Porgy and Bess [Original recording remastered]

Amazon.com
Take George Gershwin's Porgy & Bess, add Miles Davis and arranger Gil Evans, and what do you get? A classic jazz album that--despite the fact that the material has been rendered almost overly familiar due to countless interpretations--still sounds remarkably fresh four decades after its initial release. Miles' soft yet piercing trumpet style is perfectly suited to Gershwin's melancholy melodies, Evans' musical direction of his 18-piece orchestra is impeccable, and their version of "Summertime" may well be the finest ever waxed. Davis and Evans teamed up for several recordings after this one (including the landmark Sketches of Spain), but Porgy & Bess still stands as one of their most successful collaborations. --Dan Epstein

Porgy and Bess,Miles Davis,Gil Evans,Sony,Bass (Upright),Brass,Cool,Drums,Experimental Big Band,Guitar (Electric),Jazz,Jazz Music,Orchestral Jazz,Pop,Reeds (Multiple),Trumpet,Woodwind

Average customer rating: pure composition magic... One of the most startling beautiful and quintessential version of Porgy and Bess Porgy and Bess and Miles/Gil Evans Pull a chair between the speakers and let this one wash over you Edit your own CD

Porgy and Bess Miles Davis , and Gil Evans Manufacturer: Sony ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Cool Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music General | Jazz | Styles | Music Contemporary Big Band | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music Orchestral Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music Similar Items: Sketches of Spain Miles Ahead Porgy & Bess Milestones Kind of Blue ASIN: B000002AH6 Release Date: 1997-03-25

Tracks:

1. Buzzard Song
2. Bess, You Is My Woman Now
3. Gone
4. Gone, Gone, Gone
5. Summertime
6. Oh Bess, Oh Where's My Bess
7. Prayer (Oh Doctor Jesus)
8. Fishermen, Strawberry And Devil Crab
9. My Man's Gone Now
10. It Ain't Necessarily So
11. Here Come De Honey Man
12. I Loves You, Porgy
13. There's A Boat That's Leaving Soon For New York
14. I Loves You, Porgy (Take 1, Second Version)
15. Gone (Take 4)

Amazon.com

Take George Gershwin's Porgy & Bess, add Miles Davis and arranger Gil Evans, and what do you get? A classic jazz album that--despite the fact that the material has been rendered almost overly familiar due to countless interpretations--still sounds remarkably fresh four decades after its initial release. Miles' soft yet piercing trumpet style is perfectly suited to Gershwin's melancholy melodies, Evans' musical direction of his 18-piece orchestra is impeccable, and their version of "Summertime" may well be the finest ever waxed. Davis and Evans teamed up for several recordings after this one (including the landmark Sketches of Spain), but Porgy & Bess still stands as one of their most successful collaborations. --Dan Epstein

Customer Reviews:

pure composition magic..........2007-06-20

The pinnacle of Gil Evans and Miles Davis working together. This is by far the definitive recording of Porgy and Bess as far as I'm concerned. I've listened to it a thousand times and it still blows me away. I wish I had the words to do this recording justice. Just listen to GONE and how it segues into GONE, GONE, GONE and how that in turn segues into SUMMERTIME. My goodness, the trumpet practically speaks to you, you can feel the pathos, the rage and the desire of the story. SUMMERTIME is the quintessential Miles. moody, full of passion, magical. Enough said. Get it. Listen to it. Enjoy it. over and over and over again.

One of the most startling beautiful and quintessential version of Porgy and Bess.......2007-04-30

While "Porgy and Bess" nas been attempted by many an artist from popular standard artists to jazz giants, for me, this IS the quintessential version. For me, better than Ella and Louis or Ray Charles and Cleo Laine's versions.

It is emotionally direct and startling in it's beauty. Miles was at the height of his powers and he conveys the sentiment of the pieces so directly that I was moved and transfixed.

This, of all the Gil Evans/Miles Davis collaborations is the best. Some might argue in favor of others but this one features arrangement that are essential and never, not once, do they encumber, obscure or step all over the soloist. Gil provides a perfect setting for Miles and Miles makes the most of it, with that unique vibratto-less tone.

Never sappy, nor even conventional. I can only imagine what the reactions were when this recording was released. Mind you, Gil never arranged in the traditional voicings or instrumentations of the traditional big band. No four or five sax/five brass, four trombone, piano, bass and drums for this man. The instrumentation and voicings are unique. Often the horns covney the soft lushness of strings on ballads but without any syrup at all.

This simply one of the best Miles Davis recordings in his career, bar none! He effectively conveys the longing, romance, sadness and joy I presume Gershwin intended.

Upon acquiring a CD player back in the eighties, this was one of the very first recordings I purchased. Never old or dated. It's timeless, it transcends eras.

A must have for me.

Porgy and Bess and Miles/Gil Evans.......2007-01-03

Phenomenal material to begin with. The treatment was exceptional due to an amazing collaboration. I am very pleased to have it in my collection.

Pull a chair between the speakers and let this one wash over you.......2006-10-31

Let me start by saying that I'm a long-time analog music lover. I still spin a lot of vinyl, and have found digital music to be, at times, disappointing.

That being said, this remastering of "Porgy and Bess" is one of the most gorgeous things I've ever heard. The placement of the instruments across the spectrum is almost holographic, and out of this space the subtlety of Gil Evans' work can truly be appreciated. There are long, languid sections of Miles' horn noir, punctuated by bursts from Evans' "brass orchestra." The layers, the barely heard accents, it's just brilliant work, and this amazing remaster truly does it justice.

As to the music, I'll simply paraphrase another reviewer here who said that he knew of no music more beautiful than this. Amen, brother.

Edit your own CD.......2006-03-19

I think I understand why some listeners take exception to the Miles-Evans version of Porgy and Bess and wonder what all the fuss is about and why it's a "classic" if they've never heard the original vinyl release on Columbia. In the digital era, in the attempt to give listeners more content and fill up cd space, record companies sometimes include extra tracks that were never on the original and should have been left off later. For me that track is "I Loves You, Porgy," which comes near the end of the entire album and has a way of spoiling the sonic magic that came before. It's not that it's a terrible track; it's just not that good or necessary when compared to the others, and, again, was never on the original in the first place. Furthermore, the last track was never on the original either, and can be done without as well, imo. Sometimes less is better. After all, a classic album is one where the listener finds it unnecessary to skip tracks, and the later cd release inadvertently violates this principle because of the two reasons I've mentioned. For my own use, I've burned an edited version off my own commercial copy without the last two tracks, and I recommend others do the same if they wish to recapture the spirit of the original and the marvelous effects this music can create, as Miles' tone was never more luscious, dark and brooding...just gorgeous. And I think Gil Evans was right when he said that Miles Davis reinvented the sound of the trumpet and flugelhorn, especially on Sketches of Spain and Porgy and Bess.

