Kurt Weill: Life, Love, & Laughter--Dance Arrangements, 1927-50

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Here's a disc of 19 familiar and unfamiliar Kurt Weill songs arranged for dance band and played by an expert group of specialists in Roaring Twenties band music. They're led by singer-conductor-composer H.K. Gruber, whose previous recordings include Weill's Die Dreigroschenoper. The result is a start-to-finish delight. From the first notes, you're beamed back in time to one of those sleek transatlantic passenger liners, sitting in an art deco ballroom watching elegant couples in tuxedos and ball-gowns swirl by while the band plays hits from Weill's German and Broadway triumphs. Sure, the venom is leached from the originals, but who needs agitprop when you're on a dance floor? The arrangements are by a variety of hands, hired by Weill's European and American publishers with his approval to get more mileage from his musical theater works. They're delightfully square rhythmically and formulaic in transferring Weill's music to conventional dance bands, but the music still holds up and is fun to hear in its new clothes. A special treat is the eight tracks with Max Raabe, whose light tenor and falsetto singing preserve the spirit of Weill's songs, as well as perfectly mimic the boy band singers of times gone by. --Dan Davis

Tracks:

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

Customer Reviews:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Average customer rating:

Kurt Weill: Re-discovery...
Incredible Live Album

Kurt Weill: The Centennial
Kurt Weill , Brock Peters , Carole Cook , Charlotte Rae , Nancy Dussault , Norm Lewis , Peter Becker , Rod McKuen , Shirley Jones , Tim Curry , and Steve Orich
Manufacturer: Lml Music
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Life Upon the Wicked Stage
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ABC (Adler, Bock, Coleman)
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September Songs: The Music of Kurt Weill

ASIN: B00005U8HM
Release Date: 2002-01-08

Tracks:

Act 1: Pirate Jenny - Charlotte Rae
Act 1: I'm A Stranger Here Myself - Jodi Stevens
Act 1: Economics - Jane A. Johnston
Act 1: Is It Him Or Is It Me? - Pam Dawber
Act 1: Barbara Song - Linda Purl
Act 1: Lullaby - Kathryn Skatula
Act 1: That's Him - Nancy Dussault
Act 1: Don't Look Now - Sharon Lawrence
Act 1: Apple Jack - Norm Lewis
Act 1: Speak Low - Sally Kellerman
Act 1: September Song - Rod McKuen
Act 1: Ice Cream Sextet - David Holladay

Tracks:

Act 2: Wouldn't You Like To Be On Broadway? - David Holladay
Act 2: What Good Would The Moon Be - Melissa Dye
Act 2: It Never Was You - Hugh Panaro
Act 2: We'll Go Away Together - Hugh Panaro
Act 2: Tschaikowsky - Jack Noseworthy
Act 2: The Saga Of Jenny - Carole Cook
Act 2: Surabaya Johnny - Tim Curry
Act 2: My Ship - Shirley Jones
Act 2: Mack The Knife - Loretta Devine
Act 2: Lost In The Stars - Brock Peters

Customer Reviews:

Kurt Weill: Re-discovery..........2006-11-10

I am so impressed and pleased to have found this recording on Amazon.com. I am always amazed when I find these seemingly obscure recordings, and thrilled to know they exist. What a wonderful history of our musical world---and what a chance to hear interesting, challenging, and unusual performances from so many well-known people. The songs live on--the composer is 'new' again, and this recording becomes part of history re-discovered. Thank you Amazon.com for your continued professionalism and for having these recordings available.

Incredible Live Album.......2002-02-10

This incredible concert (which i attended) benefitting The Actors' Fund of America, contains some absolute MUST performances for any Broadway collector.

For me, the highlights are HUGH PANARO ("It Never Was You"), NANCY DUSSAULT ("It's Him") and TIM CURRY singing "Surabaya Johnny" in German!

Tracks:

I'm Your Man - Leonard Cohen
Main Title
Feelin' Free
Snow Dome Dreams
Bathing Blossom
Seeing Scars
Loving to Obey
Office Obligations
The Loving Tree
Orchids
Secretary's Secrets
Chariots Rise - Lizzie West

Amazon.com

The Special Jury Prize winner at the 2002 Sundance Festival, director Steven Shainberg's film deftly turned a particularly tweaked boss-employee relationship into a warm, sometimes amusing meditation on sadomasochism. And while composer Angelo Badalamenti's creepy, neo-gothic soundscapes for longtime collaborator David Lynch have generally milked humanity for every last drop of perverse behavior, here his delicate, evocative instrumental underscore does precisely the opposite. Ever atmospheric, Badalamenti's electro-acoustic work--perfectly set up by Leonard Cohen's smoky "I'm Your Man"--creates a sense of both mystery and adventure, a gentle musical portrait of the troubled, longing souls beneath the overt S&M trappings. If its occasionally tinkly interplay between piano and guitar sometimes seem a tad New-Agey in scope, it also seems a telling metaphor for the story's elusive boundary between emotional darkness and light. Lizzie West's alt-folk "Chariot's Rise" neatly bookends Badalamenti and Cohen with an upbeat irony that also parallels the film's undercurrent of interpersonal fantasy. --Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews:

