Reader’s
Digest Presents: The Great Musicals -
Wondeful
Tales
Louise Gold starred on Disc 2 Track 8 Reno Sweeney
from Anything Goes, and featured on
Disc 1 Track 3 as Maria a Kit Kat Club Girl from Cabaret, The Readers Digest, 2005
Catalogue number: RDCD4901-2
Cast
Graham Bickley – as Casey (from Maggie May)
Andy Brown
Steve Butler
Maurice Clarke – as Cosmo Constantine (from Call
Me Madam)
Paul Collis – as Paul from (Kiss Me Kate)
Ben Cramer
Kim Criswell – as Mrs Sally Adams (from Call
Me Madam)
Anita Dobson
Rob Evans
Joe Fagin
David Fieldsend
Richard Fredericks
Ethan Freeman – as Gabey (from On The Town)
Adam Garcia – as ? from (Fiddler On The Roof)
Louise Gold – as Maria a Kit Kat Club Girl (from Cabaret),
and,
The Gordon Lorenz Singers
James Graeme
Richard Harris
Helen Hobson
Joss Jones
Maria Kesselman
Diane Langton
Christopher Lee – as The King Of
The Lehman Engel Chorus
William Lewis – as Dick a British Captain (from Naughty
Marrietta)
Valerie Masterson – as Anna Lia Owens (from The King & I), and
others
Donald Maxwell – as Haji (from Kismet)
Anna Moffo
Ron Moody
Claire Moore – Uncredited as Rosie a Kit Kat Club girl
(from Cabaret)
Deborah Myers – as The Princess from Call Me Madam
Caroline O’Connor – as Velma Kelly (from
Tinuke Olafimihan – as ?Maria/Anita (from
Peter Palmer
Valentine Pringle
Jonathan Pryce – as the MC from Cabaret
Denis Quilley
The RSC – as The Company in The Wizard Of Oz
Jeanette Scovotti
Martin Smith
Henry Wickham – as Freddy Eynsford-Hill from My
Fair Lady
Production Team
Produced
by – The Readers Digest, 2005
Conductors
– Gerry
Allison, Richard Balcombe, Lehman Engel, John Glaudini, Julian Kelly,
Ian Lynn, Del Newman, John Owen
Edwards, Michael Reed, and, Martin Yates
Orchestras:
- The Lehman Engel Orchestra, The National Symphony Orchestra (aka NSO Ensemble), New Sadlers Wells Orchestra,
The Philharmonia Orcheatra, and, The
RSC Orchestra
Compilation
Created by – Andrew Humphries
Assistant
Editor – Daniel Sankey
Technical
Manager – Jon Archer
Print and
Production by – Claudette Bramble
Booklet
Notes by – Stephen Bernard – The Write Line
Copy Edited
by – Lisa Rutty, and, Andrew Humphries
Designed by
– Andrew Briffett
Studio
Designer – Pauline Austin
Picture
Credits – Arena Pictures
Original
Sound Recordings – made and owned by JAY
Productions limited, produced by John
Yap
Track Listing
Programme 1
1. The Ugly Duckling (from Hans Christian Andersen)
– Ron Moody with Orchestra conducted
by Del Newman
2. Thumbelina (from Hans Christian Andersen)
– Joe Fagin with Ensemble directed
by Ian Lynn
3. Two Ladies (from Cabaret) – Jonathan Pryce and Girls (Louise Gold, and, Claire Moore) with the National
Symphony Orchestra conducted by John
Owen Edwards
4. Nowadays (from
5. Ding Dong The Witch Is Dead (from The
Wizard Of Oz) – Company with the RSC
Orchestra conducted by John Owen
Edwards
6. Now I Have Everything (from Fiddler On The Roof) – Adam Garcia with the National Symphony Orchestra conducted
by John Owen Edwards
7. The Day After Tomorrow (from Blitz) – Helen Hobson with the National Symphony Orchestra conducted
by Martin Yates
8. Song Of The King (from The King And I) – Christopher Lee, and, Valerie Masterson with the National Symphony Orchestra conducted
by John Owen Edwards
9. A Boy Like That (from West Side Story) – Caroline O’Connor, and, Tinuke Olafimihan with the National Symphony Orchestra conducted
by John Owen Edwards
10. I Have A Love (from West Side Story) – Caroline O’Connor, and, Tinuke Olafimihan with the National Symphony Orchestra conducted
by John Owen Edwards
11. Dear Little Cafe (from Bitter Sweet) – Valerie Masterson and Martin Smith with the New Sadlers Wells Orchestra conducted
by Michael Reed
12.Twilight from (The Prince And The Pauper)
– Rob Evans with Orchestra conducted
by John Glaudini
13. Stars (from Les Miserables) – Ben Cramer
14. Masquerade (from The Phantom Of The Opera)
– National Symphony Orchestra
conducted by Martin Yates
15. Bui Doi (from Miss Saigon) – James Graeme with the National Symphony Orchestra conducted
by Martin Yates
14. Javert’s Suicide (from Les Miserables) – Ben Cramer
15. Jellicle Songs For Jellicle Cats (from Cats)
– Maria Kesselman
16. Science Fiction, Double Feature (from The
Rocky Horror Show) – Anita
Dobson with the NSO Ensemble
conducted by Martin Yates
17. Hakuna Matata (from The Lion King) – Steve Butler, and, Joss Jones with the Gordon
Lorenz Singers
Programme 2
1. Medley: Overture: Tramp! Tramp! Tramp! (from Naughty
Marrietta)- William Lewis,
and Chorus with Lehman Engel and his
Orchestra
2. My Hero (from The Chocolate Soldier) – Jeanette Scovotti with Lehman Engel and his Orchestra
3. Medley: One Kiss; Wanting You; Lover Come Back To Me; Stouthearted
Men (from The New Moon) – Jeanette Scovotti, Peter
Palmer and Chorus, with Lehman Engel
and his Orchestra
4. Medley: Rose Marie; Lak Jeem (from Rose
Marie) – Richard Fredericks
and Anna Moffo with Lehman Engel and his orchestra
5. Medley: There’s A Boat That’s Leavin’ Soon For
6. Too Darn Hot (from Kiss Me Kate) – Paul Collis and company with the National Symphony Orchestra conducted
by John Owen Edwards
7. It’s Yourself (from Maggie May) – Diane Langton and Graham Bickley with the National
Symphony Orchestra conducted by Martin
Yates
8. Anything Goes (from Anything Goes) – Louise Gold and Company with the National Symphony Orchestra conducted
by John Owen Edwards
9. Maggie, Maggie May (from Maggie May) – Graham Bickley and Chorus with the National Symphony Orchestra conducted
by Martin Yates
10. The Ocarina (from Call Me Madam) – Deborah Myers with the National Symphony Orchestra conducted
by Richard Balcombe
11. Ta-Ra-Ra-Boom-De-Ay (from Bitter Sweet) – Chorus
with the New Sadler’s Wells
Orchestra conducted by Michael
Reed
12. The Most Happy Fella (from The Most Happy Fella) – Denis Quilley, and, Andy Brown with Chorus and Orchestra
conducted by Del Newman
13. Guenevere (from Camelot) – Richard Harris and Company with
Orchestra conducted by Gerry Allison
14. The Olive Tree (from Kismet) – Donald Maxwell with the Philharmonia
Orchestra conducted by John Owen Edwards
15. Show Me (from My Fair Lady) – Tinuke Olfimihan and Henry Wickham with the National Symphony Orchestra conducted
by John Owen Edwards
16. Lucky To Be Me (from On The Town) – Ethan Freeman and the National Symphony Orchestra conducted
by John Owen Edwards
17. My Life Belongs To You (from The Dancing Years) – David Fieldsend with the National Symphony Orchestra conducted
by John Owen Edwards
18. You’re Just In Love (from Call Me Madam) – Kim Criswell, and, Maurice Clarke with the
National Symphony Orchestra conducted by
Richard Balcombe
Jonathan Pryce, Claire Moore, and, Louise Gold’s performance of Two Ladies with the National Symphony Orchestra conducted
by John Owen Edwards comes from the
album Cabaret, on which Caroline O’Connor also appears.