Average customer rating: Absolutely peerless once-in-a-lifetime greatness We love this album Simply great Porgy and Bess

Porgy & Bess Ella Fitzgerald , and Louis Armstrong Manufacturer: Polygram Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Gershwin | Gershwin, George | ( G ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Jazz | Styles | Music Swing General | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music Traditional Jazz General | Traditional Jazz & Ragtime | Jazz | Styles | Music Vocal Jazz General | Vocal Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Modern & 20th Century | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music English | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Classic Vocalists | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music Traditional Vocal Pop | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music Traditional Pop | Oldies | Pop | Styles | Music Similar Items: Porgy and Bess Gershwin: Porgy & Bess [With Members of the Original Cast] Porgy & Bess: High Performance George Gershwin - Porgy & Bess / Trevor Nunn · Sir Simon Rattle · W. White · C. Haymon · Glyndebourne Opera Ella & Louis Again (Dig) ASIN: B0000046Z5 Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

1. Overture
2. Summertime
3. I Wants To Stay Here
4. My Man's Gone Now
5. I Got Plenty O'Nuttin'
6. Buzzard Song
7. Bess, You Is My Woman Now
8. It Ain't Necessarily So
9. What You Want Wild Bess?
10. A Woman Is A Sometime Thing
11. Oh, Doctor Jesus
12. Medley: Here Come De Honey Man/Crab Man/Oh, Deh's So Fresh And Fine (Strawberry Woman)
13. There's A Boat Dat's Leavin' Soon For New York
14. Bess, Oh Where's My Bess
15. Oh Lawd, I'm On My Way

Amazon.com

Getting the two most personable voices in jazz to sing an hour's worth of George Gershwin's opera Porgy & Bess (Ella doing all the female parts, Satchmo all the male) was a good idea, but not quite as great as it sounded. Armstrong savors the down-and-dirty Charlestonisms that inspired the cadences of the music and lyrics, and they fit his happy rasp like an old shoe; Fitzgerald, conversely, sounds almost prissy every time she has to sing the word "ain't," though her melodic genius gets Gershwin's bold, supple tunes over. The arrangements are full-throttle Broadway, with a few leaps into Dixieland (including some fine Armstrong trumpet solos), but the disc works best when the vocalists break character and let their jazz side out. --Douglas Wolk

Customer Reviews:

Absolutely peerless.......2006-11-17

"Porgy and Bess" has just opened (with some controversy) in London's West End, though as a musical and not as an opera as it was originally conceived. Reviews have been promising and I aim to go down and see it soon. I decided to listen to this CD to put myself in the mood. I hadn't listened to it for years and I'd completely forgotten how good it actually is. Ella's voice blends with Louis' perfectly and Russell Garcia's orchestration gives them a dreamy landscape to perform against. I have one or two other CDs by Louis and Ella but this one is by far my favourite. The CD opens with "Overture" and its orchestral performance of classics like "Summertime", "I Wants To Stay Here", "I Got Plenty O' Nuttin'" and "It Ain't Neccessarily So" set the tone nicely, leaving one ever so keen for the vocal versions. Louis Armstong has a very rough tone to his voice but the emotion he packs with it is moving, most especially on the mournful "Bess, Oh Where's My Bess?" And we get all this and Louis' wonderful trumpet playing too?

Gershwin and Gershwin must be among the top composers of the last century and this opera showcases their talents more than anything I've heard. Ella and Louis are peerless as a vocal duo and though I doubt the West End performance will capture the magic in the same way they did, I still remain very keen to go see it. Is it opera or is it a jazz performance? I don't really know. I just know that I love it. And strongly recommend it.

once-in-a-lifetime greatness.......2006-10-06

Two thousand five hundred musicians have recorded "Summertime" --- it's a classic. (I bet most Americans can name Janis Joplin and no other singer.) As for "Porgy and Bess," the folk opera from which "Summertime" springs, it's such a classic that it's hard to believe anyone ever had a harsh word to say about it.

But after its premiere in 1935, no less than Duke Ellington said, "It has grand music and a swell play, but the two didn't go together. It does not use the Negro musical idiom --- the times are here to debunk Gershwin's lampblack Negroisms."

A quarter of a century later, the producers of the film version had trouble assembling a cast. Harry Belafonte rejected their offer to play Porgy. Sidney Poitier took the part --- and wished he hadn't. Poitier later wrote that the movie insulted black people; when he chose clips of his best performances for his tribute at the American Film Institute, he picked nothing from "Porgy and Bess."

And in 1985, when Grace Bumbry was a sensation as Bess in a Metropolitan Opera production, she slammed the opera: "I thought it beneath me, I felt I had worked far too hard, that we had come far too far to have to retrogress to 1935."

All that may be. All I know is that I have, in a long life, rarely been confronted with more genius than in the Fitzgerald/Armstrong recording of "Porgy & Bess." Set aside the achievement of George and Ira Gershwin in transforming DuBose Heyward's novel into a folk opera. Let's just focus on Armstrong and Fitzgerald, who were at the peak of their popularity when this record was made in 1957.

"Summertime" --- the first song --- sets the tone. A baleful horn figure, then violins. And then Armstrong's trumpet: slow, steady, dignified. But wait --- here comes a slurred note. And a cool little improvisation. Just enough of each. Very tasty.

Fitzgerald sings a verse. She is cool and formal. A lady. Not to be taken lightly. Now it's Armstrong's turn. Tender, but let's not kid ourselves --- this is not singing as others define it. This is melodic speech: rough, gutteral. And thus he is ideally cast: His Porgy may have his charms, but he'll have to stretch to keep Bess.

And so it goes throughout the CD. Trumpet mastery --- Armstrong has dazzling control. His tone is bright, but never shrill; there's a warmth in his playing no one else could produce. And Fitzgerald is just a study in inevitability; to hear her is to wonder how anyone could sing these songs any other way.

"I Got Plenty O' Nuttin'." "Bess, You Is My Woman Now." "A Woman Is a Sometime Thing." "There's a Boat Dat's Leavin' Soon for New York." "Bess, Oh Where's My Bess?" "Oh Lawd, I'm on My Way."

All brilliantly conceived, orchestrated and recorded.

The greatest trumpet player in this history of jazz.

The father of scat singing.

The queen of the jazz vocal.

There are no-brainers, and then there is this Ella Fitzgerald-Louis Armstrong collaboration --- music that imprints on your soul.

We love this album.......2006-08-22

We hope they will someday bring this beautiful story back to the stage

Simply great.......2006-03-04

The fusion between the great two voices and the orchestra is just brilliant. Very good brass and violins that accompany Fitzeralds and Armstrongs magic voices leaves you with your mouth open.

A must have for everyone!

Porgy and Bess.......2005-10-14

Could not find this anyway locally. It is a great recording

Average customer rating: Bell & Gershwin Enchanting Joshua Bell's playing is exquisite S'Wonderful My Starter Bell CD

Joshua Bell - Gershwin Fantasy Joshua Bell , George Gershwin , and John [composer] Williams Manufacturer: Sony ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Gershwin | Gershwin, George | ( G ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Bell, Joshua | ( B ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music Classical Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Classical Instrumental Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Opera & Vocal | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Similar Items: Romance of the Violin Voice of the Violin Joshua Bell ~ Bernstein - West Side Story Suite The Essential Joshua Bell Tchaikovsky: Violin Concerto [Hybrid SACD] ASIN: B000009OP5 Release Date: 1998-07-28

Tracks:

1. Fantasy For Violin And Orchestra On Porgy And Bess
2. Three Preludes: I. Allegro ben ritmato e deciso
3. Three Preludes: II. Andante
4. Three Preludes: III. Allegro ben ritmato e deciso
5. Songs For Violin And Orchestra: I Got Rhythm
6. Songs For Violin And Orchestra: Embraceable You
7. Songs For Violin And Orchestra: Nice Work If You Can Get It
8. Songs For Violin And Orchestra: Liza
9. Songs For Violin And Orchestra: But Not For Me
10. Songs For Violin And Orchestra: Sweet And Low-Down
11. Songs For Violin And Orchestra: Love Is Here To Stay

Amazon.com essential recording

On Gershwin Fantasy, Joshua Bell's Stradivari embraces the lyrical spirit of Gershwin's Porgy and Bess with more success than most vocalists. Accompanied by the London Symphony Orchestra, Bell's violin literally sings through "It Ain't Necessarily So," "Summertime," "I Got Rhythm," and "Love Is Here to Stay," while John Williams (Saving Private Ryan, Schindler's List) serves double duty as conductor and pianist on several tracks. Three Preludes employs the violin and piano transcription by Jascha Heifetz, a longtime Gershwin friend, and features Bell at his jazziest. Even Gershwin himself--well, the recording of a 1926 piano roll of the composer--joins the virtuoso on the swinging "Sweet and Low-Down." --Jason Verlinde

Customer Reviews:

Bell & Gershwin.......2007-05-20

Two of my faves, George Gershwin and Joshual Bell -

Can't beat that!

Also, "Porgy" is a fave opera... so three out of three isn't bad!

Enchanting.......2007-03-24

A very talented (to say the least) young musician playing the beautiful music of a very talented composer. I listen over and over again and especially like his rendition of "Embraceable You" and "But Not For Me" . . I'm a romantic!

Joshua Bell's playing is exquisite.......2005-07-08

Joshua Bell's exquisite playing turns these arrangements into Gold. In the hands of Perlman or Shaham these arrangements would be pure shmaltz, but Bell's playing is of the highest caliber.

S'Wonderful.......2004-10-20

Love it! I had heard of Josh Bell but never had purchased any of his music. I am a full fan now. This cd is wonderful. I am a Gershwin fan and have been for years. Bell breathes new life into the old classics and the result is breathtaking. His touch with the violin is beyound discription. He even plays with George in one cut, Sweet and Low Down. That alone is worth the price of the cd. Buy this cd and expect to be enchanted. It has been in my changer for weeks now, I can't get enough.

My Starter Bell CD.......2003-11-05

This CD was my introduction to Joshua Bell after hearing a track on our local Washington, DC, classical radio station. It was hard not to be struck not only by the warmth of Mr. Bell's playing but also by his phrasing. He is almost never flashy, but his nuances made me find new musical possibilities which I hope -- but somehow doubt -- Gershwin intended. This is Gershwin as you have never heard him before, and it desires a place in anyone's classical or jazz collection.

Average customer rating: Porgy & Bess Stunning Achievement Great recording PVL Gorgeous

Porgy & Bess: High Performance Leontyne Price , William Warfield , and John W. Bubbles Manufacturer: RCA ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Operettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Price, Leontyne | Divas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music $7.99 and Under | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music All Classical Music Blowout | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Price, Leontyne | ( P ) | Performers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Opera & Vocal | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Classical Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Opera & Vocal | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Similar Items: Gershwin: Porgy & Bess [With Members of the Original Cast] Porgy & Bess Porgy & Bess George Gershwin - Porgy & Bess / Trevor Nunn · Sir Simon Rattle · W. White · C. Haymon · Glyndebourne Opera Porgy and Bess ASIN: B00000I9MJ Release Date: 1999-03-09

Tracks:

1. Porgy And Bess: Introduction; Summertime
2. Porgy And Bess: A Woman Is A Sometime Thing
3. Porgy And Bess: Gone, Gone, Gone
4. Porgy And Bess: My Man's Gone Now
5. Porgy And Bess: I Got Plenty o' Nuttin'
6. Porgy And Bess: Bess, You Is My Woman
7. Porgy And Bess: It Ain't Necessarily So
8. Porgy And Bess: What You Want Wid Bess ?
9. Porgy And Bess: I Loves You, Porgy
10. Porgy And Bess: There's A Boat Dat's Leavin' Soon For New York
11. Porgy And Bess: Oh Bess, Oh, Where's My Bess
12. Porgy And Bess: Oh, Lawd, I'm On My Way

Amazon.com

RCA's 1963 highlights disc brought the stars of the early-1950s revival of the work, Leontyne Price and William Warfield, together again. By this time, however, Price was well advanced on her meteoric rise to operatic stardom and Warfield was gaining renown as a recitalist. Both are glorious here and Price's shimmering "Summertime" is worth the price of the disc. A plus is the spirited Sportin' Life of John W. Bubbles, who created the role in the original 1935 production; an old-time vaudevillian, he wrings fun and irony from his all-too-short excerpts. Henderson conducts with vigor and RCA's "High Performance" sound, when heard on a good system, is remarkable. --Dan Davis

Customer Reviews:

Porgy & Bess.......2007-03-26

Great CD! Both the singing and orchestrations were perfect! Have played it many times since receiving it.

Stunning Achievement.......2006-04-29

This recording of scenes from Gershwin's opera is a stunning achievement and a gem for anyone who loves great music and great singing. Ms. Price was a world-renowned Bess and created a sensation when she toured in the opera's celebrated revival during the 1950's. People unfamiliar with the entire score may be surpised to discover that two famous arias, "Summertime" and
"My Man's Gone Now", aren't sung by Bess. It's thrilling to hear Ms. Price perform these, which were signature pieces
throughout her career. As Porgy, Mr. Warfield toured with Leontyne Price, and the power and poignancy of his characterization are comparable to hers. He is extraordinary in his solos, and his love duet with Ms. Price wil give the listener chills. The chorus and orchestra are superb. Skitch Henderson, former maestro of The Tonight Show, might seem an unusual choice for conductor, but his leadership is skilled, idiomatic, and electrifying. (He was a fine musician and composer who often guest-conducted for symphony orchestras.)
This is a wonderful example of recorded musical drama and will appeal to those who don't consider themselves opera fans as well as to those who do. Highly recommended and a Grammy Award winner.

Great recording.......2006-04-24

OK, so Leontyne Price sings a song on this recording ("My Man is Gone Now")that is not sung by her character (Bess), but what an incredible version of that song! I've never heard any singer match it. This album introduced me to P & B 20 years ago, and I love the CD. I had the pleasure of interviewing William Warfield in 1981; much to my regret I did not yet know this recording.

By the way: I also love the old 1951 recording of the opera (re-released as a CD by Sony in 1998). It is my other favorite, and has over 2 hours of the music. The audio is surprisingly good.

PVL.......2006-01-31

Outstanding cast and performances. Digitally remastered in the new High Performance mode. Sound is spectacular.

Gorgeous.......2005-04-14

This is the first "Porgy and Bess recording I ever heard, and though it's not complete, it is the BEST. Bess is sung definitively by Leontyne Price, and the Porgy is every bit equal to her performance. Gershwin's music for this opera is amazing. It is jazz and black culture put into operatic form, and you can't get more soulful than that. "Summertime" (my favorite song ever) of course was wonderful, and "My Man's Gone Now" is the saddest thing I have ever heard - you can listen to it over and over. "Bess, you is my Woman Now" makes me cry too, it's so sweet. The acting is convincing as could be wished. As for Sportin' Life, he is played by the creator of the role who was NOT an opera singer but rather a vaudeville star, and chosen by Gershwin himself. At first he seems rather out of place beside the rest of the cast (Leontyne Price, for goodness' sake!) but he grows on you. I once heard a bass rendition of "It Ain't Neccisarily So" that was sung very low and deep, and very straight - and although I'm aware that Sportin' Life is a tenor role, it was a very effective rendition. However, as an indiviudual, this Sportin' Life was not bad at all, and his "There's a Boat dat's Leavin' Soon for New York" was VERY good and almost seductive, I thought.

