! - Fred Astaire, Jack Buchanan, Nanette Fabray & Oscar Levant
Stranger In Paradise - Ann Blyth & Vic Damone
Easter Parade - Judy Garland & Fred Astaire
Lullaby Of Broadway - Winifred Shaw, Dick Powell & Chorus
Get Happy - Judy Garland
Night And Day - Fred Astaire
True Love - Bing Crosby & Grace Kelly
Honeysuckle Rose - Lena Horne w/ Benny Carter & His Orchestra
They Cant Take That Away From Me - Fred Astaire
Milkman, Keep Those Bottles Quiet - Nancy Walker & The M-G-M Studio Chorus w/ Tommy Dorsey & His Orchestra
Baby, Its Cold Outside - Esther Williams & Ricardo Montalban
For Me And My Gal - Gene Kelly & Judy Garland
Puttin On The Ritz - Clark Gable & Co.
Hallelujah! - Tony Martin, Vic Damone, Kay Armen, Ann Miller, Debbie Reynolds, Clark Burroughs & Co.
Bless Yore Beautiful Hide - Howard Keel
Taking A Chance On Love - Ethel Waters & Eddie "Rochester" Anderson
As Time Goes By - Dooley Wilson w/ Elliot Carpenter (Bonus Track)
Laras Theme (Main Title) - The M-G-M Studio Orchestra (Bonus Track)

Tracks:

Over The Rainbow - Judy Garland
Its A Most Unusual Day - Jane Powell
Wunderbar - Kathryn Grayson & Howard Keel
Cant Help Lovin Dat Man - Ava Gardner
Going Hollywood - Bing Crosby
The Trolley Song - Judy Garland, The M-G-M Studio Chorus
Gigi - Louis Jourdan
I Got Rhythm - Judy Garland, Mickey Rooney & Co.
Aba Daba Honeymoon - Debbie Reynolds, Carleton Carpenter & M-G-M Studio Chorus
The Lady Is A Tramp - Lena Horne
The Best Things In Life Are Free - June Allyson & Peter Lawford
Cheek To Cheek - Fred Astaire
A Kiss To Build A Dream On - Louis Armstrong
Put 'Em In A Box - Doris Day & The Page Cavanaugh Trio
If Swing Goes, I Go Too - Fred Astaire
Almost Like Being In Love - Gene Kelly
Lets Face The Music And Dance - Fred Astaire
Be A Clown - Gene Kelly & Judy Garland
Embraceable You - Connie Francis
On The Atchison, Topeka And The Santa Fe - Judy Garland & Co.
One For My Baby (And One More For The Road) - Fred Astaire

Amazon.com

The "Golden Age" referred to here spans The Jazz Singer and the advent of the talkies to the death throes of the old studio system in the 1960s. So vast was the era's musical landscape that even this 42-track, double-disc anthology can't encompass all its peaks. Not surprisingly, the bulk of this collection originated with the Tiffany's of the screen musical, M-G-M, a body of work whose riches here encompass both pop-cultural bedrock ("Over the Rainbow," "Singin' in the Rain," "There's No Business Like Show Business," etc.) and some less familiar, if equally delightful star turns: Clark Gable gamely "Puttin' On the Ritz"; the sassy, 1948 original of "The Lady Is a Tramp" by Lena Horne; and a loopy duet of "Baby, It's Cold Outside" by Esther Williams and Ricardo Montalban. Fred Astaire's elegant, epochal reign at RKO and M-G-M is represented by "Night and Day," "Let's Face the Music and Dance," and three others, while Metro mainstays Gene Kelly and Judy Garland share equal time and billing. It's not perfect--Cagney's "Yankee Doodle Boy" and/or some Sinatra seem more logical choices than the odd "bonus" duet of Casablanca's "As Time Goes By" and "Lara's Theme" from Dr. Zhivago that close out disc one--but it's a stunning, surprisingly comprehensive primer on the Hollywood film musical nonetheless. --Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews:

They were right--there is NO business like the show business they did way back when !!!.......2006-11-18

Everything that happens in life
Can happen in a show
You can make 'em laugh
You can make 'em cry
Anything
Anything can go....

The clown with his pants falling down
Or the dance that's a dream of romance
Or the scene where the villain is mean
That's entertainment!

The lights on the lady in tights
Or the bride with the guy on the side
Or the ball where she gives him her all
That's entertainment!

The plot and the hot simply teeming with $ex
A gay divorcee who is after her ex
It could be Oedipus Rex
Where a chap kills his father
And causes a lot of bother

The clerk who is thrown out of work
By the boss who is thrown for a loss
By the skirt who is doing him dirt

The world is a stage,
The stage is a world of entertainment!

This two CD set amply proves that the musical melodies and lyrics from the golden age of the Hollywood musical remain unsurpassed to this day. This generous two CD set offers 42 incredible songs from Hollywood classic musicals. Most of these fine numbers are indeed from MGM, as Amazon correctly notes; but there are some RKO numbers and even a little from Warner Brothers. Thank goodness, though, that most of these songs came from MGM movies; MGM was the only studio that could boast that it truly had "more stars than there are in the heavens."

I love so many songs on these two CDs. Of course, there's the unforgettable classic "Over The Rainbow" sung by Judy Garland; she also performs "Easter Parade" and "Get Happy" on this two CD set and she carries most of the tune for "I Got Rhythm" even though Mickey Rooney helps her a little. I love "Baby, It's Cold Outside" for its' romantic overtones; and Lena Horne's "The Lady Is A Tramp" is flawless! We also get a rare chance to hear Clark Gable sing in "Puttin' On The Ritz;" and Bing Crosby's "Going Hollywood" may be brief but it's a fun song anyway.

There are two "bonus" tracks on the first CD: "As Time Goes By" from Casablanca and "Lara's Theme" from Doctor Zhivago. "As Time Goes By" is a good choice; it is another unsurpassed classic song that brings back memories and touches even the hardest of hearts. "Lara's Theme," however, is from the mid 1960s and I don't consider this period to be part of the "golden age" of Hollywood musicals.

The liner notes are excellent and they offer wonderful photos of the stars as well. The cover art is well done and the reverse cover art tells which movie each song is from and who is performing each song. Moreover, the quality of the sound is excellent especially when you consider that these numbers were recorded quite a few decades ago.

In short, this superlative two CD highlights the glory of the Hollywood musical when a certain type of sophistication dominated professional movie production. I highly recommend this CD for fans of Hollywood musicals, classic pop vocals and fans of the artists and actors who perform on this two CD set.

One of the best cds I ever bought. .......2006-06-07

What an amazon collection of songs! This is bar none my favorite cd just because of the variety and the quality of songs on it. I love music from this era, and this cd is the perfect companion to my life. Love it! Buy it, you won't regret it for a moment!

Never Sounded Better.......2006-03-16

Apart from the great selection of soundtracks, what really makes this compilation top value is the quality of the sound processing. Executed with finesse, these tracks sound better than when first issued and many are unedited, fuller versions: like "Singing In The Rain", for example. Throw in the great price, and this double disc set is a "must have" for all lovers of classic movie music.

Somewhere Over The Rainbow.......2006-02-24

A Sensational CD with Lots of Showtunes that Keep You Happy and makes You Want To Sing Along With!!!

"Hollywood Musicals of the Golden Age are still among us".......2005-07-13

Rhino Records and Turner Classic Movies Music present - "SOMEWHERE OVER THE RAINBOW: THE GOLDEN AGE OF HOLLYWOOD MUSICALS", some of the long ago musicals and stars that will never be forgotten...a 2-CD-Set covering several decades from 1935-1965 with many of the show stoppers of that time...some rare moments from entertainers that you haven't heard or thought of in sometime.

The lineup is fantastic and gives the listener a variety of what musicals were all about in the "Golden Age of the Hollywood Musicals"
June Allyson, Kay Armen, Louis Armstrong, Fred Astaire, Ann Blyth, Jack Buchanan, Louis Calhern, Bing Crosby, Vic Damone, Doris Day, Nanette Fabray, Connie Francis, Ava Gardner, Judy Garland, Kathyrn Grayson, Georges Guetary, Lena Horne, Betty Hutton, Louis Jourdan, Howard Keel, Gene Kelly, Grace Kelly, Peter Lawford, Oscar Levant, Ann Miller, Ricardo Montalban, Page Cavanaugh Trio, Debbie Reynolds, Winifred Shaw, Nancy Walker, Ethel Waters, Esther Williams, Dooley Williams and Keenan Wynn.

