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.
Laura
Mantovani Lyrics
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Of something that never happened, yet you recall it well
You know the feeling of recognizing someone
That you've never met as far as you could tell, well
Laura is the face in the misty light
Footsteps that you hear down the hall
The laugh that floats on a summer night
And you see Laura on the train that is passing through
Those eyes, how familiar they seem
She gave your very first kiss to you
That was Laura but she's only a dream
In Mantovani's song "Laura," the lyrics describe the feeling of something half remembered or never forgotten. The song captures a sense of nostalgia and a longing for a past that may only exist in one's own memory. The opening lines describe this feeling accurately, "you know the feeling of something half remembered, of something that never happened, yet you recall it well." The lyrics continue to paint images of a mysterious woman, Laura, who appears out of the misty light and the laugh that you hear on a summer night that you can never seem to recall. The song describes a woman who is both familiar and unknown, as if she exists only in a dreamlike state. The last lines of the song state, "That was Laura but she's only a dream," once again reinforcing the idea that Laura may exist only in the dreamer's mind.
The lyrics of "Laura" have been interpreted in many ways, including a possible meaning that the woman in the song represents the idea of unattainable love or the desire for a past that has passed. Another interpretation suggests that Laura may represent an idealized version of a significant other, one who may not exist in reality, or that the song represents a person's inability to let go of the past. Regardless of interpretation, the song's melancholic tone and haunting beauty continue to captivate listeners to this day.
Line by Line Meaning
You know the feeling of something half remembered
The experience of a memory that is only partially clear and somewhat hazy.
Of something that never happened, yet you recall it well
Remembering a situation or event that did not occur, but the recollection is vivid and realistic.
You know the feeling of recognizing someone
The sensation of being familiar with a person based on their appearance or some other quality.
That you've never met as far as you could tell, well
Despite being certain that you have not met the person, they still seem familiar in some way.
Laura is the face in the misty light
Laura represents an elusive, ephemeral image that is only visible in blurry or low contrast lighting.
Footsteps that you hear down the hall
The sound of footsteps that you perceive coming from a nearby hallway or corridor.
The laugh that floats on a summer night
Hearing the sound of a distant laugh that drifts on the breeze on a warm summer evening.
That you can never quite recall
Although the sound or image is familiar, you cannot directly recall its source or origin.
And you see Laura on the train that is passing through
An imaginary encounter with Laura during a passing train ride.
Those eyes, how familiar they seem
The eyes of Laura are recognizable and familiar, despite being imaginary.
She gave your very first kiss to you
Laura represents the idea of a mystical, almost divine being that is responsible for one's early romantic experiences.
That was Laura but she's only a dream
The entire concept of Laura is merely a figment of the imagination, an idealized entity that exists only in memory and fantasy.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: David Raksin
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind