Hidden Treasures 1949-2013

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Product Description ------------------- In this historic release, the great lyricist of Fiddler on the Roof, She Loves Me and the Pulitzer Prize-winning Fiorello! shares with musical theater fans 53 of his Hidden Treasures rarely heard songs from 17 musicals, with many songs performed by Harnick himself and his late composer-partner Jerry Bock. Three cuts feature Harnick as recorded just last year for this special collection, and other archival s star three-time Tony Award winner Audra McDonald, Brian d'Arcy James, Charlotte Rae and more. The 2-CD set is a grand celebration of Harnick's 90th birthday on April 30th and the 50th-anniversary year of Fiddler on the Roof. That musicals iconic Sunrise, Sunset is being released for the first time in its original demo by Bock and Harnick. Harbinger Records producers Ken Bloom and Bill Rudman worked closely with Harnick for two years on this project. The deluxe package includes a 60-page booklet with extensive notes by Harnick and a Foreword by famed Broadway producer Harold Prince, who comments: This magnificent set is testimony to Sheldon's extraordinary gifts, and to his place in the pantheon of Broadway musical creators. Review ------ Ever wonder how songwriters come up with a musical? You get a fantastic glimpse into the process with Sheldon Harnick: Hidden Treasures (1949-2013) from Harbinger Records. Culled from Harnick's personal archives, this two-disc set covers his career from his early days when he was contributing material to Broadway revues to his later big hits, like Fiorello! and Fiddler on the Roof. A lot of the tracks are of songs that went unused or were cut from musicals, such as one that Harnick wrote with his partner Jerry Bock to open "Fiddler" (hint: It's not "Tradition") and a beautiful ballad that the men wrote for Tenderloin, "I Wonder What It's Like." The CDs are complemented by a substantial booklet with notes written by Harnick himself, making it feel like you're sitting down for a one-on-one with a great man of the theater while you're enjoying this splendid collection. --Broadway Direct With a clutch of new original cast albums from this season's Broadway musicals crowding the counter, I made the mistake of tearing open the wrapping of "Sheldon Harnick: Hidden Treasures, 1949-2013" [Harbinger]. Looking at the content list within the booklet, I made the further mistake of picking a track that I needed to hear immediately. I've spent the rest of my time this week listening to the 52 selections on two discs. All those new cast albums will just have to wait. --Steven Suskin, June 2014 This is a significant contribution to scholarship in the history of the American musical theater. Congratulations on a job beautifully done! --Dwight Blocker Bowers, Curator, Smithsonian National Museum of American History A 55-page booklet gives detailed background on all the songs contained here, with Harnick's own wit shining across the page in their presentations and descriptions... But the bulk of this collection is an enjoyable look at the Bock and Harnick songs that didn't make the final cut from their best known scores...only time will tell what becomes of these songs, but the musical theater fan will be thankful for this collection. --Steven Bergman, EDGE, July 29, 2014 Also earning our approbation is "Sheldon Harnick: Hidden Treasures, 1949-2013" [Harbinger]. Harnick is our longest-reigning Broadway songwriter, having arrived on 45th Street in 1952, and one of the finest lyricists of our time; as witty and clever as the best of them, but with heart and warmth inbred. The folks at Harbinger combed through Harnick's archives to find 53 items, which are crammed onto two CDs. They purposely eschew the familiar; what we get are songwriter demos, live s, pop s and even a recent, previously unrecorded item sung by Audra McDonald. These are indeed hidden treasures, many of which might set your eyes twinkling. --Steven Suskin, Playbill, November 2014