Customer Reviews

Snowfall - Vol. 1

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I've heard a number of Claude Thornhill reissues. This is the clearest and best-sounding by a significant margin. Remastering techniques seem to keep improving - I heard a similar big sonic step forward in a recent re-release of the Dorsey Brothers (another band that has been poorly served, sonically).

We now can hear even more clearly what a great orchestra Thornhill led. Likewise the liner notes were prepared with the same loving care as the music, identifying particulars of the compositions, arrangements, recording dates and locations, and musicians.

This set is subtitled "volume 1." Another CD available from Amazon.com entitled "Autumn Nocturne" appears to be the second volume, though not identified as such in the listings. (See update below.)

Update September 2011
Hep Records' Claude Thornhill CD series is complete, the last one having been released in 2005. The series includes Volume 1 (Snowfall) being reviewed here, Volume 2 (Autumn Nocturne), Volume 3 (Buster's Last Stand), Two volumes of 1946-1947 recordings, 1947 Transcriptions, 1948 Transcriptions, and 1949-1953 Performances. Sonically the transcriptions are not as good as the studio recordings and are somewhat duplicative of the studio material. I think of the duplicates as alternates, and wouldn't be without a single volume of the series.

This is the band that inspired Miles Davis to create his "Birth of the Cool" band, for which Gil Evans adapted his Thornhill arrangements for a smaller number of musicians. That's why the Claude Thornhill Orchestra is often labeled "The Real Birth of the Cool."

To hear the Thornhill group and vocalist Fran Warren with the best possible sound quality, check out the Collectors' Choice Music CD "The Complete Fran Warren with the Claude Thornhill Orchestra," which I also reviewed.

LET CUSTOMERS HEAR "SNOWFALL". IT IS ENCHANTING, AND AS THE PAST STAYS IN OUR MEMORY, SO DOES THIS SOFT HAUNTING RENDITION OF WHAT I CONSIDER TO BE CLAUDE THORHILL'S BEST! ITS' MELODY HAS LIVED THIS LONG AND WILL GO ON TO BECOME A CLASSIC IN LISTENING ENJOYMENT! Thank you for the memories, Claude.