Historic Gershwin Recordings

by Historic Gershwin Recordings /

Overview

With three recordings of 'Rhapsody in Blue' and two of 'An American in Paris,' HISTORIC GERSHWIN RECORDINGS is hardly a collection to listen to in one sitting. It is, however, quite possibly one of the most important releases of the Gershwin centenary. Two of the 'Rhapsody in Blue' recordings feature Gershwin himself at the piano, and he plays the celesta solo for one of the 'American in Paris' tracks. The 'Porgy and Bess' excerpts are likewise significant, recorded days after the opera's 1935 premiere. That production's stars--Todd Duncan and Anne Brown--were replaced by singers from the Metropolitan Opera (at that time recorded by Victor). Aside from the Bernstein 'American in Paris' and the vintage Boston Pops 'Strike Up the Band,' the remainder of the recordings were made by Morton Gould, tireless champion of American music. Restored from Victor's masters, the early recordings don't stand up to modern ones, but they can't be asked to. These are historic documents--the 1924 'Rhapsody' was recorded before the invention of the electric microphone and abridged to fit on a single 12-inch record. The circumstances of the recordings, the performers, and the quality of the transfers justify this collection.

Product Details

Release Date:	10/13/1998
Label:	Rca Victor / Rca Victor Red Seal
UPC:	0090266327621

Tracks

Disc 1

1. Rhapsody in Blue, for piano & orchestra (orchestrated by F. Grof¿¿)  - Rex Bonomelli  - Marian Conaty  - George Gershwin  - Daniel Guss  - Edward Jablonski  - Ward Marston  - Jon M. Samuels  - Paul Whiteman  -  Whiteman
2. An American in Paris, tone poem for orchestra  - Rex Bonomelli  - Marian Conaty  - George Gershwin  - Daniel Guss  - Edward Jablonski  - Ward Marston  - Jon M. Samuels  - Nathaniel Shilkret  -  Victor Symphony Orchestra  -  Victory Symphony Orchestra
3. Porgy and Bess, opera~Act 1. Lullaby (Summertime)  - Rex Bonomelli  - Marian Conaty  - George Gershwin  - Ira Gershwin  - Daniel Guss  - DuBose Heyward  - Edward Jablonski  - Helen Jepson  - Ward Marston  - Jon M. Samuels  - Alexander Smallens
4. Porgy and Bess, opera~Act 1. Summertime and Crap Game; A Woman Is A Sometime Thing  - Rex Bonomelli  - Marian Conaty  - George Gershwin  - Ira Gershwin  - Daniel Guss  - DuBose Heyward  - Edward Jablonski  - Helen Jepson  - Ward Marston  - Jon M. Samuels  - Alexander Smallens  - Lawrence Tibbett
5. Porgy and Bess, opera~Act 1. My Man's Gone Now  - Rex Bonomelli  - Marian Conaty  - George Gershwin  - Ira Gershwin  - Daniel Guss  - DuBose Heyward  - Edward Jablonski  - Helen Jepson  - Ward Marston  - Jon M. Samuels  - Alexander Smallens
6. Porgy and Bess, opera~Act 2. I Got Plenty O' Nuttin'  - Rex Bonomelli  - Marian Conaty  - George Gershwin  - Ira Gershwin  - Daniel Guss  - DuBose Heyward  - Edward Jablonski  - Ward Marston  - Jon M. Samuels  - Alexander Smallens  - Lawrence Tibbett
7. Porgy and Bess, opera~Act 2. The Buzzard Song  - Rex Bonomelli  - Marian Conaty  - George Gershwin  - Ira Gershwin  - Daniel Guss  - DuBose Heyward  - Edward Jablonski  - Ward Marston  - Jon M. Samuels  - Alexander Smallens  - Lawrence Tibbett
8. Porgy and Bess, opera~Act 2. Bess, You Is My Woman Now  - Rex Bonomelli  - Marian Conaty  - George Gershwin  - Ira Gershwin  - Daniel Guss  - DuBose Heyward  - Edward Jablonski  - Helen Jepson  - Ward Marston  - Jon M. Samuels  - Alexander Smallens  - Lawrence Tibbett
9. Porgy and Bess, opera~Act 2. It Ain't Necessarily So  - Rex Bonomelli  - Marian Conaty  - George Gershwin  - Ira Gershwin  - Daniel Guss  - DuBose Heyward  - Edward Jablonski  - Ward Marston  - Jon M. Samuels  - Alexander Smallens  - Lawrence Tibbett
10. Porgy and Bess, opera~Act 2. Oh. Bess. Oh Where's My Bess?  - Rex Bonomelli  - Marian Conaty  - George Gershwin  - Ira Gershwin  - Daniel Guss  - DuBose Heyward  - Edward Jablonski  - Ward Marston  - Jon M. Samuels  - Alexander Smallens  - Lawrence Tibbett
11. Strike Up the Band, song (from Strike Up The Band; both versions)  - Rex Bonomelli  -  Boston Pops Orchestra  - Marian Conaty  - Arthur Fiedler  - George Gershwin  - Ira Gershwin  - Daniel Guss  - Edward Jablonski  - Ward Marston  - Jon M. Samuels
12. Rhapsody in Blue, for piano & orchestra (orchestrated by F. Grof¿¿)  - Rex Bonomelli  - Marian Conaty  - George Gershwin  - Daniel Guss  - Edward Jablonski  - Ward Marston  - Jon M. Samuels  - Nathaniel Shilkret  - Paul Whiteman  -  Whiteman

