Kostelanetz was known for arranging and recording light classical music pieces for mass audiences, as well as orchestral versions of songs and Broadway show tunes. He made numerous recordings over the course of his career, which had sales of over 50 million and became staples of Beautiful Music radio stations.[citation needed] For many years, Kostelanetz also conducted the New York Philharmonic in pops concerts and recordings, in which they were billed as "Andre Kostelanetz and His Orchestra".
Kostelanetz is best known to modern audiences for a series of easy listening instrumental albums on Columbia Records from the 1940s until 1980. Kostelanetz actually started making this music before there was a genre called "easy listening", and he continued until after some of his contemporaries, including Mantovani, had stopped recording.
Toward the end of his recording career, his name was more of a brand than a true representation of who actually made the music, because nearly all of his output in the 1970s was arranged by others.[citation needed] Some of the arrangers credited on 1970s Kostelanetz albums include Teo Macero, Torrie Zito, Hank Levy, Luther Henderson, Jack Cortner, Eddie Sauter, Claus Ogerman, Jack Pleis, Tommy Newsom, Harold Wheeler, Bobby Scott, Homer Dennison, James Tyler, Jr., Byron Olson, Dale Oehler, Ben Lanzarone, LaMont Johnson, Wade Marcus, Patrick Williams, Sammy Nestico, Warren Vincent, Dick Hyman, Jorge Calandrelli, James J. Wisner, Al Capps and Don Sebesky.
Kostelanetz's last concert was "A Night in Old Vienna" concert with the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra in the War Memorial Opera House on December 31, 1979.
Begin The Beguine
Andre Kostelanetz Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It brings back the sound of music so tender
It brings back a night of tropical splendor
It brings back a memory ever green
I'm with you once more under the stars
And down by the shore an orchestra's playing
And even the palms seem to be swaying
To live it again is past all endeavor
Except when that tune clutches my heart
And there we are, swearing to love forever
And promising never, never to part
What moments divine, what rapture serene
Till clouds came along to disperse the joys we had tasted
And now when I hear people curse the chance that was wasted
I know but too well what they mean
So don't let them begin the beguine
Let the love that was once a fire remain an ember
Let it sleep like the dead desire I only remember
When they begin the beguine
Oh yes, let them begin the beguine, please make them play
Till the stars that were there before return above you
Till you whisper to me once more, "Darling, I love you"
Then we suddenly know what heaven we're in
When they begin the, begin the, begin the beguine
When they begin the, begin the, begin the beguine
When they begin the beguine
The song "Begin The Beguine" is a nostalgic journey back to a blissful past. The lyrics convey the feeling of being transported back in time to a tropical paradise, reunited with a loved one under the stars. The sound of the beguine, a Cuban dance rhythm, sparks a flood of memories of a once unbreakable love that has been diluted by fate. The song speaks of the joy and passion of that love, the heartbreak of its loss, and the yearning for it to be rekindled.
The first stanza sets the scene by describing the power of the beguine to evoke memories. The singer reminisces about a night of tropical splendor and a sound of music so tender. The singer then transports us back to a moment they shared with a loved one under the stars, listening to an orchestra playing near the shore. The second stanza narrates the devastation that came with the dissolution of that love, and the thought of what could have been - a moment of pure joy, love and promise.
The singer concludes with a final plea to let the beguine play, to relive that lost love once more. The nostalgia in "Begin The Beguine" creates a timeless feeling that many listeners can relate to, making it a timeless classic.
Line by Line Meaning
When they begin the beguine
The start of the beguine music brings back some beautiful memories.
It brings back the sound of music so tender
The music is so heartwarming and sweet to hear.
It brings back a night of tropical splendor
It recalls the beautiful night spent in a tropical paradise.
It brings back a memory ever green
This music revives the evergreen and unforgettable memories that were once cherished.
I'm with you once more under the stars
It feels like I'm with you again under the starry sky.
And down by the shore an orchestra's playing
An orchestra is playing nearby, and its music is reaching to us.
And even the palms seem to be swaying
The rhythm of the music is reflecting through the swaying of the palms.
To live it again is past all endeavor
It's impossible to relive this moment.
Except when that tune clutches my heart
However, when I hear this tune, it feels like my heart is getting captured by it.
And there we are, swearing to love forever
And at that moment, it feels like we're together, promising to love each other forever.
And promising never, never to part
Making a vow to never leave each other’s side.
What moments divine, what rapture serene
The moment is pure and divine, which feels delightful.
Till clouds came along to disperse the joys we had tasted
However, the happiness we had felt was shattered later by time.
And now when I hear people curse the chance that was wasted
I can understand the sorrow when people deny missing the opportunity once given.
I know too well what they mean
I can feel their pain because I've also felt the same.
So don't let them begin the beguine
As this music brings back past memories, one may avoid listening to it.
Let the love that was once a fire remain an ember
The love, which was once passionate, should remain as a small glow.
Let it sleep like the dead desire I only remember
It should resemble a cherished memory that we barely remember.
Oh yes, let them begin the beguine, please make them play
However, sometimes we want to relive those moments and hear the music again.
Till the stars that were there before return above you
The sky that was once filled with stars should also remind us of our past moments.
Till you whisper to me once more, "Darling, I love you"
And at that moment, hearing those lovely words once again feels like heaven.
Then we suddenly know what heaven we're in
Those moments would feel so magical that we'll realize that we are in heaven.
When they begin the, begin the, begin the beguine
When the beguine music begins, it'd take us on a magical journey, taking us down to memory lane.
When they begin the beguine
Listening to the beguine music brings back cherished memories.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Cole Porter
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Francisco José Araújo Costa
on Solitude
André Kostelanetz e sua música é uma raridade inesquecível no universo da música.