Been waiting for the price to come down ..........2006-07-27

But waiting no longer. It is now on i-T-u-n-e-s for their normal price. Well worth the money for the download. It is even better than I remembered from the movie.

if you liked this soundtrack..........2005-09-19

Angelo Badalamenti also did the Holy Smoke! soundrtack and it is amazing! his unique, distinctive sound comes through on both soundtracks and the magical quality adds such a dimension to both films. for those trivia buffs, i was excited to find out that he also composed the theme song for the opening of Inside The Actors Studio (bravo). please check out the soundtrack and the movie (Holy Smoke! staring kate winslet & harvey keitel, directed by jane campion), they are both well worth your time.

The movie is great and so is this soundtrack!!!.......2005-06-18

I am watching "Secretary" right now, probably for the millionth time, and so I decided to buy the soundtrack. It's great, but don't spend a lot of $$$, I found it quite easily on shopaol.com and I only spent $19.41, and that was with the 3-6 business day shipping!!!

***The "theme" song is superb, and I love "Chariots Rise", it is fabulous!!!***

smile.......2005-04-02

This movie and soundtrack both make me so happy. And no other song turns me on as much as the one that plays during Lee's little fantasy sequence. Too bad I don't pay $35 for CDs.

The CD with the S & M price!.......2005-01-28

Great movie, great score. Agreed. But what's with this $60 price at amazon.com? I'm getting pricing for 1/4 of that price elsewhere. Must be trying to take advantage of the lifestyle. I'll pass.

Average customer rating:

Wonderful original recording, plenty extras.
This one is really fine.

Die Dreigroschenoper: Berlin 1930

Manufacturer: Teldec
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

The Threepenny Opera (1954 New York Cast) (Blitzstein Adaptation)
The Collector's The Threepenny Opera
Lotte Lenya sings Kurt Weill's The Seven Deadly Sins & Berlin Theatre Songs
Weill: Aufstieg und Fall der Stadt Mahagonny
The Threepenny Opera

ASIN: B00005Y34P
Release Date: 2003-02-18

Tracks:

Ouvertd Moritat Von Mackie Messer
Seererjenny
Kanonensong [Cannon Song]
Liebeslied
Barbara Song
Erstes Dreigroschen-Finale
Abschied
Zuherbassatle
Ballade Von Angenehmen Leben
Eifersuchtsduett - Lotte Lenya, Theo Mackeben & his Jazz Orchestra
Zweites Dreigroschen-Finale - Lotte Lenya, Theo Mackeben & his Jazz Orchestra
Lied Von Der Unzullichkeit des Menschlichen Strebens
Moritat und Schlusschoral - Marlene Dietrich
Wie Man Sich Bettet - Curt Bois
Alabama Song - Marlene Dietrich
Nachtgespenst
Peter - Lotte Lenya, Theo Mackeben & his Jazz Orchestra
Guck Doch Nicht Immer Nach Dem Tangogeiger Hin
Jonny
Vom Seemann Kuttel Daddeldu
Chant des Canons
Chant d'Amour
Tangoballade
Ballade de la Vie Agrle
Die Seererjenny
Barbara Song
Die Moritat Von Mackie-Messer
Lied Von Der Unzullichkeit des Menschlichen Strebens
Alabama Song [Alternate Take]

Amazon.com

Performed in 1930 by the cast and orchestra of the 1928 Berlin premiere (except for Willi Trenk-Trebitsch, the Mackie of the 1929 Prague premiere), this extraordinary recording must be the last word in genuine, unvarnished "authenticity." Even the remastered sound is amazingly good and life-like. The half-spoken, half-sung delivery captures the biting sarcasm of Brecht's text as well as the abrasive bitterness and sinuous lyricism of Weill's melodies, underlined by the punchy, swinging rhythms and indigenously jazzy sound of the orchestra. The result is an uncanny evocation of a historical period and its atmosphere. One can smell the smoky nightclub air, see the garish colors, and feel the unbridled sensuousness. This "abridged" version offers 13 familiar numbers, with most strophic repeats omitted, but includes alternate versions of several songs--four in French, two sung by Brecht himself. There are also two songs from Mahagonny, a long "scene" by Wilhelm Grosz, and two songs each by Rudolf Nelson and Friedrich Hollaender (who wrote the music for the film "The Blue Angel), two of them sung by Marlene Dietrich with her inimitable lascivious sensuality. --Edith Eisler

Customer Reviews:

Wonderful original recording, plenty extras. .......2006-09-11

In quick summary:
- If you're at all familiar with the Dreigroschenoper and all its incarnations, be sure to buy this album. It's the closest you could get to an 'original'.
- If you're completely new to the Threepenny story, I would recommend starting with the 1999 Nina Hagen concert version instead. It's got all the songs left out here, better recording quality, and a more modern approach to the music.

This is not a complete collection of original cast Dreigroschen songs. Rather, it's a selection of the best tracks from the play, often censored and cut short (in all the usual ways), and filled up with seemingly random extras in the genre.

The performers are all quite brilliant, and it's refreshing to hear a 3P without all the screaming and biting from recent versions. Though the songs are by no means slow, they're much more relaxed, more saccharine I would say, than what they've later evolved into. I love both type interpretations, but I often prefer this one.

One very nice bonus is the inclusion of a handful Threepenny songs in French. Otherwise pretty hard to come by. Also, the famous final lines of the movie version (Moritat reprise) are present, which I've only seen in one other recording (the 1981, also led by Miss Lotte Lenya). All in all, an essential CD for Brecht/Weill fans.

This one is really fine. .......2006-03-03

I've been a three-penny freak ever since I was a hanger-on at a Stanford production 40 years ago directed by a Brecht associate from Berlin. It's wonderful to get the authentic original cast records. I really like the added Berlin Chansons, too. "Don't Goggle at that Tango Dancer, Keep Your Eyes on the Guy You Came with!" Or Marlene Dietrich, with "Jonny, When it's Your Birthday, I'll Be Your Guest for a Night."

Anne Sofie von Otter - Speak Low ~ Songs by Kurt Weill / Gardiner

Average customer rating:

Very Good
Excellent Weill Alternative to Lenya and Lemper
Everything is right but the style
Intelligent reading from both singer and conductor
Brilliant--The best of the 7 Deadly Sins recordings

Anne Sofie von Otter - Speak Low ~ Songs by Kurt Weill / Gardiner
Kurt Weill , John Eliot Gardiner , Anne Sofie von Otter , Bengt Forsberg , Hannover North German Radio Orchestra , Karl-Heinz Lampe , Frederick Martin , Christfried Biebrach , and James Sims
Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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For the Stars
Stratas Sings Weill
Teresa Stratas - The Unknown Kurt Weill
Sings Kurt Weill, Vol. 2
Anne Sofie von Otter - La Bonne Chanson

ASIN: B000001GM3
Release Date: 1995-03-14

Tracks:

Die Sieben Tods Prologue
Die Sieben Tods No. 1 Faulheit (Sloth)
Die Sieben Tods No. 2 Stolz (Pride)
Die Sieben Tods No. 4 Zorn (Anger)
Die Sieben Tods No. 5 Vrei (Gluttony)
Die Sieben Tods No. 6 Unzucht (Lust)
Die Sieben Tods No. 6 Habsucht (Avarice)
Die Sieben Tods No. 7 Neid (Envy)
Die Sieben Tods No. 8 Epilog
My Ship
One Life To Live
Buddy On The Nightshift
Nannas Leid
Bilbao - Song
Surabaya - Johnny
Das Leid Von Der Harten Nuss
Je Ne T'amie Pas
Schickelgruber
Der Abscheidsbreief
Foolish Heart
Speak Low
I'm A Stranger Here Myself

Amazon.com

Kurt Weill's ballet with songs is one of this century's greatest theatrical works. It has all the wit and melodic appeal of The Threepenny Opera and social conscience of Mahagonny, but more warmth and musical sophistication than either. It's also all over with in about 40 minutes. Some critics believe the piece was intended as a sort of love poem to Weill's wife, Lotte Lenya; given the tenderness of much of the music, it's hard to disagree. Lenya herself recorded the piece in the 1950s (a recording recently reissued by Sony) and this very much newer performance is welcome particularly for Anne Sofie von Otter's highly intelligent and musical way with the text. The other songs, from both Weill's Berlin and Broadway periods, make the perfect filler. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

Very Good.......2006-01-03

This is a very nice selection of Weill pieces showing the full range of his output. These range from the ambitious Seven Deadly Sins to songs from Happy End to some of his Broadway work. All are very interesting. The performers, particularly Von Otter, are excellent. Recommended strongly.

Excellent Weill Alternative to Lenya and Lemper.......2005-09-29

`Speak Low Songs by Kurt Weill' is a great addition to the performances of Herr Weill's works by the prominent mezzo-soprano, Anne Sofie Von Otter. I have listened to many performances by Weill specialists from the archetype, Weill's wife, Lotte Lenys, for whom many of the songs were originally written to Ute Lemper and Gisela May, who lean heavily toward Lotte Lenya's gravel-voiced interpretation of Weill's songs.

Anne Sofie Von Otter breaks with this tradition and gives us what are easily the sweetest interpretations of Weill's songs from both his German and English works, which I have heard anywhere.

The flagship performance on this disc is `Die Sieben Todsunden' (`The Seven Deadly Sins') which was a cycle of songs to be sung on the stage, accompanied by dances done by a second performer. This takes the first nine (9) tracks and is at least as good as what I have heard from Weill specialist, Lemper. This album is the first time I have noticed that there are two versions of this work, and that Ms. Von Otter is performing the version for soprano.

But, I think the most moving performances come later, especially in von Otter's performances of the three numbers from `Happy End', `Bilbao-Song', `Surabaya-Johnny', and `Das Lied von der harten Nuss' (Song of the Big Shot). I have heard these done by many people, but never so sweetly. These numbers are so lovingly performed that I insist that you ignore the fact that the lyrics are in German. The accompanying booklet gives English translations, which I simply ignore and enjoy the musical talent with no filter. My understanding German has nothing to do with this, as I do the same with French, which I can just barely make out.

Kurt Weill may not be the most important influence on American musical theatre in the 20th century, but he is easily in the top five, along with the Gershwins, Irving Berlin, Richard Rodgers and collaborators, and Cole Porter.

Ms. Von Otter is ably accompanied on this disk by her favorite pianist, Bengt Forsberg plus the Norddeutch Rundfunk orchestra directed by John Eliot Gardiner. While I really like her selection on this disk, the collection makes me wish Ms. Von Otter would do some more Weill and spend less time hanging out with Elvis Costello, but that's a different story.

Everything is right but the style.......2005-09-24

Weill and Brecht defined a nasty age with nasty art, writing some of the grittiest satire in the history of music. In this CD von Otter misses that edge, skirts all the dangerous, sleazy implications, and ultimately sounds too much the opera singer slumming it for an hour. Her earnestness is no subtitute for the right period style, a la Lotte Lenya.

Intelligent reading from both singer and conductor.......2005-01-27

THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS is such a brilliant mini-masterpiece (and, to me, the pinnacle of the Brecht-Weill years) that it is hard to screw up. It is a testament to the staying power of this work (and to the brilliance of Weill's music in general) that it can be performed by the likes of Lotte Lenya, Julia Migenes, Ute Lemper, Judy Kaye, Marianne Faithfull, Teresa Stratas, and -- as here -- Anne Sofie von Otter, and STILL work... and EACH of these women are totally successful in the piece on their own terms.

Here, Anne Sofie von Otter gives us an intelligent (and highly musical) rendering of the text, keeping the musical line very much intact. She sings with vibrato at times, and then will turn around and use straight-tones at moments where it is dramatically appropriate to do so. She balances the performance well, shifting gears between cool detachment (which she is often criticized for) and impassioned outbursts (which her critics often fail to notice).

John Eliot Gardiner surprised me with how easily this music seemed to come to him, especially as he seems to be a man more at home with "Period-Instrument-Mozart" than highly charged 20th century works. However, his reading of "The Rake's Progress" by Stravinsky was totally staggering. For example, his choice beginning the climactic moment of the score ("Envy") as slowly as he does caught me very much off guard at first, and I didn't really care for it at all. However, with each successive listen, I find myself "getting" this choice more and more.

Finally, the "filler." As to be expected, she is more successful with the European material than she is with the songs from Weill's Broadway years. But this is the case with about 99.9% of all opera singers who try to sing Weill's Broadway scores. You will never hear any singer give "Je ne t'aime pas" a more hauntingly beautiful, passionately intense performance than Anne Sofie von Otter. Truly, the ultimate interpretation of one of my favorite Weill songs. "Nannas Lied," "Der Abschiedsbrief," and the HAPPY END selections. However, "My Ship" and "One Life to Live" seem to fail at catching fire -- the former because it is marred by an attempt to sound like a "pop singer," the latter because von Otter sings English better than native speakers (she knows where the ACTUAL emphasis in the phrase "nothing: the thing is to have fun" goes, as opposed to where Ira Gershwin placed it). I also -- surprisingly enough -- don't care for her performance of "Schickelgruber" -- she just seems totally lost to me. (I really think that this song is foreign territory to 'legit' sopranos and mezzos -- I don't even care for the Stratas rendition.) Just when I thought I would have to suffer through another bad batch of "opera-crossover," Anne Sofie turned around and surprised me by giving highly successful performances of the numbers from ONE TOUCH OF VENUS (especially on "I'm Stranger Here Myself").

