Blue and Gray

Blue and Gray

ASIN: B00008FI1J

Track Listings

1. Glory Bound

2. Blue and Gray

3. Streets of Paradise

4. Writing on the Wall

5. Down on the River Again

6. Please Wait for Me

7. Widowmaker

8. Here Comes That Girl Again

9. Sometimes (We Are All We Got)

10. Land of Glory

Tracks:

As Time Goes By [From Casablanca] - Elliot Carpenter, Dooley Wilson
Am I Blue/Hong Kong Blues/The Rhumba Jumps/How Little We Know [from To - Hoagy Carmichael, , Andy Williams
And Her Tears Flowed Like Wine [From the Big Sleep] - Lauren Bacall
Petrified Forest
My Melancholy Baby/I'm Just Wild About Harry/It Had to Be You/In a ...
High Sierra
Maltese Falcon - Jo Stafford
Baila Bailando/Too Marvelous for Words [From Dark Passage]
Treasure of the Sierra Madre
Moanin' Low - Claire Trevor
African Queen
Oh, Give Me Time for Tenderness [From Dark Victory] - Vera Van

Album Description

Full title - Music From Humphrey Bogart Movies. Includes music from the classics, 'Casablanca' (1942), 'The Big Sleep' (1946), 'Key Largo' (1948), 'To Have & Have Not' (1944), 'The Petrified Forest' (1936), 'The Roaring Twenties' (1939), 'High Sierra' (1941), 'The Maltese Falcon' (1941), 'Dark Passage' (1947) & 'The African Queen' (1951). Highlights include, Dooley Wilson & Elliot Carpenter Trio 'As Time Goes By', Andy Williams 'Little We Know' & Lauren Bacall 'And Her Tears Flowed Like Wine'. Slipcase. 2002.

Customer Reviews:

Music from Humphrey Bogar Movies.......2007-06-27

I was disappointed. I thought I would be getting a CD of full length themes from his movies but the CD is exactly what it says. It is from the actual films, in sections and pieces. I can't say it was misrepresented so I guess I was at fault. But I am sorry I bought it.

Simply the original.......2007-06-19

As the previous reviewer rightly pointed out, these are the original recordings from the era the films were made. And yes, the sound is completely different from what we are used to hear when we are turning the CD player on: it's mono, it's partially unsteady and some of the pieces suddenly fade. BUT, it's the REAL thing and it transports the charms and the charisma, inherent to the original ONLY.
Those who prefer the flawless technical perfection of a re-recording better should save their money. But for those who love the movies and their genuine sound, should be perfectly pleased with this release.

not the stuff dreams are made of.......2007-01-03

most of the tracks on this cd are available elsewhere, but what prompts me to give this a low review is the quality of the recording. some of them sound like they were taped off of a tv set showing a warbly print. you can do better elsewhere.

Average customer rating:

Second Rate Civil War Music

Blue and Gray: Songs of The Civil War
Various Artists
Manufacturer: Altissimo Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00007JXQU
Release Date: 2002-11-26

Tracks:

Blue And Gray Medley 1 includes: Girl I Left Behind, Aura Lee, Hail Columbia
Yankee Doodle
Battle of Shiloh March
Blue And Gray Medley 2 includes: Maryland, My Maryland, Tenting On The Old Campground, John Brown's Body, Battle Hymn Of The Republic
The Story of "The Battle Hymn Of The Republic"
Turkey In The Straw
My Old Kentucky Home
Blue And Gray Medley 3 includes: Battle Cry Of Freedom, Dixie, When Johnny Comes Marching Home
Long Time Ago
Shenandoah
Taps
Taps with Orchestration
Amazing Grace

Album Description

Favorite Songs of the Civil War as perfomed by The United States Army Field Band, The United States Air Force Band and Singing Sergeants, The United States Marine Band, The United States Navy Band and Sea Chanters Chorus.

Customer Reviews:

Second Rate Civil War Music.......2004-07-17

This potporri of Civil war tunes played by a selection of US service bands falls short on many levels. For one thing the CD is under 60 mins and yet is a top priced item. Also, many of the selections on here are copied from other Altissimo titles. So there is not much original music here. Its hard to know why "Amazing Grace" is here other than just for additional filler. Yes, the tune was known back then, but its hardly Civil War era music! Altissimo! just threw it in to add a few minutes more to this CD. The linear notes are an improvement from the none-existant ones of the past, but overall this is a second rate Civil War CD. The modern arrangments of the music also do not carry very well.

