Unlimited Streaming
Listen to this album in high quality now on our apps
Start my trial period and start listening to this albumEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
SubscribeEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
Digital Download
Purchase and download this album in a wide variety of formats depending on your needs.
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 /TiVo
You are currently listening to samples.
Listen to over 100 million songs with an unlimited streaming plan.
Listen to this playlist and more than 100 million songs with our unlimited streaming plans.
From kr124,99/month
Mike Hartry, Re-Mastering Engineer - Henry Mancini & His Orchestra And Chorus, Performer - Dennis Ferrante, Mixing Engineer - Joe Reisman, Producer - Henry Mancini, Composer - Henry Mancini, Lyricist - Plas Johnson, Saxophone - Jim Malloy, Engineer - Bill Lacey, Re-Mastering Engineer
Originally released 1964. All rights reserved by RCA Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Henry Mancini & His Orchestra And Chorus, Performer - Henry Mancini, Composer - Henry Mancini, Lyricist - Dick Pierce, Producer - Johnny Mercer, Composer - Johnny Mercer, Lyricist
Originally released 1961. All rights reserved by RCA Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Dick Peirce, Producer - Henry Mancini, Composer - Henry Mancini & His Orchestra, Performer
Originally released 1962. All rights reserved by RCA Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Mike Hartry, Re-Mastering Engineer - Joe Bogert, Engineer - Dennis Ferrante, Mixing Engineer - Joe Reisman, Producer - Henry Mancini, Composer - Henry Mancini & His Orchestra, Performer - Johnny Mercer, Composer - Bill Lacey, Re-Mastering Engineer
Originally Recorded 1965. All rights reserved by RCA Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Henry Mancini, Composer - Jay Livingston, Composer - Dick Bogert, Engineer - Ray Evans, Composer - Bill Lacey, Re-Mastering Engineer - Joe Reisman, Producer - Mike Hartry, Re-Mastering Engineer - Henry Mancini & His Orchestra, Performer - Dennis Ferrante, Mixing Engineer
Originally Recorded 1966. All rights reserved by RCA Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Mike Hartry, Re-Mastering Engineer - Dennis Ferrante, Mixing Engineer - Henry Mancini, Composer - Simon Rady, Producer - Henry Mancini & His Orchestra, Performer - Bill Lacey, Re-Mastering Engineer
Originally Recorded 1958. All rights reserved by RCA Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Henry Mancini & His Orchestra And Chorus, Performer - Henry Mancini, Composer - Johnny Mercer, Composer
Originally Recorded 1962. All rights reserved by BMG Music
Henry Mancini & His Orchestra And Chorus, Performer - Joe Reisman, Producer - Henry Mancini, Composer - Henry Mancini, Lyricist - Johnny Mercer, Lyricist - Johnny Mercer, Composer
Originally Recorded 1963. All rights reserved by BMG Music
Henry Mancini & His Orchestra And Chorus, Performer - Henry Mancini, Composer - Ralph Grierson, Organ - Ralph Grierson, Piano
(P) 1977 RCA Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Joe Reisman, Producer - Henry Mancini, Composer - Henry Mancini, Lyricist - Henry Mancini & His Orchestra, Performer - Johnny Mercer, Composer - Johnny Mercer, Lyricist - Julie Andrews, Vocal
Originally released 1970. All rights reserved by RCA Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Mike Hartry, Re-Mastering Engineer - Henry Mancini & His Orchestra And Chorus, Performer - Dennis Ferrante, Mixing Engineer - Joe Reisman, Producer - Henry Mancini, Composer - Henry Mancini, Lyricist - Leslie Bricusse, Composer - Leslie Bricusse, Lyricist - Dick Bogert, Engineer - Bill Lacey, Re-Mastering Engineer
Originally Recorded 1967. All rights reserved by RCA Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Joe Reisman, Producer - Henry Mancini, Composer - Henry Mancini, Arranger - Henry Mancini & His Orchestra, Performer
Originally recorded 1968. All rights reserved by RCA Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Jay Livingston, Composer - Jay Livingston, Lyricist - Joe Reisman, Producer - Henry Mancini, Composer - Henry Mancini, Lyricist - Evans, Lyricist - Evans, Composer - Henry Mancini & His Orchestra, Performer
Originally Recorded 1964. All rights reserved by BMG Music
Dick Peirce, Producer - Henry Mancini, Composer - Henry Mancini, Lyricist - Henry Mancini & His Orchestra, Performer
Originally released 1960. All rights reserved by RCA Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Joe Reisman, Producer - Henry Mancini, Composer - Henry Mancini, Lyricist - Henry Mancini & His Orchestra, Performer
Originally Recorded 1971. All rights reserved by RCA Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Joe Reisman, Producer - Henry Mancini, Composer - Henry Mancini, Lyricist - Henry Mancini & His Orchestra, Performer - Johnny Mercer, Composer - Johnny Mercer, Lyricist - Julie Andrews, Performer
Originally released 1970. All rights reserved by RCA Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Joe Reisman, Producer - Henry Mancini, Composer - Henry Mancini, Conductor - Henry Mancini & His Orchestra, Performer
Originally released 1965. All rights reserved by RCA Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Henry Mancini, Composer - Henry Mancini, Conductor - Simon Rady, Producer - Henry Mancini & His Orchestra, Performer
Originally released 1959. All rights reserved by RCA Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Meglio Stasera, Vocal - Joe Reisman, Producer - Henry Mancini, Composer - Henry Mancini, Lyricist - Henry Mancini & His Orchestra, Performer - Johnny Mercer, Composer - Johnny Mercer, Lyricist - Francesco Migliacci, Composer - Francesco Migliacci, Lyricist
Originally released 1964. All rights reserved by RCA Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Mike Hartry, Re-Mastering Engineer - Henry Mancini & His Orchestra And Chorus, Performer - Dennis Ferrante, Mixing Engineer - Joe Reisman, Producer - Henry Mancini, Composer - Henry Mancini, Lyricist - Black, Composer - Black, Lyricist - Dick Bogert, Engineer - Bill Lacey, Re-Mastering Engineer
Originally Recorded 1968. All rights reserved by BMG Music
Henry Mancini, Composer - Henry Mancini & His Orchestra, Performer - Dick Pierce, Producer
Originally released 1960. All rights reserved by RCA Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Joe Reisman, Producer - Henry Mancini, Composer - Henry Mancini & His Orchestra, Performer
(P) 1976 RCA Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Mike Hartry, Re-Mastering Engineer - Henry Mancini & His Orchestra And Chorus, Performer - Dennis Ferrante, Mixing Engineer - Joe Reisman, Producer - Mickey Crofford, Engineer - Bill Lacey, Re-Mastering Engineer - Nino Rota, Composer - Nino Rota, Lyricist
Originally Recorded 1968. All rights reserved by RCA Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Album review
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 /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 23 track(s)
- Total length: 01:00:15
- Main artists: Henry Mancini
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: RCA - BMG Heritage
- Genre: Soundtracks Film Soundtracks
This compilation (P) 2004 BMG Music
Improve album information
Why buy on Qobuz...
-
Stream or download your music
Buy an album or an individual track. Or listen to our entire catalogue with our high-quality unlimited streaming subscriptions.
-
Zero DRM
The downloaded files belong to you, without any usage limit. You can download them as many times as you like.
-
Choose the format best suited for you
Download your purchases in a wide variety of formats (FLAC, ALAC, WAV, AIFF...) depending on your needs.
-
Listen to your purchases on our apps
Download the Qobuz apps for smartphones, tablets and computers, and listen to your purchases wherever you go.