Barbra Streisand...And Other Musical Instruments

In 1973, Barbra Streisand was dominating just about every medium she tackled. She conquered Broadway in 1962, playing Miss Marmelstein in 'I Can Get It For You Wholesale' beofre tacking her second Broadway show, playing Fanny Brice in 'Funny Girl'. She released her first album, 'The Barbra Streisand Album',  which earned two Grammy Awards in 1963. And there were twelve albums after that, all bit hits with the public. She had four very successful television specials, and won the Emmy Award for 'Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program' for her 1965 special, 'My Name Is Barbra'. She also earned her first Academy Award for her 1968 film, 'Funny Girl', followed by five more movies before 1973. And in 1973, she had another television special, 'Barbra Streisand...And Other Music Instruments', a vehicle that allowed her to visit many musical styles and cultures from around the world. You can get a glimpse of it in this clip I found. It begins with the charming "Piano Practice" by Lan O'Kun, before moving into a medley of songs starting with George and Ira Gershwin's "I Got Rhythm", then a mash-up of Richard Rodgers & Lorenz Hart's "Johnny One Note" with Antonio Carlos Jobim's "One Note Samba", more Rodgers & Hart with "Glad to Be Unhappy", "People" by Bob Merrill and Jule Styne, and "Second Hand Rose" by James F. Hanley and Grant Clarke. Enjoy the clip - it is 15 minutes, to be ready for some long-term enjoyment!

The special received strong reviews, and excellent ratings. The album, however, did not do well. Many think it was ahead of it's time, taking a look at the world music scene. You can purchase the soundtrack for 'Barbra Streisand...And Other Musical Instruments' from Amazon. You can also purchase the DVD of the show from Amazon. Later in 1973, Streisand would also release another film, playing opposite the stunning Robert Redford in 'The Way We Were'. I'd say she pretty much had all the bases covered.