101 Strings Orchestra was the brand for a highly successful
easy listening
Easy listening (including mood music) is a popular music genre and radio format that was most popular during the 1950s to the 1970s. It is related to middle of the road (MOR) music and encompasses instrumental recordings of standards, hit s ...
symphonic music organization, with a discography exceeding 150 albums and a creative lifetime of around 30 years beginning in 1957. 101 Strings had a trademark sound, focusing on melody with a laid-back ambiance most often featuring strings. Its
LPs were individualized by the slogan "The Sound of Magnificence", a puffy cloud logo and a sepia-toned photo of the orchestra. The 101 Strings orchestra included 124
string instrument
In musical instrument classification, string instruments, or chordophones, are musical instruments that produce sound from vibrating strings when a performer strums, plucks, strikes or sounds the strings in varying manners.
Musicians play some ...
s and was conducted by Wilhelm Stephan. The orchestra's famous official photograph was taken in the
Musikhalle Hamburg.
History
Miller and rock and roll
Record label mogul
David L. Miller came to prominence by releasing the first
Bill Haley & His Comets
Bill Haley & His Comets were an American rock and roll band formed in 1947 and continuing until Haley's death in 1981. The band was also known as Bill Haley and the Comets and Bill Haley's Comets. From late 1954 to late 1956, the group record ...
’ records in 1952–1953 on his own
Essex
Essex ( ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the East of England, and one of the home counties. It is bordered by Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, the North Sea to the east, Kent across the Thames Estuary to the ...
label (followed by Trans-World, then
Somerset Records).
[ In this capacity, Miller played a role in the creation of ]rock and roll
Rock and roll (often written as rock & roll, rock-n-roll, and rock 'n' roll) is a Genre (music), genre of popular music that evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It Origins of rock and roll, originated from African ...
.
Miller and 101 Strings
Following the rise of easy listening
Easy listening (including mood music) is a popular music genre and radio format that was most popular during the 1950s to the 1970s. It is related to middle of the road (MOR) music and encompasses instrumental recordings of standards, hit s ...
(practitioners of which included Mantovani and Jackie Gleason Presents), Miller subcontracted the Orchester des Nordwestdeutschen Rundfunks Hamburg (the Northwest German Radio Orchestra of Hamburg) conducted by Wilhelm Stephan to play in-house arrangements of popular standards.[ The first three 101 Strings albums were released in November 1957, and twelve more titles were released in 1958 (many of which featured recycled material from earlier albums attributed to the New World Orchestra, Rio Carnival Orchestra, and other light music orchestras). These records were pressed by Miller's own plants and released through his own distribution channels (such as grocery stores).
His core staff arrangers were Monty Kelly, Joseph Francis Kuhn, and Robert Lowden. All three proved adept at writing original compositions that were stylistically consistent both with contemporary hit songs and each other. Miller placed these on 101 Strings albums to provide additional publishing revenues.
Kelly's earliest successes were Latin and Spanish travelogues (such as the "Soul of Spain" series), although he became 101 Strings' "Now Sound" specialist following the ]British Invasion
The British Invasion was a cultural phenomenon of the mid-1960s, when Rock music, rock and pop music acts from the United Kingdom and other aspects of Culture of the United Kingdom, British culture became popular in the United States with sign ...
. Kuhn concentrated on radio-friendly numbers in the " Pops"'s orchestral manner ("Blues Pizzicato", etc.) which provided Somerset its initial catalog of originals. Lowden composed lounge ballads (such as "Blue Twilight"). The orchestra's body of early 1960s work, including recordings under the names of the Cinema Sound Stage Orchestra and the Zero Zero Seven Band, was recycled via re-release throughout the next twenty years.
Sherman and 101 Strings
In 1964, Miller sold the franchise to Al Sherman, a successful record label distributor, who renamed the label Alshire (based in Los Angeles) and moved recording to London. Sherman retained Miller as a partner to oversee production and A&R. The Alshire era is characterized by large-scale expansion of product, attempts to branch out to younger markets and beginning in 1969, eventual stagnation (although late efforts by Les Baxter and Nelson Riddle
Nelson Smock Riddle Jr. (June 1, 1921 – October 6, 1985) was an American arranger, composer, bandleader and orchestrator whose career stretched from the late 1940s to the mid-1980s. He worked with many vocalists at Capitol Records, including ...
were released under the 101 Strings name in 1970's). Output decreased from 1974 on. A tribute to John Lennon
John Winston Ono Lennon (born John Winston Lennon; 9 October 19408 December 1980) was an English singer-songwriter, musician and activist. He gained global fame as the founder, co-lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of the Beatles. Lennon's ...
(composed of earlier Beatles
The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960. The core lineup of the band comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are widely regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatle ...
tribute material – ''101 Strings play Hits written by The Beatles'') in January 1981 marked the final 101 Strings effort.
