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.
We Wish You A Merry Christmas
Mantovani Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We wish you a Merry Christmas
We wish you a Merry Christmas
And a Happy New Year.
We all know that Santa's coming
We all know that Santa's coming
We all know that Santa's coming
And soon will be here.
The lyrics of Mantovani's song "We Wish You A Merry Christmas" are full of connotations of the joy and excitement that people feel during the festive season. The song starts with the title line, "We wish you a Merry Christmas," which is followed by three repetitions of the same line, creating an all-encompassing sense of joy and celebration. The song is about spreading festive cheer and wishing others a happy holiday season, which is evident in the repetition of "And a Happy New Year."
The second verse of the song alludes to the presence of Santa Claus, a significant figure during the Christmas season for kids and adults alike. The repetition of the line "We all know that Santa's coming" highlights the anticipation that people feel for the gifts and surprises that they might receive from Santa. The third repetition of the same line is a confirmation of the arrival of Santa, as it states that he "will be here soon." The overall tone of the song is celebratory, uplifting, and full of holiday cheer.
Line by Line Meaning
We wish you a Merry Christmas
We extend our warm greetings and heartfelt wishes for you to enjoy a joyful Christmas celebration
We wish you a Merry Christmas
We want you to experience the true spirit of Christmas, which is about love, generosity, and kindness
We wish you a Merry Christmas
We hope you have a wonderful time celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ with your loved ones
And a Happy New Year.
We also want to wish you a happy and prosperous New Year, filled with blessings and opportunities
We all know that Santa's coming
We are aware of the excitement and anticipation around the arrival of Santa Claus, who brings joy and gifts to children around the world
We all know that Santa's coming
We acknowledge the popular belief that Santa Claus travels on his sleigh pulled by reindeer to deliver presents to children on Christmas Eve
We all know that Santa's coming
We recognize the importance of the mythical figure of Santa Claus in the Christmas folklore and traditions
And soon will be here.
We expect Santa Claus to arrive very soon, bringing happiness and excitement to all who believe in him
Contributed by Ethan Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.