Customer Reviews

Nightingale: A New Musical - Original (1985) London Cast

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

 

 

In spite of Andrew Lloyd Weber (whose music I do not care for-- "musical tantrums" I call it) and his PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, which brought Sarah Brightman to the public eye over ten years ago, it is possible I would not know today who Sarah is but for THE NIGHTINGALE, which my father gave me on LP the Christmas before he died. I must be honest -- my five-star rating is given on account of the LP, which left off some of the songs that I confess I find dopey and childish, and presented a shorter but much more emotionally emphatic experience. Strouse, the composer and libretticist, has modified the Anderson story so that the Maid in the tale becomes an adult who falls in love with the Emperor. As Strouse himself has explained, all of the major figures in the story are allegorical, and the Nightingale's song ("Who Are These People", etc.) represents Beauty-- the life force, cosmic joy. It is true that Sarah's voice is younger and less perfected but for me this lends it special charm-- it is often the flaws in beauty that give it warmth. In the fine tradition of English choral singing the entire production is flawless. If, as I do, you regard the human voice as the supreme instrument, you cannot fail to be charmed. Why do I call this a spiritual experience-- many reasons. For one, Strouse has re-configured the tale as a kind of parable of separation and unity-- the people begin by singing "Perfect Harmony"-- a song about the heirarchy of power. Through the alchemical transformation that occurs to the Emperor, and his anima figure, the Maid, through confronting Death and defeating it through the Nightingale's song, the people are unified in a great chorus at the end: "We are China". The confrontation with Death occurs in a four-part song ("Death Duet") that I actually played over my father's body just hours after he died-- I never had the chance to play this album for him. I also met Sarah in person briefly and told her about playing this song for him. Back in 1990 she sang in San Francisco (where I was then living) in a theater on the corner of my block! Imagine that! So I shelled out $50 to sit through a bunch of Lloyd Weber stuff just for the chance to meet her and have her sign my NIGHTINGALE LP. When she first saw it, she exclaimed, "Oh, that's a rarity!" and gave me a big unusual signature (the "a" in her surname on its side, etc.) To be honest, I think I overwhelmed her a bit with my enthusiasm but nevertheless I have followed her career ever since. I am more fond of the obscure music she does and not so much of pseudo-opera or generic show tunes. I also believe that her quest for vocal perfection has erased some of the warmth her voice used to have, which you can certainly hear on THE NIGHTINGALE. Who knows how long this might be available? My advice-- buy it.

I bought this CD without listening to any samples, purely on the basis of Charles Strouse's well deserved reputation. That might not have been the best decision I've ever made, even if it wasn't exactly a bad one. The musical is okay, but it could be better. Even songs like "Who are these people" and "We are China", which are the best songs on this recording, aren't the best songs in Strouse's collection. You get the feeling he was aiming for a 1980's answer to the Mikado, in that the musical feels something like a cross between comic operetta, Chinese opera and the sort of jazzy book musicals that Strouse does so well... but it's flawed. Once you've listened to it a couple of times it's quite pleasant, but I can see why it wasn't a huge success on stage. Strouse has done an excellent job of immitating the feel and phrasing of Chinese Opera, which is actually working against him here. Chinese Opera is an acquired taste among Western audiences, and it can be disconcerting when a song starts building into one of the jazzy numbers that Strouse is famous for, only to suddenly shift into a more Eastern style tonal change. Once you've heard it a couple of times and you expect it, it's quite nice, but if you were seeing it on stage for the first time it would be slightly off putting. It's very clever, and well done in a way, but there aren't any songs that the average Joe could sing in the shower - if you know what I mean? I had the feeling throughout the record that it would have been a brilliant musical if he revised it a couple more times, as it is, it's okay. If you're a die-hard Strouse fan, buy it; if you've listened to Chinese music before and you have some idea of what to expect from the phrasing, go for it; if you're willing to listen to it at least twice and let it grow on you, don't hesistate... but if you want the kind of musical you can get into instantly and can sing in the car on the way to work, you might want to go for one of Strouse's other works (anything he's written with Lee Adams is gold). Try to listen to it first so you know what to expect.

