Naxos have, as in so
many other areas, worked up an extensive
catalogue of Broadway Musical highlights,
in most cases with original cast recordings.
It is from this admirable source that
this 2 CD set has been compiled. It
can be seen as an appetizer for those
who have so far not ventured to investigate
these riches. On the other hand it also
serves as a nice concoction of gems
from some of the most popular musical
comedies for those who are only mildly
interested but would like at least something
to fill a theoretical gap. For both
categories these well-filled discs will
be a splendid and inexpensive stocking-filler
- I’m writing this in mid-December.
Those who are already
familiar with "period performances"
of light music will know what to expect.
For those who have only heard latter-day
musicals or modern realizations of these
old scores, a little warning sign. The
orchestras will probably sound dated
to inexperienced ears and the style
of singing is in many cases more relaxed,
less aggressive than we are accustomed
to today. There is a parallel with period
performances of baroque music when the
authentic movement was fairly new. Those
of us who had learnt Bach’s Brandenburg
Concertos or Handel’s Water Music through
performances or recordings with full
symphony orchestras thought the authentic
sound was thin and grating, even out
of tune sometimes. We regretted the
meatier sound of stringed instruments
played with vibrato. But we soon, some
of us at least, found out that there
were gains, that we heard things we
hadn’t thought of before, the contrapuntal
writing and the rhythms became more
accessible. Basically it was a question
of two different attitudes. I can still
wallow in the lush sound of the Frankfurt
Radio Orchestra, vintage 1960 or something,
playing Bach’s Suite in D major. Likewise
I listen with pleasure to the recordings
from the 1980s and 1990s, often conducted
by John McGlinn or John Mauceri, of
many of the scores also presented on
this set. They made extensive research
to find the original orchestrations,
even tracked down some of the original
orchestrators still alive, to get as
close to the original sound as possible.
With modern stereophonic sound the results
are very impressive indeed and these
reissues, however well transferred and
restored, tend to pale by comparison,
just as some of the singers, as I have
already intimated, may be too laid back
and even bland heard through today’s
ears.
Still there is a particular
atmosphere around these old 78 rpms
or early LPs and seen as historical
documents they are invaluable. I say
this bearing in mind that the majority
of the singers here also sang at the
first performances and consequently
worked very close to the composers and
text-writers. There is, to pick some
examples more or less at random, a special
treat to hear Alfred Drake in excerpts
from Oklahoma, to savour Christine
Johnson’s fruity contralto in You’ll
Never Walk Alone from Carousel
– not ideally steady but singing with
feeling. Ezio Pinza on the other hand,
legendary bass at the Metropolitan,
is steady as a rock in South Pacific
and his warmth is palpable in Some
Enchanted Evening. In the excerpts
from The King and I Gertrude
Lawrence is decidedly modern sounding
and it’s a pleasure to have a glimpse
of Yul Brynner, not a great singer but
a charismatic actor. Show Boat
was launched in the late 1920s and what
we have here is from the Broadway revival
in 1946. It must be admitted that Kenneth
Spencer has to struggle hard and still
comes only halfway down to the keelson
deep notes in Ol’ Man River.
Porgy and Bess
is indicated "Original Cast 1940",
which is correct as far as Broadway
is concerned, but it was premiered in
Boston five years earlier with Anne
Brown as Bess and Todd Duncan as Porgy.
They are both heard here but Brown sings
Clara’s Summertime and Todd Duncan
performs Sporting Life’s two songs.
He does it very well but I would also
recommend readers to try to find the
‘original’ Sporting Life, John W. Bubbles,
who recorded the part for RCA Victor
in the early 1960s on a highlights record
featuring Leontyne Price and William
Warfield.
In several of these
musicals we hear Ethel Merman. I know
she has been iconized and is regarded
as one of the all-time greats. It is
true that she has charisma and is expressive
and she is certainly one of the most
modern sounding of the singers here.
