[.ca] George And Ira Gershwin Songbo

From Amazon.co.uk:
George and Ira Gershwin are probably the songwriters who have contributed the most standards to the American repertory, and Fitzgerald covers pretty much all of them in this mammoth enterprise. (The 53 songs were recorded in 1959 and originally came out in a five-LP box set.) Considering the scope of this collection, naming titles would be futile: rest assured that your favourite Gershwin tune is likely to be included. The singer's well-known versatility and musicality are in evidence, but what's especially amazing is the complete symbiosis between her and arranger/conductor Nelson Riddle. Fresh off injecting a shot of swing into Sinatra's career, Riddle enhances Fitzgerald's vocals rather than overwhelming them, and Fitzgerald, in turn, is stimulated by the musicians percolating behind her. Pure genius. --Elisabeth Vincentelli

Amazon.com essential recording:
George and Ira Gershwin are probably the songwriters who have contributed the most standards to the American repertory, and Fitzgerald covers pretty much all of them in this mammoth enterprise. (The 53 songs were recorded in 1959 and originally came out in a five- LP box set.) Considering the scope of this collection, naming titles would be futile: rest assured that your favorite Gershwin tune is likely to be included. The singer's well-known versatility and musicality are in evidence, but what's especially amazing is the complete symbiosis between her and arranger/conductor Nelson Riddle. Fresh off injecting a shot of swing into Sinatra's career, Riddle enhances Fitzgerald's vocals rather than overwhelming her, and Fitzgerald, in turn, is stimulated by the musicians percolating behind her. Pure genius. --Elisabeth Vincentelli

Chronique amazon.fr:
Quatre CD pleins pour évoquer un projet éditorial sans précédent : l'enregistrement du répertoire vocal des frères Gershwin (George et Ira) par une chanteuse, la volcanique et solaire Ella Fitzgerald. Norman Granz, son producteur, met les bouchées doubles en engageant l'orchestre de Nelson Riddle, alors au meilleur de sa forme (il a collaboré régulièrement avec Frank Sinatra). 59 thèmes inoubliables, éternels. La réédition Verve (son et packaging) est tout simplement exemplaire. --Eric Frank

Too Much Too Bland:
It's too bad that about 12 of the songs were on this set. Ella & Nelson can't make those 12 listenable. I feel that this is far too costly for its mediocrity. It does have great stuff on it but not enough! Her Oh Lady Be Good is well worth it because of containing only great Gershwin. I do love My Cousin In Milwaukee which describes Ella's singing style. OK, MILWAUKEE IS MY HOME TOWN. Rather, than this, Ella's Rodgers & Hart Songbook deserves to have been a massive box set: 51 songs plus the instrumental Slaughter on 10th Ave.

Remote and controlled:
After all the fun, humour, sex and emotion of the Rodgers and Hart, Cole Porter and Duke Ellington songbooks I couldn't wait to hear this. I'm disappointed. I love Ella above all other performers, but in this set she seems very subdued and so little of her sense of fun or mischief is in evidence that I find it hard to believe that she enjoyed making these recordings. The heavy reverb with which her voice is recorded also increases the sense of remoteness. The reponsibility lies with Nelson Riddle who plays just about everything too darned slow! A song that epitomises this is "They Can't Take That Away From Me", which is a fun swing, romantic song that could have been written for Ella, but here performed at flat-lining pace in the search for a heart rending ballad perhaps? All you who love this album, please forgive me, but I'd love to know what you make of the other songbooks, do you find them wild and unrestrained? I nevertheless give it 3 stars, because some of the songs are really worth remembering and it is still Ella after all.

Bliss:
I'm going to make this short. If I was stranded on an island for the rest of my days and could only have one album to listen to,this would be it. This record will make you laugh and cry. It is sheer poetry and a testament to not only the greatness of Ella, but the wonderful genius of George Gershwin. Nelson Riddle's arrangements are perfect. Okay...that's it, now buy this record!