On Disc One 21 Classic Songs from great musicals with songs in alphabetical order:
AS TIME GOES BY - Dooley Wilson with Elliot Carpenter, pianist (1942)
BABY, IT'S COLD OUTSIDE - Esther Williams & Ricardo Montalban (1949)
BLESS, YORE BEAUTIFUL HIDE - Howard Keel (1954)
EASTER PARADE - Fred Astaire & Judy Garland (1948)
FOR ME AND MY GAL - Gene Kelly & Judy Garland (1942)
GET HAPPY - Judy Garland (1950)
HALLELUJAH! - Tony Martin, Vic Damone, Kay Armen, Ann Miller, Debbie Reynolds, Clark Burroughs (for Russ Tamblyn) (1955)
HONEYSUCKLE ROSE - Lena Horne with Benny Carter & His Orchestra (1943)
LARA'S THEME (MAIN TITLE) - M-G-M Studio Orchestra (1965)
LULLABY OF BROADWAY - Winifred Shaw & Dick Powell (1935)
MILKMAN, KEEP THOSE BOTTLES QUIET - Nancy Walker with Tommy Dorsey & His Orchestra (1944)
NIGHT AND DAY - Fred Astaire (1934)
PUTTIN' ON THE RITZ - Clark Gable & Company (1939)
'S WONDERFUL - Gene Kelly & Georges Guetary (1951)
SINGIN' IN THE RAIN - Gene Kelly (1951)
STRANGER IN PARADISE - Ann Blyth & Vic Damone (1955)
TAKING A CHANCE ON LOVE - Ethel Waters & Eddie "Rochester" Anderson (1943)
THAT'S ENTERTAINMENT - Fred Astaire, Jack Buchanan, Nanette Fabray & Oscar Levant (1953)
THERE'S NO BUSINESS LIKE SHOW BUSINESS - Betty Hutton, Howard Keel, Keenan Wynn & Louis Calhern (1950)
THEY CAN'T TAKE THAT AWAY FROM ME - Fred Astaire (1949)
TRUE LOVE - Bing Crosby & Grace Kelly (1956)

On Disc Two more memorable performances from the Golden Age of Hollywood Musicals:
A KISS TO BUILD A DREAM ON - Louis Armstrong (1951)
ABA DABA HONEYMOON - Debbie Reynolds & Carleton Carpenter (1950)
ALMOST LIKE BEING IN LOVE - Gene Kelly (1954)
BE A CLOWN - Judy Garland & Gene Kelly (1948)
BEST THINGS IN LIFE ARE FREE - June Allyson & Peter Lawford (1947)
CAN'T HELP LOVIN' DAT MAN - Ava Gardner (beautiful woman, who my youngest grandaughter is named after...Avalon) (1951)
CHEEK TO CHEEK - Fred Astaire (1935)
EMBRACEABLE YOU - Connie Francis (1965)
GIGI - Louis Jourdan (1958)
GOING HOLLYWOOD - Bing Crosby (1933)
I GOT RHYTHM - Judy Garland & Mickey Rooney (1943)
IF SWING GOES, I GO TOO - Fred Astaire (1946)
IT'S A MOST UNUSUAL DAY - Jane Powell (1948)
LADY IS A TRAMP - Lena Horne (1948)
LET'S FACE THE MUSIC AND DANCE - Fred Astaire (1936)
ON THE ATCHISON, TOPEKA AND THE SANTA FE - Judy Garland & Company (1946)
ONE FOR MY BABY (AND ONE MORE FOR THE ROAD) - Fred Astaire (1943)
OVER THE RAINBOW - Judy Garland (became her theme song for the rest of her life) (1939)
PUT 'EM IN A BOX - Doris Day & the Page Cavanaugh Trio (1948)
THE TROLLEY SONG - Judy Garland & MGM Studio Chorus (1944)
WUNDERBAR - Kathryn Grayson & Howard Keel (two of MGM's favorite singing duos) (1953)

It was once said by the songwriters of that era - "There are two artists you want perform your songs on the big screen, they are Fred Astaire and Judy Garland they sing it just the way we wrote it, for which you will have a guaranteed hit on your hands"...well, this collections certainly has some merit to that statement...because with Judy Garland and Fred Astaire performing seven songs each, there must be something to it.

This collection of musicals still has the magic that we remember from those bygone years...but as long as we have the labels and networks who play and show these wonderful films of yesteryear, they will never be forgotten...hats off to Rhino Records, George Feltenstein (producer) and Doug Schwartz (engineer) and Turner Classic Movies for sharing those 42 selections from 42 films...celebrating decades of the tunes and artists that gave it their all...from what it commonly called "The Hollywood Dream Factory"...The Golden Age of Hollywood Musicals is still among us...gotta love it!

Total Time: 2-CD-Set ~ Rhino Records 78323 ~ (6/02/2002)

Average customer rating:

it doesn't get better than this.....
cd heaven
Nothing Rains on this Parade
Streisand in prime vocal condition
Needs more songs. Missing SECOND HAND ROSE.

