Search - Richard Addinsell, Charles Williams, Nino Rota :: Music from the Films / Film Encores

The All-time Best Selling Mantovani LP is now on CD!

Thomas E. DeJulio | Bronxville, NY USA | 03/11/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"When the LP entitled Film Encores Volume I was released in stereo in 1957, Mantovani was already established as one of the world's best selling recording artists. Film Encores, however, became the maestro's most successful recording in the United States, reaching number one and remaining on the Billboard charts for two years. Now you can hear this phenomenal gold record in its entirety on CD and you will understand why it ranks #32 in the top 100 LPs of the 1950s. Many of these tracks have appeared on several CD compilations over the last few years, but songs like My Foolish Heart, Intermezzo, Laura, and Hi Lili Hi Lo are making their first appearance. Coupled with this best seller is another of Mantovani's historic LPs, Music from the Films, which was his first recorded originally in stereo sound. It represents a more classical, movie soundtrack genre, but is equally well orchestrated and performed with twin pianos. Each CD in this recent Vocalion set of grand romantic melodies and popular film music is worth listening to and enjoying repeatedly, as they were listened to and enjoyed by a war weary generation in the 1950s who bought millions of his sophisticated easy listening recordings. In this centennial year 2005 of Mantovani's birth, the release of these time honored albums on CD is a fine tribute to the late maestro and a good fortune to the endless audience desiring more of the peaceful, cathedral-like sounds of his string-laden orchestra."