Worst crossover you ever heard ...

[slofstra]

Inspired by the Renee Fleming thread. What is the worst classical crossover recording you've ever heard? Or just mention one of those heralded crossovers that regularly appear on the charts which you feel was greatly overrated.

There are two that stand out in my mind, both from performers I really enjoy otherwise.
1) Jose Carreras singing 'Some Enchanted Evening' which comes across as Dracula ( or Count Chocula ) wanting to bite your throat, especially on "you vill see a strain-jer".
2) The King Singers singing 'Homeward Bound' which is not Paul Simon's most inspired effort anyway. The low point is when the baritone? makes train sounds on the line "sitting at the railway station".

[Jared]

^^ I think it could be Renee Fleming's alleged recent attempt at emulating 'TMV'... that's just a car crash waiting to happen!

[Chalkperson]

I would not know, simply because I do not buy crossover CD's...

[slofstra]

I would not know, simply because I do not buy crossover CD's...

Neither do I ... as a rule.

[stenka razin]

The one and only pop great Barbra Streisand's tried to crossover with disastrous results, many years ago.......






P.S. There have been even worse candidates, but, I will leave them up to our fellow CMGers to fill you all in on the other crossover candidates.....

[RebLem]

I would not know, simply because I do not buy crossover CD's...

Ditto.

[Donaldopato]

Avoided like the plague.

[THEHORN]

Curiously, Glenn Gould liked the Classical Barbara album a lot, and you cn read his reaction to her in the well-known book of his collected writings .

[Jack Kelso]

I would not know, simply because I do not buy crossover CD's...

Ditto.

Gleichfalls! (=ditto).

Tschüß,
Jack

[Chalkperson]

I would not know, simply because I do not buy crossover CD's...

Ditto.

Gleichfalls! (=ditto).

Tschüß,
Jack

Sounds like a Brand of Whisky...

[stenka razin]

Curiously, Glenn Gould liked the Classical Barbara album a lot, and you cn read his reaction to her in the well-known book of his collected writings .

Gould liked Barbra's album. That surprised me, but, the great Canadian did go along his own rather different path in life, didn't he?.

[Chalkperson]

Curiously, Glenn Gould liked the Classical Barbara album a lot, and you cn read his reaction to her in the well-known book of his collected writings .

Gould liked Barbra's album. That surprised me, but, the great Canadian did go along his own rather different path in life, didn't he?.

He loved Petula Clark's recordings a lot too...especially "Downtown"...

[stenka razin]

Curiously, Glenn Gould liked the Classical Barbara album a lot, and you cn read his reaction to her in the well-known book of his collected writings .

Gould liked Barbra's album. That surprised me, but, the great Canadian did go along his own rather different path in life, didn't he?.

He loved Petula Clark's recordings a lot too...especially "Downtown"...

chalkie, I like 'Downtown', too, mate.

[josé echenique]

Curiously, Glenn Gould liked the Classical Barbara album a lot, and you cn read his reaction to her in the well-known book of his collected writings .

He wrote the Classical Barbra review for High-Fidelity. He said that Streisand and Schwarzkopf were his favourite singers.
That´s OK with me. My favourite Goldberg Variations are Pierre Hantaï´s ON THE CEMBALO.
Chacún a son gout.

[josé echenique]

This HAS to be the worst ever.

[Wallingford]

WORST CROSSOVER I EVER SAW....

The album cover of James Galway/Cleo Laine's Sometimes When We Touch. Never mind the title song, one of the schlockiest ballads I know of; remember that cover?!? The two, in tight closeup, seductively staring at each other (c'mon, Jimmy, you gotta wife and kids!).

[Wallingford]

Of course, I'm not averse to trying Ray Charles' famous country debut.

And Tina Turner's Tina Turns The Country On--tho' it DID end up in the cutout bins--was given a "special merit" notice in Stereo Review (courtesy of its snidest critic, Joel Vance).

[Prometheus]

WORST CROSSOVER I EVER SAW....

The album cover of James Galway/Cleo Laine's Sometimes When We Touch. Never mind the title song, one of the schlockiest ballads I know of; remember that cover?!? The two, in tight closeup, seductively staring at each other (c'mon, Jimmy, you gotta wife and kids!).

Had never heard or seen this before, but after your post I figured I should take a look. Here it is in case any others care to see.

[slofstra]

Curiously, Glenn Gould liked the Classical Barbara album a lot, and you cn read his reaction to her in the well-known book of his collected writings .

Gould liked Barbra's album. That surprised me, but, the great Canadian did go along his own rather different path in life, didn't he?.

Most famously he was a huge fan of Petula Clark.