Still I have problems in fathoming her
greatness when hearing those nasal,
bleating sounds and her glass-shattering
screams. The duet Anything You Can
Do with Ray Middleton as Frank Butler
is entertaining and exciting but I do
prefer Kim Criswell and Thomas Hampson
on the McGlinn-conducted EMI disc from
1991. That said, it has to be admitted
that Ms Criswell has learnt a lesson
or two from Merman.
It is also good to
have a couple of numbers from Leonard
Bernstein’s On the Town and Wonderful
Town with Betty Comden and Adolph
Green, Bernstein’s collaborators in
these scores. West Side Story came
just a little too late to be out of
copyright and be included in this issue.
The booklet has historical
notes and synopses for all the musicals
by Alexander Hargreaves and this adds
further to the value of this issue.
I had 2½ hours’ of
sheer nostalgia in my armchair when
playing through this set. Even though
I will probably want to hear my modern
versions of much of this music this
compilation opens up the prospect of
hours of fascinating comparison.
Göran Forsling
FULL TRACK DETAILS
Disc 1
Richard Rodgers
Oklahoma! (Original Broadway Cast Recording)
(excerpts)
Drake, Alfred, vocals
Garde, Bette, vocals
Riggs, Ralph, vocals
Oklahoma Chorus
Oklahoma Orchestra
Blackton, Jay, Conductor
Act I: Oh, What A Beautiful Mornin'
02:32
Act I: The Surrey With The Fringe On
Top 03:06
Act II: The Farmer And The Cowman 05:17
Act II: Oklahoma! 02:30
Carousel (Original Broadway Cast Recording)
(excerpts)
Clayton, Jan, vocals
Raitt, John, vocals
Darling, Jean, vocals
Johnson, Christine, vocals
Original Broadway Cast Chorus
Original Broadway Cast Orchestra
Littau, Joseph, Conductor
Act I: Carousel Waltz 04:23
Act I: If I Loved You 04:22
Act I: June Is Bustin' Out All Over
03:47
Act II: You'll Never Walk Alone 02:40
South Pacific (Original Broadway Cast
Recording) (excerpts)
Pinza, Ezio, bass
Martin, Mary, vocals
Hall, Juanita, vocals
Original Broadway Cast Chorus
Original Broadway Cast Orchestra
dell'Isola, Salvatore, Conductor
Act I: Some Enchanted Evening 02:59
Act I: Bali Ha'i 03:25
Act I: I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right
Outa My Hair 03:25
Act II: This Nearly Was Mine 03:26
The King and I (Original Broadway Cast
Recording) (excerpts)
Lawrence, Gertrude, vocals
Brynner, Yul, vocals
Original Broadway Cast Chorus
Original Broadway Cast Orchestra
Dvonch, Frederick, Conductor
Act I: I Whistle A Happy Tune 02:40
Act I: Getting To Know You 03:27
Act II: Shall We Dance? 02:51
Jerome Kern
Show Boat (1946 Broadway Revival Recording)
(excerpts)
Dowdy, Helen, vocals
Spencer, Kenneth, vocals
Bruce, Carol, vocals
Show Boat Orchestra
MacArthur, Edwin, Conductor
Act I: Ol' Man River 04:18
Act I: Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man 04:00
Robert Wright/George Forrest
Kismet (Original Broadway Cast Recording)
(excerpts)
Morrow, Doretta, vocals
Kiley, Richard, vocals
Oneto, Richard, vocals
Original Broadway Cast Chorus
Original Broadway Cast Orchestra
Adrian, Louis, Conductor
