Rodgers & Hammerstein - The Complete Overtures ~ Opening Night / Hollywood Bowl Orchestra · Mauceri

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
The debate will never stop raging between those who prefer Richard Rodgers's early work with Lorenz Hart and those partial to his later collaboration with Oscar Hammerstein. The shows of the two partnerships were so different that there's almost no resolution possible, but the themes on this CD prove that Rodgers wrote memorable melodies in very different styles during his career. Even if you prefer, say, Pal Joey, it's hard to deny the majestic allure of Carousel and The King and I. With the Rodgers & Hammerstein canon readily available on CD, this album is notable for two things. The first is that by focusing exclusively on overtures, and by presenting them in chronological order, it offers a quick survey of some of Rodgers's best-known melodies. The second is that it includes two rare pieces: the first recording of the overture from 1953's Me and Juliet and the overture from Pipe Dream, a 1955 show based on John Steinbeck's novel Cannery Row that was Rodgers & Hammerstein¹s biggest failure. Those two alone make it worthwhile for R&H fans to pick up the album. --Elisabeth Vincentelli

Rodgers & Hammerstein - The Complete Overtures ~ Opening Night / Hollywood Bowl Orchestra · Mauceri, Music, Richard Rodgers, John Mauceri, Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, Big Band, Classical, Classical Collections-Artist Desc., Film, Film Music, Music Theater, Musical Theater, Orchestral, Orchestral Pop, Soundtrack, Soundtracks & Film Scores, Swing, Waltz for Orchestra
The Sound of Music (1965 Film Soundtrack - 40th Anniversary Special Edition)
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • a classic......
  • Sound of Music--Still Great
  • Sound of Music
  • I love The Sound of Music!
  • Loved it so much, we bought it twice.
 The Sound of Music (1965 Film Soundtrack - 40th Anniversary Special Edition)
Julie Andrews , Rodgers & Hammerstein , Marni Nixon , The Sound Of Music (Related Recordings) , and Irwin Kostal
Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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  1. Mary Poppins
  2. The Sound of Music (Two-Disc 40th Anniversary Special Edition)
  3. Annie (Original 1982 Motion Picture Soundtrack)
  4. Oklahoma! (1955 Film Soundtrack)
  5. The King and I (1956 Film Soundtrack)

ASIN: B000BFNZAQ
Release Date: 2005-11-08

Tracks:

  1. Prelude And The Sound Of Music
  2. Overture And Preludium (Dixit Dominus)
  3. Morning Hymn And Alleluia
  4. maria
  5. I Have Confidence
  6. Sixteen Going On Seventeen
  7. My Favorite Things
  8. Do-Re-Mi
  9. The Sound Of Music
  10. The Lonely Goatherd
  11. Edelweiss
  12. Laendler
  13. So Long, Farewell
  14. Ent'acte
  15. Climb Ev'ry Mountain
  16. My Favorite Things
  17. Something Good
  18. Processional And Maria (The Wedding)
  19. Sixteen Going On Seventeen (Reprise)
  20. Do-Re-Mi (Reprise)
  21. Edelweiss (Reprise)
  22. So Long, Farewell (Reprise)
  23. Climb Ev'ry Mountain (Reprise)
  24. Finale
  25. Robert Wise Interview
  26. Richard Rodgers Interview
  27. Charmian Carr Interview

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars a classic.............2007-05-17

I can still remember the first time I heard this soundtrack. It was on my family's turntable. We happened to own the original vinyl addition. THE SOUND OF MUSIC (AKA THE SOUND OF MUSIC, in the words of Christopher Plummer who was Captain Von Trapp, in the film) is a classic musical that has really spanned the generations of young and old viewers, for (more than) four decades. For starters, the music is catchy ("The Sound of Music," "These Are A Few of My Favorite Things," and "Edelweiss," as just a few examples). Secondly, this cast was just great! Though, I have a personal preference toward the original cast, with Mary Martin and Theodore Bikel. Nonetheless, Julie Andrews is great here. What a beautiful soprano voice.

This edition features bonus transfers of interviews with those involved in bringing THE SOUND OF MUSIC to the screen. What's more, this is the complete soundtrack (instrumental and music featuring vocals is included here). Definitely a "must buy" for true fans.

5 out of 5 stars Sound of Music--Still Great.......2007-05-13

I loved the music when it came on the big screen. I loved it on LP and cassette. Now, I love it even more on CD. The joy I get from listening to it while driving is wonderful. It sends me back to fond family memories. This is a must have.

5 out of 5 stars Sound of Music.......2007-05-07

The CD of the soundtrack of Sound of Music came in good shape and in good time.

5 out of 5 stars I love The Sound of Music!.......2007-04-14

I love this movie so much, it's my favorite! So I recently bought this cd. Wow! If you love the movie, you'll love the cd. The cd has every song from the flic and is so clear. Listening to the songs make me want to watch the movie all over again for the trillionth time. You'll be able to picture every scene listening to this cd. Also, if your stuck in traffic and need a pick me up, play this cd. You'll wake up from your drowsy drive and entertain yourself cause you can actually sing along to a song and know the words, while the movie is replaying in your head.

5 out of 5 stars Loved it so much, we bought it twice........2007-04-11

You know all of these songs and Julie Andrews is at her best. This is a great soundtrack, and the disc got a ton of play in my family. On a vacation trip to California the disc accidentally got left behind in the rental car. After 6 months of the kids asking for me to replace the disc, I finally bought it again. The disc is in heavy rotation, to borrow a term from radio programming, and everyone's enjoying it again.
Oklahoma! (1955 Film Soundtrack)
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Okalahoma
  • MacRae and Jones head a superb and O.K. adaptation
  • Broadway in a movie setting at it's very best!
  • Wonderful
  • Beauiful
 Oklahoma! (1955 Film Soundtrack)
Jay Blackton , Charlotte Greenwood , Shirley Jones , Gene Nelson , Gloria Grahame , Rod Steiger , James Whitmore , and Gordon MacRae
Manufacturer: Angel Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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  1. South Pacific (1958 Film Soundtrack)
  2. The King and I (1956 Film Soundtrack)
  3. Carousel (1956 Film Soundtrack)
  4. The Music Man (1962 Film Soundtrack)
  5. My Fair Lady (1964 Film Soundtrack)