All in all, a worthy purchase: highly recommended to all fans of THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS and Kurt Weill enthusiasts.

Brilliant--The best of the 7 Deadly Sins recordings.......2002-10-12

Weill, and particularly anything Brecht-Weill, has suffered for too long with interpertations based on tired ham theatrics, burlesques of Lenya's style, to the point where we have come to expect it as the only way to sing this music. Lenya herself is said, late in life, to have commented that a better singer (specifically Stratas at that time) would be more appropriate for properly interpreting Weill's music.

Here, after countless CD releases of the Seven Deadly Sins, is the first recording sung in the key the composer originally intended! The result is relevatory, sublime and magnificent.

Ms. Von Otter interprets the rest of the songs with mixed results--all are lovely, several are excellent, though several others have been handled better by singers with more "theatrical" talents. Nevertheless, this recording stands alone, head and shoulders above the others.

Average customer rating:

The Collector's The Threepenny Opera

Manufacturer: VAI Audio
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Operettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

The Threepenny Opera (1954 New York Cast) (Blitzstein Adaptation)
Die Dreigroschenoper: Berlin 1930
Lotte Lenya sings Kurt Weill's The Seven Deadly Sins & Berlin Theatre Songs
Lotte Lenya Sings Kurt Weill / Levine, Lenya, Armstrong, Gilford, et al
The Threepenny Opera (1994 London Donmar Warehouse Cast)

ASIN: B000053W80
Release Date: 2000-01-01

Tracks:

Die Dreigroschenoper: Ov - Lewis Ruth Band/Theo Mackeben
Die Dreigroschenoper: Moritat (Mack, The Knife) - Kurt Gerron
Die Dreigroschenoper: Ballad Of The Agreeable Life - Willy Trenk-Trebitsch
Die Dreigroschenoper: Love Duet - Erika Helmke/Willy Trenk-Trebitsch
Die Dreigroschenoper: Cannon Song - Kurt Gerron/Willy Trenk-Trebitsch
Die Dreigroschenoper: Pirate Jenny - Lotte Lenya
Die Dreigroschenoper: Act I Finale - Lotte Lenya/Erika Helmke/Erich Ponto
Die Dreigroschenoper: Barbara Song - Lotte Lenya
Die Dreigroschenoper: Jealousy Song - Lotte Lenya/Erika Helmke
Die Dreigroschenoper: Farewell - Erika Helmke/Willy Trenk-Trebitsch
Die Dreigroschenoper: Act II Finale - Willy Trenk-Trebitsch
Die Dreigroschenoper: Procurer's Ballad - Lotte Lenya/Willy Trenk-Trebitsch
Die Dreigroschenoper: Song Of The Inadequacy Of Life - Erich Ponto
Die Dreigroschenoper: Moritat (Reprise) - Lotte Lenya
Die Dreigroschenoper: Final Chor - 1930 German Cast
Die Dreigroschenoper: Moritat - Bertolt Brecht
Die Dreigroschenoper: Song Of The Inadequacy Of Life - Bertolt Brecht
Kleine Dreigroschenmusik (Little Threepenny Ste): Moritat - Berlin State Opr Orch/Otto Klemperer
Kleine Dreigroschenmusik (Little Threepenny Ste): Ballade - Berlin State Opr Orch/Otto Klemperer
Kleine Dreigroschenmusik (Little Threepenny Ste): Tango-Ballade - Berlin State Opr Orch/Otto Klemperer
Kleine Dreigroschenmusik (Little Threepenny Ste): Cannon Song - Berlin State Opr Orch/Otto Klemperer
Die Dreigroschenoper: Moritat - Mme. Damia
Mahagonny: Alabama Song - Lotte Lenya/The Three Admirals
Mahagonny: As You Make Your Bed - Lotte Lenya
Mahagonny: Medley - Lotte Lenya/Berlin Cast Of The Kurfurstendamm Theatre, Berlin
Happy End: Bilbao Song - Lotte Lenya

Youkali - Cabaret and Art Songs by Satie, Poulenc, and Weill

Average customer rating:

Je Ne T'Aime Pas
Superb musicianship!
An excellent recording by a fast-rising cabaret star

Youkali - Cabaret and Art Songs by Satie, Poulenc, and Weill

Manufacturer: Marquis Music
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

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Slow Fox
Naked Beauty
Habaneras, Milongas, Tangos
Francis Poulenc (1899-1963) Melodies (Songs)
Teresa Stratas - The Unknown Kurt Weill

ASIN: B0000067TU
Release Date: 2007-01-08

Tracks:

Chanson
La Diva De L'Empire
Elegie
Le Chapelier
Hotel
Violon
La Reine De Coeur
Lune D'Avril
Les Filles De Bordeaux
Le Roi D'Aquitaine
Je Ne T'Aime Pas
Youkali
Berlin Im Licht
Zu Potsdam Unter Den Eichen
Mon Manege A Moi
Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien
One Life To Live

Customer Reviews:

Je Ne T'Aime Pas .......2006-03-02

if i had to pick a favorite song on this cd, that would be the one...i heard this one more than the others. " one life to live," is superb...she did all these songs in one take ! and the passion and romance is undeniable...i had never listened to cabaret before this. i became a fan.

