Customer Reviews

Columbia Album of Richard Rogers

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

 

 

Andre Kostelanetz first brought classical music to the masses - long before Arthur Fieldler and the Boston Pops did so. In addition, his series of popular music, beginning in the late 1940's on Columbia, of American composers (Vincent Youmans, Gershwin, Rodgers, Cole Porter, Arlen, etc.) first brought their music from the stage and Hollywood to American musical lovers. Without exaggeration, no conductor in American musical history has brought so much music, both classical and popular, to so many American audiences as Kostelantz. With RCA bringing back Arthur Fiedler and the Boston Pops it is a shame that Kostelanetz' music has not also been brought back by Columbia and Sony. For it was Sony who purchased much of Columbia's musical collection in the early 1990's. It would be a contribution to our musical culture and heritage to reissue the Kostelanetz recordings of the golden musical era of American composers. The musical arrangers that Kostelanetz employed were many: Ferde Grofe (noted for composing "The Mississipi Suite") and Richard ????? (for arranging "Victory at Sea" [of which Richard Rodgers was the composer]). Forever, the music (and musical style) of Andre Kostelanetz BECAME the music of America.

I just bought this wonderful album, but I am puzzled. It appears to be the second of two discs, according to the CD label. What happened to the first disc? It would appear to have the catalog number AK 47867. Can anybody enlighten me?

When I was growing up, my parents had an album of Christmas music on which was Hark the Herald Angels Sing. It was excellent. I've tried to find it as an adult, but haven't. In fact, it's very hard to find a really good Christmas CD at all, and from what I remember, that was.

that was recalled by another reviewer is indeed excellant. It was on Goodyear's 1965 promotional LP, "The Great Songs Of Christmas". It featured an excellant boys choir. It isn't sold anymore, but if it's ever released with more by that choir, I'll grab it.