An American Songbook - Marilyn Horne

Quintessential mezzo-soprano, Marilyn Horne, treats us to a program of great songs from ‘The American Songbook’ – a veritable quilt of many-coloured delights. The arrangements range from the delicate to the lush and the mood ranges from racy fun to religiously uplifting. This CD, one of Decca’s first releases on compact disc, has been excerpted occasionally but, as an entity, has long been out of circulation, so it’s good to have it back again!

‘Horne is in peak form … great singing, great fun’ Fanfare

Jeanie with the light brown hair
Beautiful Dreamer
If you’ve only got a moustache
Camptown Races
Sometimes I feel like a motherless child
I’ve just come from the fountain
The Lord’s Prayer
Shenandoah
Billy Boy
Go ’way from my window

Five Songs from ‘Old American Songs’ (arr. Copland)
I Simple Gifts
II Ching-a-ring-Chaw
III Long time ago
IV I bought me a cat
V At the river

You’re a grand old flag
When Johnny comes marching home
God Bless America
I didn’t raise my boy to be a soldier
Battle Hymn of the Republic

Marilyn Horne, mezzo-soprano
Ambrosian Singers
English Chamber Orchestra
Carl Davis