Average customer rating:

Overlooked aspect of Civil War on fine display here
Outstanding, and not just as a novelty recording

The Blue & Gray in Black & White
Rhonda and Sparky Rucker
Manufacturer: Flying Fish Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Treasures & Tears

ASIN: B000000MTU
Release Date: 1993-09-01

Tracks:

Battle Cry Of Freedom (Rallying Song)
Dixie's Land
Thedford Saga: Bonnie Blue Flag/Cumberland Gap/Home Sweet Home
Goodbye
Lorena
O I'm A Good Old Rebel
Tenting On The Old Camp Ground
Glory Hallelujah Ste: A. Say Brothers Will You Meet Us?/B. Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!...
There Is A Fountain Filled With Blood

Customer Reviews:

Overlooked aspect of Civil War on fine display here.......2004-04-25

For those of you who don't know Sparky Rucker --- and that would be most of you --- he has been something of a wandering minstrel for close to 3 decades now. He is, for my money, the best blues musician you have never heard of. His older albums are still available through his website, and they are worth listening to.

Sparky is not just a musician, however. He is an educator and historian as well. For all of the time he devotes to giving concerts, he is surprisingly well-read, and he knows his stuff quite well. Someone such as myself, with a professional background in history, can usually spot gaps in a non-academic historian's education, and when talking with Sparky about the Civil War & the antebellum south, it becomes clear that Sparky can hold his own with most historians. On the other hand, I cannot attest to the skill on the guitar of William C. Davis, Stephen Sears, or James McPherson, for example.

He married Rhonda in the late 1980's, and they have released three albums together. This album is something of a companion piece to a Civil War program that Sparky & Rhonda frequently give in shcools or other venues. Sparky didn't plan originally to do a Civil War program --- he and Rhonda knew a few Civil War songs here and there, but the costume program he usually gave had to do with the West and the Buffalo Soldiers. Someone who had seen one of these programs asked Sparky if he might be able to put together a similar program dealing with the Civil War. That was maybe 14 years ago, and it remains a very popular program in the schools.

For a subject as carefully scrutinized as the Civil War, it is surprising how little time has been devoted to the music of that conflict. Sparky & Rhonda deal with the overriding preoccupations among the soldiers on both sides --- devotion to country, devotion to family & loved ones, and religious faith. They also deal with unreconstructed Confederates, which as Sparky will tell you, are a very real element in Southern culture even today.

This is a fine album, from both a historical and musical standpoint. If you have a chance to see Sparky & Rhonda in concert (they finally visited Spokane again after a 12-year absence), by all means do it. The concert setting is the best way to experience their music, but this album also is very much worth acquiring.

Outstanding, and not just as a novelty recording.......1999-10-21

Ol' Sparky's been around for a long time as a sort of second string folksinger, playing second string concerts and festivals and I used to see him around Lafayette IN with some regularity. His versions of the old songs are well done, even educational: the tape features, for instance, four different songs which share a tune with "The Battle Hymn of the Republic," commencing with "Say Brother Will You Meet Us," the old camp meeting tune that was still being sung at revivals when I was a boy. The accompaniment is period banjo and guitar, snare drums and fifes, that sort of thing, and his wife Rhonda provides a fine subtle background harmony.

Oh yeah, about the novelty stuff.

Sparky Rucker's black.

Rhonda's a quite white descendant of Lt. Col. William R. Thedford, CSA.

Children, I _know_ some of us ain't the most liberal of souls, occasionally find old lessons echoing internally, whether we still approve of them or not. And do take note of that there pronoun; my dog's in this fight as much as anyone's.

But the descendant of slaves singing unCivil War songs with his wife, whose ancestors wore gray seems to me to whisper there may yet be a very slight hope for us all.

Tracks:

Sonnet: When most I wink
If I could choose
The Primrose
A Dirge
The Devon Maid
Dawn and Evening
Where'er my bitter teardrops fall
E'en as a lovely flower
Blow, blow, thou winter wind
Go not, happy day
Night lies on the silent highways
A Dead Violet
Cradle Song
Lean close thy cheek
Fair Daffodils
Adoration
So perverse
Tears, idle tears
The Violets Blue
Come to me in my dreams
My pent-up tears oppress my brain
Music, when soft voices die
Far, far from each other
Where is it that our soul doth go?