Funny Girl

Manufacturer: Sony
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Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00005V3WI
Release Date: 2002-01-29

Tracks:

Overture
I'm The Greatest Star
If A Girl Isn't Pretty
Roller Skate Rag
I'd Rather Be Blue Over You (Than Happy With Somebody Else)
His Love Makes Me Beautiful
People
You Are Woman, I Am Man
Don't Rain On My Parade
Sadie, Sadie
The Swan
Funny Girl
My Man
Finale

Customer Reviews:

it doesn't get better than this............2007-07-18

This soundtrack takes me back. I was probably about six years old when I first heard the soundtrack from FUNNY GIRL, the successful movie musical based on the life story of the late great vaudevillian, Fanny Brice. Though, Brice was not conventionally beautiful, she made quite an impression on those sitting in the theaters she performed in. The woman truly was a gifted and accomplished stand up comedian. She didn't even have to stand up to do it--she was perfectly good at it while slipping in rollerskates, dancing in a parody of Swan Like [Chicken Ballet], and sitting down while singing a torch song.

How did the life story of Fanny Brice transfer to the screen, and on vinyl and CD? It was done with style, class and great humor. What's more, a wonderful score by Jule Styne did wonders in conveying the range of emotions, triumphs and successes that Brice experienced during the course of her career--this encompasses her formative years as a young performer, to her more "domesticated" years [if you can call them that!]. FUNNY GIRL was also a star-making vehicle for [then] twenty-one year old Barbra Streisand. The score includes the larger-than-life "I'm The Greatest Star," the hilarious "His Love Makes Me Beautiful," and one of Streisand's most recognized songs, "People." You will love this soundtrack, and I guarantee it will make you want to see the film afterwards. Though, as a little girl, I felt as though this music was filled with so much color and life already, I could SEE the film through hearing the songs. Brilliant and incomparable.

cd heaven.......2007-01-19

cannot buy cd's cheaper at any store. this is an oldie but a great christmas gift for an oldie.

Nothing Rains on this Parade.......2007-01-04

"Funny Girl" was one of the greatest musicals and cast recordings to come ouf of broadway and it created one of the world's greatest performers ever. Happily Barbra Streisand successfully transported herself to film and out came one of the most enjoyable soundtracks ever produced for a film. The film score is so minutely different, the show's composers Styne and Merrill had to take out a couple of songs from the show and wrote the beautiful "Funny Girl" in it's place for the film. This soundtrack tends to in my opinion be more authentic than the original cast recording because they put in non-original material such as "I'd Rather Be Blue Over You (Than Happy with Somebody Else)" written by Billy Rose who would much later marry Fanny Brice and it fits the early 1900's era for which "Funny Girl" is set and Barbra's comedic skills are timeless on this song you may not see it but you can hear it in her voice such as with "The Swan" .Another song they use at the film's climax is "My Man" not only was it a staple in the real Fanny Brice's act it is a power-house. Barbra insisted to sing the first part live on screen and record the latter part it is so effective and you do get all the advantages of this on the soundtrack. One more bonus to this recording is the overture composed for the film is gorgeous and they never played it in the film only on the soundtrack, interestingly they used the the opening theme music from the film as the closing music to the soundtrack. Definitely get this soundtrack it is one of the most delightful scores to one of Hollywood's greatest musicals adapted from the stage and that can't be said too often. "Funny Girl was also one of the last great musicals ever produced out of Hollywood and the linear notes in the CD are informative and fun for musical lovers.

Streisand in prime vocal condition.......2006-09-16

Barbra Streisand will forever be linked to the autobiographical Fanny Brice, a role she originally made her own on Broadway in 1964 and in London the following year; immortalised onscreen four years later (earning an Academy Award as well as countless other trophies). On the original soundtrack album, Ms Streisand is in prime vocal condition, though I do prefer her performance on the OBC album just a little bit more, for she is more brash and unkempt and far more vulnerable with her spin on Fanny. In the film, she is more confident and showman-like.

The film score of FUNNY GIRL does vary greatly from it's Broadway counterpart. The roles of Mrs Brice and Eddie Ryan don't get much to sing (with the deletion of "Who Taught Her Everything?" and "Find Yourself a Man"). Fanny's solo numbers "Who Are You Now?" and "The Music That Makes Me Dance" were abandoned in favour of numbers that the real Fanny was famous for ("I'd Rather Be Blue" and "My Man"). I believe the producers committed the cardinal sin with the deletion of "The Music That Makes Me Dance", a ballad far more memorable and moving than the show's big number "People" (and I know a lot of others feel the same way). Nevertheless, the film soundtrack of FUNNY GIRL is the perfect sonic representation of Streisand's greatest hour on celluloid.

I own the earlier Sony CD pressing (which is full of analogue hiss, reverb and noise), yet from what I hear about the more recent "remaster", the quality of the overall recording is virtually the same. Highly-recommended, but don't expect miracles with sound quality.

