= DAYS OF WINE OF ROSES =

FOREWORD

Paul Newman
"Henry was certainly a gifted musician and certainly a gentleman. But much more than that, only in the service of the music, and not in the service of Henry Mancini."

Alan & Marylin Bergman
"Hank was a quiet man - easy, cool, unflappable. His music speaks for him in many years - sophisticated yet innocent, traditional yet innovative, simple yet complex. Hank had a particular grace and honesty. His love of what he did gave him a kind of calm assurance. He never forgot where he came from and no matter how celebrated he was, he identified with the musician in the last chair of the orchestra. He was comfortable with kings and plain folks alike, never confusing celebrity with power or privilege.

"He had great respect for the partnership of words and music and for those who worked with him. He thoroughly enjoyed the songwriting adventure. Always open to suggestions, allowing the search to be a collaborative effort. The process was fun, loose, a joyful experience. His ear and his heart were always responding to new sounds, new rhythms, new forms.

"The world will miss the genius of the man and all the beautiful music still inside him. Those of us who knew him loved him as a friend and colleague find the world quite a different place without this gentle, generous, lovable man.

"Hank's music was not just a passing bell. It lives, it breathes, it will resonate long after all of us are gone."

Andy Williams
"I loved Henry Mancini. I would rather sing a Mancini song than any composer I can think of. I must have sung 'Moon River' 10,000 times, and have never grown tired of it.

"Henry was also one of the nicest man I've ever known, and he was funny with a devious sense of humor. Henry and I did tours together and many times after the concerts Columbia and RCA Records would jointly give a cocktail party in our honor for local press and record people. I can't stand to have someone grab me by the elbow and guide me around to meet people. During the evening Henry would catch me off guard and come up behind me, grab me by the elbow and start guiding me somewhere and I would always turn in anger, until I realized it was Henry. He got me every time - never missed ... I really miss him."

Luciano Pavarotti
"Henry Mancini and I were first brought together when I made my album Mamma. Henry had done the orchestrations for the songs on the album and also conducted the orchestra. I knew him from his many films and was delighted by his musicality and feeling for the Italian songs we recorded. But much more than this, we immediately became good friends. Our collaboration was so pleasant and fruitful that we made a second record, Volare, together, and our friendship continued whenever our busy schedules would allow us to meet. I was honored to be invited to sing at his birthday concert in 1994, but what was to have been a happy celebration was made very sad for me as we knew that Henry was already very ill. Too soon after this, I lost a great collaborator, arranger and more than that, my grande amico."

Leslie Bricusse
"Writing with Henry Mancini was every bit as difficult a being his friend, the atmosphere around him was forever relaxed, unhurried and untroubled. The biggest problem was the almost constant infusion of laughter. These tough circumstances were made every.... impossible by Henry's completely constant and unchanged personality. Whenever we were working - England, Italy, France, California, or New York - he was always unfaillingly kind, cool, sweet, gentle, humorous and creative ... and thinking about good food and good wine. His innate Italian sensibilities constantly reminded him that, however tough the day might be, it would end with the best pasta within a hundred miles, and the best bottle of Brunels or Tignanello to accompany it."

"A great life, a great original, a great and true American, a great family man, and at the end, a man of great courage. Like it says in his most beloved song, he crossed in style."