Superb musicianship!.......2002-01-19

This CD is thoroughly enjoyable. O'Callaghan's passionate interpretations of these cabaret/parlour style songs are never less than convincing in their colourful delivery. My particular favorite's are two of the Weill numbers: "Je ne t'aime pas", which is so full of heart-wrenching angst, and "Youkali", because it is so rarely heard. The lesser known works of Poulenc and Satie are also each sparkling little treasures. The musicians all seem to "gel" together beautifully, and one can imagine that they had a really great time recording this disc together. Fantastic artistry!

An excellent recording by a fast-rising cabaret star.......1998-11-04

This first CD by the talented soprano Patricia O'Callaghan is truly excellent. Ms. O'Callaghan has the rare ability to mesmerize the listener through her intuitive and expressive vocal instrument. Her voice and vocal style are unique..she imitates no one. This is the sign of a true artist. The selections, ranging from Poulenc to Weill to a rarely heard gem by George Gershwin, are performed with meticulous attention to detail. Nuances, articulation of the text combined with superb vocal technique are very evident. If you haven't yet purchased Youkali, put it on your definite "to do" list tomorrow!!!

Kurt Weill: Life, Love, & Laughter--Dance Arrangements, 1927-50

Average customer rating:

SAIL ON, KURT!
Not at All Vile Weill
ELEVATOR MUSIC

Kurt Weill: Life, Love, & Laughter--Dance Arrangements, 1927-50
H.K. Gruber , and Palast Orchestra
Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Ein Freund ein Guter Freu
Krokodile und Andere Hausfreunde
Wochenend und Sonnenschein
Superhits Präsentiert Vom Palast Orchester
Superhits V.2

ASIN: B000055YBR
Release Date: 2001-02-12

Tracks:

Mile After Mile
Bilbao Song
Stay Well
Life, Love And Laughter
My Ship
Green-up Time
The Little Gray House
Blues Potpourri
September Song
All At Once
Le Roi d'Aquitaine (Waltz)
Foxtrot Potporri
Alabama Song
Lied Der Jenny
Speak Low
It Never Was You
What Good Would the Moon Be
Tango Ballade
Kanonen-Song

Amazon.com

Here's a disc of 19 familiar and unfamiliar Kurt Weill songs arranged for dance band and played by an expert group of specialists in Roaring Twenties band music. They're led by singer-conductor-composer H.K. Gruber, whose previous recordings include Weill's Die Dreigroschenoper. The result is a start-to-finish delight. From the first notes, you're beamed back in time to one of those sleek transatlantic passenger liners, sitting in an art deco ballroom watching elegant couples in tuxedos and ball-gowns swirl by while the band plays hits from Weill's German and Broadway triumphs. Sure, the venom is leached from the originals, but who needs agitprop when you're on a dance floor? The arrangements are by a variety of hands, hired by Weill's European and American publishers with his approval to get more mileage from his musical theater works. They're delightfully square rhythmically and formulaic in transferring Weill's music to conventional dance bands, but the music still holds up and is fun to hear in its new clothes. A special treat is the eight tracks with Max Raabe, whose light tenor and falsetto singing preserve the spirit of Weill's songs, as well as perfectly mimic the boy band singers of times gone by. --Dan Davis

Customer Reviews:

SAIL ON, KURT!.......2006-04-23

I wouldn't take offence here oh, Weill purists! These reconstructions are charming and harmonically reverent to their originals, more than could be said for many versions of the Weill Songbook through the decades, including Lou Reed's friendly `adaptation' of the September Song's chord progression and melodic line!

Shoenberg and Webern expressed their disdain of Weill's music; curiously, Arnold had also disclosed a secret wish of having his own audiences walk back home "whistling his tunes", oh, don't ask why... You can certainly whistle, hum and sway your partner now, as the transatlantic's bouncy dancehall sails on just as Kurt, Lotte and the lot of them did when escaping the lethal hounds of early 30s Berlin.... the-next-little-dollar bound.