Many 101 Strings albums are simply orchestrated versions of pop hits and show tunes, although the early Somerset material contains many examples of the exotica and lounge genres. ''East of Suez'' (1959), ''In a Hawaiian Paradise'' (1960), and ''Songs of the Seasons in Japan'' (1964) are three such albums. ''101 Strings Play the Blues'' (1958) and ''Back Beat Symphony'' were early experiments in symphonic-pop hybridization, while ''Fly Me to the Moon'' (1961) contains five noir-ish originals. Alshire releases include ‘Now Sound’ albums such as ''The Sounds and Songs of the Jet Set'' (1965), ''Sounds of Today'' (1967), and ''Astro-Sounds from Beyond the Year 2000'' (1969), the last of which has been frequently sampled by electronic music
Electronic music broadly is a group of music genres that employ electronic musical instruments, circuitry-based music technology and software, or general-purpose electronics (such as personal computers) in its creation. It includes both music ...
artists of the 1990s and 2000s decades.
Current ownership
The current owner is Countdown Media, a subsidiary of BMG Rights Management
BMG Rights Management GmbH (also known simply as BMG) is an international music company based in Berlin, Germany. It combines the activities of a music publisher and a record label.
BMG was formed in October 2008 after Bertelsmann sold its st ...
.
Sales
In the 24 years of its existence, 101 Strings sold more than 50,000,000 records worldwide.
Chart hits
The orchestra had five hit albums in the UK, including one number one.
* ''Gypsy Campfires'' (1958) #9
* ''The Soul of Spain'' (1958) #17
* '' Ferde Grofe's Grand Canyon Suite'' (1958) #10
* '' Down Drury Lane to Memory Lane'' (1960) #1
* ''Morning Noon and Night'' (1983) #32
Discography
Original releases during the group's existence from 1957 to 1981. Subsequent releases under the 101 Strings name consist of rereleases, compilations, and material licensed from other performers and are not included.
* ''101 Strings in a Symphony for Lovers'' (1957)
* ''101 Strings Play the World's Great Standards'' (1957)
* ''A Night in the Tropics'' (1957)
* ''101 Strings Play the Blues'' (1958)
* ''Gypsy Campfires'' (1958)
* ''The Emotion of 101 Strings at Gypsy Campfires'' (1958)
* ''Award Winning Scores from the Silver Screen'' (1958)
* ''Ferde Grofe
Ferde AS is a Norwegian toll company owned by Agder, Rogaland and Vestland counties. The company was created on 5 October 2016 is headquartered in Bergen. The company was called Sørvest Bomvegselskap AS until 1 January 2018. All toll roads in N ...
's Grand Canyon Suite'' (1958)
* ''The Glory of Christmas'' (1958)
* ''101 Strings Play the Sugar & Spice of Rudolph Friml'' (1958)
* ''101 Strings Play Hit American Waltzes'' (1958)
* ''101 Strings Play Hits from Pal Joey'' (1958) (back cover adds ''and The Red Mill'')
* ''A Night in Vienna'' (1958)
* ''A Night Serenade in the Quiet Hours'' (1958)
* ''Opera Without Words'' (1958)
* ''A Bridal Bouquet The World's Most Beautiful Wedding Songs'' (1958)
* ''Concerto Under the Stars'' (1958) (rereleased as ''Concertos for Lovers'')
* ''Soul of Music U.S.A.'' (1958)
* ''The Soul of Spain'' (1958)
* ''The Soul of Spain, Volume 2'' (1958)
* ''Russian Fireworks'' (1959)
* ''East of Suez'' (1959)
* ''Porgy and Bess'' (1959)
* ''The Rivieras : 101 Strings on a Mediterranean Cruise'' (1959)
* ''101 Years of Familiar Songs America Loves'' (1960)
* ''25 Years of Show Hits'' (1960)
* ''101 Strings in a Hawaiian Paradise'' (1960)
* ''Down Drury Lane to Memory Lane'' (1960)
* ''I Love Paris'' (1960)
* ''Rhapsody'' (1960)
* ''Soul of the Blues'' (1960)
* ''Back Beat Symphony'' (1961)
* '' Exodus and Other Great Movie Themes'' (1961)
* ''Fly Me to the Moon'' (1961) (cover reads ''Songs When We're Alone... Fly Me to the Moon'')
* ''Smash Hits from The Music Man
''The Music Man'' is a musical theatre, musical with book, music, and lyrics by Meredith Willson, based on a story by Willson and Franklin Lacey. The plot concerns a confidence trick, con man Harold Hill, who poses as a boys' band organizer and ...
'' (1961)
* ''The Stephen Foster
Stephen Collins Foster (July 4, 1826January 13, 1864), known as "the father of American music", was an American composer known primarily for his parlour music, parlour and Folk music, folk music during the Romantic music, Romantic period. He wr ...
Songbook'' (1961)
* ''A World of Romance'' (1961) (reel-to-reel tape
Reel-to-reel audio tape recording, also called open-reel recording, is magnetic tape audio recording in which the recording tape is spooled between reels. To prepare for use, the ''supply reel'' (or ''feed reel'') containing the tape is plac ...
with selections from six previous albums)
* ''Italian Hits'' (1961)
* ''Camelot
Camelot is a legendary castle and Royal court, court associated with King Arthur. Absent in the early Arthurian material, Camelot first appeared in 12th-century French romances and, since the Lancelot-Grail cycle, eventually came to be described ...
'' (1962)
* ''Inspiration and Meditation'' (1962) (disc label reads "Songs of Inspiration and Meditation")
* ''Million-Seller Hit Songs of the 40's'' (1962)
* ''The Soul of Mexico'' (1962)
* ''With Love from London'' (1962)
* ''Million Seller Hit Songs of the 60's'' (1963)
* ''101 Key Mortier Dance Organ, St. Albans Organ Museum'' (1964)
* ''Invitation to Dreams'' (1964)
* ''I Left My Heart in 101 Strings'' (1964) (Japanese release)
* ''I Left My Heart in San Francisco'' (1964)
* ''The Magic of Strings After Dark'' (1964) (disc label reads ''Strings After Dark'')
* ''Million Seller Hit Songs of the 30's'' (1964)
* ''Million-Seller Hit Songs of the 50's'' (1964?) (rereleased minus 2 tracks in 1976 as ''50's Style'')
* ''Songs of the Seasons in Japan'' (1964)
* '' Victor Young Leroy Anderson
Leroy Anderson ( ; June 29, 1908 – May 18, 1975) was an American composer of short, Light music, light concert pieces, many of which were introduced by the Boston Pops Orchestra under the direction of Arthur Fiedler. John Williams descri ...
'' (1964)
* ''The Sounds and Songs of the Jet Set'' (1965)
* '' Paul Griffin Swings with 101 Strings'' (1965)
* ''My Fair Lady'' (1965)
* ''Fire and Romance of South America'' (1965)
* ''Cole Porter
Cole Albert Porter (June 9, 1891 – October 15, 1964) was an American composer and songwriter. Many of his songs became Standard (music), standards noted for their witty, urbane lyrics, and many of his scores found success on Broadway the ...
'' (1965)
* ''Concertos U.S.A.'' (1966)
* ''The Wonderful World of Walt Disney'' (1966)
* ''101 Strings Plus Guitars Galore'' (1966)
* ''The Best Loved Songs of Irving Berlin
Irving Berlin (born Israel Isidore Beilin; May 11, 1888 – September 22, 1989) was a Russian-born American composer and songwriter. His music forms a large part of the Great American Songbook. Berlin received numerous honors including an Acade ...
'' (1966)
* ''Fiesta Español'' (1966)
* ''John Philip Sousa
John Philip Sousa ( , ; November 6, 1854 – March 6, 1932) was an American composer and conductor of the late Romantic music, Romantic era known primarily for American military March (music), marches. He is known as "The March King" or th ...
George M. Cohan'' (1966)
* ''Million Seller Hits of 1966'' (1966)
* '' Richard Rodgers Oscar Hammerstein'' (1966)
* ''Sigmund Romberg
Sigmund Romberg (July 29, 1887 – November 9, 1951) was a Hungarian-born American composer. He is best known for his Musical theatre, musicals and operettas, particularly ''The Student Prince'' (1924), ''The Desert Song'' (1926) and ''The New Moo ...
Rudolf Friml'' (1966)
* ''The Soul of Erin'' (1966)
* ''Victor Herbert
Victor August Herbert (February 1, 1859 – May 26, 1924) was an American composer, Cello, cellist and conducting, conductor of English and Irish ancestry and German training. Although Herbert enjoyed important careers as a cello soloist and co ...
'' (1966)
* ''The Tijuana Sound'' (1967)
* ''Million Seller Hits from the Golden Age of the Bands'' (1967)
* ''101 Strings Play Million Seller Hits – Volume 1'' (1967)
* ''101 Strings Play Million Seller Hits – Volume 2'' (1967)
* ''101 Strings Play Million Seller Hits – Volume 3'' (1967)
* ''101 Strings Plays Hit Songs for Girls'' (1967)
* ''Songs from George M. Cohan That Is'' (1967) (back cover reads ''101 Strings Play Hit Songs from George M. and New York - The Good Old Days'')
* ''Songs of Faith'' (1967)
* ''Songs of Love'' (1967)
* ''The Soul of Israel'' (1967)
* ''Million Seller Hits from Mexico'' (1967)
* ''The Romance of Magic Island'' (1967)
* ''Swingin' Things from 101 Strings'' (1967) (originally released in 1961 as ''The Soul of Harlem'' credited to Orchestra del Oro)
* ''S.R.O. Broadway Hits (Standing Room Only)'' (1967)
* ''Sounds of Today'' (1967)
* ''Spanish Eyes and Other Romantic Songs'' (1967)
* ''El Alma de Rusia'' (1967)
* ''Best Known Themes from the World's Great Composers'' (1967)
* ''Best Known Themes from the World's Great Composers'' (1967) (2-LP version; 2nd LP released in 1968 as ''Million Seller Themes from the Heart of Tchaikovsky
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky ( ; 7 May 1840 – 6 November 1893) was a Russian composer during the Romantic period. He was the first Russian composer whose music made a lasting impression internationally. Tchaikovsky wrote some of the most popular ...
