A great Mancini recording, re-released at last!
927715
I first heard part of this recording as a child in the 1970s. About 4 of its tracks were featured on an LP called 'Christmas with Eddy Arnold/Christmas with Henry Mancini'. It was our favorite LP for Christmas carols & decorating the tree, and I missed it very much after LPs fell out of favor and it was never released on CD. It wasn't I stumbled across this recording that I recognized those tracks that had been part of it; 'The Little Drummer Boy', 'We Three Kings/O Come All Ye Faithful/Joy to the World', and 'God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen/Deck the Halls/Hark the Herald Angels Sing', and 'The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire'. When I saw the rest of the track listing I was excited to see what the rest of them would sound like, as the way Mancini's orchestra & chorus have presented them here is the way I like to hear carols presented, not the way so many pop stars present them today. The recording did not disappoint; in particular, 'Jingle Bells', 'Sleigh Ride', 'Frosty the Snowman', and 'Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer'. 'It Came Upon the Midnight Clear' is not one of my favorite carols though. 'Carol For Another Christmas' is a wonderful instrumental that really adds a lot to this recording. People who have had this recording in its old format or who prefer carols in a classic orchestral/format, this one's for you!
4038883
The premiere of OTELLO was one of the greatest moments in operatic history. Verdi was near the end of his career. Only FALSTAFF succeeded OTELLO and in the eyes of many, OTELLO is Verdi's greatest achievement. Music lovers of the day, who were usually late for performances made an exception and arrived early for OTELLO. The public was so excited at the premiere, riots nearly started on the streets of Milan. The crowds were so enthusiastic about the music, the applause and cheering was deafening, at least according to legend. OTELLO still causes excitement. This adaptation of the Shakespeare play, which tells of pure love as well as the tragedy that results when power and jealousy take control of a person is timeless. When the greatest singers are assembled and have the vocal gifts to bring this great work to life, the results are magical. Three great voices who are legendary in this opera include Mario Del Monaco as Otello, Renata Tebaldi as Desdemona, and Aldo Protti as Jago.

Verdi's OTELLO always tops my list of favorite operas, and Mario Del Monaco and Renata Tebaldi are my Otello and Desdemona of choice. I also enjoy Aldo Protti's Jago. Protti is masterful as the evil Jago. Fans of Tebaldi, Del Monaco, and Protti have a choice of two great recordings of this work: one under the baton of Alberto Erede and the other under Herbert Von Karajan's direction. The Erede recording was recorded in 1954, sousing the best technology of the day, and it still sounds great today. Del Monaco, Tebaldi, and Protti are in better vocal from in this recording. The chorus and orchestra are excellent as well. All of these elements make this re-release by Decca a true gem for the opera lover.

Many people looking at this review are probably trying to decide between this recording and the Karajan version. Both are among the best recordings of this work. While either would make an excellent choice, there are a few differences. Del Monaco is more majestic in the Karajan recording, though in the Erede set, I find that Del Moanaco's singing is cleaner. Tebaldi and Protti are similar in both sets. In the Erede set, the orchestra is not as powerful as the trademark full blown sound characteristic of most Karajan sets. For those who love Karajan's sound, this will be an asset. I happen to love the Karajan recordings I have in my collection, especially the OTELLO, but Erede's more understated though still powerful orchestra does highlight the vocal talents of the singers, which is what makes opera opera. One of the things I do enjoy about this recording is that at some of the more powerful moments of the opera, specifically Otello and Desdemona's Act I duet and the finale of Act III, the singers and orchestra are not competing with each other as can be the case in the Karajan set. Overall, this recording is enjoyable and makes a wonderful primary or back-up recording.
3793584
Now this is what I think SACD should be! Fleetwood Mac's original engineer went back to the multitrack masters to create this big, bold, very musical mix of a recording that really deserves the "classic" banner. Ken Caillat's original, stereo version (produced by Fleetwood Mac and Richard Dashut) was already pretty nice (I owned the LP version issued by Nautilus in the '70's), but SACD has at least as much clarity as the original LP and allows the instruments room to breathe since they are no longer crammed into 2 channels. I'd forgotten how brilliant the band's arrangements were until I rediscovered "Rumours" while listening to this version.

