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Frequently Bought Together
Product Details
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Track Listings
| Disc: 1 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Prelude No. 2 For Piano | |||
| 2. I Got Rhythm - Ethel Waters | |||
| 3. Oh Lady, Be Good - Buck & Bubbles | |||
| 4. Summertime - Billie Holiday & Her Orchestra | |||
| 5. Nice Work If You Can Get It - Maxine Sullivan & Her Orchestra | |||
| 6. They Can't Take That Away From Me - Fred Astaire | |||
| 7. Swanee - Al Jolson | |||
| 8. Liza - Benny Goodman | |||
| 9. Someone To Watch Over Me - Frank Sinatra | |||
| 10. 'S Wonderful - Dinah Shore & Buddy Clark | |||
See all 22 tracks on this disc
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| Disc: 2 | |||
| 1. Of Thee I Sing Overture - Buffalo Philharmonic | |||
| 2. They All Laughed - Tony Bennett | |||
| 3. Of Thee I Sing - The Hi-Lo's | |||
| 4. Promenade (Walking The Dog) - Los Angeles Philharmonic | |||
| 5. I've Got A Crush On You - Ella Fitzgerald | |||
| 6. Somebody Loves Me - Alberta Hunter | |||
| 7. Love Walked In/Embraceable You - Maureen McGovern | |||
| 8. Mine - Dick Hyman | |||
| 9. Isn't It A Pity - Mel Tormé | |||
| 10. Introduction and Jazzbo Brown - Andre Kostelanetz & His Orchestra | |||
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See all 19 tracks on this disc
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Product Description
From Amazon.com
Given his seemingly effortless ability at melding such disparate forms as jazz and gospel with his own rare melodic gifts, it's not hard to view George Gershwin as America's first classical crossover artist. But as this glorious, 41-track double-disc introduction to Gershwin's epochal repertoire quickly demonstrates, that assessment woefully shortchanges the sheer grandeur of "Rhapsody in Blue" or the sultry earthiness of "Summertime." Singer and pop musicologist Michael Feinstein produced the set (as well as contributing a new recording of "Home Blues"), and under his guidance it understandably leans toward Gershwin's remarkable body of songcraft, though it also includes more concert-oriented pieces such as the "Rhapsody" and "Prelude No. 2," both in original performances by the composer. But Feinstein's loving sense of American pop song history insures that the performances here are both inspired and enlightening. Indeed, his choices represent not only a who's who of 20th-century pop and saloon singers--spanning a rich pantheon that includes Jolson, Kelly, Astaire, Holliday, Sinatra, Bennett, Waters, Torme, Clooney, Day, Vaughan, and Fitzgerald--but deftly underscore Gershwin's transcendent synthesis of style, era, and distinctly American subject matter. Also includes a written tribute by modern songwriter Diane Warren and an essay by Pulitzer Prize winner Tim Page. -–Jerry McCulley
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Most helpful customer reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
's wonderful, 's marvelous,
By audrey (white mtns) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Essential George Gershwin (Audio CD)
If you have any interest in American music of the early 20th century in general, or George Gershwin in particular, you will not be able to look at the playlist to this remarkable 2-dvd set without salivating. This is a who's who of talent beginning with Gershwin himself (Prelude No. 2 for Piano and Rhapsody in Blue) and continuing on with Fred Astaire, Rosemary Clooney, Gene Kelly, Al Jolson, Doris Day, Aretha Franklin, Billie Holiday, Cab Calloway, Benny Goodman, Frank Sinatra, Harry James, Mel Torme, Miles Davis, Sarah Vaughan and Tony Bennett. The sound quality is surprisingly good and the selection is magnificent, the songs presenting a wonderful and vivid protrait of the American music scene in the early part of the 20th century. (Even though Gershwin died in 1937, singers and bandleaders have been performing his songs ever since.)The accompanying booklet contains fine essays by music critic Tim Page and composer Diane Warren, as well as liner notes for each of the 41 selections, and a few pictures. Superb.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Timeless and inspiring,
By
This review is from: Essential George Gershwin (Audio CD)
How's this for a first? The first album in the "Essential" series consisting of various artists. Of the 41 tracks on this double-album only two of them were performed by Gershwin himself and one of them , the almost-fourteen minute "Rhapsody In Blue" was partially recorded some forty years after his death. The performers on this compilation read like a who's who of artists inspired by Gershwin's brilliant compositions. Singers like Billy Holiday have two tracks here as well as Tony Bennett, Fred Astaire and Andre Kostelanetz and His Orchestra. Georges Guetary has a song "I'll Build A Stairway To Paradise" which he performed in the 1951 film "An American In Paris". Oscar Levant also performed "Third Movement" in that same film though it had been recorded years earlier. Finally, Michael Feinstein who co-produced this album has a beautifully performed rendition of "Home Blues" which closes the second disc. There's an insightful essay by Tim Page and one by songwriter Diane Warren about the legacy he left behind. Although he passed away on 7/11/37 of a brain tumor at age 38 he left behind a huge body of work that continues to inspire today's musicians. This album can truly attest to that.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Timeless and inspiring,
By
This review is from: Essential George Gershwin (Audio CD)
How's this for a first? The first album in the "Essential" series consisting of various artists. Of the 41 tracks on this double-album only two of them were performed by Gershwin himself and one of them , the almost-fourteen minute "Rhapsody In Blue" was partially recorded some forty years after his death. The performers on this compilation read like a who's who of artists inspired by Gershwin's brilliant compositions. Singers like Billie Holiday have two tracks here as well as Tony Bennett, Fred Astaire and Andre Kostelanetz and His Orchestra. Georges Guetary has a song "I'll Build A Stairway To Paradise" which he performed in the 1951 film "An American In Paris". Oscar Levant also performed "Third Movement" in that same film though it had been recorded years earlier. Finally, Michael Feinstein who co-produced this album has a beautifully performed rendition of "Home Blues" which closes the second disc. There's an insightful essay by Tim Page and one by songwriter Diane Warren about the legacy he left behind. Although he passed away on 7/11/37 of a brain tumor at age 38 he left behind a huge body of work that continues to inspire today's musicians. This album can truly attest to that.
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