Mantovani was born in Venice, Italy and his father was the concertmaster of… Read Full Bio ↴Mantovani was born in Venice, Italy and his father was the concertmaster of La Scala orchestra under Arturo Toscanini. His family moved to England in 1912, where he studied at Trinity College of Music in London. After graduation, he formed his own orchestra, which played in and around Birmingham. By the time World War II broke out, his orchestra was one of the most popular in UK, both on the BBC and in live performances.

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.

Smile
Mantovani Lyrics

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The shadow of your smile
When you have gone
Will color all my dreams
And light the dawn

Look into my eyes my love and see
All the lovely things you are to me

Our wistful little star
It was far, too high
A teardrop kissed your lips
And so did I

Now when I remember spring
All the joys that love can bring

I will be remembering
The shadow of your smile

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Mantovani's song The Shadow of Your Smile contain a deep sense of longing and remembrance that is very haunting. The phrase "the shadow of your smile" is a metaphorical allusion to the memory of a past relationship, where the traces of the loved one's smile remain etched in the singer's mind even in their absence, shaping all their dreams and illuminating the beginning of a new day. The sentiment is further reinforced in the chorus, where the singer implores his lover to look into his eyes and contemplate the aura of beauty, affection and admiration that surrounds her.

The opening lines set the tone for the melancholic contemplation of a lost love that permeates the entire song. The image of the wistful little star that shone too bright is a poignant metaphor for a love that was too intense and brief, leaving a bittersweet mark on the lovers' lips. The word "remembering" in the final line echoes the theme of nostalgia that pervades the entire song, as if the singer were musing on the past and coming to terms with the enduring impact of his lover's smile on his life.

Line by Line Meaning

The shadow of your smile
The lasting impression and memory of your smile

When you have gone
Once you have left my presence

Will color all my dreams
My subconscious mind will be filled with thoughts of you and your smile

And light the dawn
Every new day will start with a reminder of you and your smile

Look into my eyes my love and see
Direct your attention towards me and recognize what you mean to me

All the lovely things you are to me
All of the positive aspects and characteristics that I associate with you

Our wistful little star
Our shared, melancholic longing

It was far, too high
We wished for something unattainable

A teardrop kissed your lips
You shed a tear of sadness

And so did I
I also felt that same sadness

Now when I remember spring
When I recall past times of vitality, growth and rejuvenation