The mix uses the rear channels at times to stunning effect, including added guitar on "Never Going Back Again," although the front 3 channels host most of the action. The background is quiet enough to allow the dynamics of John MacVeigh's bass to come through with a striking amount of weight in "The Chain" and that's only one of many highlights. If you enjoy listening to music as an experience rather than as background sound, consider this disc!

The only disappointment is the booklet, which has minimal artwork and lacks the colorful liner notes on the 2-CD anniversary edition. It does include the complete lyrics.
4363261
This 1966 album by HENRY MANCINI - A MERRY MANCINI CHRISTMAS, is an album of beautiful, orchestra music or jazzy/big band music with some great chorus singing.

Being a Henry mancini album, though, the music is sometimes laid back for a great deal of it. The orchestra doesn't jump out at you song after song like PERCY FAITH'S - CHRISTMAS IS orchestra/chorus album FROM 1966 does. Rather, it sometimes seems to provide more of an almost (yet very beautiful) small band/jazz combo backing up a chorus of singers.

Songs like THE LITTLE DRUMMER BOY, the medley of JINGLE BELLS and SLEIGHRIDE, and the medley of FROSTY THE SNOWMAN and RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER are typical of this wonderful small band combo style. However, THE LITTLE DRUMMER BOY has a real beautiful and lush string instrumental part in it where Mancini really hits his 'A' game and JINGLE BELLS has what many call a classic big band/jazz instrumental part in it. There are also many fabulous christmas styled brass sounds in these songs, especially FROSTY THE SNOWMAN and RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER. And let me add that all these songs are all wonderful versions of each of them and sometimes among my favorite versions. And the chorus, they shine greatly here too, perhaps almost if not as great as any chorus you're likely to hear. The chorus sound like a smaller chorus, very much like the 8 person chorus called the LIVING VOICES. A couple of the songs (both music and chorus) even sound similar to the 1965 album by the LIVING VOICES - THE LITTLE DRUMMER BOY (songs such as SLEIGHRIDE).

Some of the album is, however, very much the large orchestra that Mancini is famous for. Songs like WHITE CHRISTMAS, THE CHRISTMAS SONG, and the medley of WINTER WONDERLAND and SILVER BELLS uses the orchestra to the maximum. And the chorus shines in these songs too. These songs would also be among my favorite versions of each of them.

The religious songs which make up the second half of the album are all just as great and beautiful as the first half (the popular, non-religious songs).

The orchestra is sometimes minimal and sometimes used very fully just like the first half of this lp, but always very great just as is the chorus. Songs like IT CAME UPON A MIDNIGHT CLEAR, AWAY IN A MANGER, SILENT NIGHT, etc.... are all top rated versions of the songs and this album is one of the few (out of perhaps 100's of christmas cd's I own) that I don't skip a song to get to the next. It is, without any doubt, one of my favorite all-time christmas albums with such a beautiful and fun christmas sound throughout.

If you like albums like the LIVING VOICES - THE LITTLE DRUMMER BOY, PERCY FAITH- CHRISTMAS IS, LIVING STRINGS AND LIVING VOICES - WHITE CHRISTMAS (1968), and LAWRENCE WELK - 22 MERRY CHRISTMAS FAVORITES (compilation cd), then you should really like this cd as well.

This album is pretty much a masterpiece of christmas music and may very well become your favorite christmas cd. It is one of the few that would make for the perfect background christmas music for when you have company (family and friends) over during the holidays, but also for your own listening pleasure. I would consider this a must have christmas cd.
1254214
I'm glad to read favouable reviews of this recording of Verdi's masterpiece - it is thrilling. I bemoan the loss of Ettore Bastianini who was lined up to sing Jago. It must have seemed like deja vu for the cast after they recorded it a few years earlier under Erede (a recording that also has great merit, and very close sound).

Karajan really pushes the Italians to their limit and the VPO sounds fantastic. I have the earlier CD edition so I can't comment on the sound of this remaster - it's wonderful on the earlier boxed set.

