Customer Reviews

Bugs Bunny on Broadway

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

If you have an ear for the original recordings, then this collection is not for you. On tracks like "The Rabbit of Seville" the switch from the original soundtrack to the modern re-recording is both jarring and unsatisfying. If you loved the "live" show then this may bring back some memories for you. If you want to hear the original performances of the great music from Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies, I recommend "The Carl Stalling Project" instead.

I'm a big fan of Bugs Bunny (I've seen every single cartoon of his that I know of) so when I saw this, I had to buy it. And, I'm kind of glad I did, but at the same time, I wish I didn't. There are two SUPERB songs on the CD. One is "What's Opera, Doc?" (Which is also my favorite cartoon of all-time) and "The Rabbit of Seville." (Another one of my fave cartoons) But a lot of the others just aren't that good. I recommend this CD to anyone who loves the two cartoons I listed above, it's well worth the price.

I have seen the Bugs Bunny On Broadway Concert countless times now, and although the animation is incredible, the music steals the show. And this incredible CD does that music justice. As a scholar of the cartoons of Chuck Jones and the music of Carl Stalling and Milt Franklyn, I was stunned and amazed at the care which went into re-creating and restoring these miraculous cartoon scores completely to their original orchestrations. And although the original voice characterizations and sound effects come shining through, the modern digital recording of these monumental cartoon scores truly allows one to appreciate the considerable and brilliant orchestration and compositional abilities of Stalling and Franklyn. They were true masters of their art, and this exceptional recording presents their music as never before showcased. You will never be able to listen to a cartoon score in the same way again. Yes, the original cartoons and their original musical recordings have an undeniably manic quality all their own. But this modern recording, performed by top-notch symphony players, finally allows these miniature cinematic jewels to be heard in their true glory. A must buy, and a great companion to the Stalling Project recordings.

If you're a purist, in that only the original recordings will resonate with you, this one might be tough to like. This is the "original cast recording" of a 1990 tour of the US made by a newly constituted Warner Brothers Symphony Orchestra, for the 50th anniversary of Bugs Bunny--the album is a tribute to Carl Stallings, Milton Franklyn, Chuck Jones, Friz Freleng, Tex Avery, Bob Clampett, Robert McKimson, and all of the folks who made these cartoons the classics they are and will continue to be. The tunes are well done, arranged and separate well, but there are some places, especially in rhythm changes, drum breaks and certain horn combinations, where you can just hear the familiar tone missing, where it's just not quite "right," not what you remember. The recordings are very well done, with good separation, clean sound, the whole bit, but they're not the original, authentic recordings you may be looking for, so remember that when it comes time to buy.

You get a number of renditions of the Warner Bros Merrie Melodies overture (track 1, 3, 8, 10, 11, 12), but they sound thin, detached, somehow too far away--it's just not quite right.

There are a number of classic bits from the cartoons, with the original voice tracks (Mel Blanc's brilliant characterizations) over newly recorded arrangements. This is okay, but nothing revelatory.

You get a little bit of the classic Raymond Scott "Power House" in the "Jumpin' Jupiter" track, but it's truncated, with the opening bars, and not the real heart of this touchstone song, that tick-tock syncopated juke, the classic sounds of a WB cartoon.

"The Rabbit of Seville" is a classic, with just a little bit of lyrics. But, the strength of this bit was its music, lyrics AND visuals, so we're missing out on at least 1/3 of the power of this bit. It's good, but comes across as incomplete.

"A Corny Concerto" is close to 'pure,' but with all of the cartoon sound effects thrown in. The "quack, quack" lyrics of Strauss' "Blue Danube" waltz are classic.

"Long-Haired Hare" is the bit about the struggle between Bugs and the stuff opera singer. The sounds are all there, but again, you've got to remember the visuals to really get all you can out of this. The best part of this track is the awed "Leopold!" comments from the orchestra members as Bugs mimics Stokowski.