Really, you couldn't get much better for $12.00!

Average customer rating: As good as any Rhapsody Good intro to Gershwin - Great gift Outstanding performance and sound engineering The Finest Recordings of These Four Selections Gershewin is the Master of Mixing Jazz and Big Band

Gershwin: Rhapsody in Blue/Cuban Overture/Porgy and Bess Suite/An American in Paris Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Gershwin | Gershwin, George | ( G ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Overtures | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Tone Poems | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General Contemporary | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Piano | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Levine, James | ( L ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Deutsche Grammophon: Music | Specialty Stores | Music Similar Items: Levant Plays Gershwin Gershwin Plays Gershwin: The Piano Rolls Bernstein Century - Copland: Appalachian Spring, Rodeo, etc / Bernstein, New York PO The Gershwin Plays Gershwin: The Piano Rolls, Vol. 2 Essential George Gershwin ASIN: B000001GEK Release Date: 1993-06-15

Tracks:

1. Rhapsody In Blue
2. Cuban Overture
3. 'Porgy and Bess' Suite
4. An American In Paris

Customer Reviews:

As good as any Rhapsody.......2006-11-11

I've also got Bernstein and Wild and this Rhapsody is as good as any of them. But the real reason to buy this recording is for the couplings--which are far better than the rest. The Cuban Overture absolutely ROCKS.

Everybody gives you "American in Paris" with the Rhapsody, but, come on, Porgy & Bess AND the Cuban Overture vs. Grofe's Grand Canyon Suite or the Piano Concerto in C? No contest!

Good intro to Gershwin - Great gift.......2006-08-05

Bought this CD for our 7-year-old daughter for her birthday. She loves it. Certainly didn't listen to it once and set it aside. She even takes it in the car.

In short, it's a nice performance of some of Gershwin's best work. Very enjoyable.

Outstanding performance and sound engineering.......2005-10-24

I am not a sound engineer but, clearly something was done outstandingly right in the production of this CD. I have listened to this CD on several different stereo systems with the same result: crystal clear sound that gives the impression that the instruments are right in front of you. I would add that I do not have an SACD version of this CD, nor an SACD player, nor a hi-end expensive stereo system. Nevertheless, the sound quality of this CD was noticeably superior to that of the recordings of Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue and American in Paris that I have with Bernstein and Ormandy conducting. Part of the superior sound quality of this recording is due to its being digital, whereas Bernstein and Ormandy were recorded in analog. However, I have hundreds of other CDs that were recorded digitally and comparatively few have a sound quality that is as fresh, sharp, and, simply put, as outstanding as the one on this CD.

In addition to the freshness and immediacy of the sound, the playing of both the orchestra and of Levine as the piano soloist in Rhapsody in Blue are the best that I have heard amongst my various recordings of this work. I had never heard James Levine as a pianist before, only as a conductor, and was very pleasantly surprised at the excellence of his performance. There is a real joyful dynamic energy on this CD, together with a quality that is not apparent on the other recordings I own of Rhapsody in Blue - a feeling of playfulness, and even humor. I got the distinct feeling as I listened to this CD (several times, and always with great pleasure) that the orchestra and conductor/pianist were thoroughly enjoying themselves. All of the selections on this CD radiate with outstanding musicianship coupled with tremendous energy and love of life. This is one of my desert island CDs. I give it my highest recommendation.

The Finest Recordings of These Four Selections.......2004-03-13

George Gershwin (1898-1937) first made a name for himself as the composer of one memorable popular song after another--songs that have proven remarkably durable and have entered our collective consciousness to become "great standards" by which others are judged. In 1924 he began to leap the gulf between "popular" and "serious" music, and between 1924 and his untimely death in 1937 he created a number of famous works--but although he is regarded as a genius today, it was not so at the time. For then as now, "serious" composers and critics were an insular group, and many considered his fusion of jazz, strong melodic lines, and symphonic treatments at best pretentious, at worst common.

In the wake of Gershwin's untimely death, many of his works underwent a facelift of sorts, with various composers reworking the material in an effort to give it more snob appeal: the original arrangements were touched up, retoned, and in general fiddled with--and today it is almost impossible to find a recording of a Gershwin piece recorded as originally written. But here Chicago Symphony conductor James Levine accomplishes the impossible, restoring four major Gershwin pieces to either original or near-original condition.

The great reason to purchase this CD is "Rhapsody in Blue," which will come as a revelation to listeners accustomed to hearing the piece awash in strings, for here it is returned to all the sharp edged, strident, and jazzy glory of the original 1924 Ferde Grafe arrangement for the Paul Whiteman orchestra. And it is stunning, clean, a true period jewel that is ultimately the definitive musical statement of the Deco era; hearing it performed in this stripped-down original version is akin to seeing a beautiful gemstone purged of a vulgar setting and restored to true brilliance.

Also notable are "Cuban Overture" and "Catfish Row," both of which are performed essentially as Gershwin created them. "Cuban Overture" has never been one of Gershwin's most popular concert pieces--but listening to it here one is hard pressed to know why; certainly less melodic than other Gershwin constructions for orchestra, it is nonetheless a magical thing that combines a sense of ocean and tropical flavors to tremendous effect. "Catfish Row," of course, is drawn from Gershwin's opera "Porgy and Bess"--but should not be confused with the various suites typically heard, for it was actually arranged by George Gershwin himself and offers a pleasing (and to my mind far superior) variation on these oft-heard themes.

Unfortunately, not all of the original arrangements survive. (Liner notes indicate that even "Cuban Overture" is slightly effected in this regard.) The arrangements for "An American in Paris" received an overhaul around 1947; the originals have been lost forever, and it is performed here very much as we are accustomed to hearing it. Still, Levine and company give it tremendous style and substance in execution, and without knowing what the original arrangements were like we would be hard pressed to fault them in the performance.

Whatever the case, when it comes to these four selections, and particularly so re the legendary "Rhapsody in Blue," this is the recording to have. Everything here is flawless--and very often unlike anything you've previously heard when approaching these works. Strongly recommended.

GFT, Amazon Reviewer

Gershewin is the Master of Mixing Jazz and Big Band.......2001-12-26

Gershwin lived a short life but the pieces he made are marvelous. His fusion of jazz of big band creates a unique sound that is very pleasing. Listening to a Rhapsody in Blue, or An American in Paris always gives the feeling of a big bustling American city in its prime, full of rich color and glamour. Uneven, busy syncopated rythyms by the brass and percussion add the sense of the workaholic society of America during its time. It's the old timely sound to it all that makes Gershwin's so songs irresistable to the ear. Cuban Overture sounds equally robust and majestic, complete with native Cuban percussion, and the "Porgy and Bess" Suite, while operatic and huge in proportion, doesn't stray far from its jazz roots. The Chicago Symphony played the music with gusto and vigor, and James Levine thoughtfully interpreted each piece with the utmost care the way Gershwin had intended it. I highly recommend this piece to anyone with a fine taste in the big band, all-American sound. Of all the music I've heard, Gershwin's music sounds the most American of them all.