With all the various reviews of many fine Otello recordings, you gotta say there is only one rendition of "Esultate" that puts you in no doubt that a masculine, self-confident, warrior has just made his entrance - and that's Mario del Monaco.
166986
After three or four years out of print, My Gift To You is finally available again - and with the original cover art restored - thanks to the folks at reissue label The Right Stuff. And it's about time, too.
Some fourteen years after its original release, My Gift To You still ranks as the best Christmas album I've ever heard. It's a fine mix of contemporary and traditional songs and arrangements, all tied together by the best vocalist that Jam & Lewis have ever worked with, Alexander O'Neal.
The Jam & Lewis-composed originals are concentrated mostly during the album's first half, with modern-day classic "My gift to you" as the opening track. The funky "Sleigh ride" (not the classic tune, but a new song) comes next, followed by the romantic "Our first Christmas" and Christmas tale "Remember why (it's Christmas)".
The album's second half consists mostly of Christmas standards. The first of these is "The little drummer boy", in a funky arrangement produced by Denzil Foster & Thomas McElroy, who are probably best known for their subsequent work with En Vogue. Mel Torme's "The Christmas song" is next - this one in a more traditional arrangement (think Nat King Cole). O'Neal's version of Donny Hathaway's "This Christmas" is still my favorite; every other singer's take on it seems either thin or overwrought in comparison. "Winter wonderland" (probably my favorite track on the album) is performed with full orchestra - and it swings! Another Jam & Lewis original, "Thank you for a good year", and a reprise of "Remember why" close out the album.
One of the really nice things about this reissue is the restoration of the original cover art. When Tabu switched distribution in the early '90s, the album was inexplicably given a cheesy new cover, which it was stuck with until going out of print a few years later. The Right Stuff have corrected this by bringing back the original cover, adding only a border around the edges. In fact, the newly restored cover looks slightly better than the original, which looks sort of dull in comparision.
A minor complaint: The song lyrics are no longer included in the booklet. However, the new liner notes, while a bit thin, are entertaining.
This edition's remastered sound was a happy surprise. Mastering engineer Bob Fisher deserves more than a few compliments for his work here. Rather than follow the pack and use loads of compression and limiting to make everything sound loud for the sake of loudness, he used the 24-bit processing to ensure the best possible reproduction of the original master. So, rather than sounding louder, the remaster simply sounds better - slightly warmer, with improved definition.
In short, this is still the best Christmas album ever.
3598348
Most reviewers have already said it well - the original Cameo recordings of Bobby Rydell's work, finally available.  Happily, they've not been "improved" with altering the sound balance of the original recordings during the digital remastering process (yep, I still have some of his original 45 rpm records, and playing them in a comparison with the CD sound shows a remarkable likeness (aside from the passage of some 50 years' worth of audio technology improvement).  Glad to have this in my collection, and recommended for anyone wanting music with an appeal that most being performed today lacks.
3620253
I bought this three cd set because I wanted all the "must have" mancini, but couldn't find it all on one disk--so I took the plunge and bought these--haven't regretted for one day--Mancini is what he is--fell in love with him for "peter gunn" and "pink panther"--mainly bought the sets for these, but there a number of gems on these albums that make them well worth the price--my only complaint is it seems that the material gets weaker towards the third disk--definately some sub-par filler on these disks that go a little too far disco and quirky (weird whistles and whatnot)--stuff that ain't Mancini--I mean this guy did "moon river"!--I put these three in the changer on random and its three hours of summery, breezy music to listen to on the porch and drink frozen cocktails to--or maybe throw it on for that candlelit dinner--just great atmosphere--like I'm Carey Grant on the riviera--I pretty much guaruntee that you can't like all three albums through and through--but at least two-thirds of this stuff is pure lounge satisfaction
1890170
The year was 1976. Top 40, which decades later will be termed as Classic Rock and then as Oldies, played on the radio. Southern Rock and Disco was on every other channel, and the FM rock stations were beginning to rear their heads. I know, I was there...behind the microphone.
Prime-time television shows such as The NBC Mystery Movie, The Streets Of San Francisco, Kojak, Baretta, Police Woman, and other 'COP' shows were being viewed by millions worldwide. The characters had their own identity and each show had its own identifying theme.
Henry Mancini's 'The COP Show Themes' was born. Originally released on 8-track, cassette, vinyl, and finally on compact disc, this CD is a must for every Henry Mancini and cop show enthusiast. Henry Mancini's arrangements of these themes is the best that I have heard so far and the quality of the recordings is superb.
Although it took me many years to finally obtain a copy of this CD, it was well worth the wait. Having been told by numerous domestic music media retailers that this RCA Records CD is long 'out-of-print', I discovered that it was still available through BMG Music in Spain through 1999. It was produced for CD release by Jordi Pujol (Fresh Sound Records) and the catalog number is 74321664972. Hopefully this information will assist you in locating your own copy of this CD, because it's more information than what I could 'pry out of' any retailer.
Good luck in obtaining a copy of this CD for your very own. A few vintage recordings [8-track, cassette, and vinyl (LPs)] are still available for sale via the internet; however, as you and I both know, CD quality is by far more superior. If anything, whether it be tape, vinyl, or disc, you won't regret having your own copy of THE COP SHOW THEMES!
4063910
This box contains a collection of Barbirolli's late Elgar recordings for EMI, from the sixties. All recordings have been previously released as singular discs, but some - e.g., the symphonies - are out of print. This box is thus a welcome release. Barbirolli's Elgar interpretation must be seen as essential for any serious collection, in addition to Boult's and Elgar's own recordings. The particular warmth and passion that is so typical for Barbirolli's interpretations make these recordings so special. In my view, it is the best Elgar interpretations you probably ever will hear - partly, of course, because they are classic, immortal moments of musical history.