ASIN: B00005A7XB
Release Date: 2001-03-13

Tracks:

  1. Overture - Rodgers & Hammerstein
  2. Main Title - Rodgers & Hammerstein
  3. Oh, What A Beautiful Mornin' - Gordon MacRae
  4. The Surrey With The Fringe On Top - Gordon MacRae/Shirley Jones/Charlotte Greenwood
  5. Kansas City - Gene Nelson/Charlotte Greenwood/Men's Chorus
  6. Kansas City Ballet - Rodgers & Hammerstein
  7. I Cain't Say No - Gloria Grahame
  8. Many A New Day - Shirley Jones/Girls' Chorus
  9. Many A New Day Ballet - Rodgers & Hammerstein
  10. People Will Say We're In Love - Gordon McaRae/Shirley Jones
  11. Pore Jud Is Daid - Gordon MacRae/Rod Steiger
  12. Out Of My Dreams - Shirley Jones/Girls' Chorus
  13. Out Of My Dreams Ballet - Rodgers & Hammerstein
  14. Entr' Acte - Rodgers & Hammerstein
  15. The Farmer And The Cowman - Gordon MacRae/Charlotte Greenwood/Gene Nelson/J.C. Flippen/James Whitmore/Gloria Grahame...
  16. The Farmer And The Cowman Ballet - Rodgers & Hammerstein
  17. All Er Nuthin' - Gloria Grahame/Gene Nelson
  18. All Er Nuthin' Ballet - Rodgers & Hammerstein
  19. People Will Say We're In Love - Gordon MacRae/Shirley Jones
  20. Oklahoma - Gordon MacRae/Shirley Jones/Charlotte Greenwood/Gloria Grahame/Gene Nelson/Rod Steiger...
  21. Finale: Oh, What A Beautiful Mornin' - Gordon MacRae/Shirley Jones/Charlotte Greenwood/Gloria Grahame/Gene Nelson/Rod Steiger...
  22. Overture (LP Version) - Rodgers & Hammerstein

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Okalahoma.......2007-07-17

Very good quality reproduction, and enjoyable to listen to the full length movie soundtrack again.

4 out of 5 stars MacRae and Jones head a superb and O.K. adaptation.......2007-03-16

The film adaptation of Oklahoma heralded a technological breakthrough in widescreen cinema just as the original stage musical ushered in the integrated book musical. As such this film adaptation was treated as a special occasion, well-supervised by the creators themselves. The soundtrack, featured here, boasts sterling performances from MacRae and Jones making the most of their portrayals of Curly and Laurey, backed by a charismatic cast and superb orchestrations. And of course let's not forget the enveloping stereo sound that holds up well even today.

Despite being a Hollywood star, Gordon MacRae performs the part of Curly as if he was born to play it even on the stage. He shines vocally in his renditions of Oh, what a Beautiful Mornin' and Surrey with the Fringe on Top. He is well-partnered by Shirley Jones as a fresh and pert Laurey, lending her beautiful voice to the part. Although we don't hear much of her on this soundtrack, her partnering MacRae in People Will Say We're in Love exudes a masterful chemistry, as if they were setting sparks off at each other in their rendition of the song. Gene Nelson makes a dashing Will Parker and is equally well-matched by Gloria Grahame as Ado Annie. Grahame renders I Cain't Say No splendidly and partners Nelson in All er Nothin'. The supporting cast is filled out by Charlotte Greenwood's suitably caustic Aunt Eller and Rod Steiger's Jud. It's a pity that the film cut the song Lonely Room, otherwise Steiger would have better demonstrated the dark hues of the character of Jud. Yet it all adds up to a wonderful renditionh of this classic musical, enough to elicit a spontaneous YEOW! during this year of the Oklahoma centenary.

This EMI-Angel reissue offers one the advantage of the dance music and the main titles. This means that the listener gets the Kansas City and Farmer and the Cowman dance sequences, as well as the extended Dream Ballet. The only downside is the extraneous sound effects lifted from a DVD copy of the movie. Yes I share many of your sentiments that these sound effects tend to grate, and long for Didier Deutsch to have used the original untainted studio vault versions. However, let's at least be thankful that the CD producers have offered us a more comprehensive version of the Oklahoma soundtrack that we could only have dreamt of in the past.

In short, this is a wonderful and valuable addition to the R&H discography, and is an equally celebrated rendition of the score like the original Broadway cast recording. Warmly recommended to those who seek even their first version of Oklahoma.

5 out of 5 stars Broadway in a movie setting at it's very best!.......2007-03-06

I have the original Broadway version, but prefer this movie selection.
The CD is flawless and, in my opinion, there's nothing better than a Rodgers
and Hammerstein musical for music, lyrics and pure joy! This is the best!

5 out of 5 stars Wonderful.......2007-01-30

A great way to introduce oneself to the world of the nearly extinct Hollywood musical.

5 out of 5 stars Beauiful.......2006-06-05

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

My Voice Students are always asking me for recommendations so I though I'd post it for all! We can't forget about these great musicals!
Live in Glasgow
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Paul Rodgers is still "the voice" of rock!
  • Paul Rodgers just gets better all the time
  • PAUL RODGERS - Best Male Vocalist Ever
  • FREE Again!
  • 100% Killer, 0% Filler
 Live in Glasgow
Paul Rodgers
Manufacturer: Eagle Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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  1. Paul Rodgers: Live in Glasgow
  2. Close as You Get
  3. Extended Versions
  4. In the Palace of the King
  5. Snakes & Arrows

ASIN: B000O590E8
Release Date: 2007-04-17

Tracks:

  1. I'll Be Creepin'
  2. The Stealer
  3. Ride On A Pony
  4. Radioactive
  5. Be My Friend
  6. Warboys
  7. Feel Like Makin' Love
  8. Bad Company
  9. (I Just Wanna) See You Smile
  10. Louisiana Blues
  11. Fire And Water
  12. Wishing Well
  13. All Right Now
  14. I'm A Mover
  15. The Hunter
  16. Can't Get Enough Of Your Love
  17. Seagull