Whoops. Chalkie beat me to it. Personally, I preferred "I Know a Place". "Colour My World" was good, too.

[slofstra]

WORST CROSSOVER I EVER SAW....

The album cover of James Galway/Cleo Laine's Sometimes When We Touch. Never mind the title song, one of the schlockiest ballads I know of; remember that cover?!? The two, in tight closeup, seductively staring at each other (c'mon, Jimmy, you gotta wife and kids!).

Your honesty is too much!

[slofstra]

Chalkie, you can't tell me you've never heard any horrible crossover music. I'd like to claim I've never heard any but somehow it's hard not to get some on ya.

[karlhenning]

WORST CROSSOVER I EVER SAW....

The album cover of James Galway/Cleo Laine's Sometimes When We Touch. Never mind the title song, one of the schlockiest ballads I know of; remember that cover?!? The two, in tight closeup, seductively staring at each other (c'mon, Jimmy, you gotta wife and kids!).

Had never heard or seen this before, but after your post I figured I should take a look. Here it is in case any others care to see.

Oh, they're just friends.

Chalkie, you can't tell me you've never heard any horrible crossover music. I'd like to claim I've never heard any but somehow it's hard not to get some on ya.

I'd be interested in Chalkie's thoughts on the Liverpool Oratorio.

Cheers,
~Karl

[Heck148]

I must mention 2 "reverse" crossovers:

Al Hirt - Haydn Trumpet concerto

Benny Goodman - Nielsen Clarinet concerto

[Chalkperson]

Chalkie, you can't tell me you've never heard any horrible crossover music. I'd like to claim I've never heard any but somehow it's hard not to get some on ya.

I'd be interested in Chalkie's thoughts on the Liverpool Oratorio.

Cheers,
~Karl

I bought the Rene Fleming Jazz recording with Brad Meldau and liked it, never touched any of Paul McCartney's stuff, as for commenting on that I think I named the real Composers/Collaborators a few years ago and don't wish to name them again, I enjoyed the first Silk Road disc by YoYoYo but never touched the second, never bought any others by him either, stayed away from String's Dowland, the closest I have come is a Lute Recording by Edin Karamazov who plays Lute with String and has Rene Fleming and String on it, but, it's not really a true Crossover as the Lutenist is experimenting with 20th Century Compositions rather than jazzing up the Baroque stuff, I must admit that I have one contender and I am sad to say it, but, Elvis Costello's disc with Anne Sophie Von Otter really does suck, hopefully he does not read CMG...his Ballet with Twyla Sharp and Opera about PT Barnum and Jenny Lind were pretty good efforts and were genuine Classical Commissions so they don't count either...never even considered buying any Domingo/Pavarotti or any other Vocal Crossovers...Bela Fleck makes great music but it's clasified as Jazz so I think i'm really not aware of hearing any others, I certainly know about them but never, ever, considered buying any...I don't even buy Opera Highlights or Orchestral Compilations as I never listen to single Movements only the entire piece..

[karlhenning]

I'm quite a fan of Béla Fleck, too.

Cheers,
~Karl

[slofstra]

This HAS to be the worst ever.

Yeah, and he can't sing pop either.

[slofstra]

I'm quite a fan of Béla Fleck, too.

Cheers,
~Karl

Well, the banjo works in any genre, that's all there is to it.




Incidentally, what is it?

[ContrapunctusIX]

Incidentally, what is it?

Isn't that from one of Bach's S&Ps?

Sounds like the G Minor to me...

[barney]

I put up a post here a few days ago, which I now can't find, weird.

My favourite crossover: Kiri sings the Sex Pistols.

It didn't actually happen, but that was the spoof heading in Private Eye about the crossover glut some time in the 90s.

[erato]

Béla Anton Leoš Fleck if I may. Talk about heritage!

[AntonioA]

When We Dance with Sting/Pavarotti. But the list can be long.

Montserrat Caballé and Freddie Mercury in Barcelona is my fav and perhaps the only crossover tune i like.
Both seemed to have fun singing together. Normally "crossover" smells money.

[Wallingford]

Christopher O'Riley's solo piano renderings of Radiohead.

[Madame]

WORST CROSSOVER I EVER SAW....

The album cover of James Galway/Cleo Laine's Sometimes When We Touch. Never mind the title song, one of the schlockiest ballads I know of; remember that cover?!? The two, in tight closeup, seductively staring at each other (c'mon, Jimmy, you gotta wife and kids!).

They're just holding on till the fear in them subsides.