Average customer rating: Fabulous for any Broadway-lover Top Shelf TERRIFIC CD'S Great Collection of Broadways greatest Songs Great Compilation!

Broadway - The American Musical (PBS Series) Manufacturer: Sony ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Bernstein | Bernstein, Leonard | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Gershwin | Gershwin, George | ( G ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Porter | Porter, Cole | ( P ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Weill | Weill, Kurt | ( W ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Mancini | Mancini, Henry | ( M ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Modern & 20th Century | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music English | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Musicals | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music General | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music Classical Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Classical Instrumental Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Opera & Vocal | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Musicals | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Similar Items: The Best of Broadway - The American Musical (PBS Series) Broadway: The American Musical Broadway: The American Musical Broadway - The American Musical (PBS Series) Somewhere over the Rainbow: The Golden Age of Hollywood Musicals ASIN: B00064ADMK Release Date: 2004-10-19

Tracks:

1. Give My Regards To Broadway- Joel Grey
2. Swanee- Al Jolson
3. When The Moon Shines On The Moonshine- Bert Williams
4. A Pretty Girl Is Like A Melody- John Steel
5. My Man- Fanny Brice
6. Fascinating Rhythm- Fred Astaire, Adele Astaire
7. If You Knew Susie (Like I Know Susie)- 78rpm Version Eddie Cantor
8. Someone To Watch Over Me- Gertrude Lawrence
9. Bill- 78 rpm Version Helen Morgan
10. Ol' Man River- Paul Robeson
11. Ain't Misbehavin'- Louis Armstrong & His Orchestra
12. Ten Cents A Dance- Ruth Etting
13. Body And Soul- Libby Holman
14. Brother, Can You Spare A Dime- Bing Crosby
15. Night And Day- Fred Astaire
16. Heat Wave- Ethel Waters
17. Smoke Gets in Your Eyes- Tamara
18. You're The Top- Ethel Merman
19. Summertime- Anne Brown
20. September Song- Walter Huston
21. My Heart Belongs To Daddy- Mary Martin
22. It Never Entered My Mind- Shirley Ross
23. Bewitched, Bothered, Bewildered- Vivienne Segal
24. Oh, How I Hate To Get Up In The Morning- Irving Berlin
25. Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin'- Alfred Drake

Tracks:

1. New York, New York- Cris Alexander,Adolph Green,John Reardon
2. If I Loved You- John Raitt,Jan Clayton
3. Come Rain Or Come Shine- Ruby Hill,Harold Nicholas
4. There's No Business Like Show Business- Ensemble
5. How Are Things In Glocca Morra? From "Finian's Rainbow"- Ella Logan
6. Once In Love With Amy- Ray Bolger
7. Wunderbar- Alfred Drake,Patricia Morison
8. Some Enchanted Evening- Ezio Pinza
9. Lost In The Stars- Todd Duncan
10. Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend- Carol Channing
11. Luck Be A Lady- Robert Alda,Guys
12. Getting To Know You- Gertrude Lawrence
13. Who Cares?- Jack Carson,Betty Oakes
14. Stranger In Paradise- from " Kismet" Doretta Morrow,Richard Kiley
15. Ballad Of Mack The Knife- Gerald Price
16. Hey There- from "The Pajama Game" John Raitt
17. Whatever Lola Wants- Gwen Verdon
18. I Could Have Danced All Night- Julie Andrews
19. Standing On The Corner- from "The Most Happy Fella, 1956" Shorty Long,John Henson,Alan Gilbert
20. The Party's Over- Judy Holliday
21. Glitter And Be Gay- Barbara Cook
22. Tonight- Larry Kert, Carol Lawrence

Tracks:

1. Seventy-Six Trombones- Robert Preston
2. I Enjoy Being A Girl- from "Flower Drum Song, 1958" Pat Suzuki
3. Everything's Coming Up Roses- Ethel Merman
4. My Favorite Things- from "The Sound Of Music" Mary Martin
5. Put On A Happy Face- from "Bye Bye Birdie" Dick Van Dyke
6. Try To Remember- Jerry Orbach
7. Camelot- from "Camelot" Richard Burton
8. Love Makes The World Go 'Round- Anna Maria Alberghetti
9. I Believe In You- Robert Morse And Co.
10. The Sweetest Sounds- Diahann Carroll,Richard Kiley
11. Comedy Tonight- Zero Mostel
12. What Kind Of Fool Am I?- Anthony Newley
13. As Long As He Needs Me- Georgia Brown
14. Hello, Dolly!- Carol Channing,Cast
15. People- Barbra Streisand
16. Anyone Can Whistle- from "Anyone Can Whistle" Lee Remick
17. If I Were A Rich Man- Zero Mostel
18. Night Song- Sammy Davis, Jr.
19. The Impossible Dream- Richard Kiley
20. If My Friends Could See Me Now- Gwen Verdon
21. Open a New Window- from Mame Voice

Tracks:

1. Willkommen- from "Cabaret" Joel Grey
2. Let The Sunshine In- James Rado,Lynn Kellogg,Melba Moore,Cast
3. I'll Never Fall In Love Again- Jill O'Hara,Jerry Orbach
4. The Ladies Who Lunch- from "Company" Elaine Stritch
5. Tea For Two- Roger Rathburn,Susan Watson
6. I'm Still Here- Yvonne De Carlo
7. I Don't Know How To Love Him- Yvonne Elliman
8. We Go Together- Adrienne Barbeau,Barry Bostwick,Walter Bobbie,Cast
9. Corner Of The Sky- John Rubinstein
10. Send In The Clowns- Glynis Johns
11. Ease On Down The Road- Stephanie Mills,Tiger Haynes,Ted Ross,Hinton
12. One- from "A Chorus Line" Cast
13. All That Jazz- Chita Rivera,Ensemble
14. Tomorrow- Andrea Mcardle
15. Don't Cry For Me Argentina- Patti Lupone
16. Come Follow The Band
17. Lullaby Of Broadway- Jerry Orbach
18. And I'm Telling You I'm Not Going- Jennifer Holliday
19. The Bells Of St. Sebastian- Raul Julia

Tracks:

1. Memory- Betty Buckley
2. I Am What I Am- George Hearn
3. Move On- Bernadette Peters,Mandy Patinkin
4. Do You Hear The People Sing?- Michael Maguire,Cast
5. The Music Of The Night- Michael Crawford
6. You're Nothing Without Me- James Naughton,Gregg Edelman
7. The American Dream- Jonathan Pryce,Cast
8. Doctor Jazz- Gregory Hines,Company
9. With One Look- Glenn Close
10. On Broadway- Adrian Bailey,Frederick B. Owens,Ken Ard,Victor Trent Cook
11. Le Jazz Hot- Julie Andrews,Ensemble
12. Seasons Of Love-
13. Hakuna Matata- Max Casella,Tom Alan Robbins,Scott Irby-Ranniar,Jason Raize
14. I Wanna Be A Producer- Matthew Broderick,Ensemble
15. Dancing Queen- Louise Plowright,Jenny Galloway
16. Good Morning Baltimore- Marissa Jaret Winokur
17. Movin' Out- Michael Cavanaugh,Band
18. I Go To Rio- Hugh Jackman,Company
19. Defying Gravity- Kristin Chenoweth,Idina Menzel

Customer Reviews:

Fabulous for any Broadway-lover.......2007-01-30

Packs into 5 CD's a sampling of Broadway tunes from the 20's thru (almost) today, mostly from original cast recordings. Includes not just well-known hits, but also some lesser-known gems. Sound quality is first rate, booklet is informative too. Have given this as a gift to several friends with rave reviews.

