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.
My Foolish Heart
Mantovani Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Beware my foolish heart
How white the ever constant moon
Take care my foolish heart
There's a line between love and fascination
That's hard to see, how many names such as this
For they both have the very same sensation
Her lips are much too close to mine
Beware my foolish heart
But should our eager lips combine
Then let the fire start
For this time it isn't fascination
Or a dream that will fade and fall apart
It's love, this time it's love
My foolish heart
The first two lines of this song, “The night is like a lovely tune, Beware my foolish heart,” feature the use of metaphor to represent the dangerous undertones that come with falling in love. The singer of the song is cautioning their heart against the allure of the supposedly beautiful night, because it can cause them to be foolish by falling in love too quickly. The warning is symbolic of the way love can blind people and lead them to make impulsive and usually regrettable decisions.
The next verse of the song, “There’s a line between love and fascination, That’s hard to see, how many names such as this, For they both have the very same sensation, When you’re locked in the magic of a kiss” suggests that the singer is aware of the difficulty in distinguishing between love and fascination or infatuation. It’s something that is often blurred, and the singer is warning against this. He is keenly aware of the euphoria that comes with being passionately in love, and is sympathetic towards it yet also cautious. He suggests that the intensity of a kiss can mimic the same sensation, which can lead to the feeling of being in love without actually being in a true loving relationship.
Overall, the song is a beautifully written cautionary tale about the dangers of falling in love too quickly and, the lyrics are a powerful reminder that love can be confusing and overstimulating. The singer seems to be warning themselves and others, offering his own experiences and wisdom to inspire the caution he believes is necessary when exploring matters of the heart.
Line by Line Meaning
The night is like a lovely tune
The beauty of the night is like a perfect melody.
Beware my foolish heart
Be cautious, don't let your heart be deceived by emotions.
How white the ever constant moon
The moon is constant, illuminating the darkness with its white light.
Take care my foolish heart
Be careful, don't let the heart get lost in the darkness of the night.
There's a line between love and fascination
It's hard to distinguish between love and fascination, they can be similar but different emotions.
That's hard to see, how many names such as this
It's difficult to explain how many different names these emotions have.
For they both have the very same sensation
Both love and fascination create similar emotional sensations.
When you're locked in the magic of a kiss
When you're experiencing the magic of a kiss, it's easy to confuse love and fascination.
Her lips are much too close to mine
The distance between their lips is too close, making it hard to resist the temptation of a kiss.
But should our eager lips combine
If they give in to the temptation of a kiss,
Then let the fire start
The passion and intensity of their feelings will ignite.
For this time it isn't fascination
This time it's not just a passing infatuation,
Or a dream that will fade and fall apart
It's not just a fleeting fantasy that will crumble over time.
It's love, this time it's love
This time it's true love, the real deal.
My foolish heart
Despite the risk of being hurt, my heart is still willing to fall in love.
Lyrics © SHAPIRO BERNSTEIN & CO. INC.
Written by: NED WASHINGTON, VICTOR YOUNG, VICTOR POPULAR YOUNG
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind