Mame (1966 Original Broadway Cast)
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Free Music Notes for Mame (1966 Original Broadway Cast)
Free Music Review: ...just Sensational!
Hit: 5 Stars
I agree with another reviewer who states that this is Jerry Herman's best score, but am inclined to go further with my praise and lable it one of the greatest musicals not only of the 60's (a period of hefty competition; consider Camelot, Hello Dolly, Fiddler on the Roof) but of the entire 20th century. (And the 21st for that matter, i have heard no post 2000 scores that I feel are comparable to the greats of the 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s and 80s) Like Herman's most famous work, Hello Dolly, Mame is an entirely uplifting and energy-driven piece. There are very few gentle, quiet moments in this brashy, overwhelming score. Those that do exist, serve to strengthen the appeal and the magnitude of the characters, and in so doing add a touching, sentimental elemant to this enchanting score. The music is uplifting from start to finish and the sparkling lyrics only serve to enhance the already dazzling experience. Very few Broadway CDs captivate me from the very beginning. This is one noteworthy exception. Herman is in his element here, he is truly the master of Grande Dame musicals, and this is irrevocably his masterpiece! What is lacking in Hello Dolly,(which is, without doubt another truly great musical) that indescribable something which stops it from being an entirely wondeful experience, has been palpably attained in Mame; Herman's awareness that he is working magic here can be felt in his own enthusiastic renditions of several of the songs. Naturally, he is not the only star in this recording. Angela Lansbury's performance as Mame is quite simply out of this world. From her first appearance in the decadent, charming extravaganza It's Today to her final heartbreaking rendition of If He Walked Into My Life, she shines, glows, sparkles and radiates energy and warmth to such an extent that she would utterly outshine and eclipse any but the best supporting cast. Fortunately, she has the best. The Ensemble is perhaps not extraordinary but the central figures around Mame are all excellent. Jane Connell is delightful as Gooch; she offers up a sweetly pathetic St. Bridget and an entirely captivating rendition of Gooch's Song, with an unnashamed earnesty which is terribly endearing. Frankie Michaels is excellent as Patrick; he is right up there with Andrea McArdle(Annie) and Micheal Goodman(Oliver) as one of the greatest child performers Broadway has ever seen. Even on the recording, his amazing amount of stage presence for one so young is palpable. Bea Arthur is of course a star in her own right. Her version of the utterly ridiculous Man In The Moon drips with sardonic pathos; it is almost as if she is a coinesseur who delights in her own power to entertain. The biting, sarcastic duo between her and Mame, Bosom Buddies, is one of the greatest moments on the CD. Naturally the title song,(which is not only riveting and incredably catchy but also intensely amusing at times) cannot be overlooked. The same can be said of the rolliking We Need A Little Christmas and the intensely satisfying Open A New Window. (With a philosophy like that, is it at all surprising that Mame was a runnaway success?) An absolutely essential addition to any Broadway Collection.Free Music Review: A JOY ON BROADWAY BECOMES A JOY "TODAY!"
Hit: 5 Stars
"Tune the grand up, dance your shoes off, strike the band up, it's today!" So begins Mame Dennis' (Angela Lansbury) joyous celebration of life, and one of Broadway's greatest musical masterpieces of all time. "Mame", the story of Mame Dennis and her orphaned nephew Patrick building a colorful life together, sparked one of the most enjoyable musicals of all time with a perfect cast, dynamite songs, and the joy and pratfalls of life to add glitter to the beloved story.
Starring as Mame, four-time Tony-winner Angela Lansbury gives a sensational, brilliant performance as the golden embodiment of life lived to the fullest. Lansbury sings with great strength, full-throated joy, and genuine warmth and tenderness, instilling the character of Mame with an endearing humanity and joy of being alive: "I have the feeling that time has halted; I'd like two straws and a chocolate malted..." Co-starring Beatrice Arthur in her greatest theatrical role as Mame's "cobra-tongued" best friend, Vera Charles, Arthur is absolutely delicious in her Tony-winning performance of Vera, the uppity gin-soaked prima donna. Arthur gets to toss off great acerbic, witty phrases with Lansbury in a duet, "Bosom Buddies": "And if I say your sense of style's as far off as your youth, it's simply that who else but a bosom buddy will tell you the whole stinkin' truth!" The stellar supporting cast includes Frankie Michaels (Tony winner) as Patrick, Charles Braswell as Mame's Southern husband Beauregard Burnside, and a perfectly cast Jane Connell as the dazed and befuddled nanny Agnes Gooch.
And the great power behind these magnificent performances is the music and lyrics of the incredible Jerry Herman. His wonderful musical numbers are the emotional backbone of the show with the revelry of "It's Today", Mame's joyous message to "Open A New Window!", Arthur's big theatrical number, "The Man In The Moon", Lansbury and Michaels' charming duet with "My Best Girl", Lansbury's up and happy "We Need A Little Christmas", and of course, the real gem of the show, Jerry Herman's greatest triumph: the ode of the people of Georgia to "Mame": "Your special fascination'll/ Prove to be inspirational/ We think you're just sensational/ MAME!" and much more!
The quality of the sound and musical numbers is clear as crystal and even fun to sing along with (you can't help it!). And as a bonus to this, five never-released tracks include Jerry Herman's original singing of five of the show's songs with soprano Alice Borden: "St. Bridget", "It's Today!", "Camouflage" (this number was not used in the final show and revolved around Mame preparing to meet Patrick's trustee with the aid of Vera), "Open A New Window!", and "Mame".
"Mame" is truly a joy, with its timeless tunes, wonderful heart, and stellar performances all captured forever on this CD. If you're a fan of Broadway or just love outstanding musicals, you will love this show and treasure this CD always.
Free Music Review: One of my favorites
Hit: 5 Stars
MAME is the musical version of AUNTIE MAME, the delightful play and movie based on a novel by someone writing under the pseudonym of Patrick Dennis. Ostensibly, the story is about Dennis' growing up, but the story is really about Patrick's aunt. This is the role that made Angela Lansbury a star (after years as an under-appreciated Hollywood actress) and forged her close friendship with the great comedienne Bea Arthur.THE STORY:
Mame Dennis, New York's 9th-wealthiest woman, is the world's most lovable eccentric. One of her nightly Prohibition-Era parties is crashed by dowdy Agnes Gooch, the nanny bringing Patrick to live with his aunt upon the death of his father. Taking him in and declaring that "Life is a banquet, and most poor [suckers] are starving to death," Mame goes on to give Patrick an unusually well-rounded education - including enrollment in a nudist school - before losing everything in the stock market crash. The lovable Mame recovers by falling head-over-heels with a visiting Southern plantation owner and by winning over his Yankee-hating relatives by becoming the first person ever to capture the fox ALIVE in a hunt. In the second act, Mame introduces Agnes to the real world and rescues Patrick from becoming an aristocratic snob by hosting a most unusual dinner party.
THE MUSIC:
This musical showcases Jerry Herman at his finest. The brassy overture and the boisterous party number "It's Today" set the mood for an energetic evening of living life to the hilt. Despite their gravelly singing, Lansbury and Arthur shine in their duets, "The Man In the Moon," Mame's foray into the dramatic arts, and "Bosom Buddies," a lovable-yet-venemous celebration of what best friendships are all about. The highlight of the show is Lansbury's eleven o'clock number to end all eleven o'clock numbers, "If He Walked Into My Life." Every song (with the possible exception of "St. Bridget") is delightful.
RECOMMENDATION:
Every fan of Broadway musicals should know MAME forwards and backwards, and you can't go wrong with Angela Lansbury's Tony award-winning rendition. Buy it today!
Free Music Review: Great fun, and wonderfully sung by Angela Lansbury
Hit: 5 Stars
Though it was just re-released as a CD with restored material, essentially this recording was made in 1966 and is therefore the oldest one I've ever heard. It doesn't show its age one bit; not only is the sound clear, but the musical numbers are just as fun today as they seem to have been in '66. The tunes and lyrics are very catchy and memorable. The vocals are performed very well. And then there's Angela Lansbury, who's more than enough reason for listening to this. Her energetic belting out of the songs is amazing, considering she'd only been in one other musical before this, Anyone Can Whistle. It's no wonder that, as her biography Balancing Act makes clear, this musical alone turned her from being a supporting player into a genuine, bona fide STAR. I do wish I could have seen her in the role, (Unfortunatly, she was not cast in the film, and was replaced by Lucille Ball, who not only doesn't belong in the role, but whose clunky singing really bogs it down.) but this recording more than compensates. If you haven't gotten the message yet, GET THIS CD! You'll be singing the songs happily for days, I guarantee you. One small quibble: In several of the songs, such as the delightful It's Today and Opon a New Window, the chorus keeps getting repeated, over and over again. But, oh, well. It's worth it. Rosalind Russell went down in history as the definitive screwball comedy Mame, and for good reason. Also for good reason, Anglea Lansbury has gone down in history as the definitive musical Mame. Listen to this and you'll see why.
Free Music Review: A classic example of Broadway's heyday...
Hit: 5 Stars
MAME is, in every way, the quintessential example of how brilliant Broadway music was in its veritable heyday of the 1960s and 70s. Based on the book by Jerome Lawrence, the music for this 1966 Original Cast Recording was written by Jerry Herman; it stars the absolutely marvelous Angela Lansbury in the title role. Co-stars Bea Arthur and Frankie Michaels round out this truly memorable cast.
In spite of the strong supporting cast, the showstopper here, without a question, is Ms. Lansbury. Her stellar vocals make such tracks as "It's Today," "Open A New Window," and "That's How Young I Feel" simply ooze with charisma and charm. Her performance is, for all intents and purposes, flawless as she portrays the role of a flapper fighting against time to remain as young and vibrant as she possibly can.
Arthur and others round out the supporting cast and belt out fantastic numbers including the humorous "The Man in the Moon," the brilliantly energetic "Mame," and the biting but funny "Bosom Buddies" (with Lansbury). These exciting ditties meld seamlessly with the lead tunes performed by Lansbury, all making for a great collection of songs that paints the era in music as if each word were paint on an artist's brush.
If you're a fan of modern Broadway and are curious to know where some of its older roots lay, then MAME is an ideal place to begin your listening experience. This is Broadway in the classic style; it doesn't get much better than this, folks. Very highly recommended.