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.
Lover Come Back to Me
Mantovani Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I let you
We broke the ties that bind
I wanted to forget you
And leave the past behind
Still, the magic of the night I met you
Seems to stay forever in my mind
And high above
The moon was new
And so was love
This eager heart of mine was singing
Lover where can you be
You came at last
Love had its day
That day is past
You've gone away
This aching heart of mine is singing
Lover come back to me
When I remember every little thing
You used to do
I'm so lonely
Every road I walk along
I walk along with you
No wonder I am lonely
The sky is blue
The night is cold
The moon is new
But love is old
And while I'm waiting here
This heart of mine is singing
Lover come back to me
When I remember every little thing
You used to do
I grow lonely
Every road I walk along
I walk along with you
No wonder I am lonely
The sky is blue
The night is cold
The moon is new
But love is old
And while I'm waiting here
This heart of mine is singing
Lover come back to me
The lyrics of Mantovani's song "Lover Come Back to Me" speak of lost love and the yearning to have that love returned. The singer describes how they once loved someone deeply but let them go, thinking they could forget and move on. However, the memory of that person and the night they first met has stayed with them. The singer even recalls the specifics of that magical night - the blue sky, the new moon, and the excitement in their heart.
But now, that love is gone and the singer is left feeling incredibly lonely. They walk every road with the memory of their lost love and cannot help but long for their return. Despite the cold and the passing of time, this heart still sings for the lover to come back. The repetition of the phrase "Lover come back to me" echoes the singer's desperation and the depth of their emotions.
Overall, the lyrics of "Lover Come Back to Me" convey the universal feelings of heartbreak, loss, and the yearning for a love that has passed. Mantovani's arrangement of the song, with its sweeping strings and romantic melody, further enhances the emotional impact of the lyrics.
Line by Line Meaning
You went away
You chose to leave me
I let you
I didn't stop you, even though it hurt
We broke the ties that bind
Our relationship was severed
I wanted to forget you
I thought it was for the best to erase you from my mind
And leave the past behind
To move on from what we had
Still, the magic of the night I met you
The nostalgia of the night we fell in love
Seems to stay forever in my mind
It's a memory that won't fade away
The sky was blue
The day was bright and beautiful
And high above
The sky was expansive and vast
The moon was new
A new beginning was on the horizon
And so was love
We were just starting our romantic journey
This eager heart of mine was singing
I was filled with joy and excitement for the future
Lover where can you be
I longed for my significant other to join me
You came at last
You finally arrived
Love had its day
Our love had a chance to flourish
That day is past
But that moment has since passed
You've gone away
You left me once again
This aching heart of mine is singing
I am in pain and missing you
Lover come back to me
Please return to me, my love
When I remember every little thing
I recall everything we shared together
You used to do
All the things that made me love you
I'm so lonely
I feel isolated and sad
Every road I walk along
Every path I take in life
I walk along with you
I carry the memories of you with me
No wonder I am lonely
It's no surprise that I feel this way
The sky is blue
The world is still beautiful
The night is cold
But the loneliness still persists
The moon is new
A fresh start is possible
But love is old
Our love has been around for a while
And while I'm waiting here
I'm patiently holding on
This heart of mine is singing
My heart is calling out to you
Lover come back to me
Please come back to me, my love
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: OSCAR HAMMERSTEIN, II, OSCAR II HAMMERSTEIN, SIGMUND ROMBERG
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Richard Mott
This album played in my parent home all the time when I was growing up in 1954. Brings back many memories. Wish I could find it on CD.
http://www.discogs.com/Mantovani-And-His-Orchestra-The-Music-Of-Romberg/release/1837847
Shirley Reis
lindooooo
65Seasons
I currently have a little more than 200 of Mantovani music in my library. Do drop by sometimes as I post them (if allowed by copyright owners).
Cheddar
Thank you very much! That is a nice camera by the looks of what I can find on it. I will do some research on those editing programs and see which ones I can afford, too ... LOL! Much appreciated! God Bless!
Cheddar
Good lighting, nice song. If you don't mind me asking, what camera and software are you using?
shengu12 O
洋楽を聞くきっかけになった曲だ
65Seasons
I used Sony HDR-CX700V video camera. I interchangeably use several video editing programs: Avid Studio, Power Director 10, Video Wave, or Vegas Platinum-10. On this video, I used CyberLink Power Director-10.