Sarah Vaughan - A Lover's Concerto (Mercury Records 1966)

"A Lover's Concerto" is a pop song written by American songwriters Sandy Linzer and Denny Randell, based on the 18th century composition by Christian Petzold, "Minuet in G major", and recorded in 1965 by the Toys. "A Lover's Concerto" sold more than two million copies and was awarded gold record certification by the RIAA.

Their original version of the song was a major hit in the United States and United Kingdom (among other countries) during 1965. It peaked on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart at number 2. "A Lover's Concerto" reached number 1 both on the US Cashbox chart (Billboard's main competitor), and in Canada on the RPM national singles chart. It peaked at number 5 in the UK Singles Chart.

Linzer and Randell used the melody of the familiar "Minuet in G major" (BWV Anh. 114), which first appeared in J.S. Bach's Notebook for Anna Magdalena Bach. The only difference is that the "Minuet in G major" is written in 3
4 time, whereas "A Lover's Concerto" is arranged in 4
4 time. Although often attributed to Bach himself, the "Minuet in G major" is now generally accepted as having been written by Christian Petzold.

The melody had been popularized by bandleader Freddy Martin in the 1940s, in a recording that was released under the title "A Lover's Concerto".

Critic Dave Thompson wrote of the Toys' version: "Few records are this perfect. Riding across one of the most deceptively hook-laden melodies ever conceived ... 'A Lover's Concerto' marks the apogee of the Girl Group sound."[2] The song also has an unusual structure that blurs the differences between its verses and choruses.[2] Add to this, it was also popularized by Sarah Vaughan under Mercury label in the late ‘60s. The lyrics begin:

How gentle is the rain
That falls softly on the meadow,
Birds high up in the trees
Serenade the clouds with their melodies

Sarah Lois Vaughan (March 27, 1924 -- April 3, 1990) was an American jazz singer, described by Scott Yanow as having "one of the most wondrous voices of the 20th century." Nicknamed "Sailor" (for her salty speech), "Sassy" and "The Divine One", Sarah Vaughan was a Grammy Award winner. The National Endowment for the Arts bestowed upon her its "highest honor in jazz", the NEA Jazz Masters Award, in 1989.

William Clarence Eckstine (July 8, 1914 -- March 8, 1993) was an American singer of ballads and a bandleader of the swing era. Eckstine's smooth baritone and distinctive vibrato broke down barriers throughout the 1940s, first as leader of the original bop big-band, then as the first romantic black male in popular music. Eckstine's recording of "I Apologize," MGM Pop Single, (1948) was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame Award in 1999.

How gentle is the rain
That falls softly on the meadow?
Birds, high up in the trees
Serenade the clouds with their melodies

Oh, see, there beyond the hill
The bright colors of the rainbow
Some magic from above
Made this day for us just to fall in love

Now, I belong to you
From this day until forever
Just love me tenderly
And I'll give to you every part of me

Oh, don't ever make me cry
Through long, lonely nights without us
Be always true to me
Keep this day in your heart eternally

Someday we shall return
To this place upon the meadow
We'll walk out in the rain
Hear the birds above singing once again

You'll hold me in your arms
And say once again you love me
And, if your love is true
Everything will be just as wonderful

You'll hold me in your arms
And say once again you love me
And, if your love is true
Everything will be just as wonderful

You'll hold me in your arms
And say once again you love me
And, if your love is true
Everything will be just as wonderful

Видео Sarah Vaughan - A Lover's Concerto (Mercury Records 1966) канала RoundMidnightTV