Louise Gold’s performance
of Anything
Goes with the National Symphony
Orchestra conducted by John Owen
Edwards comes from the album Anything
Goes (Recording) - Website Recommended Album.
Graham Bickley had previously
appeared in The Pirates Of Penzance
(Stage production), and as a member of that company in The Pirates Of Penzance
(Royal Gala Preview), and the Royal Variety Performance (1982).
Richard Harris, and, Diane Langton had also appeared in The Royal Variety Performance
(1982).
Graham Bickley, Ethan Freeman, and, Valerie Masterson, along with the National Symphony Orchestra can be heard
on The Best Of Broadway Musicals,
for which John Owen Edwards, and, Martin Yates also conducted.
Graham Bickley, Kim Criswell, Ethan Freeman, Louise Gold,
James Graeme, Richard Harris, Helen Hobson,
Valerie Masterson, Donald Maxwell, Claire Moore, Tinuke
Olafimihan, and, Jonathan Pryce,
along with the National Symphony
Orchestra, the Philharmonia
Orchestra can be heard on Encore The Very Best From The
Musicals, , on which Gerry Allison,
John Owen Edwards, and, Martin Yates also conducted. The
recording also features the same version of Two Ladies.
Graham Bickley, Ethan Freeman, Valerie Masterson, Ron
Moody, Tinuke Olafimihan, and, Martin Smith, along with the National Symphony Orchestra, the New Sadlers Wells Orchestra, the Philharmonia Orchestra can be heard on Great Duets From The Musicals, for
which John Owen Edwards, and, Martin Yates also conducted.
Graham Bickley, Paul Collis, Louise Gold, and, Diane
Langton, along with the National
Symphony Orchestra can be heard on Cole
Porter – Night And Day, which was also produced by The Reader’s Digest, for which John
Owen Edwards, and, Martin Yates
also conducted. This also included this album’s version of Anything Goes, and, Too
Darn Hot.
Graham Bickley, Kim Criswell, Louise Gold, James Graeme,
Claire Moore, Deborah Myers, Caroline
O’Connor, and, Tinuke Olafimihan,
along with the National Symphony
Orchestra can be heard on Simply Musicals,
for which Julian Kelly, John Owen Edwards, and, Martin Yates also conducted. The album
also includes the same versions of Anything Goes, and, Nowadays.
Andy Brown, Steve Butler, Kim Criswell, Ethan Freeman,
The Gordon Lorenz Singers, Richard Harris, Anna Moffo, Ron Moody,
and, Tinuke Olafimihan, along with
the Lehman Engel Orchestra, and, the National Symphony Orchestra can be heard
on The Greatest
Musicals of the 20th Century, which was also produced by The Reader’s Digest, and for which Gerry Allison, Lehman Engel, Ian Lynn, Del Newman, John Owen Edwards, and, Martin
Yates also conducted.
Kim Criswell, and, Denis Quilley’s radio credits include Let ‘Em Eat Cake.
Kim Criswell, Ethan Fereeman, Valerie Masterson, and, Tinuke
Olafimihan along with the National
Symphony Orchestra conducted by John
Owen Edwards can be heard On The Town, from which Lucky To Be Me on this
recording comes.
Kim Criswell, along with Louise Gold, appeared in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.
Kim Criswell, Ethan Freeman, Christopher Lee, Valerie
Masterson, Donald Maxwell, Ron Moody, Caroline O’Connor, Tinuke
Olafimihan, and, Jonathan Pryce’s
along with the National Symphony
Orchestra can be heard on The
History Of The Musical, on which Lehman
Engel, John Owen Edwards, and, Martin Yates also conducted.
