A Quiet Thing:--A Little known Classic: In 1965, John Kander and Fred Ebb wrote an entertaining musical called Flora The Red Menace. This was one year before their smash hit Cabaret which Director Robert Fosse also turned into a successful motion picture starring Liza Minelli. A very young Liza starred in Flora the Red Menace portraying a politically naïve person flirting with ultra progressive ideologies. She was a great hit in her first major Broadway appearance and Kander and Ebb also wrote other material over the years for Liza Minelli. Kander and Ebb songs are often described as " jazzy ":featuring a strong rhythmic pulse as in the case of " New York,New York" a famous Sinatra anthem.
" A Quiet Thing" is much more reflective, fairly long and more melodic than much of the songwriter's other songs.
The marvellous American soprano Eileen Farrell teams with the great Canadian born arranger Robert Farnon in a beautifully orchestrated version of the song. Farnon is often acknowledged as the greatest writer for strings and this performance is clear evidence of that wonderful gift. He also introduces little instrumental passages introducing brass, woodwinds and a solo violin which do not intrude but complement the overall lush yet restrained arrangement. In the over-heated world of pop music and triumph of amateurism, this performance is an effective antidote to so much contemporary musical drivel.
LINK: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LwEsSHiShiM
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