The Sound of Music conjures up the musical film of the same name with Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer in the lead roles. The Sound of Music this review is all about are the tunes from some of Richard Rodgers (1902-79) and Oscar Hammerstein II (1895-1960) great musicals captured on a Naxos Light Classics CD featuring Richard Hayman and His Orchestra. Rodgers and Hammerstein gave us some of the best beloved Broadway musicals and their resulting film versions, most of which have become classics in their own right.

First recorded between February and June 1989, the tracks on this CD will surely kindle considerable nostalgia for many of us, who had the good fortune to grow up with this music. I do not think that anyone will dispute Time Magazine and CBC News, who some time ago named these two artists among the 20 most influential of the 20^th century.

Hayman, who started his musical career as a harmonica player in 1938, eventually became an arranger for MGM studios in the early > 40s, and then the principal arranger for the Boston Pops Orchestra under Arthur Fiedler. Known throughout North America as the continent's Favorite Pops Conductor for many years, Hayman was named Principal Pops Conductor of the Grand Rapids Symphony in 1985. He held the same position with the Saint Louis Symphony, and has held similar posts with the Hartford Symphony Orchestra, Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestra London (ON), and the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, where he was Principal Pops Conductor from 1960 to 1968. Now 87, he is currently pops conductor laureate for the Grand Rapids Symphony.

The selections performed on this CD are from The Sound of Music, Do I hear a Waltz?, Carousel, State Fair, Oklahoma, South Pacific, The King and I, and No Strings. They are performed with a light touch, giving this album a sweet sound without resorting to being syrupy. The songs are both enchanting and charming, yet also carry some weight, especially the selections from Oklahoma. This CD is perfect for listening to on any day when the more 'heavy' classics may not be quite the right menu.

At well over an hour's worth of music, this is an absolute bargain at under $10.00. If it is not in your local store, it can be ordered directly from Naxos.com