Top Shelf.......2007-01-04

This is THE definitive collection of Broadway hits. I have other collections, and none of them measure up. A great deal of care was obviously taken in compiling and presenting this box set. It covers a lot of ground, starting with some long-forgotten but still very enjoyable hits from the days of yore, and finishing with present-day favorites. To the best of my knowledge, the recordings are by those who made them famous. You won't be disappointed.

TERRIFIC CD'S.......2006-03-23

THESE BROADWAY MUSICALS CD'S ARE A BROADWAY LOVERS DREAM. WITH EACH SONG, MEMORIES COME FLOODING BACK. BOTH THE FAMILIAR AND THE FORGOTTEN SONGS ARE A TRUE LISTENING PLEASURE. IF YOU LIKE BROADWAY, YOU'LL LOVE THIS SET.

Great Collection of Broadways greatest Songs .......2005-06-14

This Collection was perfectly made it has almost all the most famous Broadway songs on this 5 cd set. The Music is great and has Broadways greatest treasures like "Memory""People""With One Look""Give my regards Too Broadway" just to name a few of this numerous cd set with over 100 songs. This is a great buy if you like musicals or The music of Broadway

Great Compilation!.......2005-01-17

If you are a fan of the Broadway Musicals, this is a collection that you should purchase. Since I got the 5 disc set I've enjoyed listening to it. The majority of the songs are done by the original singers. The collection is priceless considering that you will have over 100 songs from popular musicals since the beginning of Broadway

Average customer rating: Required listening. Sublime. LONG-LOST SOUNDTRACK OF A TROUBLED MOVIE . . . . . GREATEST PERFORMANCE OF GERSHWIN'S SCORE EVER!

Porgy & Bess (1959 Film Soundtrack) Manufacturer: Back Biter ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music Soundtracks | Imports | Stores | Music Similar Items: Gershwin: Porgy & Bess [With Members of the Original Cast] Porgy & Bess: High Performance The Josephine Baker Collection (Zou Zou / Princess Tam Tam / Siren of the Tropics) The King and I (1956 Film Soundtrack) Carousel (1956 Film Soundtrack) ASIN: B00002MY3V Release Date: 1995-05-08

Tracks:

1. Overture
2. Summertime
3. Woman Is A Sometime Thing
4. Wake- Gone, Gone, Gone- Porgy's Prayer
5. My Man's Gone Now
6. I Got Plenty O' Nuttin'
7. Bess, You Is My Woman Now
8. Morning; Catfish Row
9. I Can't Sit Down
10. It Ain't Necessarily So
11. I Ain't Got No Shame
12. What Do You Want With Bess-
13. Street Cries; Strawberry Woman; Crab Man
14. I Loves You, Porgy
15. Red-Headed Woman
16. Clara, Clara
17. There's A Boat That's Leavin' Soon For New York
18. Oh, Where's My Bess-
19. I'm On My Way

Album Description

The story behind the controversial 1959 film adaptation of Gershwin's Porgy & Bess is a strange one. In the film starring Sidney Poitier and Dorothy Dandridge, director Otto Preminger took artistic license against Gershwin's wishes and the Gershwin estate eventually pulled the film from circulation and it has not been seen in over 30 years (although bootleg copies are sure to exist). The film's soundtrack itself has been called 'the definitive version' of Porgy & Bess and was arranged and conducted by Andre Previn. Vocalists include Cab Calloway, Pearl Bailey, Robert McFerrin (Bobby's father), Adele Addison and many others. A spectacular version of this 'opera', one that makes you long to see the withdrawn film. Bacbi.

Customer Reviews:

Required listening. Sublime........2007-05-13

Cab Calloway, as Sportin' Life, steals the recording. (For contractual reasons, he had to replace Sammy Davis Jr.(?), who was in the film. Lucky for us.)
Despite the Gershwins' own criticism, I believe this is the definitive version of the opera.
Let's hold our breath for the release of the film.
~!an

LONG-LOST SOUNDTRACK OF A TROUBLED MOVIE . . . . . .......2007-03-20

This 1995 CD from the German Back Bite label is a curious release. The occasional ticks and pops indicate that it is an LP-transfer to which too much noise reduction has been applied. The tape hiss is gone, but so are the upper ambient frequencies, giving it a peculiar "boxed-in" sound. Recorded in stereo, it has a very nice spatial feel with the orchestra placed behind the singers. However, at times the chorus seems too distant, too far away from the action. (Sounds great in the car, however.)

I agree wholeheartedly with Michael Portantiere's comments in The TheaterMania Guide to Musical Theater Recordings: ". . . Cab Calloway['s] . . . engaging performances . . . lack the sense of menace that the character needs. Despite its flaws, this recording is worth tracking down if only for baritone Robert McFerrin's extraordinary performance of Porgy's music . . . and Adelle Addison's lovely singing for Dandridge . . . both rein in their operatic voices for the film but they still sing beatifully, under the tasteful, respectful musical direction of Andre Previn and Ken Darby."

Perhaps Ms. Addison "reins in" her voice just a bit too much; I would have preferred a little more passion, especially in "What You Want With Bess?" and "I Loves You Porgy." (For an excellent example of "stage vs. movie" singing, compare Giorgio Tozzi's Emile De Beque on the 1959 film soundtrack of SOUTH PACIFIC and the 1976 Lincoln Center Cast recording.)

Not having seen the film, I can only assume that director Otto Preminger softened the roles of Bess and Sportin' Life to conform to the regulations of Hollywood's infamous Production Code (aka the Hayes Office). It most certainly would have been denied a code of approval if two of the major characters were a whiskey-guzzling "easy" woman and a drug dealing pimp - especially since neither had to "pay for their sins." Preminger challenged the Code with three other films - The Moon Is Blue (1953), the first film to use the words "virgin," "seduce," and "mistress;" The Man with the Golden Arm (1955), a film which graphically dealt with drug abuse; Anatomy of a Murder (1959), rape is the central issue - but I have a feeling he played it safe with Porgy, a major studio Samuel Goldwyn Production. (For further information about the film, go to the ISAM [Institute for Studies of American Music] website at htpp://depthome.brooklyn.cuny.edu/isam.)

Because Ira Gershwin and the Gershwin estate were unhappy with Preminger's film treatment, rights to the movie were rescinded during the 70s. As a result, the film has never been legally transferred to video and only a few public showings have been allowed. When the hassles regarding the film are finally settled, hopefully the engineers at Sony/BMG will track down the original master tapes and produce a truly fine restoration of this long-lost movie soundtrack. All the proper ingredients are there; they just have to be pulled together.