Disc 2

13. An American in Paris, tone poem for orchestra  - Leonard Bernstein  - Rex Bonomelli  - Marian Conaty  - George Gershwin  - Daniel Guss  - Edward Jablonski  -  RCA Symphony Orchestra  -  RCA Victor Orchestra  - Jon M. Samuels
14. Rhapsody in Blue, for piano & orchestra (orchestrated by F. Grof¿¿)  - Rex Bonomelli  - Marian Conaty  - George Gershwin  - Morton Gould  -  Gould  - Daniel Guss  - Edward Jablonski  - Ward Marston  - Jon M. Samuels
15. Preludes (3) for piano~Prelude No. 1 in B-flat  - Rex Bonomelli  - Marian Conaty  - George Gershwin  - Morton Gould  - Daniel Guss  - Edward Jablonski  - Ward Marston  - Jon M. Samuels
16. Preludes (3) for piano~Prelude No. 2 in C-sharp minor  - Rex Bonomelli  - Marian Conaty  - George Gershwin  - Morton Gould  - Daniel Guss  - Edward Jablonski  - Ward Marston  - Jon M. Samuels
17. Preludes (3) for piano~Prelude No. 3 in E-flat  - Rex Bonomelli  - Marian Conaty  - George Gershwin  - Morton Gould  - Daniel Guss  - Edward Jablonski  - Ward Marston  - Jon M. Samuels
18. Porgy and Bess, opera~Solo  - Rex Bonomelli  - Marian Conaty  - George Gershwin  - Morton Gould  - Daniel Guss  - Edward Jablonski  - Ward Marston  - Jon M. Samuels
19. Porgy and Bess, opera~Suite  - Rex Bonomelli  - Marian Conaty  - George Gershwin  - Morton Gould  -  Gould  - Daniel Guss  - Edward Jablonski  - Ward Marston  - Jon M. Samuels

Album Credits

Performance Credits

RCA Symphony Orchestra   Primary Artist
Victor Symphony Orchestra   Primary Artist
Morton Gould & His Orchestra   Primary Artist,Orchestra
Paul Whiteman Orchestra   Primary Artist,Orchestra
Boston Pops Orchestra   Primary Artist,Orchestra
Leonard Bernstein   Primary Artist,Conductor
George Gershwin   Primary Artist,Celeste,Piano
Lawrence Tibbett   Baritone,Baritone (Vocal)
Arthur Fiedler   Conductor
Victory Symphony Orchestra   Orchestra
Helen Jepson   Soprano (Vocal)
Nathaniel Shilkret   Conductor
Morton Gould   Piano,Conductor
Paul Whiteman   Conductor
Alexander Smallens   Conductor
RCA Victor Orchestra   Orchestra

Technical Credits

Paul Whiteman   Performer
Boston Pops Orchestra   Performer
Jon Samuels   Transfers
Lawrence Tibbett   Performer
Paul Whiteman Orchestra   Performer
Arthur Fiedler   Performer
Edward Jablonski   Liner Notes
Ward Marston   Transfers
Daniel Guss   A&R
Rex Bonomelli   Design
Ferde Grofe   Arranger
RCA Symphony Orchestra   Performer
Jon M. Samuels   Transfers,Reissue Producer
George Gershwin   Composer,Performer,Recording Supervision
Nathaniel Shilkret   Performer
Morton Gould   Arranger,Performer
Ira Gershwin   Composer,Lyricist
DuBose Heyward   Composer,Lyricist
Victor Symphony Orchestra   Performer
Marian Conaty   Engineer,Reissue Engineer
Morton Gould & His Orchestra   Performer
RCA Victor Orchestra   Performer