Needs more songs. Missing SECOND HAND ROSE........2006-08-08

The soundtrack is good to excellent, but it makes me very
unconfortable that important songs are MISSING. Can you
imagine SECOND HAND ROSE is missing, and Barbra sings it a little
different from the version she did in MY NAME IS BARBRA TV special. I also love the part where Barbra sings " Mr Anstein,
Mr. Arnstein, what a beautiful name". Those two sequences could be combined into a song. I also would have loved a little spoken
comedy in this soundtrack, such as Barbra as Baby Snooks scene,
where she meets the reporters and ends with "the name is Arnstein". Barbra is marvelous in this comedy scene. Barbra is
perfect as a stand-up comedienne, and she would be great
acting such a part in a film.
Barbra recorded the song PEOPLE countless times over the last
decades. Why was SECOND HAND ROSE left out of the soundtrack.
There is enough space on the Audio CD to include this song, as
well as additional ones. A few Bonus songs of Barbra singing
Fanny Brice songs that were considered but that were left out
of the film, would be most welcomed. Looking forward to the next
edition of this soundtrack. hoping that it will be the definite
edition. We Barbra Streisand fans deserve the best.

Average customer rating:

Let the Buyer Beware
Historical and Pristine
"Rhapsody In Blue"

Gershwin Plays Rhapsody in Blue

Manufacturer: Shout Factory
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000098ZSS
Release Date: 2003-05-13

Tracks:

Rhapsody In Blue
An American In Paris
Swanee
Walkin' The Dog
Let's Call The Whole Thing Off
Somebody Loves Me
Our Love Is Here To Stay
S'Wonderful
Embraceable You
Oh, Lady Be Good

Customer Reviews:

Let the Buyer Beware.......2007-01-12

I do not disagree on any level with the other reviewers of this CD. However, the content is recorded from piano rolls rather than directly from the artist. This fact is not explicitly presented on the web page. Yes, if one clicks on the CD cover photo to get an enlarged image, one can read "First recording 1924 from rare piano rolls" at the bottom in small type. Not everyone will do this however. For this reason alone I only rate this product 3 stars.

Historical and Pristine.......2006-12-22

This compilation of Gershwin selections taken from the piano rolls of the composer offer a perfect introduction to the music of Gershwin, offering a balance between his serious symphonic pieces and his accessible popular songs. Beginning with two of his concert works, "The Rhapsody in Blue" and "An American in Paris," the CD just hints at what the composer accomplished in the concert hall and the world of serious music. To my understanding, the "Rhapsody in Blue" was originally performed at a concert titled 'An Experiment in Modern Music' in 1924 at Aeolian Hall in New York. The piece was performed by an orchestra with Paul Whiteman as director, and with the composer at the piano as part of a concert experiment in jazz. The version on this CD is a piano adaptation created by the composer based off of the original symphonic work.

"An American in Paris" is also a concert work that did not achieve the widespread adoration that the Rhapsody has garnered. It was intended by the composer to capture the emotions of a tourist visiting Paris, and was purportedly auto-biographical. It was performed in 1928 at New York's Carnegie Hall with Walter Damrosch conducting the New York Philharmonic. It received mixed reviews at the time but remains a favorite of Gershwin's classical works. Like the "Rhapsody," the version included here is a piano adaptation of the original orchestral work.

The remaining works on the CD are those of a popular composer, the flipside of Gershwin's career. No other American composer (or any for that matter) has strattled these two different fields of music with the success with which George Gershwin did. And the popular songs, among them, "Embraceable You," "Let's Call the Whole Thing Off," and "Love is Here to Stay" have achieved enormous pop culture penetration and secure Gershwin's place in history as a master of popular song composition. Notably missing from this CD, however, are Ira Gershwin's contributions, i.e. the words, which add an element important to these songs' true place in history. Along with Ira's contributions come the countless Gershwin vocal interpreters who helped to realize these songs' true significance and their dispersion throughout the American popular music idiom.

On these versions, it is simply Gershwin playing his works (albeit the recordings are taken from his piano rolls, not an actual live recording). In these arrangements, the melodies are incorporated into lush and often convoluted harmonic accompaniment, in which the melody often becomes lost (i.e., the bridge or B section of "Oh, Lady Be Good!"). However, the opportunity to hear the composer express the harmonic possibilities of these disguisingly "simple" American tunes is truly a valuable one. The particular bouncing style with which Gershwin jumps from chord to chord to accompany his melodies is clearly apparent on many of these tunes, and that is an aspect borrowed from Ragtime that contributes to Gershwin being labeled as a uniquely "American" styled composer. The idiosyncracy of his composition and playing are tied together and come to life on this CD. The harmonic statements are sophisticated and evasive to the common ear, and the rhythmic precision and prolificity are legendary. Together with the melody, these elements of the musical composition on which Gershwin demonstrates mastery come together to produce a truly quintessential and essential Gershwin compilation.