Anita Dobson appeared in A Love Letter To Dan, for which Michael Reed played the piano.
Ethan Freeman appeared in One Touch Of Venus (2000 Production).
James Graeme, and, Diane Langton appeared in Chicago & Company.
James Graeme, and, Martin Smith appeared in Broadway To Brighton.
Martin Smith appeared in A Time To Start Living, which James Graeme may have appeared in.
Diane Langton, Claire Moore, and, Martin Smith had previously been scheduled to appear in Comedy Tonight.
Diane Langton appeared in Follies, which Julian
Kelly also conducted.
Diane Langton’s recording
credits include Defiant Dames.
Diane Langton has gone on to
appear in Mary Poppins.
Claire Moore appeared in Will Aid.
Louise Gold, Claire Moore, and, Martin Smith appeared in Kids At Heart.
Jonathan Pryce appeared on A Week In The West End.
Denis Quilley appeared in
the Regent’s Park 70th
Anniversary Gala.
The gala Happily Ever
After was dedicated to Denis Quilley.
Louise Gold appeared with
the RSC herself in The Cherry Orchard.
Louise Gold, and, Martin Smith appeared in the Metropolitan Mikado, and in a concert of
highlights from the Ratepayer’s
Iolanthe & Metropolitan Mikado, for both of which John Owen Edwards conducted.
The musical Something
For The Boys was inspired by a story in The Reader’s Digest.
Richard
Balcombe has conducted The Gondoliers.
Julian Kelly also conducted
on Merrily We Roll Along (Stage
production), and Merrily We
Roll Along (Recording), and Calamity Jane.
Michael Reed also conducted
Sondheim At The Barbican, Ziegfeld (stage show) and Ziegfeld (Recording).
Martin Yates had previously
written the score for his own musical The Soap
Opera.
Martin Yates conducted the National Symphony Orchestra for Stop The World I Want To Get Off.
Graham Bickley, Kim Criswell, The Gordon Lorenz Singers, Richard
Harris, William Lewis, Valerie Masterson, and, Martin Smith’s recording credits
include The Great Musicals – Glamour And
Majesty, which Anne Moffo may
have sung on. This also involves The
Lehman Engel Orchestra, The National
Symphony Orchestra, The New Sadlers
Wells Opera Orchestra, and, The
Philharmonia Orchestra; with maestros Gerry
Allison, Richard Balcombe, Lehman Engel, John Owen Edwards, Michael
Reed, and, Martin Yates. This
was also produced by The Readers Digest,
so production team members Andrew
Humphries, Daniel Sankey, Claudette Bramble, Jon Archer, Stephen Barnard
of The
Write Line, Andrew Briffet, Pauline Austin, and, Arena Pictures were also involved.
Richard Harris, Valerie Masterson, Caroline O’Connor, Tinuke
Olafimihan, Jonathan Pryce, and,
The Royal Shakespeare Company’s
recording credits include Centre Stage
Showtime!; Wich also features The National Symphony Orchestra;
along with maestros Gerry Allison, John Owen Edwards, and, Martin Yates.
Graham Bickley, Ben Cramer, Richard Fredericks, Ethan
Freeman, The Lehman Engel Chorus,
and, Caroline O’Connor’s recording
credits include The Great Musicals
– Dashing Heroes, Blushing Maidens, which Anne Moffo may also have sung on; This also involved The Lehman Engel Orchestra, and, The National Symphony Orchestra; with
maestros Gerry Allison, Richard Balcombe, Lehman Engel, Julian Kelly,
John Owen Edwards, and, Martin Yates. This was also produced by
The Readers Digest, so production
team members: Andrew Humphries, Daniel Sankey, Jon Archer, Claudette
Bramble, Stephen Barnard of The Write Line, Andrew Briffett, Pauline
Austin, and, Arena Pictures were
also involved with it.