Act I: Baubles, Bangles And Beads 04:11
Act I: Stranger In Paradise 04:07
George Gershwin
Porgy and Bess (Original Cast Recording)
(excerpts)
Brown, Anne, soprano
Duncan, Todd, tenor
Eva Jessye Choir
Decca Symphony Orchestra
Smallens, Alexander, Conductor
Act I: Summertime 02:28
Brown, Anne, soprano
Decca Symphony Orchestra
Smallens, Alexander, Conductor
Act II: I Got Plenty O' Nuttin' 02:42
Duncan, Todd, tenor
Eva Jessye Choir
Decca Symphony Orchestra
Smallens, Alexander, Conductor
Act II: It Ain't Necessarily So 02:48
Duncan, Todd, tenor
Eva Jessye Choir
Decca Symphony Orchestra
Smallens, Alexander, Conductor
Disc 2
George Gershwin
Girl Crazy, Act I: I Got Rhythm
Merman, Ethel, vocals
Jay Blackton Orchestra
Blackton, Jay, Conductor
Girl Crazy, Act I: I Got Rhythm 03:01
Irving Berlin
Call Me Madam (excerpts)
Merman, Ethel, vocals
Nype, Russell, vocals
Talva, Galina, vocals
O'Connor, Donald, vocals
Original Broadway Cast Chorus
Original Broadway Cast Orchestra
Studio Cast Orchestra
Studio orchestra
Jenkins, Gordon, Conductor
Blackton, Jay, Conductor
Newman, Alfred, Conductor
Act I: The Hostess With The Mostes'
(1950 Studio Recording) 03:25
Act I: It's A Lovely Day Today (1950
Original Broadway Cast Recording) 03:32
Act II: You're Just In Love (1953 Film
Soundtrack Recording) 03:09
Annie Get Your Gun (Original Broadway
Cast Recording) (excerpts)
Merman, Ethel, vocals
Middleton, Ray, vocals
Original Broadway Cast Children's Choir
Original Broadway Cast Chorus
Original Broadway Cast Orchestra
Blackton, Jay, Conductor
Act I: Doin' What Comes Natur'lly 03:25
Act I: You Can't Get A Man With A Gun
03:13
Act I: There's No Business Like Show
Business 03:11
Act II: Anything You Can Do 03:10
Jule Styne
High Button Shoes (Original Broadway
Cast Recording), Act I: Papa, Won't
You Dance With Me?
Fabray, Nanette, vocals
McCauley, Jack, vocals
Original Broadway Cast Chorus
Original Broadway Cast Orchestra
Rosenstock, Milton, Conductor
High Button Shoes (Original Broadway
Cast Recording), Act I: Papa, Won't
You Dance With Me? 02:56
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (Original Broadway
Cast Recording)(excerpts)
Channing, Carol, vocals
McCauley, Jack, vocals
Original Broadway Cast Orchestra
Rosenstock, Milton, Conductor
Act II: Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend
02:59
Act II: Gentlemen Prefer Blondes 01:05
Frederick Loewe
Brigadoon (Original Broadway Case Recording)
(excerpts)
Brooks, David, vocals
Bell, Marion, vocals
Original Broadway Cast Orchestra
Allers, Franz, Conductor
Act I: The Heather On The Hill 03:39
Act I: Almost Like Being In Love 02:43
Leonard Bernstein
On the Town, Act II: Some Other Time
Comden, Betty, vocals
Green, Adolph, vocals
Green, Milton, piano
Arndt, Justin, double bass
Harris, Herb, drums
On the Town, Act II: Some Other Time
01:50
Wonderful Town (Original Broadway Cast
Recording), Act I: A Quiet Girl
Gaynes, George, vocals
Original Broadway Cast Chorus
Original Broadway Cast Orchestra
Engel, Lehman, Conductor
Wonderful Town (Original Broadway Cast
