Customer Reviews

Arabian Nights (Original Cast Recording)

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This was the first record I ever bought. I purchased it with my own allowance money back in 1955. I was eight years old and had seen the Jones Beach production and LOVED it.
I still have the album, which have been full of clicks, pops, and surface noise for many years now. How wonderful to have a crisp new copy of this lush, romantic and clever score, filled with Rimsky Korsakov / Miklos Rosa style ballads [A Thousand and One Nights / How Long Has It Been?] and Gilbert & Sullivan-esque patter numbers [The Grand Vizier's Lament]. How great, after 54 years, to finally hear and understand the lyrics of "A Whale of a Story":
`Cause when you're seasick there isn't any
rail on a, rail on a, rail in a, rail on a monster.
There's no rail on a, rail on a, rail in a, rail on a whale.'
Lauritz Melchior still glorious at the end of his career / James McCracken at the beginning of his.
What a treat! Thank you Sepia!

ARABIA NIGHTS was surprisingly entertaining, if a little silly. It is clearly an attempt to mine the same territory that was done much better in KISMET, but done on a grand scale. The choral writing is huge and the orchestrations lush and grand, and the singing is in the operetta style, except for the several comedy numbers.
I put on the CD expecting to laugh my way through it, but was pleasantly surprised. The score is tuneful and well sung, and the exotic story easy to follow.

I bought this recording back in the 50's and played it a lot. What a thrill to have it back again. Little did I know that I would be working with Bill Chapman a few years later. It certainly sounds better than the original. Decca never used very good Vinyl and there was always a hiss. Thanks to Sepia the hiss is gone no pops or ticks. It sounds GREAT!The dance arrangements by the Guy Lombardo Orchestra are very Camp!