Ben Cramer, Kim Criswell, The Gordon Lorenz Singers, James
Graeme, Diane Langton, Ian Lynn, Valerie Masterson, and, Martin
Smith’s recording credits include The
Great Musicals – Laughter And Tears; This also involved The National Symphony Orchestra, and, The New Sadler’s Wells Orchestra; with
maestros Richard Balcombe, John Owen Edwards, Michael Reed, and, Martin
Yates. This was also produced by The
Readers Digest, and production team members: Andrew Humphries, Daniel Sankey,
Jon Archer, Claudette Bramble, Stephen
Barnard of The Write Line, Andrew
Briffett, Pauline Austin, and, Arena Pictures were also involved.
Review
by Emma Shane, 20
June 2007
This
is one of those funny pleasant varied compilation albums where if one doesn’t
like one number, there will be another one along in a minute or two. The album
is titled ‘Wonderful Tales’, but some of the numbers did not appear to
me to particularly fit that title. I didn’t really mined that, though, because
some of the ones that did weren’t really to my taste. Surprisingly, this
included some material by composers whose work I usually quite like such as Frank Losser and Lerner & Lowe, as well as the more obvious culprits. Frank Losser’s Hans Christian Andersen
sounds a bit Disneyfied for him (and is not a patch on Guys And Dolls or How
To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying), perhaps proving just how
difficult it is to write decent songs for musicals aimed at children. While I
actually thought Guenevere to be just about the worst thing I’ve heard Lerner and Lowe come up with. Then
there is material which although rather good in context, just doesn’t come
across out of context on a compilation album, one example being Harold Arlen and Yip Harburg’s Ding Dong The Witch Is Dead.
There
is also some good material on this album which although presented reasonably
well, one can’t help but feel could have been done better. Peter Palmer, Richard
Frederiks and Donald Maxwell do
their best, but they are not Howard Keel.
While Tinuke Olafimiham’s Eliza
Doolittle is quite good (better than Kiri
Te Kanawa), but no one can sing that role quite like Liz Robertson. Similarly Maria
Kesselman’s Jellicle Songs For Jellicle Cats suffer if one is used to Bonnie Langford’s distinctive vocals on
the OLC album. Meanwhile Caroline
O’Connor and Tinuke Olafimihan
acquit themselves quite well with the powerful West Side Story duets,
but again these have been bettered. Nevertheless done of these numbers are done
badly by any means; and these performances make for decent background
listening.
Besides
the familiar this album contains some half forgotten gems, especially those by
British songwriters such as Noel Coward,
Ivor Novello and Lionel Bart. Why on earth aren’t
Novellos’s Ta-Ra-Ra-Boom-De-Ay and Bart’s Maggie, Maggie May better
known? I was also rather amused to note just whose stellar performance Bart’s
two Maggie
May numbers were sandwiched between. And it is my considered opinion
that the most wonderful thing of all about this album is that is features not
one but two terrific contemporary performers of songs written for the mighty Ethel Merman, doing exactly that. Both Kim Criswell and Louise Gold are at their powerful Mermanesque best, yet actually
far more lively than Merman would ever have been. Each comes into her own,
performing the kind of material she does best and songs which Merman herself
sang on film! Kim Criswell is a
superb interpreter of Irving Berlin
songs, especially those written for Ethel
Merman; as she proved back in 1992 in Annie Get Your Gun, and proves here
with the classic You’re Not Sick You’re Just In Love. Equally magnificent, Louise Gold is a stunning performer of Cole Porter songs, as she has proved
many a time in the Lost MusicalsTM, and proves here with another
classic Anything Goes. No one, except possibly Rita Mckenzie could possibly have even matched these two wonderful
ladies at their very best, what a treat to have them both on such top form on
one album.
Critics Comments
.
Links about The
Great Musicals: Wonderful Tales
