Search - Cole Porter, Bob [Songwriter] Merrill, Richard Rodgers :: Vintage Broadway

Suave Orchestral Excerpts from Broadway Musicals

J Scott Morrison | Middlebury VT, USA | 06/02/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Richard Hayman's orchestra is surely the best of the American pops orchestras not associated with one of the major symphony orchestras (such as the Boston or Cincinnati Pops) and he's been making these kinds of recordings for decades. In fact, this issue was previously released in the early 1990s and, I'm not quite sure why, Naxos has seen fit to re-release it with a new cover. I liked it the first time around, and I like this one, too.



The content is orchestral suites arranged from several Broadway hits mostly of the 40s and 50s. As of this writing Amazon has not listed the shows involved, so I shall do so. They are, in order, Can-Can, Funny Girl, Me and Juliet, Finian's Rainbow, Kiss Me Kate, Flower Drum Song, and Silk Stockings. Three by Cole Porter, two by Richard Rodgers, one each by Jule Styne and Burton Lane. The arrangements are for a string-heavy orchestra and although the seams between the various numbers can sometimes be a bit awkward there certainly is no dearth of commitment, swing, and enthusiasm by this crack orchestra. I find myself either humming along or actually getting up and dancing a few steps.



Dick Hayman, of course, is a fine pianist -- his recording of Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue is one of my favorites -- but he doesn't solo on this disc; he confines himself to waving the baton.



If this music is your meat, you can't go wrong with this disc.



See also Enchanting Melodies of Rodgers and Hammerstein



Scott Morrison"