Seriously, though, I saw them on tour in the Seattle Opera House in the early '80s, and I loved it. I may have shared this story before ... but prior to the concert several of us went out for dinner and more than a little wine. Several rows in front of us was a woman with an extreme beehive hairdo, complete with the hole in the back. One of the guys said, oh, I hope we don't get a swarm of bees during the concert, and we could barely control our laughter.

So, the concert began, and it was all magical -- Dankworth and Laine doing their wonderful instrumental/vocal work, Galway all over that flute, it was the best. And then ... Galway started playing "Flight of the Bumblebee" ... dear Lord, we didn't dare look at each other. Has anyone ever NOT laughed until you cried?

[slofstra]

WORST CROSSOVER I EVER SAW....

The album cover of James Galway/Cleo Laine's Sometimes When We Touch. Never mind the title song, one of the schlockiest ballads I know of; remember that cover?!? The two, in tight closeup, seductively staring at each other (c'mon, Jimmy, you gotta wife and kids!).

They're just holding on till the fear in them subsides.

Seriously, though, I saw them on tour in the Seattle Opera House in the early '80s, and I loved it. I may have shared this story before ... but prior to the concert several of us went out for dinner and more than a little wine. Several rows in front of us was a woman with an extreme beehive hairdo, complete with the hole in the back. One of the guys said, oh, I hope we don't get a swarm of bees during the concert, and we could barely control our laughter.

So, the concert began, and it was all magical -- Dankworth and Laine doing their wonderful instrumental/vocal work, Galway all over that flute, it was the best. And then ... Galway started playing "Flight of the Bumblebee" ... dear Lord, we didn't dare look at each other. Has anyone ever NOT laughed until you cried?

That is funny. And having seen him perform just recently, I wouldn't be surprised if he did that on purpose. He's quite the audience charmer, unprepossessing and relaxed on stage. The recital content had much more depth than I expected also.

[IN278S]

This HAS to be the worst ever.

Yes. If you have a sense of humor about such things, you really must hear this. A secret passion that should have been kept secret.

[slofstra]

When We Dance with Sting/Pavarotti. But the list can be long.

Montserrat Caballé and Freddie Mercury in Barcelona is my fav and perhaps the only crossover tune i like.
Both seemed to have fun singing together. Normally "crossover" smells money.

Freddie Mercury was pretty good, but can he hold a candle to Helmut Lotti?

[karlhenning]

How is Helmut with the Nude Bicycle Race? . . .

Cheers,
~Karl

[slofstra]

How is Helmut with the Nude Bicycle Race? . . .

Cheers,
~Karl

I think his bottom is not fat enough. And I'm not referring to his voice but that might also be true.

[barney]

It is all about the money. According to CD company executives, they make much more,andI mean much, much, much more. So I don't criticise them - I'm pleased they subsidise what I do want to hear, and I simply don't listen to the crossovers. I get sent quite a few, and they are still in their cellophane wrappers somewhere in this mess I laughingly call a house.

[slofstra]

It is all about the money. According to CD company executives, they make much more,andI mean much, much, much more. So I don't criticise them - I'm pleased they subsidise what I do want to hear, and I simply don't listen to the crossovers. I get sent quite a few, and they are still in their cellophane wrappers somewhere in this mess I laughingly call a house.

Here's the Billboard top classical chart:

http://www.billboard.com/charts/classic ... r=position

9 of the top 10 are crossovers, and it has looked like that for years. They probably make as much off #1 as all the other serious classical releases put together. Good way of looking at it, Barney. I feel the same way about lottery tickets. Keeping buying them folks, helps to reduce the compulsory taxes.

[barney]

It is all about the money. According to CD company executives, they make much more,andI mean much, much, much more. So I don't criticise them - I'm pleased they subsidise what I do want to hear, and I simply don't listen to the crossovers. I get sent quite a few, and they are still in their cellophane wrappers somewhere in this mess I laughingly call a house.

Here's the Billboard top classical chart:

http://www.billboard.com/charts/classic ... r=position

9 of the top 10 are crossovers, and it has looked like that for years. They probably make as much off #1 as all the other serious classical releases put together. Good way of looking at it, Barney. I feel the same way about lottery tickets. Keeping buying them folks, helps to reduce the compulsory taxes.

Wow, that's fascinating proof. I am actually one of the people who gets to vote on what should be allowed on the Australian equivalent, the ARIAs, and I always vote against crossovers being on the classical list. I don't know that I make much difference, though.

[Chalkperson]

9 of the top 10 are crossovers, and it has looked like that for years.

And the tenth is YoYoYo and the two Dwarfs, if YoYoYo was not in/on that Recording nobody would buy it, I think that counts as a Crossover record too...