The box collects the following classic and essential recordings.

Symphonies 1 & 2, with Philharmonia Orchestra and Hall Orchestra (rec. 1962 and 1964).
Introduction and Allegro, with Allegri string quartet and Sinfonia of London - a legendary recording from 1962.
Serenade, Sinfonia of London, 1962.
Elegy, Sospiri, and Froissart with New Philharmonia Orchestra, recorded in 1966.
Cockaigne, Philharmonia Orchestra, 1962.
Falstaff, with Hall Orchestra, recorded in 1964.
Enigma Variations, Philharmonia Orchestra, recorded in 1962.
Pomp and Circumstances, Philharmonia Orchestra, recorded in 1962 and 1966.
Sea Pictures, with Janet Baker and London Symphony Orchestra, recorded in 1965 - a legendary recording.
Cello concerto, with Jacqueline du Pr and London Symphony Orchestra, recorded in 1965 - another legendary recording.

All these are crme de la crme Elgar interpretations, and many of them have a legendary status. The only real complaint is that EMI could have added Barbirolli's excellent interpretation of Elgar's Gerontius as well. And even if EMI has not provided new digital remasterings but only collected their old ones in this box - just to mention another possible complaint - it is an essential, shelf-space saving purchase. Sonically, the recordings are all very fine.

In sum, this is the best Elgar collection you can get for your money. The only rival is Leonard Slatkin's Elgar box (RCA), but it's no match for Barbirolli's box, even if it is good in in own right. Strongly and warmly recommended!
3125908
This album was first released in 1969 in England on Warner Brothers. I walked into a record store called Penn Records on Chestnut Street in Philadelphia one day of many visits to that store, and glanced upon the wall behind the counter and there it was. The picture disc of this album was the first ever picture disc released. I asked if I could see it and Frank got it down and I said I'll take it. Went home and gave it a listen and put it away. The following week I had gone back and there was a release with a regular sleeve printed with, of course, the record inside. I listened to it again and then again and again and said to myself that I made a great purchase and someday this should be a museum piece. As for the music and audio quality of it all was just one word "GREAT"! The album has a lot of great music and the tunes that really struck me from the beginning are, It Happened Today, Vivaldi and Vivaldi With Cannons and Propositions. Great rockin' tunes with a huge flare of classical thrown in and the audio quality? Simply fantastic! Fast forward to now and we are on the brink of another release of this true masterpiece and now it is expanded to a double-disc with BBC Sessions, an unreleased track of an unknown or lost tune and a couple demos. I can't wait for this one and it can't come quick enough
4276175
This  short (34+ minutes) well recorded set of tunes  from two separate  concerts--The Great American Music Hall in S.F., (tracks 1,2,4), and the Seattle Opera House (track 3) are all from 1977.  The songs are "Phase Dance", "Watercolors", "San Lorenzo", and "Wrong Is Right".  The band consists of Metheny-guitars, Lyle Mays-keyboards, Danny Gottlieb-drums, and Mark Egan-bass.  As I said, this is a well recorded set of live performances--clean and fairly crisp and very open sounding.  Audiophiles may find something sonically imperfect to point out but this is very close to what a label sanctioned release would sound like.  The booklet has an essay from the Village Voice from 1977 (typical for Hi Hat releases) and talks about Metheny's  first album, "Bright Size Life" and the (then) recently released "Watercolors" album.  The five "stars" are for the performances and nice sound--not the short duration of the CD.  But I do wonder where is the rest of the music from these concerts?  Hmmm.