Additional weirdness abounds on the CD's sleeve. None of the singers are listed - (Pearl Bailey and Brock Peters did their own singing, Loulie Jean Norman dubbed Clara's songs, and Inez Matthews sang the role of Serena. Sammy Davis, Jr. also sang his own songs, but Cab Calloway replaced him on the recording - due to contractural reasons) - and all of the photos are from some unidentified production of the opera, not from the movie. This recording may not be perfect, but right now it's all we have.

Recommended.

GREATEST PERFORMANCE OF GERSHWIN'S SCORE EVER!.......2002-08-30

One of the greatest crimes ever committed against the music and video buying public is the Gershwin Estate's denial to us of seeing and hearing and, most important of all, judging for ourselves, the merits of the Samuel Goldwyn film of PORGY AND BESS. Even worse, today's video buyers have to suffer through a boring, execrable EMI video made for public television in order to view PORGY AND BESS, thereby seeing Gershwin's masterpiece in the worst possible light. The 1959 film starred Sidney Poitier and Dorothy Dandridge, but both had their songs dubbed by operatic singers. Unlike the long out of print American Columbia sound track LP, this CD import actually credits the voice of Robert McFerrin (the father of jazz singer Bobby McFerrin) as Porgy. Still uncredited are singers Adele Addison (Bess), Loulie Jean Norman (Clara) and Inez Matthews (Serena). A special treat on this album is Cab Calloway as "Sportin' Life", who replaces Sammy Davis Jr. from the film, whose voice could not be used on the sound track album due to his exclusive contract with another record label. Calloway is far better suited to this role and his performance adds an edge to the character missing in Davis' more comic turn in the film. Calloway's vocals are backed up by the identical orchestral tracks (conducted by Andre Previn) used in the film for Davis. Although this version of Porgy and Bess was not well liked by the Gershwin family because it was treated more as a Broadway Musical than an opera, this film was immensely popular in its time and has gained stature over the years. The film was recently named one of the 100 greatest film love stories by the American Film Institute. The release of this matchless film on home video would be a cause for rejoicing. Andre Previn's conducting and especially Ken Darby's excellent choral direction have never been bettered in any performance of PORGY AND BESS. The 1959 sound track contains all the major musical sequences from the film and is arguably the finest version of Gershwin's score ever released to the music buying public. Amazingly, this album has never been released in the US on CD (with very limited distribution elsewhere). This import CD offers the most ideal way of hearing this magnificent sound track music short of a domestic CD release.

Average customer rating: King's Singers Debut Thirty years old: still terrific This is vintage King's Singers!

The King's Singers Original Debut Recording Manufacturer: Chandos ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Gershwin | Gershwin, George | ( G ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Goodwin, Ron | ( G ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Tchaikovsky | Tchaikovsky, Peter Ilyich | ( T ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Renaissance (c.1450-1600) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Vocal & Song | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music King's Singers | ( K ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Folk | Styles | Music A Cappella | Folk | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Choruses | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Folk Songs | Songs & Lieder | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Easy Listening | Pop | Styles | Music General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music General | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music CDs $7 - $10 | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music 4-for-3 Broadway & Vocalists | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 Classical | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 Pop | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 Soundtracks | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: The Kings Singers - New Day The Beatles Connection: The King's Singers Annie Laurie ~ Folksongs of the British Isles / Barrueco · The King's Singers Good Vibrations The King"s Singers: English Renaissance ASIN: B000000A9F Release Date: 1994-05-10

Tracks:

1. The Peanut Vendor
2. Shenandoah
3. Cherry Ripe
4. Summertime
5. Time Was
6. Scarborough Fair
7. None But The Lonely Heart
8. Linstead Market
9. The Oak And The Ash
10. Wives And Lovers
11. Blow Away The Morning Dew
12. The Green Leaves Of Summer
13. What Kind Of Things

Amazon.com

As the line in the opening track, "The Peanut Vendor", says: "Fifty million monkeys can't be wrong." And back in 1971, the purchasers of this debut LP (originally The King's Singers: By Appointment) found overwhelming proof in its vinyl grooves that a refreshingly new quality product was on the market. Soon the unlikely lads known as The King's Singers were all over television screens in the company of the likes of Val Doonican, Shirley Bassey, and Nana Mouskouri--also, of course, performing bucketloads of serious repertoire in concerts. For those who rushed to buy the original, this re-release is a real trip down memory lane, the excellent sound enhanced by the extra detail and color in the CD transfer (though, please note, there's less than 35 minutes of music). "Cherry Ripe," "Scarborough Fair," and Bacharach's "Wives and Lovers" are here, along with lots more, performed with that familiar mix of vocal perfection and effortless poise and complemented by the discreet contribution of the Gordon Langford Trio. --Andrew Green

Customer Reviews:

King's Singers Debut.......2007-01-12

I am a real fan of the King's Singers, and this album was very well received. I loved it. Recommend it to anyone.

Thirty years old: still terrific.......2003-02-02

We have loved this album for 30 years. We are so pleased it has been released on CD. It was originally part of a very small collection of gramophone records, and is now one of hundreds of CDs, but it is one we keep playing and playing.

The singing is flawless, the songs are wonderful and the arrangements are very clever. What more could you want?

It includes The Kings' Singers theme song, "What Kind of Things (do the Kings' Singers sing?)" which is a humorous description of the variety in their music and in their vocal ranges.

Other highlights are:
Summertime, which is quite close to the orignal sheet music, carefully arranged for 6 voices.

The folk song Scarborough Fair adheres quite closely to the Simon and Garfunkel arrangement, whereas The Oak and the Ash and Blow Away the Morning Dew are special creations for the group by Gordon Langford.

Time Was and The Green Leaves of Summer show the group's ability to create a wonderful mood through slow, soulful singing.

Highly recommended. Timeless music.

This is vintage King's Singers!.......2001-06-09

In the thirty or more years that the King's Singers have been going, they've released dozens of CDs. And as much as I adore some of their recent recordings, I still regard this first album as some of their best work.

This performance is both of a very high quality and is also a magnificent showcase of the variety of things the King's Singers sing. I doubt you would find many other recordings which contain works by Tchaikovsky, Gershwin, Bacharach as well as traditional folksongs from the British Isles and America - especially not recordings that are of such a high standard. The vocal harmonies are just delicious, and the Gordon Langford Trio also provides a brilliant accompaniment and gives songs like The Peanut Vendor, Shenandoah and Summertime a delightful relaxed feeling. Then there is also the lighthearted and whimsical What Kind of Things - a song all about what sort of music the King's Singers sing!

I was going to give this CD four stars rather than five (mainly because I hesitate to give top marks to anything ever - I know, I'm picky), but in the end I honestly couldn't think of anything which would justify taking a star away. It's worth all five!