Tracks:

All things that we clasp
Love is a rose
Dear, when I look into thine eyes
Isobel
O that it were so!
Strew no more red roses
Where she lies asleep
Love went a-riding
Thy hand in mine
So early in the morning
Mantle of Blue
The Last Invocation
When you are old and gray
Into her keeping
What shall I your true love tell?
'Tis but a week
Day after Day
Speak to me, my love!
Dweller in my deathless dreams
Goldenhair
Journey's End

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
Threepenny Opera

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.

It's a little weird to think of husbands whispering to their wives," Listen, honey, they're playing 'As You Make Your Bed' from "Mahagonny".........let's fox trot!"

Shades of Blue and Gray
Average customer rating:
Shades of Blue and Gray

ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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A Nation's Broken Soul

Some Devil

Stand Up

Recently

Remember Two Things

ASIN: B00008OLWZ
Release Date: 2003-02-01

Tracks:

Road to Gettysburg
Death of Jenny Wade
Mule Shoe
By The Sword They Lived
Farewell to Thee
Atlanta
You Will Refuse the Line
By the Cavalry
Carry the Colors
Tears of a Generation

Album Description

This CD contains 10 original songs about the American Civil War written by Dave Mathews. As a history teacher Dave used his music to bring the Civil War to life for his students. His passion for our history and his inspiring vocal delivery in this recording have captured the emotion of the Civil War in a way that will never be duplicated. These songs document factual events of the Civil War so it is a fabulous teaching tool and is used by many schools thoughout the US. But don't be fooled into thinking this is a dry, folksy rendering of history. This recording features outstanding performances from Dave Mathews and the wonderful ensemble of talented musicians. Produced by Camelot's own Jan Kurtis Skugstad whose musical production credits include recordings with such artists as Ray Price, John Coltrane, Joe Williams and Ernest Tubb, this recording rivals the Gettysburg movie soundtrack.

Shades of Blue & Gray: Songs from the Civil War

Average customer rating:

Great Music
Shades of Blue and Gray
These songs are not written in the Civil War period
Misleading title; average vocal quality
An excellent presentation of little known WBTS songs.

Shades of Blue & Gray: Songs from the Civil War
David Matthews
Manufacturer: Delta
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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A Nation's Broken Soul: Songs of the American Civil War

ASIN: B000001V6M
Release Date: 1994-08-30

Tracks:

Road To Gettysburg
Death Of Jenny Wade
Mule Shoe
By The Sword They Lived By
Farewell To Thee
Atlanta
You Will Refuse The Line
By The Cavalry
Carry The Colors
Tears Of A Generation

Customer Reviews:

Great Music.......2006-10-02

I am a huge Civil War buff. I do prefer actual type music form the Civil War, but I do find this CD by Dave Matthews very entertaining. Unlike previous reviews, I think this is a very good CD about the Civil War. I think Mr Matthew captured a feeling for the times in upbeat folksy way.

Shades of Blue and Gray.......2002-02-01

I will not buy a CD over the internet that I can not sample the songs first. Oh well, you lose.

These songs are not written in the Civil War period.......2000-05-19

The price is great, the audio quality is good and the words in the songs are inspiring. There's one glitch, however. These are not original songs composed and written by people who witnessed the Civil War, but are modern ones composed in the 20th century, thus losing most of the aesthetic value that one usually derives from the historical authenticity.

Misleading title; average vocal quality.......1999-07-12

A misleading title; should be subtitled "Modern Songs of the Civil War." Average vocal quality and heavy on modern acoustics. Customers looking for traditional authentic music of the US Civil War can ignore this CD. Disappointing....

An excellent presentation of little known WBTS songs........1999-03-19

From the haunting "Road to Gettysburg" to the up-beat "Farewell to Ye", Mr. Matthews' presentation far exceeds his earlier efforts in War Between the State's music. I was especially delighted in "You will refuse the Line", honoring Colonel Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain and the 20th Maine as well as the brave Confederates, primarily Alabamans, who charged up Little Round Top after marching 18 hours. An excellent addition to any Civil War buff's musical library.

