Search - Mantovani Orchestra :: Love Songs (Dig)

Masterful Music Mislabeled Melodies

W. Easley | Colorado Rocky Mountains | 10/24/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

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These melodies are Mantovani at his best. This CD, re-mastered in 2005, contains 24 songs on two discs. The quality of the reproduction is excellent. The music is clear and the sound is robust. In his scoring of songs he often replays the theme emphasizing various instruments which enhances the loveliness of the song. In several places in the recording Mantovani gently moves into a musical medley of tunes.



I like Mantovani. I like the way his music flows, and this recording is very good. Mantovani's orchestra performs each song with enjoyable flowing precision. But the producers marketed this as "Mantovani Orchestra Love Songs", and I do not agree with the title.



What are Love Songs? I found several definitions and most agreed that love songs are songs expressing love for another person. Personally, I would add that love songs might put one in the mood for love, and often soft instrumental strings are better for that than love poems delivered with bombast.



My favorite love song "More" (Mantovani, Golden Hits) is not included on Mantovani's Love Songs. So I examined the producers list. I can see "Tonight" from West Side Story, "Love is a many Splendored Thing", and "I just called to say I love you", but "I left my heart in San Francisco?"



"Gone with the Wind" changes briefly into a march beat. "Spanish Dance No. 5" is much too brisk to be a love song, and I have always seen "Ave Maria" as stimulating prayer not romance. These examples suggest to me that Mantovani did not intend some of these as "love songs". Maybe the producers of this CD included them because of each song's title, not the artist's rendition.



I do recommend this CD, as the orchestra does an masterful job with the music. But if you are looking for love songs, look elsewhere.

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