Album Description

His resume reads like a rock fan's wildest dream: frontman and main songwriter for FREE (founded with the late guitarist Paul Kossoff), BAD COMPANY, THE FIRM, SOLO & QUEEN. Paul Rodgers has been electrifying audiences since he hit #1 with his worldwide hit "All Right Now" co-written with Free. After six years with FREE, Rodgers formed BAD COMPANY with Mott the Hoople guitarist Mick Ralphs. As the main songwriters they wrote all of the platinum records and #1 hits. While moving forward as a solo artist he took a slight detour and formed THE FIRM with LED ZEPPELIN guitarist Jimmy Page. He then continued as a solo artist and received a Grammy Nomination for his "Muddy Water Blues" CD on which he wrote the title track. In 2005 he joined forces with QUEEN and toured worldwide at QUEEN + PAUL RODGERS performing songs from both of their catalogues. He is currently proceeding on two fronts with QUEEN and as a solo artist. In '07, he will play ten exclusive US dates this spring and one summer date in Holland. For a man who prefers to keep a low profile, his talent still shines brightly.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Paul Rodgers is still "the voice" of rock!.......2007-05-13

A great showcase of Paul's career, from the Free days to Bad Company,
The Firm, and his solo career, It would have been great if he got in
a song from his band The Law, but this CD is so packed with hits, The
Law won't be missed. He sounds great, the band rocks, and there is not
one dud on this CD. If you've enjoyed Paul's music over the years, you
will enjoy this Live set of songs, and of course, play it loud!

5 out of 5 stars Paul Rodgers just gets better all the time.......2007-05-09

57 years old and he sounds *and* looks better than ever. I just saw him perform in Tacoma and he did an incredible two-hour, four-encore show that put the audience in the palm of his hand and never let us go. I loved this new CD before the concert and love it even more now. It's a great selection from all periods of his career so far. For the long-time fan it will be like revisiting some of the best moments of your past and finding out that it's still living and is even better than you remembered. For new listeners, it will be more powerful, positive, fresh, and alive than anything you've heard up till now, and it will make you a fan far into the future.

5 out of 5 stars PAUL RODGERS - Best Male Vocalist Ever.......2007-04-20

I can't get enough of Paul Rodgers. His voice is angelic and smooth. Smokey and demands your attention. Free, The Firm, The Law, Bad Company, Queen and Solo. He is simply the best. This is a great live album with a good mix of tunes from most of his era's.

The thing I especially like about this CD is the return of Mr. Howard Leese. Original guitarist with Heart. Which ironically, Ann Wilson is the Best Female Vocalist Ever.

Everything Paul Rodgers touches turns to gold. Now if we could get rock stations to play new music by old guys, we'd be set.

Buy this CD!

5 out of 5 stars FREE Again!.......2007-04-19

Well, obviously the best thing about this release is that Paul is digging back into FREE days.

Ten of seventeen tracks are reprised FREE songs, thank you Mr.Rodgers.

I first saw FREE in 1970, and Paul's voice is better now; though there can be no substitute for Koss ... his alter-ego.

This CD will get no media play...

A sad testimony to the state of ho' music airwaves....

Am I banned now?

5 out of 5 stars 100% Killer, 0% Filler.......2007-04-19

What a pleasant surprise. This set is an excellent companion piece to the hot live half of 1997's "Paul Rodgers: Now & Live." The set list is similar, but it's Paul's heaviest concert nod yet to his years in Free ("I'll Be Creepin', "The Stealer," "Ride On A Pony," "Be My Friend," "Fire And Water," "Wishing Well," "All Right Now," "I'm A Mover," "The Hunter"). There are also 4 Bad Company tracks ("Bad Company," "Feel Like Makin' Love," "Can't Get Enough," "Seagull") and one from the short-lived Rodgers-Page band The Firm, "Radioactive." Rodgers leads a band well-versed in his legacy through a total of 17 tracks, one of them new ("Warboys [A Prayer For Peace]"). Great selection of songs, Paul's in fine voice, the band is hot, what more could you possibly ask for other than "next day delivery from Amazon?"
Victory at Sea (Music from the Original Television Series)
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Victory at Sea
  • What memories!
  • Victory At Sea CD
  • FYI
  • Disappointing
 Victory at Sea (Music from the Original Television Series)
Richard Rodgers
Manufacturer: RCA Victor
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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  1. Rodgers: More Victory at Sea
  2. Victory at Sea - The Legendary World War II Documentary (History Channel)
  3. Victory at Sea
  4. Selections from Victory at Sea and Other Favorites
  5. Grofé: Orchestral Works

ASIN: B0000064X9
Release Date: 1992-08-11

Tracks:

  1. The Song Of The High Seas
  2. The Pacific Boils Over
  3. Guadalcanal March
  4. D-Day
  5. Hard Work And Horseplay
  6. Theme Of the Fast Carriers
  7. Beneath The Southern Cross
  8. Mare Nostrum
  9. Victory At Sea
  10. Fire On The Waters
  11. Danger Down Deep
  12. Mediterranean Mosaic
  13. The Magnetic North

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Victory at Sea.......2007-06-08

Just like the TV series. At my age I still remember the series and WWII.

5 out of 5 stars What memories!.......2007-03-28

Anyone who lived through WWII will bond with this CD. The first time I heard the music, I was with the Red Cross providing entertainment for the wounded patients at Walter Reed Army Hosp. in Washington DC shortly after the war. Of course, our Navy did tangle with German subs & ships in the Atlantic, but to me Richard Rodgers' music spells the conflict on the other sea, which resulted from the Japanese devastating attack on Pearl Harbor. Mr.Rodgers was a genius in composing this music. There is no mistaking the sound of the big guns going off, the torpedo attacks, the anguish of all personnel, and then - victory. One hears several singable melodies, the most popular & memorable being the one that later became a hit popular song: "No Other Love Have I." To this day, my heart aches when I listen to this CD. Much of it, of course, is in the minor mode, til ...a VICTORY! This music reminds me of the tremendous sacrifice made by so many thousands of our American youth, one of which was my pure, 20-year-old cousin, killed on Luzon in May 1945. This is a prize CD.

5 out of 5 stars Victory At Sea CD.......2007-01-04

The quality of the digitally remastered music on this CD is far and above what I was expecting. The entire CD plays flawlessly without so much as a hint of unwanted background noise. My experience in purchasing this CD was very good. Shipment was almost immediate and delivery prompt. I can find absolutely nothing to complain about and am very happy with my purchase. Thanks a million.

3 out of 5 stars FYI.......2006-11-10

Original lp was released in 1956; performance by members of the NBC symphony orchestra. Vol.2 of V at S was released in 1959 and Vol.3 in the early
1960's and performance is by the RCA symphony orchestra. Note: Arturo
Toscanini was conductor of the NBC symphony from 1937 until 1954. Under his direction, NBC was considered to be one of the finest
symphony orchestras in the world. When Maestro Toscanini died in 1957, the
orchestra disbanded 5 years later.

3 out of 5 stars Disappointing.......2006-11-08

I grew up with an LP recording of the Boston Pops playing most of the tracks found on this CD. While this particular recording may be closer to the original, I found the tempos plodding and lacking in energy. The strings sound muddy and weak and at times the general sound reminded me of a good high school orchestra. This recording is just not doing justice to the music. I find it disappointing.
Carousel (1956 Film Soundtrack)
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • AWESOME!!
  • MacRae and Jones soar in this tragic R&H musical
  • Great Music
  • Response to David Pabian's review below
  • Gummed up an Original
 Carousel (1956 Film Soundtrack)
Shirley Jones , Claramae Turner , Robert Rounseville , Cameron Mitchell , Barbara Ruick , Robert Rounseville , Richard Rodgers , Oscar Hammerstein II , and Gordon MacRae
Manufacturer: Angel Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Movie SoundtracksMovie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music
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  1. Oklahoma! (1955 Film Soundtrack)
  2. The King and I (1956 Film Soundtrack)
  3. South Pacific (1958 Film Soundtrack)
  4. Camelot (1960 Original Broadway Cast)
  5. The Music Man (1962 Film Soundtrack)

ASIN: B00005A7XD
Release Date: 2001-03-13

Tracks:

  1. Introduction - Gordon MacRae/William Le Massena
  2. Main Title: The Carousel Waltz - 20th Century-Fox Orchestra/Alfred Newman
  3. You're A Queer One, Julie Jordan - Barbara Ruick/Shirley Jones
  4. When I Marry Mr. Snow - Barbara Ruick
  5. If I Loved You - Shirley Jones/Gordon MacRae
  6. June Is Bustin' Out All Over - Claramae Turner/Barbara Ruick
  7. June Is Bustin' Out All Over Ballet - 20th Century-Fox Orchestra/Alfred Newman
  8. Soliloquy - Gordon MacRae
  9. Blow High, Blow Low - Cameron Mitchell
  10. When The Children Are Asleep - Robert Rounseville/Barbara Ruick
  11. A Real Nice Clambake - Barbara Ruick/Claramae Turner/Robert Rounseville/Cameron Mitchell
  12. Stonecutters Cut In On Stone - Cameron Mitchell
  13. What's The Use Of Wond'rin - Shirley Jones
  14. You'll Never Walk Alone - Shirley Jones/Claramae Turner
  15. Ballet - 20th Century-Fox Orchestra/Alfred Newman
  16. If I Loved You (Reprise) - Gordon MacRae
  17. You'll Never Walk Alone (Finale) - Shirley Jones
  18. Carousel Waltz (LP Version) - 20th Century-Fox Orchestra/Alfred Newman

Amazon.com

Richard Rodgers always considered Carousel his favorite score, even though it didn't generate the number of popular hits of some of the other shows he produced with lyricist Oscar Hammerstein II. Their adaptation of the Ferenc Molnar play Liliom is marked by three especially sublime moments. "The Carousel Waltz," Rodgers's alternative to the traditional Broadway overture, serves as an orchestral backdrop to the opening scene and is one of the best miniatures ever written for the theater. "If I Loved You," which establishes the romance of carnival barker Billy Bigelow (Gordon MacRae, a late replacement for Frank Sinatra) and nice girl Julie Jordan (Shirley Jones), is a musical minidrama in which the pair's discussion of how they are not in love reveals just how much they are in love. "Soliloquy" is Billy's powerful solo that foreshadows the action to come in Act II. Add the inspirational anthem "You'll Never Walk Alone," and you have Rodgers and Hammerstein's most extraordinary, near-operatic score. On the soundtrack for the 1956 film, MacRae and Jones are in exceptional voice (following their success in 1955's Oklahoma) and the orchestra sounds glorious, but unfortunately some of the numbers were shortened, most notably "If I Loved You." Extensive production notes, an interview with Jones, and a synopsis are included. --David Horiuchi

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars AWESOME!!.......2007-05-12

LOVE SOUND TRACTS FROM OLD MOVIES - SING ALONGS AND THE BEST ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU ARE TRAVELING AND CAN SING LOUD. IT IS A KEEPER

4 out of 5 stars MacRae and Jones soar in this tragic R&H musical.......2007-02-11

This film adaptation of Carousel came shortly after the Oklahoma! film and reunited Gordon MacRae and Shirley Jones. Although the film was not well-received at the box office, the soundtrack shows MacRae, Jones and the superb cast performing their roles to their heart's content. Their performance helps bring out the pathos in this tragic R&H musical, which Rodgers himself considered his favourite of all his works.

MacRae shines vocally as Billy Bigelow, bringing an open-hearted musicality and sincerity to his stout-hearted portrayal. MacRae stands out in Billy's pivotal Soliloquy, which some reviewers have considered one of the finest vocal performances of the 20th century. He is well-partnered by Shirley Jones, who lends her tender voice and personality to her portrayal as Julie. Listen to the chemistry they exude during the pivotal If I Loved You duet, as if they're overcoming their shyness and drawing sustenance from each other with their love. The supporting cast also gives its all in performing their roles. Claramae Turner's hearty Nettie brims with sincerity, warmth and tenderness, and she leads a rousing rendition of June is Bustin' Out All Over and renders You'll Never Walk Alone touchingly. Barbara Ruick and Robert Rounseville are superb as Carrie and Mr. Snow, although I admit I would have liked a little more humour. I also admit I would have liked Cameron Mitchell as Jigger to sound more sinister, like Fisher Stevens did in the 1994 Broadway revival recording. But even as it is, everyone sings gloriously and is given sumptuous backing from Alfred Newman's superb arrangements and the 20th-Century Fox Orchestra, when it shines out in the ballets.

