What
you will hear in this superb collection has been hailed as 'the excited
voice of Patty Duke,' which is not, as it sounds, a misnomer, but
which is a deliberate way of suggesting that Patty Duke's lustrous,
range-rich and expressive voice displays the very essence of excitement
itself. Of course, Patty is an exciting singer, but precisely because
her voice is excited and emotional and full of action.
The
songs themselves are diversified, in keeping with Patty Duke's own
wide and considerable talents. The numbers demonstrate the subtle
nuances of character, of mood and of motivation, of deep human understanding
of the troubled soul who sings them. This is the personality of 'Neely
O'Hara' in "Valley Of The Dolls", the destroying and self destructive,
self-centered and eruptive singer which Patty Duke portrays with such
power and verisimilitude.
The
combination of singer and actress is a rarity in show business, as
the long history of the musical stage has so often attested. Patty
Duke combines both talents in a stirring and striking blend of rare
accomplishment. Her achievements as a stage and motion picture actress,
crowned with a coveted and much deserved Academy of Motion Picture
Arts & Sciences Oscar Award for her unforgettable performance as young
Helen Keller in 'The Miracle Worker' are well known. If it were at
all possible, Patty Duke surpasses herself as Neely O'Hara in "Dolls",
and one detects the magic of her talents in the warm modulations of
her voice, in the heart-touching airs, the nostalgic themes, and above
all, the deeply moving arias which come through.
What
impresses above all is the diversity and range of Patty Duke's performance.
Here gathered together are different songs which express the gamut
of emotions which charge through vibrant and dynamic Neely O'Hara.
And different they are, for they exhibit the changing moods of a woman
alternately in ecstasy and anguish‹self-pity and romance, bitter cynicism
and bright hope, yielding softness and brassy harshness. There are
few performers who can offer this gamut of human emotions with such
clarity and with such controlled power. Patty Duke has added to her
laurels, and added to your entertainment pleasure.
ALBUM
PHOTOS: CURTIS LEE HANSEN
Liner
Notes By GENE KELLY
