Andre Kostelanetz - The Ultimate Collection

This 60-track, three-disc, 'Ultimate Collection' brings together the musical kaleidoscope of four decades of the brilliance of a truly great musician. From the classics of the 1930's to the most popular hit songs of our time, no challenge was too great for Kostelanetz. Highlights include 'The Blue Danube Waltz', 'The Rain In Spain', 'Everybody Loves A Lover', 'What Kind Of Fool Am I' & many more, packaged in a standard double jewel case. Columbia/Sony. 2001. Album Description

Brings back memories

If you liked easy listening FM radio and really miss it, this collection is for you. It is all of the things you remember hearing. May 17, 2007

For Those Who Love Easy Listening

Along with Billy Vaughn, Percy Faith, Ray Conniff and Mantovani, Kostelanetz was one of biggest names in the 50s and 60s, in the
easy-listening category. He had good taste selecting the musics, and
his sound was "full, luxurious, beautiful".
I suggest, too, Bert Kaempfert, Clebanoff, Hugo Winterhalter, Les Baxter,
Paul Mauriat and Franck Pourcel. This 3-CDs set is very good! May 13, 2007

Wow!!!!!!!!!!!!! What a find, what a jewel.

When I was a teenager, I loved the Beatles and their song "Yesterday". I also loved the Monkeys. However, I had a side of me that loved Johnnie Mathis' song "The Shadow of Your Smile" and then my all time favorite albums were ones by Andre Kostelanetz. When John Kennedy was assasinated, Andre's albums were there for me. I am Black, which should not be a variable in this review, but I want to encourage those of every race to partake of this Ultimate Collection. January 31, 2004

This set definitely covers a lot of ground. Maybe too much.

This is a most welcome comprehensive collection of Kostelanetz recordings covering his Columbia records career that spanned decades. It contains plenty of great examples of both his classical and pop recordings. His mastery of arrangement certainly had no equal in the 50s and 60s and there's lots and lots of proof of this spread over these discs. The first two discs are completely flawless. Practically every performance is five star quality. The first several tracks of the third disc continue the excellence but about a third of the way into this disc (and into Kostelanetz's 70s recordings) the arrangements start to sound more and more dated. There's something about the great orchestral masters adopting the styles of 1970s pop music that just doesn't hold up well today. I guess no one knew at the time that the 50s and 60s material would sound so much better so many years down the line so perhaps, no one is to blame. But I would rather have had more classical works or more 60s pop and left the 70s tracks to gather dust in the vault. Three essential tracks that are missing: "Somewhere My Love", "Bluesette" and Gershwin's "Promenade". Other than that, a really excellent (and beautifully remastered) collection. March 7, 2003

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