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Album: Always: The Great Songs Of Irving Berlin Label: Reader's Digest Style: Instrumental, Easy Listening Year: 1994 Irving Berlin ( - ) - American composer and lyricist, one of the greatest songwriters in American history. His music and songs occupy most of the Great American Songbook. Born in Tsarist Russia, Berlin arrived in the United States at the age of five. Early leaving without a father, after studying in school for only 2 years, I. Berlin went to work. The future composer managed to work as a messenger in a shop, a newsboy. In one of the cafe in New York, Chinatown earned the reputation of a “singing waiter.“ At the request of the owner of the cafe Irving wrote his first song in 1907 “Marie from Sunny Italy“, the author's fee was 33 cents. His first international hit “Alexander's Ragtime Band“ was written in 1911, followed by “Puttin 'on the Ritz“, “Cheek to Cheek“, “God bless America“, “White Christmas“ ... His songs won the top 25 hit parades; his “White Christmas“ is the only single sold in more than 50 million copies and is one of the most frequently played songs ever written. In 1938, “God Bless America“, became the unofficial state anthem of the United States, on September 11, 2001, members of the House of Representatives, standing on the steps of the Capitol, solemnly sang this hymn together. The New York Times after his death in 1989, wrote, “Irving Berlin set the tone and pace for the tunes America played and under which she sang and danced for much of the 20th century.“ During his career, he wrote about 1,500 songs, as well as music for 20 Broadway shows and 15 Hollywood films, eight of which received an Oscar award. “It's impossible to talk about the place of Irving Berlin in the history of American music, for he himself is this story!“ Jerome Kern. “Irving Berlin is the greatest songwriter that ever lived .... His songs are elegant cameos of perfection, but apart from his true talent for writing songs, Irving Berlin had a greater influence on American music than any other person. “ George Gershwin. 1. Hill Bowen and His Orchestra — Always (2:43) 2. Ken Thorne and His Orchestra — Blue Skies (3:09) 3. Peter Knight, His Oechestra and Chorus — Easter Parade (3:07) 4. Hill Bowen and His Orchestra — A Pretty Girl Is Like a Melody (2:21) 5. Robert Mandell and His Swing Band — I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm (3:25) 6. Robert Mandell and His Orchestra — How Deep Is the Ocean (How High Is the Sky) (2:35) 7. Malcolm Lockyer and His Orchestra — Medley: Marie / Cheek to Cheek (3:09) 8. Douglas Gamley and His Orchestra — Remember (3:10) 9. The Romantic Strings — They Say It's Wonderful (3:45) 10. Richard Alden, His Piano and Orchestra — Let's Take an Old Fashioned Walk (3:00) 11. Wally Stott and His Orchestra — Soft Lights and Sweet Music (3:25) 12. The Mike Sammes Singers — Let's Have Another Cup of Coffee (3:13) 13. Robert Farnon and His Orchestra — What'll I Do (3:05) 14. Johnny Gibbs and His Orchestra — Top Hat, White Tie and Tails (2:48 ) 15. The Pete King Chorale — All Alone (2:42) 16. Roland Shaw and His Orchestra — Say It With Music (2:29) 17. The Sunset Strings — Count Your Blessings (2:23) 18. Alan Copeland and His Orchestra — Alexander's Ragtime Band (3:24) 19. Richard Alden, His Piano and Orchestra — The Song Is Ended (3:24) 20. Douglas Gamley, His Orchestra and Chorus — Sayonara (2:56)
