Search - George Shearing, Barry Tuckwell :: Music of Cole Porter

"This is as Good as it Gets Folks!

Charles E Spink | Virginia, USA | 03/10/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Two great artists, one from the Jazz world, the other a Classical Master of the French horn, combine magnificently to showcase the songs one of the best composers and lyricists of the Golden era of American music, Cole Porter. While I own upwards of 700 CD's, this one rarely is ever placed back on the shelf, as its continual play never engenders ennui.I agree with Mr. Nicholas Page's fine review with one exception. I differ with him on which is the most representative of the cuts. My personal favorite is "I Concentrate on You," not one of the obscure Porter numbers, but one of his best and better known pieces. The intrepretation by the two Masters is one of the most heart-rendering and emotional I have ever experienced.If you've developed a preference for Cole Porter, I'll wager you've never heard it played more beautifully. Tuckwell's French horn is both memorable and haunting, and Shearing is his usual spontaneous self. This is a "must have" CD for Porter collectors."

An original and polished re-interpretation of Cole Porter

N. Page | London, England | 12/23/1998

(5 out of 5 stars)

"We are used to the clarinet, saxophone and trumpet as jazz instruments, but not the French horn. On this CD, Barry Tuckwell, well known for his classical recordings, makes a convincing case for us to rethink our ideas. George Shearing has taken mostly less well-known pieces by Cole Porter and cleverly arranged them for French horn and piano (Shearing plays suavely as always), sometimes in duet, sometimes with a small combo and sometimes with orchestra. The arrangements are very elegant and perfectly tailored for the horn's plaintive,soft tones. There is not a trace of its strident hunting horn origin to be heard. The arrangements are generally quite close to the originals, and all the better for it. If you want to try just one track, take I've got you under my skin, which is for piano and horn alone. It starts off with a simple slow piano accompaniment sounding almost like the start of a Schubert song, and develops in a wonderfully lush and sensuous way. I'm sure Cole Porter would have loved it.This is highly recommended CD, with two top class musicians in their own fields coming together in an original and very successful manner. Wonderful for bed-time listening after lights out!"

Awesome!

Anne | Massachusetts | 06/02/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I would give this CD more than 5 stars if possible. This is one of the most beautiful CDs I have ever heard. The combination of Tuckwell, Shearing and Porter is amazing. I'm used to hearing Porter tunes sung, and paying attention to the lyrics. This purely instrumental version overwhelmed me with the beauty and depth of the tunes themselves. Magical!"