Average customer rating:

Dresher: Dark Blue Circumstance

Manufacturer: New Albion Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Cage Machine

ASIN: B000000R3D
Release Date: 1994-04-13

Tracks:

Double Ikat, Part One
Double Ikat, Part Two
Dark Blue Circumstance
Channels Passing
Night Songs: Blue Night Settling - Setting Music - In The Great Night
Night Songs: Vars
Night Songs: We Only Came-Dream Music
Night Songs: Dawn Music

Average customer rating:

WHY IN THE HELL?????????
Could be my all-time favorite.
Poco tries to break out of the doldrums, resulting in an interesting and respectable American Civil War-themed concept album
This a great lost album--Poco writting at its best!
Far From Poco's Best Work

Blue and Gray
Poco
Manufacturer: One Way
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Under the Gun
Rose of Cimarron
Indian Summer
Cowboys & Englishmen
Inamorata

ASIN: B000002R30
Release Date: 1993-01-12

Tracks:

Glorybound
Blue And Gray
Streets Of Paradise
The Writing On The Wall
Down On The River Again
Please Wait For Me
Widowmaker
Here Comes That Girl Again
Sometimes (We Are All We Got)
The Land Of Glory

Customer Reviews:

WHY IN THE HELL?????????.......2007-03-30

What in the hell, can anyone tell me WHY is this CD going for $100 to $200? I almost fell out of my PC chair when i saw what they wanted for this CD!! It's not even that good, as compared to so many other CD's of theirs. This is the absolute craziest thing I have ever seen on Amazon or anywhere else in the record business. Damn, hundreds of CD's are out of print but don't go for hundreds of dollars! I sure would like to lay my hands on one of course, but i draw the line at paying over a $30 for a CD (much less $100!), i don't care how "cool" it is or how hard it is to find. If you own one ya might wanna hold onto it, as the price may just keep going higher. I used to have it, but that doesn't do me any good now.

Damn i wonder if the boys remaining from POCO know about this?? They may have some on hand they could even sign and sell on Amazon for $500 apiece. I'm sure they could use the money! (Especially George Grantham, original drummer), who i guess is still close to death.

CAN SOMEONE EXPLAIN THIS TO ME?????? I'M LOSING SLEEP OVER IT!!!! HA HA!!!

Could be my all-time favorite........2007-01-28

It's all here: theme, great playing and singing. If you have access to (or own it), it's a good album to crank up while on the road. Equally good to fire one up, kick back and relax.

Poco , Pure Prairie League and McGuffey Lane are country rock. Don't confuse them with Southern rock.

Poco tries to break out of the doldrums, resulting in an interesting and respectable American Civil War-themed concept album.......2005-07-13

Poco's 1980 album "Under The Gun" reeks of artistic exhaustion--it's very weak, and it was (yet again) a big commercial disappointment as well. Somewhat surprisingly, this 1981 album, "Blue and Gray", is much better. They went for a concept album here, the concept being the American Civil War--considering how shallow Poco's lyrics typically are, this seems like potential for true disaster, but thankfully, there are quite a few flashes of unexpected inspiration. I get the suspicion that Rusty Young and Paul Cotton may have already had this Civil War idea in mind prior to the "Under The Gun" album, but, not having all of the songs ready, and with the record company probably getting anxious for new product, they hastily wrote a new batch of songs for "Under The Gun"--that would help to explain how this album is so much better than its predecessor, and it would make the very title "Under The Gun" very fitting. The title track here, by Rusty Young, is very well done--it does a really neat job of capturing the mixture of wistfulness and fear of a person leaving for war (that's right, the lyrics are actually solid for a change!). Cotton's "Streets of Paradise" is a solid funk-rocker; and Young's dramatic "The Widowmaker" is more quality songwriting, though his weak lead vocals on it are a damn shame and take away much of its impact (you'd think he could have rose to the occasion for one of his best pieces of songwriting), although it's still effective. The album opening "Glory Bound" is also a fine track which has really nice arpegiatted acoustic guitar work. "Here Comes That Girl Again", though sappy, is respectable with some nice dreaminess, and it's appealingly short. Unfortunately, they weren't entirely able to pull this album off--although the lyrics overall are far better than expected, at times they're still very weak, and some of the tracks just aren't up to snuff. Young's ballad "The Writing On The Wall" tries to be uplifting, but it's weighed down by cheap imagery and a painfully predictable, cliche-laden chorus. Cotton's folky "Down On The River Again" is strongly reminiscent of "Two Of Us" by the Beatles, and it's a rather tedious country-western exercise. The ballad "Please Wait For Me", also by Cotton, is kind of dull and his lead vocal on it leaves a lot to be desired. The last two songs--"Sometimes (We Are All We Got)" and the anthemic "The Land of Glory"--do each have some interest, but they're pretty bland. On the whole, Poco made a respectable effort with this album--there's some stuff here definitely worth hearing, and overall it's quite enjoyable. Don't pay a fortune for a CD copy of this, but if you see a nice vinyl copy cheap, it's worth picking up.

