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Mantovani's "Greatest Gift": The Last Original Recording

Thomas E. DeJulio | Bronxville, NY USA | 08/29/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This newly released CD includes the last original Mantovani LP recorded in Paris in 1975. The health of Mantovani, the grand master of light orchestral music, was deteriorating at this time, but his music was gaining new fans and popularity in the seventies with the issuance by Readers Digest of many compilations of his recordings made in the prior two decades. The "Greatest Gift" component of this two CD set includes Henry Mancini's sentimental theme from the movie, "The Return of the Pink Panther"; and a masterful Mantovani treatment of "Send in the Clowns"; also, one of the earliest of a very long line of John Barry's sensuous movie themes from the film "The Day of the Locust" which by the way, starred Keifer Sutherland's Dad in 1975. Also included here, not previously on CD, is the hauntingly beautiful melody, "Cool Summer Evening," the last of Mantovani's more than 100 stunning musical compositions of his own creation. Coupled in this package as a special bonus are 16 tracks of memorable music from two British musicals, "Oliver" and "Stop the World, I Want to Get Off" recorded in 1962. "Oliver" of course became one of the most honored Broadway and Hollywood success stories, and Mantovani's arrangements of Lionel Bart's classic tunes, "Where is Love", "As Long as He Needs Me," and "Consider Yourself" are just a few of the orchestral gems that will have listeners humming and singing along. In the "Stop the World" segment, the genius of Mantovani is applied to the songs made famous by the brilliant Anthony Newley and the sensational Sammy Davis Jr. The CD is a 77 minute musical tribute to some of the finest modern popular composers and singers of "standards", the maestro among them who was one of their greatest musical interpreters in the twentieth century. This CD is a "must-have" for Mantovani fans and anyone who desires to listen to excellence in easy listening (but not elevator) music."