The star of this CD for me is track 11, "What's Opera, Doc?" This is the one where just about all of Wagner's Der Ring des Nibelungen is included. This is the one with the classic lines of "Kill the wabbit!" and "...Wif my spear and Magic Helmet!" It's got Elmer Fudd vocalizing to "Die Valkure," which is a great counter-voice to the too-common vision of Coppola's Apocalypse Now. This is the reason I bought this CD, and it delivers completely.

You close with more Merrie Melodies theme music, and the Porky outtro, and you're done.

Total run time is approximately 55 minutes. There are extensive liner notes with the symphony members listed, extended credits, and essays from both Chuck Jones and the new orchestra's conductor (and project brainchild and producer), George Daugherty.

Bottom line: if you're looking for a general compilation of WB cartoon music, with some bits from the original cartoons, then this one will work for you. But if you're an uncompromising purist this might not be the right one; maybe you should go for the original soundtrack recordings, like The Carl Stalling Project.

Sure, it's not for everyone's taste but no fan of Bugs or Daffy can be without this CD. Outside of the famous 'Merry Go Round Broke Down' and Merrie Melodies theme the Looney Tunes cartoons are well known for paying tribute to and parodying classical music and there's loads of that behavior to be had on this CD. The popular song 'What's Up Doc' is also featured here and there's just enough of Daffy Duck included to keep me happy. Hard to come by but worth getting if you can pick it up cheap.

I never thought I'd hear some of these again. At their height, the Warner Brothers studio used classical music very cleverly in their animations, and this compilation gives us a sampling of the best. About the only thing that made me not give it the full five stars was that it didn't have the excellent "Daffy's Rhapsody."

I just had the incredible pleasure of seeing this production, conducted by George Daugherty, at The Sydney Opera House. If the week of sold-out audiences were any indications, it's "adult kids" who really love the classic Looney Tunes cartoons. Ordered the CD immediately from Amazon when I got home, and have relived this magnificent production over and over. The music is as incredible as the animation, and Carl Stalling's incredible collaboration with the brilliant Chuck Jones is even more evident when one is just listening to the incredible orchestral performances of these spectacular scores. With the death of Mr. Jones, this CD is even more of a memento of a brilliant golden age of American animated cinema. As we say down here "downunder," it's a bloody ripper!!! (And that's a supreme compliment in Australian!!!!)

I LOVED this CD! Having grown up on those wild cartoons and beatiful music this was a blast to the past in a great way! I listened to it before seeing the stage show - DON'T MISS IT WHEN IT COMES TO YOUR TOWN! - which was a laugh riot, and now I enjoy it even more because I have those crazy visuals stuck in my head. This is highly recomended for anyone who ever enjoyed Saturday mornings with Bugs, Daffy, and the gang. I was surprised at how many memories it evoked for me and how creative, subversive, and provocative that dang rabbit was. All the things I missed when I was eight! Who knew? Great fun for the whole family. A+A+A+A+A+

When I was five (and that was a long time back, I'm afraid) I got a record player all my own, a refurbished model that Santa Claus painted red and white and left under the tree along with a record of music and Mel Blanc voice characterizations from Warner Brothers cartoons. It was my favorite. This CD was like receiving a gift from my past, and I adore it. The choice of pieces is excellent, the musicianship tops, and the memories it inspires priceless. I suppose that there are toffs who will balk at the juxtaposition of "serious" music and laugh-your-pants-off humor, but who cares? If you couldn't enjoy Victor Borge, then perhaps this CD is not for you. But if you think that artistry and entertainment are mutually inclusive concepts, that the distinction between high- and low-brow is artificial and constricting, and that pleasure and enjoyment are valid measures of artistic merit, you will find "Bugs Bunny on Broadway" an immediate treasure--for yourself or for anyone on your gift list.

Seeing "Bugs Bunny On Broadway" live is a phenomenal experience, recreated beautifully on this CD. It's the best way I know to introduce youngsters to the symphony orchestra experience. I learned a lot about the care, professionalism and musicianship that goes into those wonderful cartoon soundtracks, too! This is a CD that anyone can enjoy--I highly recommend it.