Recording), Act I: A Quiet Girl 03:20
Cole Porter
Kiss Me, Kate (Original Broadway Cast
Recording) (excerpts)
Morison, Patricia, vocals
Kirk, Lisa, vocals
Original Broadway Cast Orchestra
Davenport, Pembroke, Conductor
Act I: So In Love 03:36
Act II: Always True To You (In My Fashion)
04:02
Sandy Wilson
The Boy Friend (Original London Cast
Recording) (excerpts)
Rogers, Anne, vocals
Hayes, Anthony, vocals
Edwards, Stan, piano
Studio pianist, piano
Studio drummer, drums
Act I: I Could Be Happy With You 02:50
Act II: A Room in Bloomsbury 02:45
Frank Loesser
Where's Charley?, Act II: Once In Love
With Amy
Bolger, Ray, vocals
Sy Oliver Chorus
Sy Oliver Orchestra
Where's Charley?, Act II: Once In Love
With Amy 04:20
Guys and Dolls (Original Broadway Cast
Recording) (excerpts)
Alda, Robert, vocals
Blaine, Vivian, vocals
Levene, Sam, vocals
Bigley, Isabel, vocals
Kaye, Stubby, vocals
Silver, Johnny, vocals
Original Broadway Cast Chorus
Original Broadway Cast Orchestra
Actman, Irving, Conductor
Act I: The Oldest Established 02:36
Act I: I'll Know 03:30
Act I: A Bushel And A Peck 01:33
Act I: Guys and Dolls 02:52
Act II: Luck Be A Lady Tonight 03:00
Act II: Sit Down, You're Rockin' The
Boat 02:13
Total Playing Time: 02:33:19
Composer(s):
Berlin, Irving; Bernstein, Leonard;
Forrest, George; Gershwin, George; Kern,
Jerome; Loesser, Frank; Loewe, Frederick;
Porter, Cole; Rodgers, Richard; Styne,
Jule; Wilson, Sandy; Wright, Robert
Conductor(s):
Actman, Irving; Adrian, Louis; Allers,
Franz; Blackton, Jay; Davenport, Pembroke;
dell'Isola, Salvatore; Dvonch, Frederick;
Engel, Lehman; Jenkins, Gordon; Littau,
Joseph; MacArthur, Edwin; Newman, Alfred;
Rosenstock, Milton; Smallens, Alexander
Orchestra(s):
Decca Symphony Orchestra, Jay Blackton
Orchestra, Oklahoma Orchestra, Original
Broadway Cast Orchestra, Show Boat Orchestra,
Studio Cast Orchestra, Studio orchestra,
Sy Oliver Orchestra
Choir(s):
Eva Jessye Choir, Oklahoma Chorus, Original
Broadway Cast Children's Choir, Original
Broadway Cast Chorus, Sy Oliver Chorus
Artist(s):
Alda, Robert; Arndt, Justin; Bell, Marion;
Bigley, Isabel; Blaine, Vivian; Bolger,
Ray; Brooks, David; Brown, Anne; Bruce,
Carol; Brynner, Yul; Channing, Carol;
Clayton, Jan; Comden, Betty; Darling,
Jean; Dowdy, Helen; Drake, Alfred; Duncan,
Todd; Edwards, Stan; Fabray, Nanette;
Garde, Bette; Gaynes, George; Green,
Adolph; Green, Milton; Hall, Juanita;
Harris, Herb; Hayes, Anthony; Johnson,
Christine; Kaye, Stubby; Kiley, Richard;
Kirk, Lisa; Lawrence, Gertrude; Levene,
Sam; Martin, Mary; McCauley, Jack; Merman,
Ethel; Middleton, Ray; Morison, Patricia;
Morrow, Doretta; Nype, Russell; O'Connor,
Donald; Oneto, Richard; Pinza, Ezio;
Raitt, John; Riggs, Ralph; Rogers, Anne;
Silver, Johnny; Spencer, Kenneth; Studio
drummer; Studio pianist; Talva, Galina
Label: Naxos
Catalogue No: 8.120873-74
Alfred
Drake, Ezio Pinza, Mary Martin, Gertrude
Lawrence, Yul Brynner, Todd Duncan, Ethel
Merman, Carol Channing, Betty Comden,
Adolph Green, George Gaynes and others.
