Mad About Deanna
Bruce K. Hanson | Petersburg, VA | 09/27/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"In 1971, after countless reissues of Deanna Durbin's commercial recordings, Decca Records released selections of her soundtrack recordings on one LP. The problem was that they were taken directly from the films themselves, complete with extraneuos noise and dialogue; and the tracks were mastered in the then popular "simulated stereo" which resulted in too much reverb. However, this new release from Sepia Records, "Mad About Music", finally approaches the soundtrack recordings of Deanna Durbin in a manner more deserving of the beautiful soprano motion picture star. The recordings themselves are from Hisato Masuyama's extensive collection of original Universal Studio lacquers and publicity release 78 rpm records, and folks, they sound magnificent. Yes, there are slight noises and cues by studio workers that give away their age and sources, but having a few of these original records myself, it's easy to hear how their new CEDAR 24 bit mastering has worked wonders with the material. Several of the songs on the CD that are also on the origial LP include "Lover", "Danny Boy", "The Old Refrain", "Russian Medley" and "Night And Day"; each sounding so much better than their earlier incarnations. Then there are the tracks, most never before available to the record buying public: "I Love To Whistle", "Say a Pray'r for the Boys Over There", "Gimme A Little Kiss, Will Ya Huh?" three selections from Durbin's film, "Something in the Wind", and "Always" from "Christmas Holiday", complete for the first time with the refrain. (When is Universal going to finally release this Gene Kelly/Deanna Durbin thriller on DVD?) There are twenty three generous tracks accompanied by a booklet that is lavishly stuffed with interesting liner notes and sixteen beautiful color and black and white photos of Durbin and her film posters. Hopefully, there are enough pre-recordings by Deanna Durbin to warrant another CD. (I wonder if the soundtrack to "Spring Will be a Little Late This Year" (also from "Christmas Holiday") exists.) Meanwhile, it's so nice to have a new collection of Deanna Durbin records."
Mad About Deanna
Alexis Anisimow | Australia | 09/10/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"It's wondeful to see that Deanna Durbin recordings are still in demand today so many decades after her retirement. This new CD collection is packed with many of her fan's most requested songs. Deanna's amazing voice gives goosebumps and brings tears to the eyes of the listener. The quality of the CD is great considering the age of the original recordings. Mad About Music is a must buy for all Deanna Durbin fans and will make an excellent gift for family and friends."
Track Listings (23) - Disc #1