C.B. K. from RIO RANCHO, NM Reviewed on 9/14/2009...
Kiri Te Kanawa sings fifteen of George Gershwin's most memorable songs, accompanied by The New Princess Theater Orchestra conducted by John McGlinn. Included are "Somebody Loves Me"; "Love Is Here to Stay"; "Someone to Watch Over Me"; "But Not for Me"; "Summertime"; "Nice Work If You Can Get It"; "Embraceable You"; and "I Got Rhythm".
CD Reviews
I love it!
A reader/viewr in CA. | 05/14/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"If you like Gershin and Kiri Te Kanawa you'll probably enjoy this album as much as I do!I can imagine Nick and Nora Charles listening to this at one of Nick's favorite dives! It will transport you to a sophisticated time and place that may have never existed except in literature and debutante coming out parties.Gatsby would have loved it, and surely would have invited Kiri to all his parties!"
Classic Gershwin
Dennis Brightwell | Woodstock, IL USA | 04/05/2002
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Original arrangements of Gershwin tunes are rare these days, but that's what you'll hear in this album by Kiri Te Kanawa. Granted, the arrangements sound somewhat dated according to 21st century tastes, but that's what makes them fascinating. These were like nothing anyone else was writing when the George and Ira first brought them to life. Kiri uses a different, somewhat breathier voice than you might be used to on her classical albums, probably not the type of voice Gershwin had in mind, but I think it generally works pretty well."
Brava Dame Kiri!
Steven A. Peterson | Hershey, PA (Born in Kewanee, IL) | 03/10/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This is a delightful CD. Esteemed soprano Kiri Te Kanawa sings Gershwin. One hook making this CD interesting is the use of the original scores and choral arrangements. It adds a most pleasant element to this recording. In essence, this is simply a lot of fun to listen to. Kiri Te Kanawa takes the music for what it is, sings it with gusto, and produces a very satisfying CD.
Some examples. . . . "Somebody loves me" demonstrates her lush voice. This is a nice version of a fine Gershwin tune. The orchestral backing is solid and enjoyable. All in all, very satisfying. "Summertime," from "Porgy and Bess," is well known. This is well sung; her operatic voice handles the song most satisfactorily. A very fine version. . . .
"Nice work if you can get it" is a clever bob-bon. Dame Kiri sings this in a most sprightly fashion. She sings in the proper spirit for the song and seems to be enjoying herself in the process! There is a nice high note at the end which does not seem simply for effect (compare with Mario Lanza's efforts at ending almost any song with a high C).
"Embraceable you" is charming and well done. "I got rhythm" closes this CD. Again, very nicely done with lush orchestration and choral singing. The song is taken at a quick pace and the result is delightful. Her rich voice works well on this cut. The chorus is energetic and the orchestra sparkles.
This is a most enjoyable album. Great music sung in a charming style by a great singer