Customer Reviews

Happening in Central Park

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Barbra's sensational once-in-a-lifetime Central Park concert in front of an audience of over 130,000 people deserves a better presentation on compact disc. The first problem is that Barbra performed for two and half hours that night, yet only 37 minutes of the show are included on the album. Yes, I realize that this is as much of the show that would fit on a vinyl record in 1968, but I certainly feel that now (in the compact disc age) that the entire, full-length concert should be issued on two CDs. Another problem is this disc's passable, yet disappointing sound quality.

The fault lies in the source tape, which Columbia Records recorded separately from CBS TV, who broadcasted the show on television. There is noticeable hissing and even some distortion present, which distracts from the intimacy of the show at times. Barbra's performance is outstanding and deserves to be heard in it's entirety with the best sound quality possible.

I wish Columbia would get a hold of the CBS master tapes (which, though imperfect, are an improvement) and master a new disc from it. A HAPPENING, audio flaws and all, is definitely worth listening to because the concert is so terrific. However I would advise Streisand fans to consider hunting down the currently out-of-print CBS/Fox videocassette or the Pioneer laserdisc of the show. The video is also edited (to 55 minutes), but at least it offers the visuals and better sound quality as well.

Barbra Streisand took a weekend break from filming her screen debut, "Funny Girl", to come back to New York to give a free concert for over 135,000 attentive fans. Unlikely ever to happen again given the top dollar she is charging for her upcoming tour, the June 1967 performance was staged in Central Park's Sheep Meadow, probably among the first of the city's "happenings" led by then-Mayor Lindsay to encourage an urban revival. Always the trendsetter, Streisand led the way for others including Diana Ross, the Dave Matthews Band and the reunited Simon and Garfunkel to stage their own happenings in later years. I'm happy to report that the restoration effort behind the audio and visual quality of this TV special is quite stellar.

But nothing is more stellar than Streisand in her youthful, exuberant prime. The camera pans from the Manhattan skyline to the assembled crowd and finally her over "The Nearness of You". Looking particularly diaphanous in a pink sheath, she does a smashing "Down With Love", a highly theatrical "Cry Me a River", and one of her typically eccentric monologues from the sixties followed by one of my favorites among her rarities, "Value" (a ditty about Harold Mengert and his car). She ends the first act with a soaring rendition of "I Can See It". It's particularly amusing to see random shots of adoring spectators looking very much like sixties squares from Squaresville.

Returning for the second half in a sleeveless red print evening gown, Streisand evokes a sweet innocence to her classic version of "He Touched Me", which is then followed by an extended comedy bit about "a schloon for the gumpert". She swings into a languorous "I'm All Smiles" and then segues into a comic beatnik number, "Marty the Martian" ("hand in hand in hand in hand..."), accompanied by a sassy saxophone. The high point is a beautiful folk-sounding ballad, "Natural Sounds", in particular, when the wind picks up exactly when she mentions the wind in the song (an eerie coincidence Streisand points out in her 1987 video introduction). She gets amusingly hammy on her signature "Second Hand Rose" and then quite stentorian on her anthem, "People".

The climax comes with a strangely appropriate "Silent Night" (it was summer). With the camera dramatically panning back from her, Streisand ends the performance with a splendiferous "Happy Days Are Here Again". Because it was so darkly lit among the throngs, it's hard to fathom the real size of the audience in the days until the very end of the show. My one regret with the DVD is that there seems to be a missed opportunity to include the entire concert, which included eleven other songs she performed that night. Even though the archival footage apparently exists, I'm just happy they have been able to capture what was quite obviously a special evening.

I agree with the other gentleman who wrote about all of the omissions. She sang a full program that night and it's silly, in this day and age and with a person like Barbra, to not have the whole thing released, once and for all.

They're releasing all the TV programs on 11/22/05; it will be interesting to see if it's just the truncated 55-minute CBS version, or if they've gone back and finally unearthed it all.

Barbra admits (to Diane Sawyer) to forgetting the lyrics on three separate occasions that night, but at this point, what's the big deal? Could this be why we only get these abbreviated versions of the concert? But, if that's the reason, it's a rather silly one. I think that, given her place in show biz, it's more appropriate to just get it out there -- flaws and all -- so everyone can see what all the buzz was about way back in the day.

C'mon, Barbra. C'mon, Columbia Records. Open up the vaults and give us all the real thing!