Average customer rating: A thing of great beauty and power Slower And Lower Than It Was. Porgy and Bess Porgy & Bess original soundtrack Far and away my favorite version

Gershwin: Porgy & Bess [With Members of the Original Cast] Original Soundtrack Manufacturer: Decca U.S. ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Musicals | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music General | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music The Decca Records Store | Specialty Stores | Music Similar Items: Porgy & Bess: High Performance George Gershwin - Porgy & Bess / Trevor Nunn · Sir Simon Rattle · W. White · C. Haymon · Glyndebourne Opera Show Boat: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (1951 Film) Porgy & Bess Porgy and Bess ASIN: B000002OJM Release Date: 1992-04-28

Tracks:

1. Overture And Summertime - ANNE BROWN
2. A Woman Is A Sometime Thing/Introducing Summertime - Edward Matthews
3. My Man's Gone Now - ANNE BROWN
4. It Take A Long Pull To Get There - Edward Matthews
5. I Got Plenty O' Nuttin' - Todd Duncan
6. Buzzard Song - Todd Duncan
7. Bess, You Is My Woman - Todd Duncan
8. It Ain't Necessarily So - Todd Duncan
9. What You Want Wid Bess? - Todd Duncan
10. Strawberry Woman's Call/Crab Man's Call - Helen Dowdy
11. I Loves You, Porgy - Todd Duncan
12. The Requiem - Eva Jessye Choir
13. There's A Boat Dat's Leavin' Soon For New York - ANNE BROWN
14. Porgy's Lament And Finale - Todd Duncan
15. I Got Plenty O' Nuttin' - Avon Long

Customer Reviews:

A thing of great beauty and power.......2007-07-06

Porgy and Bess is kind of special to me. I grew up in the Charleston SC area (where it is based) and I know some of the relatives of Samuel Smalls (the crippled Black man who inspired Porgy in the 1920s).

That aside, this CD is a thing of great beauty. Ann Brown and Todd Duncan really do P&B justice, as well as the Eva Jessye choir in providing meaningful and moving backup. If you can listen to Miss Brown and Mr. Duncan sing that section that goes "morning time and evening time-wintertime and summertime" from "Bess You Is My Woman Now" with dry eyes-then something is really wrong with you! (In a recent PBS documentary on P&B, the now elderly Miss Brown and Mr. Duncan broke out in tears at listening to this section of that wonderful song some 60 years later).

Avon Long has the right amount of subtlety and rascalishness (if there is such a word) as Sportin' Life, but I wish they had him singing "It Aint Necessarily So" here instead of Todd Duncan, as he did in the original opera. But that's a minor complaint and doesn't detract form this CD.

For the record, this wasn't the first African-American oriented opera. Scott Joplin's "Treemonisha" was first in 1915. But that was not performed widely in public until the 1970s. Cd's of both operas are worth a listen and are interesting to compare.

Enough said. Just BUY it. It's great.

Slower And Lower Than It Was........2007-06-26

This has always been a wonderful collection with (mostly) the original cast. The confusion with who sings what is due to the fact that it is a compilation of two 78 rpm sets- a 1940 Decca set with Anne Brown singing the roles of Bess, Clara and Serena with Todd Duncan singing the roles of Porgy, Crown and Sportin' Life, interspersed with a second Decca collection from 1942 with members of the Cheryl Crawford revival doing the additional existing tracks. Still and all, a wonderful compilation.

Where this CD release errs, however, is in the fact that the selections have been remastered a half-tone or so lower than the original recordings, making it tough to listen to. Also, the single bonus track is from a six-side Decca collection by Avon Long and Helen Dowdy, all of which could have easily fitted on this CD. Happily, Naxos(UK) has seen to this omission. The source material for their release is from original 78's and the remastering may not sound as clean as the MCA remaster, but it is at the correct speed, and their 2CD release contains all six sides from the Long/Dowdy set, along with many other early PORGY sides. For obvious reasons, it's only available through UK outlets like Naxos UK or Amazon UK, but well worth the investment.

Porgy and Bess.......2007-02-25

I have the original record soundtrack of the play starring Dorothy Dandridge, etc. This was NOT an original soundtrack. I liked about half the songs; the remainder did not come close to the original, and several important songs were left out (Picnic Day).

Porgy & Bess original soundtrack.......2007-01-04

It was awful! The reproduction of the music was grainy, scratchy and virtually impossible to listen to.

Far and away my favorite version.......2006-01-03

Porgy and Bess was originally staged as musical theater, with a tough schedule; and concessions were made to preserve the perfomers' voices. The concessions, (cuts mostly) kept it completely unpretentious. And of course it was under Gershwin's supervision. I find it much more satisfying than the more "grandly operatic" versions; and Todd Duncan is unequaled. The finale when Porgy sets out in his goat cart to find Bess is a heartbreaker, unequaled by any other version.

Sound is better than the badly remastered MCA CD of the early 80's (?).

EDIT: I used mouse wheel without reclicking, and rolled the stars choice down. IT SHOULD BE FIVE STARS.

Average customer rating: Muffled Somewhat disappointing. Gershwin At His Best in Hearts! The best America has to offer!!

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Tracks:

1. Strike Up The Band
2. Rhapsody In Blue
3. Prelude No. 1
4. Piano Concerto In F
5. An American In Paris
6. Prelude No. 3
7. Medley From Porgy And Bess
8. Fascinating Rhythm
9. Lullaby
10. Promenade (Walking the Dog)
11. Cuban Overture

Customer Reviews:

Muffled.......2006-11-03

This is a decent enough recording, but it's not anywhere near the best that I have heard. The Andre Previn/LSO recording is much better mixed; at times it seems like there's a muffle on the mikes, or that you're hearing it from a distance.

If I wanted good, dynamic background music, I'd do this. If I wanted to really listen to the music, I'd pick another version.

Somewhat disappointing........2003-09-10

I bought this for the full-length rendition of Rhapsody in Blue. I found the brass too tinny sounding, and the rhythm off in a few places. I like the snippet of this song on the "Best of the Milleneum" CD much better.

Gershwin At His Best in Hearts!.......2003-03-19

To someone who came along as a teenage boy in the mid-1940's, this CD has the elements of authenticity, even surprise, musical history, highly intense performances, and ways evoking memories of emotional highlights of my Youth. When mediocre orchestra 1st tackled Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue" at Smoky Mtn Music Camp we were preparing for Sunday's outdoor Concert. Pianos were played by two friends who've presided Music Dept at Carson-Newman College in East Tennessee. In the Trombone section was a skinny kid with too much hair and too big an ego! When our esteemed conductor began the opening bars the Clarinet Soloist, my close friend Danny Boy slide-up the chromatic scale with fleurish. He later became a NC Doctor! He likely plays clarinet for his own amazement in someone's Dixieland Band!

On this wondrous CD there are historic names like Bernstein, Kostelanez, John Williams and Michael Tilson Thomas, Conductors. Andre Previn, Yo-Yo Ma and Sarah Vaughan as Soloists. I would have a hard time choosing which may be called my favorite! It would depend on the day they are playing in my car... traveling to Columbia Seminary classes or GA Diagnostic Prison for lunch with Chaplain friends! I often sing along with the Rhapsody as I did in 1949 when Oscar Levant soloed with Chattanooga Orch. My very young wife was playing in the first violin section! Still today I am totally wiped out when anyone as intensely romantic as Sarah Vaughan sings "Summertime" or "I Loves You, Porgy!"

Is it not amazingly wondrous that someone could create so much enjoyable music in his short lifetime of 39 years? I never wish to part with this all-time favorite 10-Star Recording!
Retired Chaplain Fred W Hood

The best America has to offer!!.......1999-03-09

This is the best collection of his songs i have ever heard. That's probably because it features conductors like John Williams and Micheal Tilson Thomas. My personal favorite is the allegro agitato from the Concerto in F. I have other recordings of this song, but none of them can even come close to matching the excitement of this one.

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