Broadway - The American Musical (PBS Series)

Comment: Here are the tracks that are only availalbe on the single disc sampler version of this set The Best of Broadway - The American Musical (PBS Series)

5 Oklahoma from Oklahoma
8 America from West Side Story
13 Cabaret from Cabaret

Of course this five disc version has many many more tracks than the sampler but the above three are only on the sampler.
Great set though!

Comment: BROADWAY-THE AMERICAN MUSICAL was originally, I believe, a PBS Documentary that can now be purchased on DVD. I haven't seen any of the PBS Show. However, I am a huge fan of Broadway shows and music. I am a firm believer that the best music of America can be sewn across the tapestry of Broadway: here we have Sondheim and Streisand, Armstrong and Astaire, Merman and Martin, Berlin and Buckley. Listen to this music and you'll hear the music of America itself.

Okay, enough of my philosophical observations on Broadway. I already know that you love Broadway music. If you don't, you would have stopped reading before the end of the first paragraph. The question you want answered is this: I want a set of great Broadway music that I'll love; some that I know, some that I don't. Is this the set that I should buy?

The answer is: yes.

This set is brilliant, and well-worth the money you'll spend for it. That amount of money is quite a bit. However, with five CDs, 109 songs, and a twenty-something page booklet that is interesting and well-written, you will feel very satisfied with your purchase.

Quick, now, look back to the first paragraph and reread the names listed there. All of those were taken straight from this CD collection, and there are lots more besides those. I still haven't gotten to Jolson, Rivera, Andrews, Orbach, Grey, Lansbury, Mostel, or Channing (plus more). Initially, with this set, you will be overwhelmed with all of the great names and great music. It helps if you listen to it in order (Disc One before Disc 3, etc.), since all of the songs (excluding the first, GIVE MY REGARDS TO BROADWAY, which opens every Broadway set) are in chronological order. Listen to a song, and then read the annotation in the book. It will help you comprehend why this song, and the musical it belongs to, are important in Broadway history.

Or, you could just listen for enjoyment.

There are tons of beautiful songs here that I will cherish for the rest of my life: "Memory" from Cats, "Hello, Dolly!" from, well, Hello Dolly, "Open a New Window" from Mame, "Try to Remember" from The Fantasticks. Believe it or not, I had never heard any of these songs in their entirety before I purchased this set. Just think of what I was missing!

Of course, there are some slight disputable errors. There is nothing here from RAGTIME or ASPECTS OF LOVE. And, a couple of songs are sort of unnessecary (I could have done without "I Enjoy Being a Girl" from FLOWER DRUM SONG, 1958.) However, there are many gems I would have overlooked if I had purchased a less comprehensive set: songs like "Luck Be a Lady" from GUYS AND DOLLS or "The Party's Over" from BELLS ARE RINGING.

Overall, this is the set to have. It is a bit pricy, but the money is well worth the many hours of memories and pure enjoyment. Appreciate the magic of Broadway!

Comment: The first three discs were only OK. I had forgotten how much better the later Broadway musical recordings were. The last two discs were very good, maybe because I could relate better to the shows or perhaps the productions were better.

Comment: Packs into 5 CD's a sampling of Broadway tunes from the 20's thru (almost) today, mostly from original cast recordings. Includes not just well-known hits, but also some lesser-known gems. Sound quality is first rate, booklet is informative too. Have given this as a gift to several friends with rave reviews.

Comment: This is THE definitive collection of Broadway hits. I have other collections, and none of them measure up. A great deal of care was obviously taken in compiling and presenting this box set. It covers a lot of ground, starting with some long-forgotten but still very enjoyable hits from the days of yore, and finishing with present-day favorites. To the best of my knowledge, the recordings are by those who made them famous. You won't be disappointed.