Not at All Vile Weill.......2001-08-13

The ever versatile HK Gruber has done it again digging up these gorgeous dance arrangements for Weill's music--proving, if anything, Weill's versatility. Anyone familiar with the Capriccio historical Weill recordings will be aware of the long tradition of dance bands taking Weill's music as the lead for dance music or pop music incarnations (all the way up through the more obvious appropriations familiar to Americans: Mack the Knife and September Song). Hardly MUZAK arrangements (listen to the delicate violin in track 17's "What Good Would the Moon Be" to hear what I mean), this generous helping of 19 songs offers a chance to see Weill through a delightfully different but entirely compatible lens. Max Raabe provides the ideal vocal compliment on 8 of the tracks, his tenor floating effortlessly into his head voice suggesting a "period" sound reminiscent of Bing Crosby. The import title for this disc is "Charming Weill," and that modest adjective expresses the least of its virtues.

ELEVATOR MUSIC.......2001-05-23

This is a very strange CD: why would anyone want to take the quirky rhythms and melodies of the great Kurt Weill and "tame" them into dance arrangements? Certainly one has listened to (& even perhaps admired) dance arrangements of composers from Victor Herbert to Cole Porter to Jerry Herman, but these are all, if you will, main stream composers-- men whose music sounds good in original Broadway or Hollywood arrangements and just as good (or almost as good) as played by a dance band...think "Begin The Beguine" as done by Fred Astaire on film or "Begin The Beguine" done by Jo Stafford with the Paul Weston Orchestra.

But Weill was an innovator: a man who can still be listened to experiencing the thrill of something fresh and new. One immediately thinks of his collaborations with Bertolt Brecht in Germany: "Threepenny Opera" and "The Rise & Fall Of The City of Mahagonny" or "The Seven Deadly Sins", etc. his American opera, "Street Scene" with Langston Hughes or his American musical plays: "One Touch of Venus" with Ogden Nash or "Love Life" with Alan Jay Lerner, etc. The songs on this CD all deserve great recordings from the "Alabama Song" to "September Song" but they turn into a kind of flattened elevator music instead of having fresh interpretations or even more traditional ones. What happens is that the longing in "What Good Would the Moon Be" and the romance of "Speak Low" and the raucousness of "Bilbao Song" are all much too similar and much too easy.

Customer Reviews:

The best is wonderful, but there are a few duds.......2006-07-17

No portrait of a singer can satisfy all cmers, so EMI has shrugged its shoulders and tossed a bit of everything into the pot. (Without including any bonus tracks, one should note.) Hampson is without a doubt the successor to Fischer-Dieskau as the world's most famous operatic baritone. His strengths, like F-D's, are in song, especially American song. Seven of the 19 cuts here are American songs, which isn't enough. We don't really need Hampson's rather plodding and earnest Viennese operetta aria, nor his duet, "Anything You Can Do, I Can Do Better" with the shrill Kim Criswell (to tell the truth, neither does very well). Two small slivers from Schumann's Dichterlieve cycle seems rather silly, too.

But that leaves a lot that's wonderful--all the American selections, the Rossini and Liszt songs, the aria form Korngold's Die Tote Stadt, and above all Hampson's rollicking, let-'er-rip rendition of Figaro's aria form the Barber of Seville. If this omnium gatherum entices listeners to bu the complete recordings, it will serve a very good purpose.

Beautiful Voice, Bad Choices.......2003-11-25

Short and Sweet.

I love listening to this beautiful baritone's voice, but I really don't like his choice of songs on this album. Beautiful Dreamer is so hackneyed and I can't stand to listen to it (also why I didn't buy the Stephen Foster album). I did like is choice of two classic lieder by Schumann. I would have chosen more lieder for a different album, he does great things with it. The Live recording of Largo al factotum from Barber is distracting with audience claps and poor mics for the recording. You can hear him walking away from the mics (fading in and out). The absolute worst choice is "Anything You Can Do" from Annie Get Your Gun. It sounds nice but I hate this song. The rest of the songs swing from Sappy awful to beautifully sung.

Bottom Line: Inconsistent and Not worth your money. He can do much better

A Great Showcase of Hampson's Voice and Artistry.......2002-02-23

Thomas Hampson is definitely one of the greatest artists on today's musical scene. This CD displays the beauty of Hampson's voice and the intelligence and artistry that he brings to a great variety of musical styles (German, French and Italian Opera; Italian, French and German art song, and American music). Among the highlights are the first selection, the beautiful "Mein Sehnen, mein Wähnen" from DIE TOTE STADT by Korngold, sung with great control and melting pianissimos. The same can be said of the aria from TANNHAUSER. His live "Largo al Factotum" from IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA is just virtuosistic, with effortless high notes (even a cadenza up to high C) and energetic vocal acting. In the art songs he is no less impressive, with total involvement in the style and mood of the songs, being particularly impressive "Oh, quand je dors" by Lizt. The American repertoire is also a delight. Hampson displays all kind of nuances for this repertoire, from the estatic quality of "Beautiful Dreamer" to the humor and bawdiness of "Where Is The Life that Late I Led". In summary, this is a delightful and eclectic souvenir from one of the most charismatic and intelligent singers of our time.

Comprehensive coverage of Hampson's range in song.......2001-11-01

This EMI disc, "Thomas Hampson, Portrait" is an excellent example of the wide range of this melliflous baritone. From the first German aria, Korngold's "Mein Sehnen, mein Wahnen" one of my personal favourites, to Jerome Kern's "The Last Time I saw Paris" you have great variety of opera, lieder and popular song offering you examples of Hampson's great talent. Buy and enjoy! Jill Whitburn

Average customer rating:

Too Little Broadway Weill
I didn't know Kurt Weill wrote that!

Kurt Weill on Broadway

Manufacturer: Angel Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Kurt Weill: The Centennial

ASIN: B000002RVU
Release Date: 1997-03-11

Tracks:

One Touch Venus: Westwind
Knickerbocker Holiday: It Never Was You
Knickerbocker Holiday: How Can Tell An American
The Firebrand Of Florence Act 1, Scene Act 1: Song Of The Hangman
The Firebrand Of Florence Act 1, Scene Act 1: Civic Song- 'Come to Florence'
The Firebrand Of Florence Act 1, Scene Act 1: Aria-'My Lords And Ladies'
The Firebrand Of Florence Act 1, Scene Act 1: Farewell Song-'There Was Life, There Was Love'
The Firebrand Of Florence Act 1, Scene Act 1: Love Song-'You're Far Too Near Me'
Procession; Chant Of Law And Order-'The World Is Full Of Villians'
Trail By Music-'You Have To Do What You Have To Do Do
Duet-'Love Is My Enemy'
Love Life: Who Is Samuel Cooper?; My Name Is Samuel Cooper
Love Life: Here I'll Stay
Love Life: I Remember It Well
Love Life: This Is The Life
Johnny Johnson: Johnny's Song

Amazon.com

These little known selections from Weill's extensive Broadway career--including the entire Act I, Scene 1 from his operetta The Firebrand of Florence--are unpopular for good reason. They lack the melodic brilliance of his more familiar material. The only memorable song is the familiar "There Never Was You," known for its lush vocal lines, moving sentiment, and ease of interpretation. Thomas Hampson excels in this material; his rich baritone resounds with vibrant overtones and crystal clear diction. In contrast, Elizabeth Futral has no affinity for Weill's music, singing with an unappealing huskiness and vibrato-burdened tone. Miles Kreuger's program notes provide a fascinating historical perspective of Weill's American career, and alone are worth the price of admission. --Barbara Eisner Bayer

Customer Reviews:

Too Little Broadway Weill.......2006-04-14

It would seem a bit disingenuous to criticize a disc called "Kurt Weill on Broadway" for excluding selections from "Die Dreigroschenoper," a work written in 1920's Berlin in a style so distinctly different from that of his Broadway years. There are many, many recordings of "3-Penny" in both German and English, both complete and selections; there's no reason for their inclusion here. These Broadway years called for a very different Weill, one whose work is not well-enough represented on disc. Would that these beautifully-assembled selections had been more extensive, in a 2-disc set -- and that the full scores from all his American productions could be so well presented as these little-known selections.

I didn't know Kurt Weill wrote that!.......2005-10-08

'Kurt Weill on Broadway' sung by Thomas Hampson is a good Kurt Weill album, but not the best it could have been. I have a strong suspicion that rather than do a collection of those English stage songs for which Weill is best known, Hampson simply did a collection of songs by Kurt Weill in which Hampson has already performed. Most of Weill's more famous English songs such as 'Sing Low' and 'September Song' are missing. And that doesn't even touch on the fact that there is nothing from 'The Threepenny Opera' which, although it was written in German, ran for a very long time on Broadway (or off Broadway)in a famous English translation by Mark Blitzstein. And, a third of the album is taken up by selections from 'The Firebrand of Florence', not one of Weill's best pieces.

I am happy to have these performances, but as an album, it probably only appeals to Kurt Weill fans. One thing I will say, however, is that it is really nice to have a male voice doing some Weill, since so much of his stuff was written and is performed by female Weill specialists.

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Solid Oak

The Sounds of Baroque

The Monks from Zagorsk

Sophie Milman

Technomancer, Vol. 4

Unforeseen

The World of Chansons [Import]

Twilight Tales from the Prairies of the Sun [Enhanced]

Under the Influence [Import]

Wagner: Lohengrin

Thrum [Import]

Tres Senoras

Todo el Mundo a Bailar

Don't Blame Me

A River Ain't Too Much to Love