This a great lost album--Poco writting at its best!.......2005-04-01

This album is one of the best they have ever made--great songs,very emotionally sung and written, about love and loneliness during the Civil War-it also works for the current era-the songs are written beautifully and with romantic feelings-and the singing is perfect-great harmonies-if you are the kind of person that gets emotional with songs-this is the one to get-listen to it with your girlfriend or wife-she is sure to love these songs. Rusty Young, Paul Cotton and Gerorge Gratham are great songwriters and singers. I don't understand why this album is so hard to fine--it should be re-released on CD or released on SACD--Listen to this album-you will not be disappointed if you are a true POCO fan!!!!!

Far From Poco's Best Work.......2004-12-03

After finally hitting their stride and enjoying long overdue commercial success in the early 80's, for some unfathomable reason Poco decided to turn out a concept album based on the American Civil War. Concept albums were O.K. for the Moody Blues and the Kinks and such, but this one just doesn't work. It isn't just the concept - the songs just aren't that great. Worse yet, Poco shows none of their wonderful instrumental talents on Blue and Gray. Other than the return of Rusty Young's dobro after a few years of absence there is nothing noteworthy about the instrumental work on this album and that is a terrible shame.

On the positive side the songs aren't horrible and there are a few that are pretty good. Overall, Blue and Gray isn't offensive to the ears, it just isn't anywhere near the high quality that this Poco lineup was capable of and so often delivered. Blue and Gray was a lot better than a lot of other works that were turning up in the early 80's, but it doesn't come anywhere near the top of the list of Poco albums.

Thomas Hampson: An Old Song Re-Sung - American Concert Songs

Average customer rating:

You never know when beauty will break your heart
Songs Saved From Obscurity
Charming songs, beautifully sung

Thomas Hampson: An Old Song Re-Sung - American Concert Songs

Manufacturer: Angel Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Long Time Ago - Copland / Dawn Upshaw & Thomas Hampson
American Dreamer: Songs of Stephen Foster; Thomas Hampson; Jay Unger; Molly Mason

ASIN: B000002RRM
Release Date: 1991-07-01

Tracks:

An Old Song Re-sung
Tell me, Oh Blue, Blue Sky
Senandoah
Brother Will, Brother John
Darling Nellie Gray
Ah! May the Red Rose Live Alway
The Erie Canal
Will You Remember?
Danny Deever
In the Gloaming
The Nightingale
On the Road to Mandalay
The Lass From the Low Countree
Do Not Go, My Love
Luke Havergal
When I Have Sung My Songs
At Dawning
Tomorrow
Roses of Picardy
Long Ago in Alcala

Customer Reviews:

You never know when beauty will break your heart.......2006-07-17

This was Thomas Hampson's debut album on EMI, a 1990 release that catapulted him much higher than his earlier recitals on Teldec. It comprises a rather scholarly collection of sentimental memorabilia. Each selection is a "platform song" that Victorians cherished from singers who varied operatic arias with sentimental popular stuff. (Was it Nellie Melba or Jenny Lind who interjected 'Home, Sweet Home' in the middle of the Marriage of Figaro?)

Yet as forgotten as platform songs are today, with the exception of a few Stephen Foster tunes like 'Ah, May the Red Rose Live Alway,' a folk song like 'Shenandoah,' and a brass-bound immortal like 'Roses of Picardy,' everything on this unique CD is ripe with emotion. I am not ashamed to say that I teared up the first twenty times I listened (compulsively) to this memento from a more innocent age.

One is transported back to the time and spirit of Kipling and empire, TR and the Rough Riders, and brave young dougboys marching off to their doom singing 'Over There.' I teared up just writing that sentence.

Songs Saved From Obscurity.......2001-03-27

There is a tremendous body of American songs which is yet to be fully appreciated. Thomas Hampson does us a favor in saving these gems from what might become obscurity. The songs on this disc are truly sentimental, bringing us from the highest of highs to the lowest of lows. I commend Hampson for his continued dedication to singing these songs which rival the art songs of any culture and are worthy to be heard, sung and recorded.

Charming songs, beautifully sung.......1999-06-09

This is not just an album of chestnuts. Hampson's love for the material shines through. His performance is always just right. His voice is warm, velvety, and wonderful! "In the Gloaming" and "Roses in Picardy" will bring you to tears, but my favorite is "Do not go, my love." Bravo, Tom!

Album Review:

Album Review

Album Review