'')
* ''Love is Blue (L'Amour Est Bleu)'' (1967)
* ''Family Pop Concert'' (1967)
* ''After a Hard Day – Music to Relax By'' (1967) (back of cover reads ''Music to Relax By After a Hard Day''; disc label reads ''101 Strings Play Music to Relax By'')
* ''101 Strings with Twin Pianos – Million Seller Hits'' (1968)
* ''Round the World in Stereo with 101 Strings'' (1968)
* ''101 Strings Play Hits Written by The Beatles
The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960. The core lineup of the band comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are widely regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatle ...
'' (1968)
* ''101 Strings Play Love Is Blue'' (1968)
* ''101 Strings Featuring Hits Made Famous by The Supremes
The Supremes were an American girl group formed in Detroit, Michigan, in 1959 as the Primettes. A premier act of Motown Records during the 1960s, the Supremes were the most commercially successful of Motown's acts and the most successful Amer ...
'' (1968)
* ''Million Seller Hits of Today'' (1968)
* ''Astro-Sounds from Beyond the Year 2000'' (1968)
* ''Concert in Vienna'' (1968)
* ''Million Seller Themes from the Heart of Tchaikovsky'' (1968) (also released as 2nd LP in 2-LP version of ''Best Known Themes from the World's Great Composers'')
* ''Fuego y Romance de Ernesto Lecuona'' (1968)
* ''Here Come the Birds'' (1968)
* '' Valley of the Dolls and Other Academy Award Hits!'' (1968)
* ''Come Sail with Me'' (1969)
* ''Gold Award Hits'' (1969)
* ''Lullabies for Baby'' (1969)
* ''Million Seller Hits of 1969'' (1969)
* ''101 Strings Play Romantic Songs of the Sea'' (1969)
* ''101 Strings Plus Guitars Galore, Volume 2'' (1969)
* ''101 Strings Plus One'' (1969)
* ''101 Strings Plus Trumpet'' (1969)
* ''101 Strings Plus Accordion'' (1969)
* ''101 Strings Play Songs for Lovers on a Summer Night'' (1969)
* ''101 Strings Play the World's Most Famous Continental Tangos'' (1969)
* ''101 Strings Plays Hits of Today'' (1969)
* ''101 Strings Play Hit Songs from Finian's Rainbow Funny Girl Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
''Chitty Chitty Bang Bang'' is a 1968 children's film, children's Musical film, musical fantasy film directed by Ken Hughes and produced by Albert R. Broccoli. It stars Dick Van Dyke, Sally Ann Howes, Lionel Jeffries, Gert Fröbe, Anna Quayle, ...
'' (1969)
* ''101 Strings Play Hits Made Famous by Nat King Cole
Nathaniel Adams Coles (March 17, 1919 – February 15, 1965), known professionally as Nat King Cole, alternatively billed as Nat "King" Cole, was an American singer, jazz pianist, and actor. Cole's career as a jazz and Traditional pop, pop ...
'' (1969)
* ''101 Strings Play Million Seller Hits of Today'' (1969)
* ''101 Strings Play Music from Oliver!
''Oliver!'' is a stage musical, with book, music and lyrics by Lionel Bart. The musical is based upon the 1838 novel ''Oliver Twist'' by Charles Dickens.
It premiered at the Wimbledon Theatre, southwest London in 1960 before opening in the W ...
and Other Original English Melodies'' (1969)
* ''101 Strings Play Music from the Paramount Picture Paint Your Wagon'' (1969)
* ''101 Strings Play Million Seller Hits of Today written by Simon and Garfunkel
Simon & Garfunkel were an American folk rock duo comprising the singer-songwriter Paul Simon and the singer Art Garfunkel. They were one of the best-selling music acts of the 1960s. Their most famous recordings include three US number-one sing ...
'' (1969)
* ''The Sounds of Love'' (1969)
* ''101 Strings Play Songs of England'' (1970)
* ''101 Strings Plays Songs of England'' (1970)
* ''Around the World with 101 Strings/De Luxe'' (1970)
* ''The "Exotic" Sounds of Love'' (1970)
* ''Greatest Hits of Ray Charles
Ray Charles Robinson (September 23, 1930 – June 10, 2004) was an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. He is regarded as one of the most iconic and influential musicians in history, and was often referred to by contemporaries as "The Gen ...
'' (1970)
* ''Million Seller Hits Arranged and Conducted by Les Baxter'' (1970)
* ''Nelson Riddle
Nelson Smock Riddle Jr. (June 1, 1921 – October 6, 1985) was an American arranger, composer, bandleader and orchestrator whose career stretched from the late 1940s to the mid-1980s. He worked with many vocalists at Capitol Records, including ...
