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.
Tenderly
Mantovani Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Across the room you gave a glance
Your soft, sweet eyes put me in a trance
And since that day you′ve cherished me
So to my heart you'll always hold the key
Tenderly, is the way to handle me
Oh so tenderly, how your touch can set me free
You baby, you′re the only one
The time we spend so preciously
The special way you act when I′m around
Your gentle kiss brings me up when I′m down
Tenderly, is the way to handle me
Oh so tenderly, how your touch can set me free
You baby, you're the only one
When we′re all alone it feels so right
Making love to you all through the night
The softness in your touch it shows me how you care
I want you so much more with each day that we share
Tenderly, is the way to handle me
Oh so tenderly, how your touch can set me free
You baby, you're the only one
Tenderly, is the way to handle me
Oh so tenderly, only you can set me free
Baby, tenderly, is the way to handle me
You, baby, you′re the only one
The song "Tenderly" by Mantovani is a beautiful love ballad that speaks to the tenderness and care that one partner can show to the other. The opening verse describes the moment when two people first meet, with one person becoming completely captivated by the other's gaze. From that day forward, they cherish each other and hold the key to each other's hearts. The chorus emphasizes the importance of tenderness, with the first person urging their partner to handle them with care and enjoy the freedom that comes with being loved in such a way.
The second verse goes on to describe the little things that make their relationship special, such as the time they spend together and the special way they act around each other. The singer is comforted by their partner's gentle kiss when they're feeling down. The final verse expresses the deep physical and emotional connection that the two share when they're alone, with the softness of their touch showing how much they care for each other. The chorus repeats, underscoring the idea that only the writer's partner can handle them so tenderly, with the repeated lyric, "You baby, you're the only one."
Overall, "Tenderly" is a romantic and heartfelt song that celebrates the kind of tenderness and care that can make a relationship truly special.
Line by Line Meaning
Across the room you gave a glance
You looked at me from a distance
Your soft, sweet eyes put me in a trance
Your gentle, kind eyes mesmerized me
And since that day you've cherished me
Ever since then, you have loved and protected me
So to my heart you'll always hold the key
You will always have access to my heart
Tenderly, is the way to handle me
You should handle me with care and gentleness
Oh so tenderly, how your touch can set me free
Your gentle touch can make me feel liberated and light
You baby, you're the only one
You are the only person who matters to me
It's the little things you've given me
The small gestures you have shown me mean a lot
The time we spend so preciously
The time we spend together is valuable and treasured
The special way you act when I'm around
The unique way you behave when I'm with you
Your gentle kiss brings me up when I'm down
Your kind kiss can lift my spirits when I am low
When we're all alone it feels so right
When we are alone, everything feels perfect
Making love to you all through the night
Spending the entire night making love to you
The softness in your touch it shows me how you care
The tenderness in your touch demonstrates your love and affection
I want you so much more with each day that we share
I desire you even more with each day we spend together
Only you can set me free
Only you have the power to liberate me
Writer(s): Lawrence Jack, Gross Walter
Contributed by Joshua J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@fredkelbert1913
Beautiful easy listening music with no commercials. Thanks for posting!
@mmmoroi
Reminds us of the superb quality of all aspects of music production in 60's London, from composition, performance, to recording.
@rolandodejesusvillamaza8127
excelente . finísimo . con coñag
@ofeliaowen8936
Still give goosebumps with these music, love Mantovani❤️
@marktrautman9517
Everything from full orchestra listening to orchestral jazz band, PURELY WONDERFUL !!!
@josecesaroni1554
Linda coleção do Mantovani, parabéns pelo bom gosto musical, nos transporta para nossa feliz juventude!!🙏🤝
@romualdoraya3621
Otra vez he vuelto a vivir en el recuerdo alguna vieja noche en el País de las Maravillas, y ¿quién es el guía?: Mantovani...
¡ Mágico...!
@ricardowelser220
Parabéns pela belíssima seleção de musicas de Mantovani.
@cristianeelizabetezanirato4810
Muito obrigada Gustavo por tão lindas seleções.
@ubirajaracs1
Excelente seleção, Lindíssimas músicas e inesquecíveis. Orquestra maravilhosa ! Thank you, its was Wonderfull . I loved