"Rhapsody In Blue".......2006-07-12

"This piece (Rhapsody In Blue) seemed to sweep through my mind. It was the heart of America, the feverishness of life, the musical welter of races, of peoples, their joys and their passions, their dissipations and their exaltations." ~ George Gershwin (September 26, 1898 - July 11, 1937) ~

Today, July 11, 2006, marks the 69th death anniversary of one of America's most versatile songwriters, George Gershwin. The birth of one of my favorite jazz-infused-classical pieces, "Rhapsody In Blue" in 1924 made Mr. Gershwin an overnight and sensational star and had gained him a worldwide recognition. He had been my late parents' (and mine, too) favorite composer along with Irving Berlin, Jerome Kern and Cole Porter. His harmonious collaboration with his brother, Ira Gershwin, had produced the most beautiful songs of all-time. They were the most prolific team of songwriters and their compositions have been recorded countless times by famous interpreters of Great American Songbook such as Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, John Coltrane, Tony Bennett, Miles Davis, Oscar Peterson, Joe Pass, Michael Feinstein, Natalie Cole, Linda Ronstadt, Rod Stewart, Steve Tyrell, Diana Krall, John Pizzarelli, Michael Bublé and Chris Botti, among many others.

This CD is a musical treasure and one that I would strongly recommend not only to any Gershwin enthusiast but also to any new fan for this includes the original recording of "Rhapsody In Blue" from rare Piano Rolls. The sound quality is just terrific. It highlights two of his major works - "Rhapsody In Blue" (1924) and "An American In Paris" (1928). It also features some of his well-known popular songs and favorites of mine, my parents' theme songs "Our Love Is Here To Stay" and "Embraceable You." It has been said that Mr. Gershwin functioned best and had written his very best compositions at 3 o'clock in the morning and when he finish eight bars that he likes, he can finish a chorus in a few minutes, like the songs "`S Wonderful" and "Let's Call The Whole Thing Off." This recording also includes "Swanee," "Walkin' The Dog," "Somebody Loves Me," and "Oh, Lady Be Good."

It's so amazing that he composed frequently and never run out of inspirations for writing melodic tunes that are so pleasing to the ears. He can write three to five songs in a single afternoon. When he completed the melody of a song, he gives it to Ira to write words to it. He was such a genius and played the piano by ear after a fashion, tapping out the tunes with a finger.

Not known to many, Mr. Gershwin had tried his hand at painting. I've seen a portrait of himself that he painted a year before his death from brain cancer, and I would say, it's a beautiful work of art, almost like a work of a professional painter. He could have been a great painter.

George Gershwin will always be remembered as one of the greatest 20th Century composers and his music will always linger in the hearts of music lovers like me who truly appreciate and enjoy fine music.

Average customer rating:

you cant beat an Ira lyric.
A Wonderful CD
Quiet and elegant
Disappointed
they can't take that album away from me

Pure Gershwin
Michael Feinstein
Manufacturer: Elektra / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Nostalgia | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music

General | Musicals | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music

Cabaret | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music

Traditional Vocal Pop | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music

General | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music

General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

General | Oldies | Pop | Styles | Music

Traditional Pop | Oldies | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Isn't It Romantic
Nice Work If You Can Get It: Songs by the Gershwins
Remember: Michael Feinstein Sings Irving Berlin
Michael & George (Feinstein Sings Gershwin)
Romance on Film/Romance on Broadway

ASIN: B000002H4W
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

S' Wonderful
Our Love Is Here To Stay
Liza
The World Is Mine
They Can't Take That Away From Me
Isn't It A Pity?
Let's Call The Whole Thing Off
Embraceable You
What Causes That?
He Loves And She Loves/How Long Has This Been Going On
They All Laughed
The Girl I Love
Someone To Watch Over Me

Amazon.com

Pure Gershwin was Michael Feinstein's first album, and it remains one of his best. It may not have the production values of his later Gershwin tributes, Nice Work if You Can Get It (1996) and Michael & George (1998), but it simply and directly presents Feinstein in his piano-bar days, singing to his own tasteful accompaniments with occasional contributions from bass and drums and a second piano. Establishing the patterns for his later albums, he sings unjustly neglected verses to familiar songs, uncovers some never-before-recorded gems ("The World Is Mine," "What Causes That"), and provides song-by-song notes. Longtime friend Rosemary Clooney guests on "Isn't It a Pity?" --David Horiuchi

Customer Reviews:

you cant beat an Ira lyric........2007-01-05

this is good...and just to hear a REALLY GREAT "Isn't A Pity" duet with Rosie is well worth the price of admission. I REPEAT: just to hear a REALLY GREAT "Isn't A Pity" duet with Rosie is well worth the price of admission. listen & enjoy some great american music. you cant beat an Ira lyric.