Let me admit first, and foremost, when I started listening to this CD I didn't think I would like it. It didn't seem catchy, or engaging enough to make me like it, but about halfway through, though I started to really enjoy it. The songs were actually interesting, the tunes were pretty. This CD is a great one to have not only because you will enjoy listening to it, but because you get the whole story line of the musical from the score. Sometimes you buy a CD and haven't a clue what the show is about, but with this one you feel as if you are in the theater with your eyes closed. The music is not new, it isn't poppy or rockish; isn't Tim Rice or Phil Collins, but it is enjoyable for all audiences. I would suggest this one to just about everyone. If you're only into the new stuff (Wicked and the likes) maybe you can skip this one, but everyone else needs it. Favorite song: "Rivers Cannot Flow Upwards."

NIGHTINGALE is a gorgeous musical featuring an overall-very strong score by Charles Strouse of ANNIE fame. Though the show is targeted primarily for children, there is plenty for older musical theatre fans to savour. Strouse has incorporated Oriental themes and motifs into his score which dips into operetta and musical-theatre territory in equal amounts. Sarah Brightman plays the title role with Susannah Fellows as the Kitchen Maid and Gordon Sandison as the Emperor. The entire score is absolutely sensational, though I was swept up into heaven with "Why Am I So Happy?", Fellows' introductory number which is the best example of how Strouse has intergrated Oriental themes seamlessly into the score. Equally-impressive is the dramatic "Death Duet" and the simple, sparse "A Singer Must Be Free". Hans Christian Andersen's tender fairytale is retold with style and simple beauty in this charming musical.

Worthy of a full-scale revival.

This recording rapidly became one of my prefered. I love all the performances, which are *all* fantastic. I love the score, which is very consistent, and nicely leads the listener from the beginning to the end. The music is sometimes sounding strangely but always right. I think Charles Strouse's Chinese music is very nice and very near from that 'perfect harmony' Chinese ideal. The tale itself is very pretty, and very well adapted to musical theatre.

When Sarah Brightman recorded this piece she was virtually unknown to the world outside the UK and Europe. At 22 this would have been a daunting task for any singer. She appears for a little over half of the disc and is the star attraction without question. The Story of the nightengale is one that isnt shared much these days. Competing with I pods and Vamped up Hypersexed blonds on MTV leaves little room for a true classic. However , for those of us who loved the world of Hand C Anderson and are attracted to great music this CD is a must. The coposition and arrangements are strong but sometimes could be better , the recording itself fills the room with sound and never seems to fade up and down like some other cast recordings I have heard over the years.

I would be the first to gift this to kids or friends who enjoy music as it's a Cultural masterpiece.

This is a magical old-style musical with excellent operatic singers. Among the standouts, of course the DIVA herself Sarah Brightman soars with her lyric soprano and is perfect for the role of the Nightingale(and is probably the only current star that hits those super-hight notes), also a fantastic mezzo soprano that has one of the most gracious voices, her name is Susanna Fellows. Cute little show recording.

Much as I love Sarah's music, Nightingale isn't her best music. She's doing so much better selecting and writing her own work. Something from La Traviata next? Pleeeease.

. . . Charles Strouse is a pretty good composer. And as a composer of pseudo panto opera, he reminds one that natural melodists often turn dull when they aim to be highfalutin, if that's indeed what he's trying to do here. Jokey in an excessively juvenile fashion, reasonably well performed (Sarah Brightman's charm continues to escape me), and, well, dull, Nightingale might be picked up by inveterate Strouse fans, but I can't imagine where the interest lies otherwise.

For excellent obscure Strouse, seek out I and Albert.

i love this cd it is so good i love the songs