Orchestral Lollipops —Brandenburg State Orchestra, Frankfurt/Howard Griffiths (Klanglogo 1506)
So let me get this straight: a Swiss conductor from England, a German orchestra and a British brass quintet in a pops concert that includes Elgar, Nielsen, Johann Strauss Jr. and Henry Wood’s Fantasia on British Sea Songs? I get that, and I get some of the American pieces, too, like Leroy Anderson’s Chicken Reel and The Typewriter, and Gershwin’s Strike Up the Band. But the Brandenburg State Orchestra of Frankfurt really gets my attention when they offer Sweet Georgia Brown, Pennsylvania 6-5000 (“Pennsylvania six five THOU-sand!”), Love for Sale, and Puttin’ on the Ritz! When Hoagy Carmichael’s Stardust begins, you’d think they were doing the intro for the classic Nat ‘King’ Cole recording! What a whacky, wonderful CD!
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