Customer Reviews

Cinema Serenade 2: The Golden Age

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is one of the most beautiful CDs I've ever heard. The selections are musically much richer than Cinema Serenade I. In particular, Sir William Walton's music from Henry V, Korngold's music from Robin Hood, and Newman's music from Wuthering Heights are standouts. The Korngold is my favorite, with several themes from the picture packed into a short love scene lifted straight from the movie. The arrangements on this album are stunningly lush, especially those by Williams. His opening chords from The Uninvited are terrific harmonically.

If you liked the first volume of Cinema Serenade, you will love this one. It features beautiful, lush arrangements and Perlman's always gorgeous playing. This record is also exquisitely engineered and the balance between the Pops and Perlman is perfect. You want this recording.

Very pleased to be able to receive music selections I could not find elsewhere.
Item in perfect condition.
Delivered promptly.

What a treat! From beginning to end extraordinary. I believe quite possibly the most beautiful version of the theme from Gone With The Wind I have ever listened to. You can get lost in the emotion as this man plays the violin. I simply love it and will be buying more of this mans music.

Just buy this cd and hear 2 great musicians. The best gone with the wind i have ever listened. Fantastic. Sublime !

With the success of Cinema Serenade, conductor John Williams and violinist Itzhak Perlman reunited to record another collection of classic movie themes. Performed this time by the Boston Pops Orchestra, the music of Cinema Serenade 2: The Golden Age harkens back to the days of stars such as Bette Davis, Humphrey Bogart, Errol Flynn, Ray Milland and Clark Gable.

The 12 selections include themes by Hollywood legends Max Steiner, Miklos Rozsa and Erich Wolfgang Korngold (whose son George would later produce several of composer/conductor Williams' scores for Varese Sarabande Records). Cinema Serenade 2 presents beautiful arrangements of Steiner's themes for Now, Voyager and Gone With The Wind, Korngold's love theme from The Adventures of Robin Hood, Charlie Chaplin's lovely Modern Times and "St Patrick's Day," a traditional Irish song from the John Wayne classic The Quiet Man.

Since I consider myself to be a charter member of The Rick Blaine Society of Rank Sentimentalists, I'd have to say my favorite tracks on this album are Herman Hupfeld's timeless "As Time Goes By" from 1942's Casablanca and Victor Young's "My Foolish Heart" (from the 1949 film of the same title). It was while I was listening to the radio (on the late WTMI 93.1 FM classical station) that the DJ played "As Time Goes By" and I discovered this recording of mostly lyrical themes; I listened to Perlman's haunting violin solos and the Boston Pops' bravura performance and nearly wept. I, of course, bought this CD the next day and it's now one of my favorites.

For fans of Itzhak Perlman, John Williams or film music in general, both of the Cinema Serenade CDs are a treasure trove of beautiful and memory-stirring themes.

All of those lush movie themes are greatly compiled on this CD. I especially liked Laura and Stella by Starlight. After listening to this, you will want to go out and buy/rent these great old movies!

This is a collection of popular songs from movies arranged and performed beautifully. It is one of my favorite albums. The only album that I like better is the the first one that they did. "Cinema Serenade 1" These make great gifts.

Itzhak Perlman is still considered by me the best violinist alive today. His techiniques are so impressable and heartouching and nobody can contest that. The idea of this CD was wonderful, although the selections of the musics aren't so good than in Cinema Serenade 1. But anyway, if you want to listen musics that worldwide the people emotioned with, buy this CD, but don't fall in the temptation to compare it to the first one.

I cannot review the product which I know is great , as I was billed for it, but never received it.