A Wonderful CD.......2005-05-19

PURE GERSHWIN is just that, pure!. Feinstein interprets Gershwin the way it was meant to be performed. This is pure delight!

Quiet and elegant.......2003-04-20

Michael Feinstein's thin voice is compensated by his apparent enthusiasm for the material and a spare arrangement of piano, bass, and drum that gives this recording the ambiance of an intimate piano bar. Before hearing this disc, I knew only Gershwin's biggest hits, so many of the numbers here were new to me and increase my appreciation of that great American composer.

Disappointed.......2003-04-10

I bought this cd because I am a huge Gershwin enthusiast and am always on the lookout for versions of one of my favorite pieces, "Liza". I'd heard a lot of buzz about Feinstein and the supposed wonderfulness of his Gershwin interpretations, so I thought I would give this album a shot.

I was extremely disappointed. Feinstein seems to suck the life out of Gershwin's compositions, a feat I would have previously thought impossible. Though I concede that vocalists are free to reinterpret songs (many to a great success, as in Louis Armstrong's and Ella Fitzgerals's enjoyable versions of Gershwin), I think Feinstein's lazy tempos "loungy" voice make the tracks on this album boring and annoying.

I have loved to listen to and sing these songs my entire life. I just wanted to warn listeners who perhaps, like myself, enjoy George Gershwin's music for its beautiful clarity and energy (as easily experienced through Gershwin's own recordings, early interpretations by artists such as the Astaires, and even recent broadway "Crazy For You") that they will not experience any feeling of the sort from Michael Feinstein.

Amidst all the gushing that has recently been done over him, I found Michael Feinstein to have attempted to murder "Liza" and the other songs on this album. He merely displays a very unexceptional voice and poor interpretive taste. Fans beware, Feinstein proves that it is possible to make a bad cd of Gershwin songs. I'd recommend listening elsewhere.

they can't take that album away from me.......2002-05-09

they say the third time's a charm, but in this instance, it is the first time -- michael feinstein's first gershwin album -- that is the charm. this album is by far better and more listenable than the next two -- "feinstein sings gershwin" and "nice work if you can get it".

the listenability of this album may stem from the fact that it is a bare-bones arrangement, with two pianos, a bass and drums, a la a jazz trio, with no embellishment, so michael feinstein's then sincere and unsophisticated voice is the featured instrument.

i heartily recommend this album, as every song on it is a gem and feinstein's voice is more appealing than on the two later albums, when he jazzed it up with what sounds like an echo chamber and other electronic enhancements and he seems to be doing the songs by the numbers.

feinstein's version of "liza," slowed down to ballad form and plaintively phrased, is the best i have ever heard. the duet with rosemary clooney on "isn't it a pity," again brings out the best of feinstein's then-new voice and shows why george's (clooney) aunt is rightfully considered a jazz legend.

the combined "he loves and she loves/how long has this been going on" is another melodic/poignant highlight, while the album's finale, "someone to watch over me," is a stirring anthem to wanting and needing someone and is done with vocal and instrumental passion; it brings this collection of songs to a fitting crescendo.

for a lawyer's kid from columbus, ohio who started out cataloguing gershwin estate material for the reclusive ira and then began singing the songs for family and friends, michael feinstein has done all right for himself. he has become the recognized interpreter of the gershwin legacy, sort of the same way his pseudo-cousin, john, jr. feinstein, has become the recognized interpreter of the bob knight legacy... .

michael feinstein may have hit a home run his first time up with this album, and it may be his best, as it is the purest and most joyful celebration of gershwin tunes, while the others are fancier, more jazzed up and ponderous and less appealing.

Tracks:

Nice Work If You Can Get It
Isn't It Romantic
Swinging On A Star
Ask Me Again
Rhode Island Is Famous For You
'S Wonderful
Wonder Why
Too Marvelous For Words
Where Do You Start
Theme From The Bad And The Beautiful
Easy To Love
Alexander's Ragtime Band
Who Are You Now?
You're An Education
You Are There
Sophisticated Swing
Love Can Change The Stars
Come Out, Come Out Wherever You Are
Half Of April (Most Of May)
Marianne
They Can't Take That Away From Me
I Love A Piano

Tracks:

That's Entertainment
My Favorite Year
Ten Feet Off The Ground (With Rosemary Clooney)
I Never Felt Better
Someone To Watch Over Me
Kiss Her Now
The Ugly Bug Ball
For You, For Me, Forever More
The Mole People
And So To Bed
You're All The World To Me
Old Friend
Isn't It A Pity (with Rosemary Clooney)
Pattisserie
Open Your Eyes
For Love Alone
I Won't Send Roses/Time Heals Everything
Get Out And Get Under The Moon (with Page Cavanaugh)
My Romance
Love Is Here To Stay
Violin (with Liza Minnelli)

Amazon.com

The line between evangelist and entertainer has always been somewhat indistinct. But as showcased on this 43-track, double-disc collection culled from his '87-'96 recordings for Elektra/Nonesuch/Atlantic, Michael Feinstein's dedication to spreading the gospel of the American song often blurs it beyond recognition. While the singer's pedigree for the task is impeccable (a long-term stint as Ira Gershwin's assistant and early career sponsorship by Liza Minnelli), his interpretations often succeed by playing off a tense axis of fervent emotionalism and a joyous sense of irreverence.

If his readings of romantic standards can sometimes tend toward the precious, they're often balanced here by sheer dramatic power and telling insights ("Isn't It Romantic" fairly bristles with ironic chauvinism) and a few loopy curves ("The Mole People," the Sherman Brothers' "The Ugly Bug Ball," and the previously unreleased "Rhode Island Is Famous for You"). Feinstein's dedicated song archaeology is also showcased on several gems: "Violin," a duet with Liza Minnelli; "My Favorite Year," a rejected ballad for the film of that name; the sublime "lost" Gershwin classic "Ask Me Again."

Sprinkled with live performances (the forum where Feinstein's talents seem most energized) and studio outtakes and featuring a lengthy print interview with the singer, the set chronicles both the pioneering efforts of one of pop music's most successful revivalists and, crucially, the cream of his beloved American songwriters, from stalwarts Gershwin, Berlin, and Porter to later legends like Herman, Styne, Lane, Martin, and Mercer. --Jerry McCulley

Album Description

The definitive collection of performances by the Grammy nominated singer features 43 tracks from 14 albums released by Elektra, Elektra Nonesuch, and Atlantic labels from 1987-1996. Plus 8 previously unreleased live tracks only available here 'Rhode Island is Famous For You', 'S Wonderful', 'Alexander's Ragtime Band', 'I Love A Piano', 'Patisserie', 'Get Out And Get Under The Moon' (with Page Cavanaugh), 'Love Is Here To Stay' & 'Violin' (with Liza Minnelli). 2 Digipacks housed in a slipcase with a booklet. Rhino Records. 2002.

Customer Reviews:

Mixed feelings.......2005-10-05

This album has some GREAT songs on it; sophisticated swing being one of my favorites. However many of the other songs are too operatic and lame. I give three stars but this album is definatly worth it just for some of the better songs.

Your love for this superb collection will be here to stay..........2002-07-18

The magnificently talented Michael Feinstein has made one wonderful album after another for nearly two decades. Now that Elektra and Rhino have put together this anthology, I am blown away by the versatility and diversity in Feinstein's recorded output. Such amazing rare gems, combined with the most beloved favorites in the history of American Popular Song. Assembled with wit, intelligence, and obvious affection on the part of the record company, this set is a keeper. You'll love it!

He's done it again.......2002-07-15

Is there anything this man can't sing? This collection is so varied as to be the definitive collection of songs for any occassion.

This is perfect background music for a dinner party for a whole group but especially for two. Light, romantic and just gorgeous. You just can't go wrong when Michael Feinstein is your musical choice.

Way to go Michael, you've done it again!

Absolutely 'S WONDERFUL!.......2002-06-10

There are very few contemporary performers who can hold their own with the truly great interpreters of American popular song. Michael Feinstein is truly the ONLY performer of the "younger" generation who really understands what these songs are all about. His incredible knowledge of this music, and his enthusiasm and passion for it have fueled his career. Rhino Records has done a truly outstanding job of putting together an anthology that exemplifies why Mr. Feinstein has become so beloved by audiences around the world. The packaging is excellent, and filled with interesting photos and background information about many of the selections.

This collection not only contains all the favorites one would expect, but a neat group of surprises too. I especially love the duets with people like Liza Minnelli and Rosemary Clooney, and the various collaborative efforts with songwriters like Jule Styne and Burton Lane accompanying Michael at the piano.

This collection is a classic to be treasured. Bravo Michael!
Bravo Rhino!

A beautiful 2 disc CD-another hit for Michael.......2002-06-09

I have every CD Michael has ever made and this is by far one of the best ones because of Michael's range in singing and his wonderful singing voice. I love his duets with Rosemary Clooney and Liza Minelli. He is a wonderful performer on this double CD and am looking foward to the next CD.

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