He was also musical director for a large number of musicals and other plays, including ones by Noel Coward. After the war, he concentrated on recording, and eventually gave up live performance altogether. He worked with arranger and composer Ronnie Binge, who developed the "cascading strings" sound (also known as the "Mantovani sound").[citation needed] His records were regulars in stores selling hi-fi stereo equipment, as they were produced and arranged for stereo reproduction. In 1952 Binge ceased to arrange for Mantovani, but his distinctive sound remained.
He recorded for Decca until the mid-1950s, and then London Records. He recorded over 50 albums on that label, many of which were top-40 hits. These included Song from Moulin Rouge and Cara Mia, which reached No. 1 in Britain in 1953 and 1954, respectively. The latter was also Mantovani's first U.S. Top Ten hit.
In the United States, between 1955 and 1972, he released over 40 albums with 27 reaching the Top 40 and 11 the Top Ten. His biggest success was with the album Film Encores, which made it to No. 1 in 1957. Similarly, Mantovani Plays Music From 'Exodus' and Other Great Themes made it to No. 2 in 1961 and sold over one million albums.
In 1959, Mantovani starred in his own syndicated television series, Mantovani, which was produced in England and which aired in the United States. 39 episodes were filmed.[1]
Mantovani made his last recordings in 1975.[citation needed]
[edit] Music style and influences
The cascading strings technique developed by Binge became Mantovani's hallmark in such hits arranged by Binge as "Charmaine". Binge developed this technique to replicate the echo experienced in venues such as cathedrals by arrangement alone, in an echo-free surrounding.
Author Joseph Lanza describes Mantovani's string arrangements as the most "rich and mellifluous" of the emerging light music style during the early 1950s. He stated that Mantovani was a leader in the use of new studio technologies to "create sound tapestries with innumerable strings", and that "the sustained hum of Mantovani's reverberated violins produced a sonic vaporizer foreshadowing the synthesizer harmonics of space music."[2]
In 1958 Mantovani and his family bought a holiday home in Bournemouth in Durley Chine Road, then in 1961 acquired a new property in Burton Road (now part of Poole). He moved, finally, to a new home in Martello Road in Poole.
Since his death at a care home in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, in 1980, his music has enjoyed a minor revival,[citation needed] with much of his catalogue reappearing on CD and an orchestra bearing his name performing concert tours. The saleability of the Mantovani name is underscored by new recordings being made as the Mantovani Orchestra. Unfortunately[neutrality is disputed], a large number of CDs are also available of unauthorized recordings, billed as Mantovani or Mantovani Orchestra.[citation needed] There have also been CDs released under the Mantovani name of recordings made by others while Mantovani was still alive.[citation needed] Thus, consumers of this music are advised to familiarize themselves with the conductor's discography. Material with the London Records logo on it is apt to be genuine Mantovani, while other recordings are less likely to be actual Mantovani recordings.[citation needed]
The continued popularity of Mantovani's music is evident by the number of original albums which are being released, on labels such as Dutton-Vocalion, and by the many compilations available throughout the world. In 2008, as a result of successful, ongoing CD sales, amongst other contributing factors, the Mantovani Orchestra (performing from the original scores) was recreated for a tremendously successful historical tribute concert, sponsored by Bentley Motors, held at the Lighthouse, in Poole, England, on 27 January, conducted by Sam Newgarth, MBE. Much critical acclaim has led to the planning of a second concert, to take place in January 2009, at the same venue. There are four Mantovani websites in honour of the maestro, a written biography by Colin MacKenzie entitled Mantovani - A Lifetime In Music (ISBN 1-905226-19-5). For further information, please visit http://www.hallowquest.com/mantiindex.htm; http://members3.jcom.home.ne.jp/torumonty; http://www.lighthousepoole.co.uk (re. ticket sales for 31 January 2009). A ten CD set 'The Wonderful World of Mantovani' was released in November 2008 in Japan (a link to the website in Japan may be found by visiting www.hallowquest.com/mantiindex.htm), featuring many rare tracks which have never been released on CD before, in a superbly remastered format, and, following the success of the Mantovani Orchestra's 2008 concert, 'More MANTOVANI Magic' took place at Lighthouse in Poole, England, on 31 January 2009, again conducted by maestro Sam Newgarth MBE. The concert was sponsored by Poole Audi, and also with the generous support of Richard Cox.
Besame mucho
Mantovani Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Como si fuera esta noche la última vez,
Besame, besame mucho,
Que tengo miedo a perderte, perderte despues
Quiero sentirte muy cerca mirarme en tus ojos verte junto a mí
Piensa que tal vez mañana yo ya estare lejos, muy lejos de ti
Quiero...
Besame...
Kiss me, kiss me a lot,
As if tonight were the last time
Kiss me, kiss me a lot,
For I'm scared to lose you, to lose you afterwards
I want to feel you very close, see myself in your eyes, see you near me
Think that maybe tomorrow I'll already be far, very far away from you
The song Besame Mucho by Mantovani revolves around the fear of losing someone close to you. The lyrics are passionate and desperate with the singer urging his lover to kiss him as though it might be the last time. He is scared to lose her and wants to hold onto her as much as possible. The line 'For I'm scared to lose you, to lose you afterwards' is particularly poignant, as it conveys how much he values her presence in his life.
The singer also wants to enjoy the moment, as he realizes that tomorrow he might have to leave and be far away from her. The lyrics suggest that he wants to make the best of the time they have together, to savor every kiss and every touch. The line 'As if tonight were the last time' is a powerful one, as it emphasizes the importance of cherishing the present, as it might be all we have.
Overall, Besame Mucho is a love song that conveys a sense of urgency and passion. The lyrics capture the fear and desperation that accompany the thought of losing someone we love. At the same time, the song is a celebration of the present moment, with the singer urging his lover to make the most of their time together.
Line by Line Meaning
Besame, besame mucho,
Kiss me, kiss me a lot,
Como si fuera esta noche la última vez,
As if tonight were the last time
Besame, besame mucho,
Kiss me, kiss me a lot,
Que tengo miedo a perderte, perderte despues
For I'm scared to lose you, to lose you afterwards
Quiero sentirte muy cerca mirarme en tus ojos verte junto a mí
I want to feel you very close, see myself in your eyes, see you near me
Piensa que tal vez mañana yo ya estare lejos, muy lejos de ti
Think that maybe tomorrow I'll already be far, very far away from you
Besame...
Kiss me...
Quiero...
I want...
Besame...
Kiss me...
Writer(s): CONSUELO VELASQUEZ, SUNNY SKYLAR
Contributed by Alexandra K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@Machriska64
Por siempre en el recuerdo musica que perdura en nuestro corazon a traves del tiempo!!!!
@psicologasimonetti
Adoro ❤
@walterjohnson2910
@ This is good Music, love it.
@bpage4132
This is my all-time favourite piece and a good performance from Mantovani and his Orchestra, and originally released as an EP from 1955 called Mantovani Plays Tangos on Side 2 Track 2.
@AliIsmaeltyphoon
I feel like gliding on my magic carpet in the night sky !
@saygunsoylu7466
Hüssam Şevki sağ ol!
@nasse8126
Kaunista musiikkia.
@maricarmenzerega8851
excelente!!!!
@fuadridha6088
It's a voyage among the planets.
By sound of past, present, and future.
@cannonballblues
Thank you.......reminds me of my favorite easy-orchestra OK-Dreamband. CD "Clarinet-Dreams" is available for download (amazon, iTunes).