Arranges and Conducts 101 Strings'' (1970)
* ''Original Johann Strauss Waltzes'' (1970) (originally released in 1958 credited to The Danube Strings)
* ''POP' Classics'' (1970)
* ''The Romance of Hawaii'' (1970)
* ''The Power and the Glory'' (with The Tabernacle Choir
The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square, formerly known as the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, is an American choir affiliated with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). It has performed in the Salt Lake Tabernacle for ov ...
) (1970)
* ''Que Mango!'' (with Les Baxter) (1970)
* ''Temas Célebres del Cine'' (1970)
* ''African Safari - The Activity and Excitement of an Actual Big Game Hunt!'' (1971)
* ''Discos de Oro'' (1971)
* ''Hit Songs from Hit Movies'' (1971)
* ''Million Seller Hits'' (1971) (title on disc label reads ''More Million Seller Hits'')
* ''The Soul of Spain, Volume 3'' (1971)
* ''Spectacular Brass!!! Fantastic Reeds!!! and the Magnificent 101 Strings : Nelson Riddle with Americas Top Soloists'' (1971)
* ''Theme from Love Story and Other Songs of Love'' (1971)
* ''A Waltz to Remember'' (1971)
* ''101 Strings Orchestra Plays Songs Written by Carole King
Carole King Klein (born Carol Joan Klein; February 9, 1942) is an American singer-songwriter and musician renowned for her extensive contributions to popular music. She wrote or co-wrote 118 songs that charted on the Billboard Hot 100, ''Billbo ...
'' (1972) (disc label reads ''A Portrait of Carole'')
* ''101 Strings Play Million Seller Hits – Volume 4'' (1972)
* ''101 Strings Plus Dynamic Percussion - An Experience in Sound'' (1972) (originally released in 1960 as ''Motion in Percussion and Orchestra'' credited to the Hollywood Pops Orchestra)
* ''101 Strings Plus Guitars'' (1972)
* ''101 Strings Plus the Sensuous Sounds of the Trumpet'' (1972) (originally released in 1958 as ''I'm in the Mood'' credited to Billy Butterfield and His Orchestra)
* ''101 Strings under the Direction of Monty Kelly'' (1972) (album cover lists entire contents after ''101 Strings Play'')
* ''101 Strings with Romantic Piano at Cocktail Time - featuring Pietro Dero'' (1972)
* ''Award Hits from Broadway and Hollywood'' (1972)
* ''Country Music Hall of Fame'' (1972)
* ''Down Memory Lane - For the Young at Heart'' (1972)
* ''Fiddler on the Roof
''Fiddler on the Roof'' is a musical theatre, musical with music by Jerry Bock, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, and musical theatre#Book musicals, book by Joseph Stein, set in the Pale of Settlement of Russian Empire, Imperial Russia in or around 19 ...
'' (1972)
* ''George Gershwin
George Gershwin (; born Jacob Gershwine; September 26, 1898 – July 11, 1937) was an American composer and pianist whose compositions spanned jazz, popular music, popular and classical music. Among his best-known works are the songs "Swan ...
'' (1972)
* '' Gigi and Other Romantic Selections'' (1972)
* ''Gone but Not Forgotten'' (1972)
* ''Hank Williams
Hiram "Hank" Williams (September 17, 1923 – January 1, 1953) was an American singer, songwriter, and musician. An early pioneer of country music, he is regarded as one of the most significant and influential musicians of the 20th century. W ...
& Other Country Greats'' (1972) (back cover reads ''Songs of Hank Williams and Other Country Greats'')
* ''Hit Songs Written by Bacharach and Webb'' (1972)
* ''Hits from the Rock Opera Jesus Christ Super Star and Other Original Songs'' (1972)
* ''Hoagy Carmichael
Hoagland Howard "Hoagy" Carmichael (November 22, 1899 – December 27, 1981) was an American musician, composer, songwriter, actor, author and lawyer. Carmichael was one of the most successful Tin Pan Alley songwriters of the 1930s and 1940s, a ...
Duke Ellington'' (1972)
* ''Instrumental Music from the Ross Hunter Production Lost Horizon and Other Selections'' (1972)
* ''Japanese Folk Songs - 101 Strings Featuring the Shakuhachi (Bamboo Flute) with Katsuya Yokoyama'' (1972)
* ''The Magnificent Waltz'' (1972)
* '' Man of La Mancha and Other Hits'' (1972)
* ''Million Seller Country Hits'' (1972)
* ''Million Seller Hits from Paint Your Wagon My Fair Lady
''My Fair Lady'' is a musical theatre, musical with a book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe. The story, based on George Bernard Shaw's 1913 play ''Pygmalion (play), Pygmalion'' and on the Pygmalion (1938 film), 1938 film ...
Camelot Gigi'' (1972)
* ''Million Seller Hits from Porgy and Bess
''Porgy and Bess'' ( ) is an English-language opera by American composer George Gershwin, with a libretto written by author DuBose Heyward and lyricist Ira Gershwin. It was adapted from Dorothy Heyward and DuBose Heyward's play ''Porgy (play), ...
An American in Paris
''An American in Paris'' is a jazz-influenced symphonic poem (or tone poem) for orchestra by American composer George Gershwin first performed in 1928. It was inspired by the time that Gershwin had spent in Paris and evokes the sights and en ...
Rhapsody in Blue
''Rhapsody in Blue'' is a 1924 musical composition for solo piano and jazz band by George Gershwin. Commissioned by bandleader Paul Whiteman, the work combines elements of classical music with jazz-influenced effects and premiered in a concer ...
Swanee'' (1972)
* ''Million Seller Latin Dance Hits'' (1972)
* ''Million Sellers from the Movies'' (1972)
* ''More Million Seller Hits of Today'' (1972)
* ''Movie Hits and Other Romantic Songs'' (1972)
* ''Movie Themes'' (1972)
* ''Music from Doctor Zhivago with Other Favorite Russian Melodies'' (1972) (originally released in 1966 as ''Sound Track Music from Doctor Zhivago'' credited to the Cinema Sound Stage Orchestra)
* ''Music from Fiddler on the Roof and Other Songs'' (1972)
* ''Polkas'' (1972) (disc label reads ''101 Strings Play Polkas'')
* ''Romantic Hits from the Operettas and Musical Comedies'' (1972)
* ''Soul of Greece'' (1972)]
* ''The Soul of Israel, Volume 2'' (1972)
* ''The Soul of Poland'' (1972)
* ''The Soul of Scotland'' (1972)
* ''The Sound of Henry Mancini
Henry Mancini ( ; born Enrico Nicola Mancini; April 16, 1924 – June 14, 1994) was an American composer, conductor, arranger, pianist and flutist. Often cited as one of the greatest composers in the history of film, he won four Academy Awards, ...
'' (1972)
* ''Theme from Shaft'' (1972)
* ''Today's Hits'' (1972)
* ''Trumpet A Go-Go Vol 2'' (1972)
* '' Wagons West'' (1972)
* ''Western Themes'' (1972) (disc label reads ''Western Themes Vol. I'')
* ''Western Themes Volume II'' (1972)
* ''Who Can Forget?'' (1972)
* ''101 Strings Orchestra Plays Movie Themes and Other Songs'' (1973)
* ''101 Strings Play One Tin Soldier and Other Hits'' (1973) (title from back cover; front cover lists entire contents)
* ''Best Loved Waltzes - Johann Strauss, Jr.'' (1973)
* ''Big Band Hits Vol. 1'' (1973)
* ''Day by Day'' (1973)
* ''The Golden Age of the Romantics'' (1973)
* ''Golden Oldies of the 101 Strings'' (1973)
* ''Golden Oldies Vol. 2'' (1973)
* ''Golden Oldies Vol. 3'' (1973)
* ''Greatest Hits of the 101 Strings'' (1973)
* ''Last Tango in Paris and Other Songs of Love'' (1973)
* ''Million Seller Broadway Hits'' (1973) (originally released in 1972 as ''Rodgers and Hart
Rodgers and Hart were an American songwriting partnership between composer Richard Rodgers (1902–1979) and the lyricist Lorenz Hart (1895–1943). They worked together on 28 stage musicals and more than 500 songs from 1919 until Hart's ...
'', orchestra not credited)
* ''Piano Concertos and Rhapsodies with the 101 Strings'' (1973)
* ''A Portrait of ' The Lady'' (1973)
* ''Spain'' (1973)
* '' Tom Sawyer'' (1973)
* ''Tour to the Sun'' (1973)
* ''The Fire and Romance of the Gypsies'' (1973)
* ''101 Strings Play a Program of Duke Ellington
Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington (April 29, 1899 – May 24, 1974) was an American Jazz piano, jazz pianist, composer, and leader of his eponymous Big band, jazz orchestra from 1924 through the rest of his life.
Born and raised in Washington, D ...
Compositions and Other Selection - In Tribute'' (1974)
* ''101 Strings Play More Million Sellers and Original Scores'' (1974)
* ''101 Strings Play Some Hits Made Famous by Gladys Knight
Gladys Maria Knight (born May 28, 1944) is an American singer and actress. Knight recorded hits through the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s with her family group Gladys Knight & the Pips, which included her brother Merald "Bubba" Knight and cousins Will ...
and Stevie Wonder
Stevland Hardaway Morris (; Judkins; born May 13, 1950), known professionally as Stevie Wonder, is an American and Ghanaian singer-songwriter, musician, and record producer. He is regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the 20th c ...
'' (1974)
* ''Appointment in London'' (1974)
* ''Around the World with the 101 Strings'' (1974)
* ''Big Band Hits Vol. 2'' (1974)
* ''Entertainment - Music from the Movies'' (1974)
* ''Hit Sounds - New and Old'' (1974)
* ''International Tangos'' (1974)
* ''Appointment in London'' (1974)
* ''Around the World with the 101 Strings'' (1974)
* ''Big Band Hits Vol. 2'' (1974)
* ''Entertainment - Music from the Movies'' (1974)
* ''Hit Sounds - New and Old'' (1974)
* ''International Tangos'' (1974)
* ''Appointment in London'' (1974)
* ''Around the World with the 101 Strings'' (1974)
* ''Big Band Hits Vol. 2'' (1974)
* ''Entertainment - Music from the Movies'' (1974)
* ''Hit Sounds - New and Old'' (1974)
* ''International Tangos'' (1974)
* ''Appointment in London'' (1974)
* ''Around the World with the 101 Strings'' (1974)
* ''Big Band Hits Vol. 2'' (1974)
* ''Entertainment - Music from the Movies'' (1974)
* ''Hit Sounds - New and Old'' (1974)
* ''International Tangos'' (1974)
* ''Appointment in London'' (1974)
* ''Around the World with the 101 Strings'' (1974)
* ''Big Band Hits Vol. 2'' (1974)
* ''Entertainment - Music from the Movies'' (1974)
* ''Hit Sounds - New and Old'' (1974)
* ''International Tangos'' (1974)
* ''Appointment in London'' (1974)
* ''Around the World with the 101 Strings'' (1974)
* ''Big Band Hits Vol. 2'' (1974)
* ''Entertainment - Music from the Movies'' (1974)
* ''Hit Sounds - New and Old'' (1974)
* ''International Tangos'' (1974)
* ''Appointment in London'' (1974)
* ''Around the World with the 101 Strings'' (1974)
* ''Big Band Hits Vol. 2'' (1974)
* ''Entertainment - Music from the Movies'' (1974)
* ''Hit Sounds - New and Old'' (1974)
* ''International Tangos'' (1974)
* ''Appointment in London'' (1974)
* ''Around the World with the 101 Strings'' (1974)
* ''Big Band Hits Vol. 2'' (1974)
* ''Entertainment - Music from the Movies'' (1974)
* ''Hit Sounds - New and Old'' (1974)
* ''International Tangos'' (1974)
* ''Million Dollar Movie Hits and Other Original Selections'' (1974)
* ''Million Seller Movie Themes and Other Selections'' (1974)
* ''San Francisco – City of Romance'' (1974)
* '' WXTZ - A Profile of Sound'' (1974) (promotional album for an Indianapolis, Indiana radio station)
* ''America in Song'' (1975) (title from disc label; front cover reads ''101 Strings and Others Play America in Song'')
* ''Bicentennial Celebration: American Country Favorites'' (1975)
* ''Bicentennial Celebration: American Holidays, The Blues of America'' (1975)
* ''Bicentennial Celebration: American Marches, American Theatre'' (1975)
* ''Bicentennial Celebration: American Waltzes, Gay Nineties Waltzes'' (1975)
* ''Big Hits from Silver Screen'' (1975)
* ''Hit Songs from Spain'' (1975)
* ''Movie Themes - Arrangements by Les Baxter'' (1975)
* ''Rhapsody in Blue'' (1975) (credited to 101 Violins)
* ''T.V. Themes'' (1975)
* ''The Wonderful World of Screen Music Vol. 1'' (1975) (front cover reads ''Screen Music with 101 Strings Vol. 1'')
* ''The Wonderful World of Screen Music Vol. 2'' (1975) (front cover reads ''Screen Music with 101 Strings Vol. 2'')
* ''20's Style'' (1976)
* ''All You Need Is Love'' (1976)
* ''Je T'aime'' (1976)
* ''Love Theme'' (1976)
* ''The Sound of Silence'' (1976)
* ''101 Strings Orchestra Plus The Alshire Singers Play & Sing the Songs of The Beach Boys
The Beach Boys are an American Rock music, rock band formed in Hawthorne, California, in 1961. The group's original lineup consisted of brothers Brian Wilson, Brian, Dennis Wilson, Dennis, and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and their f ...
'' (1976)
* ''101 Strings Orchestra and Chorus Play and Sing Hits of Today and Other Hit Instrumentals'' (1976)
* ''101 Strings Orchestra Featuring The Alshire Singers Play & Sing the Songs of The Carpenters
The Carpenters were an American vocal and instrumental duo consisting of siblings Karen Carpenter, Karen (1950–1983) and Richard Carpenter (musician), Richard Carpenter (born 1946). They produced a distinctive soft musical style, combining ...
'' (1976)
* ''101 Strings Orchestra Play & Sing the Songs Made Famous by... Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight; 25 March 1947) is a British singer, songwriter and pianist. His music and showmanship have had a significant, lasting impact on the music industry, and his songwriting partnership with l ...
'' (1976)
* ''101 Strings Orchestra Play & Sing the Songs Made Famous by... John Denver
Henry John Deutschendorf Jr. (December 31, 1943 – October 12, 1997), known professionally as John Denver, was an American Country music, country and Folk music, folk singer, songwriter, and actor. He was one of the most popular acoustic m ...
'' (1976)
* ''101 Strings Orchestra Play & Sing the Songs Made Famous by... Olivia Newton John'' (1976)
* ''101 Strings Orchestra Play Big Hits of Today'' (1976)
* ''101 Strings Orchestra Play Burt Bacharach
Burt Freeman Bacharach ( ; May 12, 1928 – February 8, 2023) was an American composer, songwriter, record producer, and pianist who is widely regarded as one of the most important and influential figures of 20th-century popular music. Start ...
and Other Original Songs'' (1976)
* ''101 Strings Orchestra Play Jim Webb
James Henry Webb Jr. (born February 9, 1946) is an American politician and author. He has served as a United States senator from Virginia, Secretary of the Navy, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs, Counsel for the United States ...
and Other Original Songs'' (1976)
* ''Melodies of Love'' (1976)
* ''Moon River'' (1976)
* ''101 Strings in the 50's Style Volume 2'' (1977) (disc label reads ''Hits of the 50's - Vol II'')
* ''101 Strings in the 60's Style Volume 2'' (1977)
* ''101 Strings Play More Hits of Today and Other Original Hits'' (1977)
* ''70's Style'' (1977) (back cover reads ''101 Strings Orchestra Play in the 70's Style'')
* ''Charles Baudelaire
Charles Pierre Baudelaire (, ; ; 9 April 1821 – 31 August 1867) was a French poet, essayist, translator and art critic. His poems are described as exhibiting mastery of rhythm and rhyme, containing an exoticism inherited from the Romantics ...
'' (1977)
* ''More Movie Themes and Other Original Themes'' (1977)
* ''The Romantic Years'' (1977)
* ''101 Strings Play a Tribute to Bing Crosby
Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby Jr. (May 3, 1903 – October 14, 1977) was an American singer, comedian, entertainer and actor. The first multimedia star, he was one of the most popular and influential musical artists of the 20th century worldwi ...
'' (1978)
* ''Award Winning Scores from the Silver Screen'' (1978) (different track list from 1958 album)
* ''Music from the Movies'' (1978)
* ''101 Strings and The Alshire Singers Do the Dolly Parton
Dolly Rebecca Parton (born January 19, 1946) is an American singer, songwriter, musician, actress, and philanthropist, known primarily as a country music, country musician. After achieving success as a songwriter for others, Parton's debut album ...
Songbook'' (1979)
* ''101 Strings Goes Disco'' (1979)
* ''All about Love'' (1979)
* ''It's Love... That's All'' (1979)
* ''Piano Mixtures'' (1979)
* ''Violinos e Muito Amor'' (1979)
* ''Themes from Superman
Superman is a superhero created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, which first appeared in the comic book ''Action Comics'' Action Comics 1, #1, published in the United States on April 18, 1938.The copyright date of ''Action Comics ...
and Other Great Themes from Space'' (1979)
* ''A Tribute to John Lennon
John Winston Ono Lennon (born John Winston Lennon; 9 October 19408 December 1980) was an English singer-songwriter, musician and activist. He gained global fame as the founder, co-lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of the Beatles. Lennon's ...
'' (1979)
* ''A Tribute to John Wayne
Marion Robert Morrison (May 26, 1907 – June 11, 1979), known professionally as John Wayne, was an American actor. Nicknamed "Duke", he became a Pop icon, popular icon through his starring roles in films which were produced during Hollywood' ...
'' (1980)
* ''The Many Moods of 101 Strings'' (this Bonus LP was "not for sale"; back cover reads "Library Selector - A program assembled to help you select a collection of magnificent '101 Strings' albums"; title also used for 3-LP compilation box set)
* ''Ravel
Joseph Maurice Ravel (7 March 1875 – 28 December 1937) was a French composer, pianist and conductor. He is often associated with Impressionism in music, Impressionism along with his elder contemporary Claude Debussy, although both composer ...
: Bolero''
Films
The music of the 101 Strings Orchestra was prominently featured throughout the film ''Easy Listening'' (2002).
References
External links
101 Strings biography by Steve Huey, discography and album reviews, credits & releases
at AllMusic
AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...
101 Strings discography, album releases & credits
at Discogs
Discogs ( ; short for " discographies") is a database of information about audio recordings, including commercial releases, promotional releases, and bootleg or off-label releases. Database contents are user-generated, and described in ''T ...
101 Strings discography and album reviews & ratings by users
at Rate Your Music
Rate Your Music (often abbreviated to RYM) is an online encyclopedia of music releases and films. Users can catalog items from their personal collection, review them, and assign ratings in a five-star rating system. The site also features comm ...
101 Strings Orchestra albums to be listened
as stream on Spotify
Spotify (; ) is a List of companies of Sweden, Swedish Music streaming service, audio streaming and media service provider founded on 23 April 2006 by Daniel Ek and Martin Lorentzon. , it is one of the largest providers of music streaming services ...
{{Authority control
1957 establishments in West Germany
1981 disestablishments in West Germany
Disbanded orchestras
Easy listening musicians
Madacy Entertainment artists
Marble Arch Records artists
Musical groups established in 1957
Musical groups disestablished in 1981
Orchestras in Hamburg
Pops orchestras
Sound-alike musical groups