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.
Deep Purple
Mantovani Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Wo-o-oo-wo-wo,
Wo-o-oo-wo-wo,
Wo-o-oo-wo-wo
When the deep purple falls
Over sleepy garden walls
And the stars begin to twinkle in the night
In the mist of a memory
Breathing my name with a sigh
In the still of the night
Once again I hold you tight
Tho' you're gone your love lives on when light beams
And as long as my heart will beat
Sweet lover, we'll always meet
Here in my deep purple dreams
When the deep purple falls
Over sleepy garden walls
And the stars begin to twinkle
In the night
In the mist of a memory
You wander all back to me
Breathing my name with a sigh
In the still of the night
Once again I hold you tight
Tho' you're gone your love lives on when moonlight beams
And as long as my heart will beat
Sweet lover, we'll always meet
Here in my deep purple dreams
And as long as my heart will beat
Sweet lover, we'll always meet
Here in my deep purple dreams
Wo-o-oo-wo-wo,
Wo-o-oo-wo-wo,
Wo-o-oo-wo-wo
The lyrics of Mantovani's song Deep Purple express the longing for a former lover who is still present in the dreams and memories of the singer. The use of the color deep purple as a metaphor for melancholy and nostalgia sets a quiet, introspective mood that is enhanced by the gentle, soothing melody. The opening lines evoke a peaceful, idyllic image of a garden and the night sky, where the stars offer a glimmer of hope in the darkness.
The stanza that follows talks directly to the lost lover, as the singer remembers how they used to breathe each other's name with a sigh. The feeling of wistful sadness is intensified by the repetition of the phrase "in the mist of a memory" and the use of the present tense, as if the love was still ongoing. In the second part of the song, the singer holds the lover tightly in a dream that comes back when the moonlight beams. The refrain stresses the permanency and intensity of the feelings, promising that they will always meet in the deep purple dreams, even though they cannot be together in real life.
Overall, Mantovani's Deep Purple is a sentimental ballad that captures the essence of unrequited love and the enduring power of longing. The verses are simple but effective, using vivid imagery and repetition to convey the yearning for a lost connection. The vocals and instrumental arrangements highlight the emotional core of the song and create a dreamy, ethereal atmosphere.
Line by Line Meaning
When the deep purple falls
When the darkness of the night covers everything around
Over sleepy garden walls
Across the walls of gardens where everything is calm and quiet
And the stars begin to twinkle in the night
And the stars in the sky begin to shine and gleam
In the mist of a memory
In the haze of a memory
You wander all back to me
You return to my thoughts and my memories
Breathing my name with a sigh
Whispering my name in a sigh
In the still of the night
When everything is still and quiet in the night
Once again I hold you tight
Once again, I embrace you tightly
Tho' you're gone your love lives on when light beams
Although you're gone, your love still lives on when light shines through
And as long as my heart will beat
And as long as my heart still beats
Sweet lover, we'll always meet
Beloved, we will always meet
Here in my deep purple dreams
Here in my dreams, where everything is dipped in a deep purple hue
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Peter De Rose, Mitchell Parish
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Manny Enviado
When the deep purple falls
Over sleepy garden walls
And the stars begin to twinkle in the night
In the mist of a memory
You wander all back to me
Breathing my name with a sigh
In the still of the night
Once again I hold you tight
Tho' you're gone your love lives on when light beams
And as long as my heart will beat
Sweet lover, we'll always meet
Here in my deep purple dreams
When the deep purple falls
Over sleepy garden walls
And the stars begin to twinkle
In the night
In the mist of a memory
You wander all back to me
Breathing my name with a sigh
In the still of the night
Once again I hold you tight
Tho' you're gone your love lives on when moonlight beams
And as long as my heart will beat
Sweet lover, we'll always meet
Here in my deep purple dreams
And as long as my heart will beat
Sweet lover, we'll always meet
Here in my deep purple dreams
phoenixxryzin
Thank you Manny. I have loved this song and the lyrics for many many years, from the 1940s when my mother played this piece on the piano for our family, and we gathered around to sing the lyrics. To feel and enjoy the full beauty and rapture of the music, one must know these lyrics that accompany it...
."...When the deep purple falls Over sleepy garden walls...".
To me, the lyrics are as beautiful as the music. Musical poetry.
So I do thank you for giving the lyrics for this composition, for enhancing the pleasure of those who come to this page to see and hear this wonderful old classic. Ken (Phoenixxryzin)
Ron Abizness
Oh the serenity...