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.
Remember
Mantovani Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I had a million things to say
We shared the moon in all it's splender
You pressed your lips to mine, and by the way
Did I remember to tell you I adore you
And I am living for you alone?
Did I remember to say "I'm lost without you"
You were in my arms and that was all I knew
We were alone, we two, what did I say to you?
Did I remember to tell you I adore you
And pray forever more you are mine?
Did I remember to tell you I adore you
And I am living for you alone?
Did I remember to say "I'm lost without you"
And just how mad about you I've grown?
You were in my arms and that was all I knew
We were alone, we two, what did I say to you?
Did I remember to tell you I adore you
And pray forever more you are mine?
Mantovani's song "Did I Remember?" is a love ballad that tells the story of a night spent with a lover. The song portrays the moment when the singer is lost in love, overwhelmed with emotions, and is unsure if he has conveyed his feelings to his beloved. The opening lines of the song, "The night was filled with sweet surrender, I had a million things to say," paints an image of the intimacy and deep connection he shares with his partner. The chorus, "Did I remember to tell you I adore you, And I am living for you alone?" emphasizes the importance of communicating love to a partner and the singer's fear that he may forget to do so. He goes on to wonder whether he mentioned how lost he feels without his lover, and how deeply he has grown to love them.
Line by Line Meaning
The night was filled with sweet surrender
The evening held a sense of peaceful release.
I had a million things to say
I had so many words racing through my mind.
We shared the moon in all it's splender
Together, we appreciated the beauty of the full moon.
You pressed your lips to mine, and by the way
As a side note, you kissed me.
Did I remember to tell you I adore you
I wonder if I expressed how much I love you.
And I am living for you alone?
My existence centers on your presence.
Did I remember to say "I'm lost without you"
Did I convey that I feel incomplete without you?
And just how mad about you I've grown?
Have I truly described how strongly I feel towards you?
You were in my arms and that was all I knew
Holding you close was all I could focus on at the moment.
We were alone, we two, what did I say to you?
In our solitary moment, did I convey my feelings to you?
Did I remember to tell you I adore you
Once again, I question if I expressed my love for you.
And pray forever more you are mine?
I hope and beg that you remain mine for eternity.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: HAROLD ADAMSON, WALTER DONALDSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind