DownBeat assigned the album 5 stars. Dom Cerulli wrote that in any category this release “would rate a ringing five stars . . . Ella sings with a rhythm section, a small group, a big band, and a full size orchestra with strings. There are some really striking performances of R-H songs that have been done and done again in recent years, plus others too rarely done these days . . . This two-record set proves, among other things, that Ella is simply a great vocalist. The polish she applied to these songs and the challenge they posed in range of voice and interpretation could hardly be met by anyone less an artist than she . . . Only when you hear in one big cluster all these remarkable melodies by Richard Rodgers do you realize what a towering figure he is on the popular music scene today. And Larry Hart’s now cute, now whimsical, always happy lyrics have never quite been matched. This one is a must”.
Scott Yanow wrote in his
AllMusic review, "The arrangements by Buddy Bregman for the string orchestra and big band only border on jazz but she manages to swing the medium-tempo numbers and give sensitivity to the ballads". Yanow also included it in his list of recommended CDs in his book
The Jazz Singers The Ultimate Guide. ==Track listing==