If I'm adding to the praise of these critic-proof performance, you'll wonder, why am I giving only 4 stars? Well, it's because the extra sound effects from the unreleased sequences tend to jar after a while. I know some of you are complaining that the dance sequences are plagued by extraneous sound effects and noise. I share the same feelings too and also wish that the producers had utilised the original studio pre-recordings for a sumptuous listening experience. However, let us at least be grateful that Didier Deutsch and his production team have made these unreleased sequences available on a soundtrack CD reissue. At least it's a step in the right direction before the entire canon of R&H film soundtracks (yes, including South Pacific and The Sound of Music) gets its due as deluxe 2-CD sets, complete with underscore.

However, don't let this gripe dissuade you from buying this soundtrack. It offers a complete musical experience that one could only dream of in the previous CD reissues of the soundtrack. And it demonstrates the element that Rodgers & Hammerstein were discovering in their musicals.

5 out of 5 stars Great Music.......2007-01-04

Rogers and Hammerstein were in a different league when it came to writing musicals. Their music, lyrics and story are never alike. These two partners were exceptional and their music shows it. Carousel is a tragic story but also shows that human nature can rise above adversity. The music is wonderful and the characters believable. A great movie.

5 out of 5 stars Response to David Pabian's review below.......2004-06-30

Response to David Pabian's review:

My review was not in error, as Mr. Pabian expects. The review was for the original CD release, not this expanded version. Amazon lifted it out of that spot and dropped it here, which of course makes it anachronistic. Why they did it without reading it is certainly an inept decision.

3 out of 5 stars Gummed up an Original.......2003-06-10

This overblown "completeitis" has got to stop. The original soundtrack album Carousel Waltz is now relegated to Appendix status, and terrible sonics accompany dancers' footstomping in the "new" expanded musical sequences, taken directly from the soundtrack rather than from still-existing musical tracks. There was a reason soundtrack recordings were studio performances. The proportions were right, the timings were correct for an overall BALANCED listening experience. These gawdawful expanded editions, often with dialogue thrown in, completely throw off those balances. An argument might be made for expanded sequences appropriate to a CDs longer playing time than the standard L.P. 45min., but possibly only if those sequences are from their original studio-recorded, pre release-print mix -- which could have easily been done in this case. A quick word on one of the above reviews: This is not the first time the complete Carousel Waltz is heard in stereo. There were two previous CD remasterings of the original soundtrack whereon it was included. And the reprise of "If I loved You" was part of every soundtrack release, mono and stereo.
South Pacific (Original 1949 Broadway Cast)
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Best ever !
  • beautiful recording of a very important musical......
  • Enchanting Evening Always.
  • Some Enchanted Soundtrack!
  • Wha-?
 South Pacific (Original 1949 Broadway Cast)
Richard Rodgers , and Oscar Hammerstein
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:
  1. My Fair Lady (1956 Original Broadway Cast)
  2. Camelot (1960 Original Broadway Cast)
  3. Oklahoma! Selections from the Theatre Guild Musical Play: A Decca Broadway Original Cast Recording (Original 1943 Broadway Cast)
  4. West Side Story (1957 Original Broadway Cast)
  5. The King and I: A Decca Broadway Original Cast Album (Original 1951 Broadway Cast)

ASIN: B00000DHSL
Release Date: 1998-11-10

Tracks:

  1. Overture
  2. Dites-moi
  3. A Cockeyed Optimist
  4. Twin Soliloquies
  5. Some Enchanted Evening
  6. Bloody Mary
  7. There Is Nothin' like A Dame
  8. Bali Ha'i
  9. I'm Gonna Wash that Man right outa My Hair
  10. A Wonderful Guy
  11. Younger than Springtime
  12. Happy Talk
  13. Honey Bun
  14. You've Got to be Carefully Taught
  15. This Nearly Was Mine
  16. Finale: Dites-moi (reprise)
  17. Loneliness of Evening
  18. My Girl Back Home
  19. Bali-Ha'i
  20. South Pacific: Symphonic Scenario for Concert Orchestra

Amazon.com essential recording

Based on James Michener's Tales of the South Pacific, Rodgers and Hammerstein's Pulitzer prize-winning South Pacific is one of the most beloved musicals ever to hit the stage. The appeal is simple: a collection of stunning compositions--immense symphonic sound orchestrated by Rodgers collaborator Robert Russell Bennett--and characters with a simple though cohesive through-line. On this original Broadway cast recording, the lovely, girlish Mary Martin (Peter Pan, Annie Get Your Gun) is the heartily feminine American nurse Nellie Bly to the dashing former Metropolitan Opera bass Ezio Pinza as French plantation owner Emile de Becque. This release takes from the original high-quality tapes cut in 1949 (rather than the acetates, which were recorded simultaneously for the vinyl release of the day). There are alternate takes of a few songs and the restored original version of the hard-hitting racial commentary number "Carefully Taught." Pinza's "Some Enchanted Evening" is tender and lovely without being cloying. Martin's confidence and warm vocal expressiveness on numbers such as "Twin Soliloquies" and the bonus track, "Loneliness of the Evening," are stellar, and the choral numbers are both solid and spunky. --Paige La Grone

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Best ever !.......2007-07-10

South Pacific has been part of my life, forever, from when I listened to it on 78's from the book until now on CD. With its great music, thought provoking lyrics and a "just right" cast, nothing in my opinion is wrong with it. Every time I play it I am lost in the whole being of it. Pure and utter enjoyment that crosses the generations. Leaves you feeling you are a cockeyed optimist!!

5 out of 5 stars beautiful recording of a very important musical.............2007-05-19

Though, SOUTH PACIFIC was made into a successful movie, I would take this, the original recording with Mary Martin (as Nellie Bly) and Enzio Pinza (as Emile de Becque) over it any day! For starters, there is so much spunk and great chemistry between the two leads--star crossed lovers who meet, by chance, in the South Pacific, when Bly is working as an on-site nurse for soldiers stationed there. This beautiful musical really has it all. Romance, humor (though, sometimes a little dated!) and drama. The sweeping score and powerful, punchy lyrics, written by the great team of Rodgers and Hammerstein, remains as compelling today as it was, at first release on Broadway, in 1949.

