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 Heart Will Go On
Mantovani Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It was the sweetest melody
I know I lost heaven 'cause you were the song
Since you and I have drifted apart
Life doesn't mean a thing to me
Please come back, sweet music, I know I was wrong
You know that we were meant to be more than just friends, just friends
I let a song go out of my heart
Believe me, darlin', when I say
I won't know sweet music until you return some day
I let a song go out of my heart
Believe me, darlin', when I say
I won't know sweet music until you return some day
The Mantovani song "My Heart Will Go On" contains the poignant lyrics which recall the pain and longing of losing someone who was once the source of joy and happiness. The first few lines of the song, "I let a song go out of my heart, It was the sweetest melody, I know I lost heaven 'cause you were the song" convey the depth of love that the singer once felt for the person who has moved away from him/her. The phrase "I lost heaven" suggests that the person who has left was nothing but pure happiness and joy in his/her life, and now that they are gone, life seems meaningless.
The singer laments about the loss that he/she has suffered in the absence of the loved one, "Since you and I have drifted apart, life doesn't mean a thing to me, please come back, sweet music, I know I was wrong". The phrase "sweet music" refers to the person who is being addressed in the song, and the singer's deep desire for their return. The lyricist skillfully uses music as a metaphor to describe the beauty of love, and how its loss can lead to a sense of incompleteness in life.
The lyrics, "Am I too late to make amends? You know that we were meant to be more than just friends", suggest that the singer is willing to make amends and to rekindle the relationship that he/she once shared with the person who left. However, the singer also realizes that time might have passed by, and things may have changed since the two parted ways. The song ends on an optimistic note with the promise that, "I won't know sweet music until you return someday", signifying that the singer still harbors hope for the return of his/her lost love.
Line by Line Meaning
I let a song go out of my heart
Since our separation, I lost the beauty of our love that was represented by the sweet melody that played in my heart
It was the sweetest melody
The love that we shared, and the moments we spent together were the most beautiful and precious things in my life
I know I lost heaven 'cause you were the song
You were the most important thing in my life, and since our separation, I lost the feeling of happiness and joy that I had when I was with you
Since you and I have drifted apart
Because our love faded away and we went our separate ways
Life doesn't mean a thing to me
Without your love, I feel empty and unfulfilled
Please come back, sweet music, I know I was wrong
I regret the mistakes I made that led to our separation, and I long for your love and companionship once again
Am I too late to make amends?
I wonder if there is still a chance for us to reconcile and heal the wounds of the past
You know that we were meant to be more than just friends, just friends
I believe that our love was meant to be deeper and more meaningful than just a casual friendship
Believe me, darlin', when I say
Please trust me when I tell you
I won't know sweet music until you return some day
I cannot find happiness and love in this world without your presence, and I hope that one day we can be together again
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Duke Ellington, Henry Nemo, John Redmond, Irving Mills
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind