Barbra Streisand and Other Musical Instruments

Barbra Streisand's fifth television special scored respectable ratings from viewers, but it was poorly-received by most critics and it is commonly considered one of her weakest efforts. The special's negative reputation is somewhat of a mystery, however, as AND OTHER MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS is a stunning achievement that was significantly ahead of it's time. The idea of performing songs (both old and new) with arrangements that incorporate instruments from around the world is a terrific idea, and the whole concept is entertainingly and cleverly executed. Tying it all together is the most amazing instrument of them all - Barbra's indescribably beautiful voice, which soars above even the most towering and complex arrangements, while always finding the emotional core to each song. The opening medley of "Sing" and "Make Your Own Kind of Music" is an outstanding number that sets the pace for the enthralling set pieces that are yet to come.

The first Act of the special is extremely inventive and visually stunning, as Streisand uses the Gershwins' immortal "I Got Rhythm" as the framework of a 14-minute medley that takes listeners on a musical tour of the world. While wearing the same simple dress design, Barbra augments her appearance with accessories appropriate to each Continent and Country being represented. Backed by an array of East Indian instruments, Barbra delivers marvelously sensual performances of "Johnny One Note" and "One Note Samba," capping things off with just the right amount of humor. She then performs an achingly beautiful rendition of Rogers and Hart's "Glad To Be Unhappy," which is given a gorgeous Japanese arrangement. Streisand's signature numbers like "People," "Second Hand Rose," and "Don't Rain On My Parade" are performed to the accompaniment of Turkish-Armenian, Spanish, Native American, African, and Irish instruments, which brings fresh interpretations to such well-loved songs. To top it off, Streisand ends the medley with a phenomenal 23-second note that broke the previous record for the longest sustained note set by Ima Sumac.

The second Act opens as Barbra is deserted by the musicians as she sings "Don't Ever Leave Me," only to find herself surrounded by then-state-of-the-art electronic sound equipment. After performing an echo-filled rendition of "By Myself," Streisand then launches into a humorous, breakneck version of "Come Back To Me" while in competition with her own pre-recorded vocal track. Next, Barbra is joined by special guest Ray Charles, who contributes a memorable performance of "Look What They've Done To My Song, Mama." Charles then duets with Barbra on a wrenching, soulful rendition of Buck Owen's country classic "Crying Time," which remains possibly Barbra's finest recorded duet. Barbra then really brings down the house with a intensely passionate performance of "Sweet Inspiration," with Charles' accompanying her on the Hammond B3 organ and his backup singers, the Raylettes, providing effective harmony vocals.

Some classical music enthusiasts were outraged when Streisand performed Schubert's masterpiece "Auf Dem Wasser Zu Singen" in a highly campy manner, however, Streisand's tongue-in-cheek take on the classic piece is all in good fun. The high point of the entire special, however, is the absolutely gorgeous version of "I Never Has Seen Snow," one of Harold Arlen's most underrated compositions. Streisand is arguably the best interpreter of Arlen's work, and her performance here is absolutely spin-tingling. In fact, the whole special is worth watching for "I Never Has Seen Snow" alone. Streisand also delivers a tour de force rendition of one her best-loved signature numbers, the stirring "On a Clear Day You Can See Forever," a challenging song that really displays what an incredible vocalist Streisand truly is.

On a slightly lessor note, the "household appliance" number, "The World is a Concerto" (which probably sounded hilarious on paper), is too gimmicky to really succeed as intended. The concept of Barbra singing a song to the accompaniment of everyday household appliances was a funny enough idea, but the "music" produced by the appliances is more distracting than humorous in execution. As is, the song is an amusing novelty, but lacks true aesthetic value. Making up for this minor misstep, however, is the closing, choral rendition of Richard Rodgers' "The Sweetest Sounds," which is absolutely heavenly. Barbra's restrained performance of this understated standard is overflowing with the hushed intensity that has always been one of the most beautiful aspects of her incomparable singing voice.

In spite of it's unfairly negative reputation, AND OTHER MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS remains a terrific and adventurous television special that is essential viewing for all fans of the ultimate diva. It's a shame that this inventive, entertaining, and fun television special has yet to be embraced by the entertainment community, yet, like any project ahead of it's time, perhaps it will one day find a greater audience.

Very original show, entertaining, enjoyed the I Got Rhythm number, different tempos, costumes, visually and vocally exciting... But her rendition of "I Never Has Seen Snow," is a classic, pure heavenly magic!! The Ray Charles segment is also wonderful, especially their duet of "Cryin Time'", wonderful to see and hear... One segment is a bit long the other instruments, vacuum cleaner, etc...but all well done. Worth seeing over and over again. Babs is and will always be an original.

Barbra Streisand's 5th special for television presents her voice as another musical instrument, in tandem with an orchestra, international music, and appliances; and shows her range in singing standards, gospel, faux-classical, and songs associated with her movies.

Streisand here has the tanned look and long grey-blonde hair she adopted in her 1972 feature What's Up Doc?, where her smooth skin is exposed, notably as she sensually undulates hanging from a rope during One Note Samba. A pink outfit she wears for Glad to be Unhappy pre-empts the dress Rose Morgan would wear at the wedding of her sister in her 1996 film The Mirror Has Two Faces, and Streisand's expressive face as she sings is juxtaposed with the Kabuki make-up of the Japanese player. I Got Rhythm is used the way I'm Late was used in her 1965 My Name is Barbra special, as a frame for other songs, and as in that show's sequence at Sak's Fifth Avenue, Streisand again shows what a clothes horse she is. This time she is seen as an Arabian belly dancer for People, Spanish flamenco for Second Hand Rose, in a sheer slip as a Indian American dinner in a pot for Don't Rain on My Parade, and as an African tribeswoman. (The sight of the Jewish shiksa pretending to be an Arab would have enraged zionists). These sequences, as well as her Sweet Inspiration/Where You Lead where she leads a chorus of African American's pre-empting the Great Day number in the 1975 feature Funny Lady, also display Streisand's underrated ability to dance.

Although the pre-recorded track Streisand mimes too is acceptable in I Got Rhythm because she is moving in a way that would stop her from singing live (though it dates detract from her long-held note of ‘more' at the end), it does upstage her Come Back to Me number and lessens the comic element of her fluster over the echo-chamber machines. She also fights to be heard against the orchestra in I Never Has Seen Snow and The World is a Concerto. The attention to the way she is lit in the Glad to be Unhappy number and The Sweetest Sound where she is back-lit with white gossamer, is in opposition to the fact that Streisand is seen in few close-ups.

The inclusion of Ray Charles as a guest star is a more conventional decision. From My Name is Barbra, Streisand had deliberately altered the norm of variety specials, by refusing to have guest stars. I966's Color Me Barbra got her out of the studio and into an art museum for the use of its paintings, and 1967's The Belle of 14th Street presented a vaudeville show, where Jason Robards and Lee Allen were co-stars, and as a filmed stage show conceit, we also had a cast audience. In this special, Charles is primarily used as an intro to her gospel singing, where she duets with him on Cryin' Time, after his remarkably long solo of Look What They've Done. This represents her shift in prefered music, in an attempt to give her a more youthful appeal. However perhaps the Charles factor also represents Streisand's realisation of the exhaustion factor inherent in the audience only having her, as well as her awareness that because of her success in film by this time, she no longer needed television as much as she did before.

This one-hour television special from Barbra Streisand and the CBS network is incredibly busy--but not always lively. Part one (built around the almost-endearing concept of utilizing one song, "I Got Rhythm", in different musical formats) has La Streisand changing costumes, hairstyles and personas to become different tantalizing women from around the globe. Barbra enchants viewers with unabashed seductiveness, but the visual and musical design doesn't lift off, and one may get restless with the fanciful conceit. Eventually, we get to the good stuff: Streisand's duet with Ray Charles on "Cryin' Time" is a highlight, and the star is in sensational voice on the emotionally-charged but difficult "I Never Has Seen Snow". Still, her chit-chat between songs lacks flair, and the attempts at humor (with a temperamental computer and also a set full of noisy household appliances) are uneasy. The closer, "The Sweetest Sounds", has a beautiful, cooing chorus, and Streisand lets her hair down (literally) on the uptempo "Sweet Inspiration" (which maybe could have stood a bit more polish). Barbra allows the camera to come in close--very, very close--to her celebrated profile, yet her imperiousness is still sometimes hard to crack.

This is an award-winning live television special from 1973. Barbra Streisand sings with music from several different countries, including India, Africa, Japan, and Germany. It also features a duet with Ray Charles. Entertaining show. The musics, the scenography, and the directing style are very enjoyable. It has its funny moments, too.

An album (Streisand's fourteenth) was released the same year, but it wasn't very successful.

Length: 51min