Search - Glenn Miller :: Essential Glenn Miller

Not essential

Micaloneus | the Cosmos | 11/23/2005

(2 out of 5 stars)

"I own a number Glenn Miller sets like The Complete Recordings (13 CD`s), The Popular Recordings (3 CD's), Essential Glenn Miller (1995), etc.



So, I always enjoy looking over the latest compilation of the great Glenn Miller Orchestra (1938/1942) which seem to be released every few months from somewhere in the world. There is always a number of big hits that are always included (In The Mood, Little Brown Jug, A String of Pearls, Kalamazoo, etc.) and there's always a few songs that are kind of new to the "best of" circuit. Which brings me to the latest, most up-to-date compilation...The Essential Glenn Miller, not to be confused with Essential Glenn Miller from `95.



The sound quality is excellent and perhaps a hair better than the old "Essential" Glenn Miller released in 1995. I can think of a number of great Miller songs that could have made this collection even better. When looking over the running order, I couldn't believe there was NO "Perfidia", NO "Sunrise Serenade". These two songs are on EVERY great Miller collection over the years. I hate to think that new fans might miss out on these great tunes. The 1943/44 material was a nice touch. Giving a better balance to the Miller catalog. Bottom line: Look for the 4 disc Proper Box Set.



Finally, why can't these compilations of old 78's have a few more seconds between them? Essentially we have a bunch of singles all crammed together, so why not let them have some breathing room. As I recall, the UK Beatles albums from 1963-1966 had a seven second break between songs. I loved it! It was like giving each song it's own spotlight. Oh, the days of one song at a time."

Remarkable sound, beware other albums of the same title

S. Mathews | Washington, DC | 02/19/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"First, don't confuse this 2005 release with the unrelated and vastly inferior 2006 release of the same title. This 2005 album offers more numbers and the best sound I've heard yet on a GM remastered compliation.



I've been buying GM albums since the late 1960s, starting with a vinyl LP compilation that "enhanced" each track with synthesized "stereo" (awful), so I've experienced the steady improvements in sound quality as remastering technology has become more sophisticated. The quality of the sound on this album is a revelation. Except for being in mono, the tracks sound much more recent than 1939-1944. And although the original recordings were made under all kinds of conditions with varying quality of equipment, the remastering produces a consistent sound quality across all tracks. I would dare say that these recordings probably sound even better than fresh-out-of-the-package 78s did back in Miller's heyday, except perhaps on the very best phonographs.



Few people still living today heard GM in person, and the number is rapidly dwindling. RCA's willingness to put this kind of investment into remastering a collection of his music shows that new audiences continue to discover and appreciate that distinctive GM sound."

Earning five stars because of its profound contribution to p

Martin Hogan | Grand Rapids, Michigan | 06/05/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is probably the best intro CD to Glenn Miller. It is missing some great songs including "Sunrise Serenade" and "Anvil Chorus", which are two of my favourites. For individuals concerned with the sound quality; there are some very unnatural anomalies created due to trying to eliminate the clicks and pops. The anomalies are often very non-musical and distracting. There is a OOP 3 CD set titled "The Popular Recordings (1938-1942)" that I keep going back to as the most natural sounding recordings I have of Glenn. If timbre and tonality matter to you, the 3 CD set may suit your tastes better; but this CD set has more prominent clicks and pops (because they are there and they cannot go away cleanly regardless of modern technology). Also to note, the material covered by the 3 CD set really has a far greater breadth of material."