These performances are from the period after the "Watercolors" album had been released, and the upcoming "Pat Metheny Group" album would be released.  All four tunes are fine examples of what this group (and my personal favorite for a few reasons) sounded like night after night on stage during this period.  The first two tunes stick closely to the studio originals (not a bad thing!), while "San Lorenzo" has a few subtle flourishes that add more identity to the melody.  "Wrong Is Right" is a fine live version of this song, again with nothing truly new added into the body of the song.  And as I wrote when reviewing the recently released/quickly taken off the market live Metheny album "Live Chicago '87" (also on Hi Hat) these performances aren't the sound of a band just going through the motions.  This is a typically fine set of performances from the entire band.

Hearing this set along with the (now sadly) deleted '87 set brings back good memories of my young son and I sitting about 10 rows back/center section hearing/watching Metheny and his band playing some incredible music and having fun doing it.  As Metheny once said--they play the music they want to hear--and are grateful  that others  like to hear it also.  If you've ever been lucky enough to hear this band live you know what I mean.  And even of a sadly short duration, this is a good set of music that evokes that era of Metheny's musical exploration.

If you're a deep, early Metheny band  fan, get this album before it too might disappear.  Others may want to pass this by because of the price/CD length and with no new songs included.  But it is pretty cool.
771252
For my money, there are three great recordings of the Beethoven "Pastorale" symphony from analog stereo's Golden Age: Klemperer's on EMI, Bruno Walter's on Sony, and this marvelous Fritz Reiner performance with the great, unsurpassed Chicago Symphony. Recorded in 1962 and not long before Reiner's retirement, it demonstrates all of Reiner's great gifts for producing rhythmically "tight", structurally cogent performances of classical (Haydn/Mozart/Beethoven) music. But it also offers something else: a marvelous sense of relaxation and tenderness that completely belies Reiner's reputation as a podium martinet whose recordings are organized, efficient and "cool," but lack heart. I've owned versions of this recording now for over 40 years, and no prior CD has begun to suggest the glorious sound that RCA achieved on its original Lp issue. This XRCD version from JVC completely recaptures that wonderfully transparent, yet richly warm sound quality. Yes, you'll pay more for this XRCD version, but trust me, once you hear this very special performance in sound quality that finally does it full justice you won't think you've spent one penny too much! (Note: Unlike Sony's SACD technology, you do not need special equipment to play an XRCD disc. But the real improvements in technology provided by XRCD discs sound all that more stunning if you have comparably sophisticated playback equipment.)
4573196
This CD, comprised of live recordings, is essential for any Renata Tebaldi fan. First of all, it contains the lengthy excerpts from the Andrea Chenier, with Del Monaco, with De Sabata at La Scala, in 1949!! Although these performances have been released on many lp issues, and even a few CDs, they have never sounded better than here. PURE immortality, as, during the love duet, De Sabata was blowing kisses to Renata, and she and MdM hold the final notes beyond forever!!!
There is a great excerpt from a De Sabata OTELLO, with Tebaldi holding the final note in "Ave Maria" longer than I have ever heard.
Also contained here is the Martini and Rossi Concert with Giulini, from '51, AND the concert in Rio de Janeiro, '51.
But it is the last two selections that make this CD stand out from all others. The FAUST, from Naples, '50, which only stands to prove once again how well she sang this role, tremendously exciting to hear.
The best IS for last. Renata Tebaldi's DEBUT performance in her signature role of Desdemona in OTELLO, from Trieste, December, 30, 1945!!! Who would have ever thought that this existed?? The first act duet is included in it's entirety, and clearly shows that at 23 years of age, Renata already had the shimmering tones, the chest voice, and total command of the stage.
These arias were broadcast on RAI on Feb. 1, 2002, which was Tebaldi's 80th birthday. However they did a GREAT job in cleaning up the sound on all of the tracks. This entire CD is a treasure trove for fans of the great Tebaldi.
ALSO, as in all releases on this label, there are literally tons of photographs, reviews, and documentation. In fact, the booklet is SO fat, it's rather hard to fit back in the case. A truly immortal release for ALL fans of great operatic singing. This is only one of four new FONO releases, but surely the best and most important. ALL tracks are live, and highly listenable as well. An absolute MUST for your collection.
Just to have her DEBUT as Desdemona, her signature role is worth the price of the entire disc. If it were not for allied troops in Trieste at the time, this performance would not exist. I can heartily recommend it, and suggest you buy a few copies for your friends as well. It really is a compilation for ANY opera library collection.
Thanks to FONO, and I hope there are many more releases to come.
4581829
I cannot believe these recording were made on a 2-track Revox machine back in 1968! The sound is almost that of a studio recording, and the performances are top notch all the way through.
About half of this material was issued by Tenth Planet as an LP called Metaphormosis in 1999, but this is the first time we get all the recordings made by the Giles brothers and Robert Fripp. Also featured on some of these songs are Judy Dyble on vocals and Ian McDonald on various wind instruments and piano.
The music is a far cry from the stuff they did about a year later as King Crimson, and should sit nicely alongside your other CD's with obscure UK sixties pop/rock.
The music is a blend of jazzy chords, great pop with a bit of folk music thrown in and lots of finely crafted and really beautiful harmony vocals. Two of my favourites are Hypocrite (the opener and the most experimental/psychedelic song on the album) and She Is Loaded; a great pop song with some extremely catchy riffs and funny, twisted lyrics.
The sleeve notes are written by Peter Giles himself and offers a thorough look at the history of the members and a background of the recordings, including a detailed look at the actual recording and the equipment used. The booklet is also filled with lots of rare pictures and newspaper clippings.
Still, I can't imagine how this was done on a 2-track Revox in 1968!
1764287
I still remember how thrilled I was when I first heard this recording nearly 40 years ago.  It still stands up very well, although it was in the vanguard of the revival of serious Rossini singing.