Some of the best-loved songs (plus many more) are featured on this remastered recording, available on CD. They include "You've Got to Be Carefully Taught," which alludes to racism and also how we are raised to be products of our environment, "I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Out of My Hair," and "Some Enchanted Evening." You will really hear the powerful messages that the more dramatically intense songs convey and will smile over the others that are more light-hearted in nature. Just wonderful! They don't write songs like this anymore.

5 out of 5 stars Enchanting Evening Always........2007-01-19

This Broadway Show Original Recording CD is still the best. Mary Martin and Ezio Pinza are unmatchable. It is a treasure and a pleasure to listen again, and every time the whole score provides an enchanted evening. Look also at American Medicine MisManaged Care: How we can improve quality, cover the uninsured, add pharmacy and have $billions left over. This is the time to make it happen.

5 out of 5 stars Some Enchanted Soundtrack!.......2007-01-17

I have an original copy of the Broadway cast recording of South Pacific on vinyl. The vinyl is in excellant condition and plays as if it were a brand new record. Mary Martin is superb in the role of Nellie Forbush. I love to hear this lady sing, she is excellant! Ezio Pinza provides his rich bass voice as Emele DeBeck and Ray Walston sings up a storm as Luther Billis. This soundtrack is pure enchantment!

3 out of 5 stars Wha-?.......2007-01-09

Although I love the message behind the story, I must admit that the soundtrack left me a bit...cold. Mary Martin must have been one of those "you had to be there" actresses- because her voice seemed flat and lifeless to me. I am sure I will get a lot of flack about this comment, Mary Martin was my mother's favorite actress, topped only by Ethel Merman and any kind of review less than stellar will irk many.
The Best of Jimmie Rodgers
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • The best of Jimmy Rodgers
  • Very good Cd
  • The Best of Jimmie Rodgers
  • best of jimmie
  • A good collection of a neglected artist's best work
 The Best of Jimmie Rodgers
Jimmie F. Rodgers
Manufacturer: Rhino / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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  5. Hard To Find 45s on CD, Volume 7: More 60's Classics

ASIN: B0000032RW
Release Date: 1990-02-02

Tracks:

  1. Honeycomb
  2. Kisses Sweeter Than Wine
  3. Oh-Oh, I'm Falling In Love Again
  4. Long Hot Summer
  5. Secretly
  6. Make Me A Miracle
  7. Are You Really Mine
  8. The Wizard
  9. Bimbombey
  10. I'm Never Gonna Tell
  11. Ring-A-Ling-A-Lario
  12. Wonderful You
  13. Tucumcari
  14. T.L.C. Tender Love and Care
  15. Waltzing Matilda (Australian Folk Song)
  16. Woman From Liberia
  17. It's Over
  18. Child Of Clay

Album Description

The first comprehensive CD collection of Jimmie Rodgers' original (not re-recorded) hits for Roulette, Dot, and A&M.

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars The best of Jimmy Rodgers.......2006-03-20

The music reminds me of a time when the kids were little and we would be traveling somewhere, this was our music to travel by. I passed a CD to my niece and she states the same.

5 out of 5 stars Very good Cd.......2006-03-14

This cd is for my mother her birthday, but I want to know which titles the singers have. Because I only know the Title "Kisses sweeter than wine" Than I here the cd.

He was a very good singer!


5 out of 5 stars The Best of Jimmie Rodgers.......2006-01-25

In December of 1967 we were cheated from the very rare talented form of Jimmie F. Rodgers. His singing presentation was unique and haunting. I remember listening to his music in the '60's and am still awed by it today. This album is typical of him at his best.

El Arquero

5 out of 5 stars best of jimmie.......2005-11-30

wonderful,easy listening,very pleasant tunes from an underrated guy, cd includes little booklet with somewhat interesting things and trivia about Jimmy and the business he was in.

5 out of 5 stars A good collection of a neglected artist's best work.......2004-10-12

Jimmie Rodgers suffers from neglect, perhaps because he came before the public in the late '50s when Rock'n'Roll was sweeping the nation. And though I've seen him called a R'n'R singer, he is really a traditional pop singer, who sounded much like, for example, Guy Mitchell (another singer who deserves more recognition, of course!)

This album is a collection of his biggest hits, and if you don't Know Jimmie Rodgers, it's a great sampling of what he could do, while if you already know and love his voice, you'll get all the top hits that made him great.
The biggest of these, "Honeycomb" and "Kisses Sweeter than Wine," begin the set, and it ends up with "Child of Clay," which was his last hit before a vicious physical attack destroyed his health and almost ended his life, cutting short a great career.

This is a really good CD, and highly recommended.
Let Yourself Go
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 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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ASIN: B000059T4T
Release Date: 2001-05-29

Tracks:

  1. Let Yourself Go
  2. If
  3. How Long Has This Been Going On?
  4. My Funny Valentine
  5. Hanging Around with You (with Jason Alexander)
  6. The Girl in 14G
  7. I'll Tell the Man in the Street
  8. I'm a Stranger Here Myself
  9. Nobody Else But Me
  10. Nobody's Heart Belongs to Me/Why Can't I?
  11. Should I Be Sweet?
  12. He's Just an Ordinary Guy
  13. Going to the Dance with You
  14. On a Turquoise Cloud
  15. You'll Never Know
  16. 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:

5 out of 5 stars 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!

5 out of 5 stars Kristen Chenowith.......2007-02-26

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

4 out of 5 stars 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.

4 out of 5 stars 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.

5 out of 5 stars 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.
South Pacific in Concert from Carnegie Hall
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Better than I could have imagined
  • Fantastic
  • Sensational!
  • Truly wonderful!
  • WHAT AN AWESOME PERFORMANCE!
 South Pacific in Concert from Carnegie Hall
Richard Rodgers , Oscar Hammerstein II , Reba McEntire , Brian Stokes Mitchell , and Alec Baldwin
Manufacturer: Decca Broadway
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000EMG9AY
Release Date: 2006-04-18

Tracks:

  1. Overture
  2. Dites-Moi / Oh, and what's that flower over there?
  3. A Cock-Eyed Optimist
  4. So when you joined the Navy...
  5. Twin Soliloquies
  6. One waits so long for what is good
  7. Some Enchanted Evening
  8. Dites-Moi (Reprise)
  9. Bloody Mary
  10. Say, is that a boar's tooth bracelet on your wrist?
  11. There Is Nothin' Like A Dame
  12. Ah, hello... you make trouble for me?
  13. Bali Ha'i
  14. Bali H'ai (Reprise)
  15. So tell us, Nellie, what did old Ironbelly want?
  16. I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair
  17. Hello, is that a new American song?
  18. Some Enchanted Evening (Reprise)
  19. Will you come to my party Friday?
  20. A Wonderful Guy
  21. What should I do, Captain? / Bali H'ai (Reprise)
  22. You wait, Lootellan...
  23. Younger Than Springtime & Bali H'ai (Reprise)
  24. A Wonderful Guy (Reprise)
  25. This Is How It Feels & A Cock-Eyed Optimist (Reprise)
  26. Finale Act 1 - Some Enchanted Evening (Reprise)
  27. Entr'acte
  28. Happy Talk
  29. It is my great pleasure to bring you our skipper...
  30. Honey Bun
  31. You've Got To Be Carefully Taught
  32. This Nearly Was Mine
  33. Well, de Beque, I take off pretty soon for Marie Louise...
  34. Some Enchanted Evening (Reprise)
  35. Alright, Let's Start Those Trucks... / Honey Bun (Reprise)
  36. Finale Act 2 - Dites-Moi (Reprise)

Amazon.com

From the second the majestic overture of Rodgers and Hammerstein's 1949 show starts, you know you're in for a treat: In this age of diminished Broadway pits, hearing the 45-piece Orchestra of St. Luke's firing on all cylinders is just thrilling. And that's only the beginning of the fun in this most traditional, most delightful musical, recorded live at Carnegie Hall in June 2005. As Nellie Forbush, Reba McEntire deploys a homespun Southern charm that works marvels against the urbane Emile de Becque, i.e., Brian Stokes Mitchell and his impossibly buttery baritone (check out his rendition of "Some Enchanted Evening"). Of course we shouldn't be surprised, since country star Reba had turned out to be musical-theater star Reba when she replaced Bernadette Peters in Annie Get Your Gun on Broadway. Here, she brightly delivers classics (yes, the show is packed with them) like "I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair" and "A Wonderful Guy." And let's not forget Lillias White, chewing the scenery in spectacular fashion as Bloody Mary ("Bali Ha'i," "Happy Talk"--what was that about the show being packed with memorable tunes again?). When the classic American musical is done with such gusto, it's hard not to be won over. --Elisabeth Vincentelli

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Better than I could have imagined.......2007-06-09

To compare this recording with the original cast recordings of the 1950's is like comparing a jr. high science experiment with a space shuttle launch. Reba McIntyre is wonderful, giving a slight country twang just where and when it was needed (wasn't Nellie from Arkansas, after all?) And what can one say about Mr. Mitchell? That booming baritone filled every nook and cranny of Carnagie Hall, and his clever, halted, French-accented dialogue made his character interpretation enjoyable and realistic. Danieley and White were probably who Rogers and Hammerstein had in mind when they wrote this musical. I loved every song and every word of dialogue.

5 out of 5 stars Fantastic.......2007-05-14

A great recoding. I think Reba makes a much more believable Nellie than Mary did. I keep it in my car, to play frequently.

5 out of 5 stars Sensational!.......2007-03-25

I approached watching this production on PBS with some trepidation, especially after the R&H organization's last attempt at mounting this piece, that hideous television film version with Glenn Close.

I was especially wary of the casting of a "country" singer to play Nellie. But Reba's warmth and sincerity in the role won me over. This was a splendid choice. Nellie is indeed a "hick" and Reba takes that character clue quite literally. Though the role was originally written for a girl from Texas, Mary Martin, she never took the character too far in that direction, at least from the evidence of the cast recording and the television performances I've seen. But Reba does, quite courageously, never totally shedding her "country" approach to the role, and yet, really singing it! Quite an achievement.

The rest of the casting achieves the same level of perfection. Stokes-Mitchell is not quite an opera singer (the role was written for Ezio Pinza, an operatic bass-baritone) but he manages the part nicely, though his "French" accent is a little inconsistent. Alec Baldwin is totally hilarious as Billis, taking the role in another direction than others have, but it works.

Someone here commented on the casting of black actors in the Polynesian roles, rather than using Asian actors. I would normally agree with the writer, but not in this instance. This show was written in 1949 to directly address the racial inequality between blacks and whites in mid-century America in a way that had never been done before, and in the orginal production, black actors were used to make just that point. This is an attempt to do an "authentic" production, true to the show's original intent. So I respect the producers' decision in this production.

This concert performance is "authentic" in that it uses all of Bennett's original orchestrations, which are a joy to hear, and most if not all of the dialogue, keeping all the songs in their original context. Some songs that never made sense to me in the original cast recording, heard here in context for the first time, suddenly make total sense.

In a way, I prefer the CD of thios performance to the video presentation. One can listen to it and imagine this is NOT a concert performance, but a fully staged one, with a live audience present. It's quite an authentic experience. I did not see the original Broadway production, but I did see the New York City Opera's revival in 1965, and this audio recording helps me relive those memories of a live stage performance.

5 out of 5 stars Truly wonderful!.......2007-02-06

"South Pacific" seems to be one of those "forgotten" classics of the musical theatre. The score is magnificent, and the overture is enough get a dead man's heart beating again.

There's not enough to say about Brian Stokes Mitchell. I first saw him in "Kiss of the Spider Woman" and haven't missed his starring roles since them. His version of "This Nearly Was Mine" gave me chills. He is a truly gifted performer.

Reba McIntire is obviously having a great time with the role of Nellie Forbush. She's endearing in the role, and I hope she finds other avenues besides country music to show off her talents.

I liked Alec Baldwin's portrayal of Luther very much. He's not exactly a major musical talent, but he gives it all he's got.

Very highly recommended!

5 out of 5 stars WHAT AN AWESOME PERFORMANCE!.......2007-02-01

I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS RENDITION OF THE STAGE PLAY. I LISTEN TO IT AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK, OFTEN DAILY. YOU WILL LOVE IT!
Once Upon A Mattress (1959 Original Broadway Cast)
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • "Mattress" CD was excellent
  • an oldie but a goodie
  • Nothing like the original --
  • Awesome
  • I saw the original on Broadway
 Once Upon A Mattress (1959 Original Broadway Cast)
Marshall Barer
Manufacturer: Decca U.S.
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000002ONH
Release Date: 1993-04-13

Tracks:

  1. Overture - Orchestra
  2. Many Moons Ago - Harry Snow
  3. An Opening For A Princess - Joe Bova and Ensemble
  4. In A Little While - Allen Case, Anne Jones
  5. Shy - Carol Burnett, Joe Bova And Ensemble
  6. Sensitivity - Jane White, Robert Weil
  7. The Swamps Of Home - Carol Burnett, Joe Bova And Ensemble
  8. Normandy - Harry Snow, Matt Mattox, Anne Jones
  9. Spanish Panic - Jane White
  10. Song Of Love - Carol Burnett, Joe Bova And Ensemble
  11. Quiet - Jane White And Ensemble
  12. Studio Dialogue - Carol Burnett
  13. Happily Ever After - Carol Burnett
  14. Man To Man Talk - Matt Mattox, Joe Bova
  15. Very Soft Shoes - Matt Mattox And Ensemble
  16. Yesterday I Loved You - Allen Case, Anne Jones
  17. Nightingale Lullaby - Ginny Perlowin
  18. Finale - Joe Bova, Matt Mattox, Jack Gilford And Ensemble

Amazon.com

Based on Hans Christian Andersen's tale The Princess and the Pea, Once Upon a Mattress opened in May 1959 and was a solid success, if not a huge blockbuster. It did well enough, in any case, to warrant a 1997 revival starring Sarah Jessica Parker. The show was far from revolutionary, but it provided a really fun vehicle for a cast of top stage personalities, including black actress Jane White, who played Queen Aggravain (a part originally written for comedienne Nancy Walker) in whiteface. But of course, Once Upon a Mattress's heart and soul was Carol Burnett, who, in her Broadway debut created the part of Princess Winnifred and delivered two of Mary Rodgers's best songs, the hilarious "Shy" and the spunky "Happily Ever After," which sounds a bit like Jule Styne at his most rhythmic. Burnett's timing and performance remain as sharp as they were 40 years ago. --Elisabeth Vincentelli

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars "Mattress" CD was excellent.......2007-01-09

I've really enjoyed this CD. I only wish the play was available on DVD.

5 out of 5 stars an oldie but a goodie.......2006-03-15

Loved Carol Burnett then and love her now. This original cast CD is a lovely trip down memory lane.

5 out of 5 stars Nothing like the original -- .......2006-01-30

No offense to any of the subsequent "Freds" but Carol Burnett OWNS this role. The recording is as fresh and funny as anything being done today and this is the version musical theatre fans should have in their library. Get it.

5 out of 5 stars Awesome.......2006-01-22

My school did this musical last year (Spring 2005) and I had never heard of it before, so I bought both the Revial and the Original Cast Recordings. Fell in love. I was Sir Harry and loved both songs that I sang in. In my opinion, those are the two best songs in the entire musical, but then again, I'm biased.

Once Upon A Mattress OCR is by far the best out there. Don't get me wrong, the Revival Cast did a wonderful job (soundtrack at least) But There is something about Carol Burnett. She was meant to sing be Fred. But one thing that I didn't like is that "The Minstrel, the Jester & I" wasn't in this recording. But that is really the only problem I had with this.

My fav songs include:
In a Little While (because I sang it)
Yesterday I Loved You (again, I sang it)
Many Moons Ago
Shy

Would I recomend this CD? YES I WOULD!! I would shout it from the rooftops that people should by this CD! It's a funny, quaint little musical that people need to know about. I LOVE IT!

5 out of 5 stars I saw the original on Broadway.......2005-12-19

Once Upon a Mattress was one of the first Broadway shows that I ever saw and I was totally mesmorized and laughed so hard that my side hurt. Carol Burnett was the perfect person to play Fred and it was one of those magical performances that stays with you for a lifetime. The original cast album captures the fun and spirit of the show.

Later during the run of the show a friend of mine joined the chorus and when we talked about the experience, he told me that the joy that was on stage was similar to that felt by the cast and that was apparent on the album. They especially liked working with Ms. Burnett as she was a giving and caring actress.

I recommend this album to anyone who wants to spend some time just feeling good.

Music Review:

  1. Rustic Chivalry
  2. Ruth Ann Swenson - Con Amore ~ Italian Opera Arias / Rudel, London SO
  3. Saint-Saens String Quartets (2) Ops. 112 and 153
  4. Schubert for Two
  5. Schubert: The Symphonies
  6. Schumann: Piano Concerto; Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto No. 1
  7. Schwanengesang; Vier Ernste Gesange
  8. Scriabin Etudes Complete
  9. Shostakovich: String Quartet No. 8 in C minor
  10. Shostakovitch: Symphonies Nos. 5 & 6 / Barshai

Music Review

music review

Music Review

Bubblegun [Import]

Shostakovich: Trio No2, Op67; Schubert: Piano Trio in Bf D898, Op99

Telemann: Concerto in D major/Haydn: Concerto in E flat major/Hummel: Concert in E major/Mozart: Concert in D major

Album Review: 3 for 1 Box Set [Box set] [Import]

Sur la Terre [Enhanced] [Import]

Spirit Horses (Concerto for Native American Flute and Chamber Orchestra)

Sinami: The Memory [Import]

Stratovarius

Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One

Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherazade/Capriccio Espagnol

Original

Poncho Al Viento [Import]

Salsa [Soundtrack] [Import]

Brahms: Sonata for 2 Pianos; Mendelssohn: Piano Trio #1; Martha Argerich

Swallow