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Less is More |
Editorial/November 2005 |
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We may love "Musical Instruments," but the critics weren't
overwhelmed. There's no denying that it is an overproduced show, but
it was creative and experimental. Some thirty-two years later, the
show still holds its own. Despite having to compete with a cacophony
of washing machines, electric toothbrushes, and some really bizarre
instruments (a saw, for goodness sake?), Barbra Streisand still
managed to shine.
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Voice and Appliances
November 5, 2005
On November
2, 1973,
Barbra Streisand...and other Musical Instruments
was
broadcast,
and this
month
marks the
32nd
broadcast
anniversary
of
Barbra's
fifth
television
special.
Later this month, the show
will be released for the
first time on commercial video, part of a DVD box set containing the first five
Streisand specials.
In
Musical Instruments. Barbra reinterprets her familiar standards through a
variety of international musical styles. But the highlight
of the show was her duet with Ray Charles, an inspired choice for a guest.
Their rendition of Cryin' Time has since become a classic.
It can be argued
that the
show was overproduced (the first and last acts seemed to rival Hello, Dolly! in
the number of extras used), but there were instances of
brilliance in Musical Instruments. I Never Has Seen Snow
and The
Sweetest Sounds, which closed the special showcased Barbra at her best. Barbra "in concert" should
have been the focus of the show with the novelty bits scaled back. After all,
less is sometimes more.
When the DVD is released this month, you'll be able to judge for yourself
whether all the extensive production elements of the show worked.
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