Where music becomes art:
I rarely write reviews of products (they speak for themselves) but after readings "Brian"'s review of this recording, I felt compelled. (Brian must be among the group of people who like to criticize just to make themselves feel better... they feel themselves authorities in some manner). Ella Fitzgerald singing the Gershwin Songbook has to be in the top two recorded piceces of popular music of all time ("Judy at Carnegie" is the only other contender for number one). There is no other artist who captures the essence of the Gershwins as Ella in this set. The orchestration is full and rich ,but does not distract from Ella's voice. The scores are kept authentic... Ella does not try to "sell" or "personalize" the songs like Sinatra did with Cole Porter's music. Yes, there are some Gershwin tunes here that the masses may not have heard, but that doesn't make them less valuable than the "Lady Be Good"'s and the "They Can't Take that Away from Me"'s. The art of music is in interpretation and Ella interprets Gershwin like no other. Where else have you heard Gershwin so completely and purely interpreted? I challenge anyone to find a similar recording, period. ***** is not high enough.

Where music becomes art:
I rarely write reviews of products (they speak for themselves) but after readings "Brian"'s review of this recording, I felt compelled. (Brian must be among the group of people who like to criticize just to make themselves feel better... they feel themselves authorities in some manner). Ella Fitzgerald singing the Gershwin Songbook has to be in the top two recorded piceces of popular music of all time ("Judy at Carnegie" is the only other contender for number one). There is no other artist who captures the essence of the Gershwins as Ella in this set. The orchestration is full and rich ,but does not distract from Ella's voice. The scores are kept authentic... Ella does not try to "sell" or "personalize" the songs like Sinatra did with Cole Porter's music. Yes, there are some Gershwin tunes here that the masses may not have heard, but that doesn't make them less valuable than the "Lady Be Good"'s and the "They Can't Take that Away from Me"'s. The art of music is in interpretation and Ella interprets Gershwin like no other. Where else have you heard Gershwin so completely and purely interpreted? I challenge anyone to find a similar recording, period. ***** is not high enough.

• Promenade (Walking The Dog)
• March Of The Swiss Soldiers
• Fidgety Feet
• Prelude I
• Prelude II
• Prelude III
• Sam And Delilah
• But Not For Me
• My One And Only
• Let's Call The Whole Thing Off
• Beginner's Luck, (I've Got)
• Oh, Lady, Be Good!
• Nice Work If You Can Get It
• Things Are Looking Up
• Just Another Rhumba
• How Long Has This Been Going On?
• 'S Wonderful
• Man I Love, The
• That Certain Feeling
• By Strauss
• Someone To Watch Over Me
• Real American Folk Song (Is A Rag), The
• Who Cares?
• Looking For A Boy
• They All Laughed
• My Cousin In Milwaukee
• Somebody From Somewhere
• Foggy Day, A
• Clap Yo' Hands
• For You, For Me, For Evermore
• Stiff Upper Lip
• Boy Wanted
• Strike Up The Band
• Soon
• I've Got A Crush On You
• Bidin' My Time
• Aren't You Kind Of Glad We Did?
• Of Thee I Sing
• "Half Of It Dearie Blues," The
• I Was Doing All Right
• He Loves And She Loves
• Love Is Sweeping The Country
• Treat Me Rough
• Love Is Here To Stay
• Slap That Bass
• Isn't It A Pity?
• Shall We Dance?
• Love Walked In
• You've Got What Gets Me
• They Can't Take That Away From Me
• Embraceable You
• I Can't Be Bothered Now
• Boy! What Love Has Done To Me!
• Fascinating Rhythm
• Funny Face
• Lorelei
• Oh, So Nice!
• Let's Kiss And Make Up
• I Got Rythym
• Somebody Loves Me
• Cheerful Little Earful
• But Not For Me
• Lorelei - (alternate take)
• Love Is Here To Stay - (alternate take)
• Oh, Lady, Be Good! - (alternate take)
• Oh, Lady, Be Good! - (alternate take)
• Oh, Lady, Be Good! - (alternate take)
• But Not For Me - (mono)
• Fascinating Rhythym - (mono)
• They All Laughed - (mono)
• Man I Love, The - (mono)
• Nice Work If You Can Get It -(mono)
• Clap Yo' Hands - (mono)
• Let's Call The Whole Thing Off - (mono)
• I Was Doing All Right - (mono)
• He Loves And She Loves - (mono)
• Beginner's Luck, (I've Got) - (mono)