Midnight, Moonlight & Magic: The Very Best of Henry Mancini

by Henry Mancini

Overview

Henry Mancini ranks right up at the top of a list of composers who wrote for movies and TV. He crafted memorable melodies and framed them with witty and inventive arrangements that in most cases still sound fresh today. Midnight, Moonlight & Magic: The Very Best of Henry Mancini is a 23-song look at the master's work in films and on TV. It spans the years 1958 and 1972 and includes his most popular themes such as the sassy "Pink Panther Theme," the rocking "Peter Gunn," the sweet "Moon River," and the swinging "Baby Elephant Walk." The compilers also found room for some lesser known but still worthy material like the wonderfully bluesy and dreamy "Dreamsville," the rollicking "Pie-in-the-Face Polka" from The Great Race, "Frish Frosh" from High Time, and 1972's "Mystery Movie Theme." Throughout Mancini deftly balances his romantic streak with an ear for the unusual that kept even his sappiest tunes from being too smooth. For example the frenzied piano line on the otherwise treacly "The Sweetheart Tree," the inventive way he combines instruments in "The Inspector Clouseau Theme," or the spooky keyboard sounds on "Theme From 'Cade's County'" are the touches of an inspired craftsman. Other times the melody is just so strong, like on the deathless "Charade," that it doesn't matter how many smooth vocals and swooning strings get piled on top. It still escapes being corny. The collection is very strong, one of the best single-disc Mancini compilations on the market. The only thing holding it back, and giving lie to the title's claim to be the "very best" of his work, is the omission of anything from perhaps his finest soundtrack, 1962's Experiment in Terror. The theme song at least should have been here. Apart from that flaw, this is an entertaining disc that shows just how wonderful Mancini's film compositions truly are. ~ Tim Sendra

Product Details

Release Date:	03/23/2004
Label:	Bmg Heritage / Rca/Bmg Heritage
UPC:	0828765922623

Tracks

1. Pink Panther Theme
2. Moon River
3. Baby Elephant Walk
4. The Sweetheart Tree
5. In the Arms of Love
6. Peter Gunn
7. Days of Wine and Roses
8. Charade
9. The Inspector Clouseau Theme
10. Darling Lili
11. Two for the Road
12. Candlelight on Crystal
13. Dear Heart
14. Mr. Lucky
15. Theme from "Cade's County"
16. Whistling Away the Dark
17. Pie-In-The-Face Polka
18. Dreamsville
19. It Had Better Be Tonight
20. Nothing to Lose
21. Frish Frosh
22. Mystery Movie Theme
23. Love Theme from "Romeo and Juliet"

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Henry Mancini   Primary Artist,Conductor
Henry Mancini & His Orchestra   Primary Artist
Jimmy Rowles   Piano
Plas Johnson   Saxophone
Graham Young   Trumpet
Buddy Cole   Organ
Clare Fischer   Organ
Julie Andrews   Vocals
Ralph Grierson   Organ,Tack Piano
John Williams & the Tick Tocks   Piano
Jerry Williams   Vibraphone

Technical Credits

Jay Livingston   Composer
Erwin Gorostiza   Art Direction
Simon Rady   Producer
Steve Sholes   Producer
Francesco Migliacci   Composer
Joe Reisman   Producer
Donald Black   Composer
Darcy Proper   Mastering,Compilation Producer
Didier C. Deutsch   Liner Notes,Compilation Producer
Johnny Mercer   Composer
Leslie Bricusse   Composer
Dick Peirce   Producer
Ray Evans   Composer
Nino Rota   Composer
Henry Mancini   Composer
Frank Gargiulo   Design