Oscar Hammerstein II - Flower Drum Song (1958 Original Broadway Cast)
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Free Music Notes for Flower Drum Song (1958 Original Broadway Cast)
Free Music Review: flower drum
Hit: 5 Stars
great cd. could not find anywhere. Amazon to the rescue. And its easy to order and pay.Free Music Review: Fine R&H score adorns "period" musical piece.
Hit: 4 Stars
It may sound odd to refer to R&H's third and last "modern" musical as a "period" piece, but nothing ages so fast as a play or film or musical that is totally topical (note the recent Broadway revival failure of BELLS ARE RINGING, dependent on the novelty of answering services to carry its plot). Their SOUTH PACIFIC was their first modern work, written only three years after the conclusion of WWII in which it is set, ME AND JULIET their totally contemporary behind the scenes look at current theatre was their second, and FLOWER DRUM SONG their third. Here the plot devices are complicated but delightful for a few viewings. It does not withstand the test of repeated viewings as there are no strong characters, situations or songs to keep us constantly and consistently enthralled. Their score is perfectly competent but contains only two masterworks, both love songs: YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL and LOVE LOOK AWAY. We must remember however that this is not a muscial play but a musical comedy. It is light and fluffy and deals with situations that are not really worth our thinking about after we leave the theatre. Its purpose is not to inform and inspire, but to entertain.This said, the Columbia cast album is superbly produced and an accurate document of the show on stage. It lasted a year and a half (600 performances) and Universal-International turned it into an accurate film adaptation in Panavision and De Luxe Color. The soundtrack album which has not appeared on CD is the finer of the two - better sound, better tempi and the always extraordinary Alfred Newman as orchestrator and conductor, but having the original cast album is certainly acceptable. Another problem with the album is that it only contains two members who can really sing - Pat Suzuki and Arabella Hong, the first with four numbers and the second with only one. This out of 16 cuts leaves us with a lot of warblers attempting to sing songs that were never meant to be as memorable as their musical play counterparts in other shows.
All in all, a good recording of a competent show.
Free Music Review: this album is blossoming with good music......
Hit: 4 Stars
I was introduced to the original cast of FLOWER DRUM SONG, as a small child, on vinyl. For me, some of the songs (written by Rodgers & Hammerstein) made such an impression that I memorized them in record time and sang them to myself quite loudly! It wasn't until later that I came to recognize the themes of intergenerational and intercultural tensions that arise in this story, set in San Francisco's Chinatown. The original cast shines here, with some of the finest jazzy vocals (including Juanita Hall and Pat Suzuki).
We see an example of a more "traditional" woman, just arriving in the United States from China (played by Miyoshi Umeki) and a modernized woman (Pat Suzuki). They both sing songs that reflect their natures ("I Am Going to Like It Here," is sung by the newly-arrived Mei Li and "I Enjoy Being a Girl" is sung by the fiesty Linda Low, who juggles boyfriends like balls in the air). There are also numerous songs reflecting the tensions ("The Other Generation," "Love Look Away") and joys ("Sunday," "You Are Beautiful") experienced by a community of people brought together by culture, yet divided by cultural awareness and experience.
Though, some may criticize FLOWER DRUM SONG for its stereotypical depictions of the "generic" and presumed Asian experience, I found that the musical possesses a lot of heart and the music totally memorable. I can still remember the lyrics to some of the songs--especially, "I Enjoy Being a Girl," which is really an anthem to all women who enjoy being who they are (yes, it is decidedly "anti-feminist" in nature, but it's fun and upbeat). You will enjoy this, too. Pat Suzuki, a legend in the jazz scene, was a great performer and brought such sass and sauciness to her role as Linda Low here, as well as Jack Soo (BARNEY MILLER), who appeared in this musical. Give it a chance and I think you will enjoy it.
Free Music Review: You Are the Girl I Will Love Someday
Hit: 4 Stars
FLOWER DRUM SONG was a respectable hit on Broadway, running for six hundred performances, making a national star out of the gifted Pat Suzuki, and cementing the celebrity of Academy Award-winning actress Miyoshi Umeki. The two actresses just shine in their roles: Umeki was a noted Japanese singer before "discovered" in the United States for the film SAYONARA (for which she won the Oscar), and her rendition of "A Hundred Million Miracles" is so haunting and lovely that when FLOWER DRUM SONG was turned into a film she was allowed not only to sing the entire song the first time it is heard but also to reprise it several times.
The amazing Pat Suzuki, inexplicably, was not retained for the inferior film version of the musical, which is an incredible shame: her brassiness not only wins you over on the famous "I Enjoy Being a Girl," but transforms the musically mediocre "Grant Avenue" practically into a showstopper. Arabella Hong, as Helen Chao, sings a lovely operatic rendition of "Love, Look Away," an oft-neglected R&H song of tremendous beauty. Indeed, this is probably their most overlooked score, with two clear duds ("Chop Suey" and "The Other Generation") but with otherwise real winners, including the liltingly charming "Sunday" (which should have become a standard), and the hauntingly gorgeous "You Are Beautiful," sung by Ed Kenney here, which is among the finest love songs R&H ever wrote. This cast album has become something of a classic--and it deserves to be.
Free Music Review: Not the best R and H, but darn good anyway.
Hit: 4 Stars
No, this is not the best R and H score, not by a long shot. And yes, it is a little dated. But the songs are very good on their own merits, and definitly worth listening to. "You Are Beautiful" and "Love, Look Away" are beautiful ballads, "A Hundred Million Miracles," "I Am Going to Like It Here," "The Other Generation," and "Sunday" are all very charming, and "Grant Avenue" and even "I Enjoy Being a Girl," as delivered by the great Pat Suzuki, are just plain fun. The cast is fine, from the charming Myoshi Umeki to Suzuki, whose great voice in the best tradition of Mary Martin, Judy Garland, and Ethel Merman makes us forgive the sexism of "I Enjoy Being a Girl," to Juanita Hall, still going strong nearly a decade after "South Pacific," to whoever played "the father's first son," (Was that Ed Kenney?) to Arabella Hong, who gives a beautiful performance of "Love, Look Away." Not the greatest musical ever, or the best R and H show, but definitly under-rated and worth a look. In fact, a revival IS planned and has already opened in California, to reach Broadway next season.