Joan Sutherland and Marilyn Horne were a famous combination both on record and on stage.  Here they are presented at the very height of their formidable combined powers.  At this point, Dame Joan's voice is fresh and firm, free from the scoops, swoops and mannerisms that later became associated with her singing.  Alas, even at the time of this recording, her pronunciation had begun to deteriorate.  There's little drama in her portrayal of the Babylonian queen, but one can still revel in the sheer beauty of the voice and the blazing coloratura.  Marilyn Horne, however, has plenty of passion and power.  Here alone is ample evidence of why this magnificent artist was so instrumental in the revival of Rossini's serious operas.  The voice is rich, the technique perfect and the coloratura brilliant.  A breathtaking achievement!  (I had the pleasure of seeing her Arsace in the theatre, as well as her Calbo in "Maometto II", the title role in "Tancredi" and her comic renditions of Rosina, Isabella and Cenerentola.)

The men on this recording aren't so well represented.  True, John Serge does a creditable job of the one aria he's allowed.  But Joseph Rouleau (Assur) and Spiro Malas (Oroe) can't even fudge their fioratura.

Richard Bonynge conducts his own, heavily cut, version of the score.  As a point of reference, it's about 45 minutes shorter than Ion Marin's recording on DG using the critical edition published by the Rossini foundation.  As a first, or only, recording of this opera, I'd recommend that on DG.  But, no one who appreciates Rossini or coloratura singing will want to be without this set.  The women are worth it!
4332798
For the most part this is another  of Mancini's many  compilation of  cover versions of his own and  other  composers' works that  seems aimed  firmly at the  easy  listening market, but there's  one outstanding gem among them  that makes it worth purchasing on it's own  - the  11-minute suite from Phil Kaufman's forgotten Arctic  period drama  White Dawn. Despite the film's strong visuals, Henry Mancini's astonishingly beautiful score  is in many ways the real star of the film is. A world away from the easy listening elevator musak he's now associated with, the style is closer to his lyrical score for The Molly Maguires without the melancholy, although the main theme was expanded from a piece an Inuit woman improvised on the set.  Kaufman even reused this recording of the lyrical theme for the orbiting the Earth sequence in The Right Stuff. The full  score was never released on LP or  CD,  so this suite is for  now the best available (there is a  shorter piece, the  exciting Arctic Whale Hunt cue that  ends this suite  available on Mancini: Mostly Monsters, Murders and Mystery) and thankfully it  gives an  excellent overview of the  full score.