Listing highlights is pointless. Have your pick - A killer version of "Cry Me A River". Streisand showing off her ditzy,kooky Brooklyn side on the Folk Monologue. Superb renditions of "He Touched Me" and "People". And the masterpieces - Barbra's incomparable, unique singing voice at its very best on "Love Is Like A Newborn Child", "Natural Sounds" and "Silent Night". Her vocals on "Natural Sounds" and "Silent Night" send shivers down my spine every time I listen to them. Her best concert performance -if only because she still had that relaxed light touch and her command of the audience is a wonder to behold!!! Her acclaimed concert performances in 1993-94 lack that spontaneity - she's become way too careful and studied :-(

This is incredible. I suggest acquiring the "remastered" version of this CD for excellent sound quality. Barbra wasn't a curly-headed pop star yet, hadn't gone down to Stoney End, and didn't need to do a Broadway Album, because she'd just finished the broadway run of FUNNY GIRL, a couple of ground-breaking television specials, and was just about to finish the movie version of FUNNY GIRL. This album features two of my favorite BJS songs: "Love is Like a Newborn Child" and "Natural Sounds" (which I think Babs should sing at her New Years concert -- what a beautiful song!) Plus, for pure kook value, there's nothing like "Marty the Martian" and the "Value" song. Hilarious!! And Barbra hasn't quite swung it as she did in this version of "Happy Days". Get it! Buy it! Cherish it!

This is, in my opinio, one of the greatest album for Barbra.
1. I Can See It: Amazing opening song. Its quality is pretty good, and the music and her voice are sensational. To be heard again & again
2. Love is Like a Newborn Child: Great song, with an amazing change between high and low notes. Though, you get a little bored from it after a while
3. Folk Monologue/Value: Incredible monologue, and hillarious short song(value)
4. Cry Me a River: One of the Greatest Classics, and beautifully sung
5. People: A lot of talk at the beginning, but no concert can be complete without people
6. He Touched Me: Classic after Classic, you can never hear enough of this song
7. Medley & Marty the Martician: Incredibly funny and a great sing-a-long once you get to know it
8. Natural Sounds: Wondelfull song that brings tears to the eyes
9.Second Hand Rose: An amazing rendition of theis beloved song. It's nice to hear the audience singing along
10. Silent Night: Great song, which is always touching with Barbra's voice floating
11. Happy Days: The perfect ending song, leaving you breathless

Although this is a great album, there are only a few songs, and for only 37 minutes, I feel there should be a greater number of songs. But all in all, a great buy, and you won't be disappointed

If the sound quality on this CD was even average it would have received 5 stars. The problem was the night she sang there were some technical issues. Everytime she hits a high note, or raises her own volume there is a lot of distortion, which is worsened by her very fast vibrato, normally a treat her vibrato makes the sound distortions seems to vibrate, almost every song besides silent night was ruined. Its too bad because you can tell she really is in excelent voice.

Seeing Streisand live in the 60s was truly sublime. Her voice soared with thrilling ease and she almost made every song she sang, her own. There's no quibbling with what's here -- it's all great. But, they didn't just shut off the cameras for the songs that are not included on both the alblum (now CD) and the special which aired on CBS (an hour-long affair, which features about 50 minutes of music).

That material remains locked away in the vaults and there's no excuse for not putting it out there now.

Yes, we all know that she flubbed the words on 2 or 3 songs...fine ...whatever. Wow, Barbra is human! It actually makes her more interesting than ever. That such things put her into a panic and had her shy away from live performances for over 20 years makes having the full version of this released all the more important!

Anyway, go to the vaults, dig that stuff out and put out the definitive records of what she did back on that night in 1967 in Central Park. I wasn't there...and I'd sure like to see it now!

Barbra Streisand has a wonderful concert presence and this one is very good. She was very good and the audience in the park as well as the people at home are enthralled with her beauty and her singing ability. She truly has a gift and is very talented. Makes me miss musical variety programs.

In September of 1968, Barbra Streisand released her eleventh album entitled, A HAPPENING IN CENTRAL PARK. This album is actually Barbra's first-ever live concert album to be released. This album went on to show that Barbra Streisand is not only a great vocalist in the studio, but also a great vocalist live in concert, as well.

I CAN SEE IT
Great.

LOVE IS LIKE LIKE A NEW BORN CHILD
Great.

FOLK MONOLOGUE/VALUE
Great.

CRY ME A RIVER
Great.

PEOPLE
Still as beautiful as the studio recorded version.

HE TOUCHED ME
Great song.

Medley: MARTY THE MARTIAN/THE SOUND OF MUSIC/MISSISSIPPI MUD/SANTA CLAUS IS COMIN' TO TOWN
Great medley.

NATURAL SOUNDS
Great.

SECOND HAND ROSE
Great.

SLEEP IN HEAVENLY PEACE (SILENT NIGHT)
Still my all-time favorite holiday song.

HAPPY DAYS ARE HERE AGAIN
Great.

I've always enjoyed live albums, like Cher's LIVE-THE FAREWELL TOUR album, for example. This album is definitely an amazing live album, despite it not having that many songs. A HAPPENING IN CENTRAL PARK is waiting for all of you to buy a copy of it, so you can add it to your collection.