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 Dear World is like an old friend Feb 09, 2008
I owned this as album years ago. I recently saw a special on Jerry Herman and his discussion of the show peaked my interest again. Whatever the troubles were with the original production, they are not evident on the soundtrack. Even though Jerry himself was forced into writing the Act I number, "Dear World," it is still an amazing song.
Perfect for Jerry and Angela fans!
3 of 3 found the following review helpful:
 Uneven but Still and All Great Jul 03, 2007
I like Mame and Hello Dolly some, but frankly they always annoyed me by straining too much for lively and enthusiastic. This one is much more in keeping with my taste. It is mostly a gentler and more subdued show, with a lot of very good music. The title song and One Person are too much in Herman's rousing and stirring mode, and very much out of place with the rest of the score. That rest of the score is a wow, though.
The sardonic opening Spring of Next Year has a gorgeous melody but the lyrics are a sly parody and indictment of the big business ethic, a very French attitude. The contrast between melody and lyrics is exquisite. The Tea Party builds and builds until it ends in a hilarious babble of triple counterpoint harmony. The ballads Kiss Her Now, I've Never Said I Love You, and I Was Beautiful are gorgeous and express genuine emotion. Each Tomorrow Morning finds Herman in a gentler inspirational mode that works much better in this context than the two more standard Herman blasts. Even the song called Garbage is anything but. The performances are uniformly superb.
By the accounts I've read, Dear World flopped because an oversized production warred with the basically intimate nature of the show. Not too long ago, I had the pleasure of seeing a rare staging by a regional theater in Washington. It was a deliberately small production and to paraphrase the show, it was beautiful. In any case, of all Herman's scores, I think I like this one best, though Mack and Mabel is close. And Milk and Honey and La Cage have a lot to recommend them as well. Buy this one - you won't regret it.
1 of 1 found the following review helpful:
Dear, Dear... Jun 21, 2007
There is much that is lovely, even gorgeous, in Herman's score, but for every "I Don't Want to Know" or "I've Never Said I Love You" or even "Garbage" (a deliciously garish tango), there's a "One Person" or the title number that sound like they belong in another show (probably Hello Dolly or Mame).
As the liner notes to the CD and others here have said, Dear World was an uneasy amalgam of a gentle fantasy requiring a light touch and a raucous Broadway "big lady" show. I'd say 80% of the score works: in addition to the above-mentioned songs, there's the soaring opening "The Spring of Next Year", Lansbury's dramatic "Kiss Her Now", her blithe "And I Was Beautiful" and the gorgeous cacophony of "The Tea Party."
Interestingly, if you get the perusal score for the show, there's a new song (a solo for Countess Aurelia) entitled "At the Bottom of the Glass" which sounds more in keeping with the tone than "Each Tomorrow Morning."
However, all quibbles aside, Dear World does bear repeated listening. For those who think Herman is merely frivolous anonymous showtunes, this show disputes that.
8 of 8 found the following review helpful:
Herman's best! Sep 19, 2006
I don't typically belong to the Jerry Herman fan base, but this score of his is awesome. I am familiar with Hello, Dolly, Mame, Mack And Mabel and La Cage Aux Folles, but this is the only Herman score I find enjoyable throughout. Having the glorious Angela Lansbury singing the bittersweet songs is also wonderful. As this show is one of the celebrated, legendary flops of Broadway history, I assume the book of the show has to take the blame. The score is first rate. Take this from a dedicated Sondheimite;)
3 of 3 found the following review helpful:
Thank you Amazon reviewers Jul 25, 2006
I bought this because of the positive user reviews and couldn't be more thankful that I did. I'm not an expert on the musical form so I can't really speak to the strengths and weaknesses of the book nor the coherence of musical styles of the songs, but I can say with conviction that Angela Lansbury is unbelievably good on this recording. It's difficult for me to convey just how good she is, but I urge anyone whose curiosity is peaked by these reviews to break down and buy the CD. Lansbury's performance alone is worth the price of admission. Her voice is warm, comic, heartbreaking and uplifting. Just beautiful.
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