Love Songs from Risë Stevens, Plus Reups

Risë Stevens was a popular mezzo-soprano at New York's Metropolitan Opera for many years, but she also did well crossing over into the popular repertory, particularly in the 1940s.

Previously on this blog I've uploaded her 10-inch LP of Victor Herbert melodies. Today we have a 78 set of familiar love songs, recorded for Columbia in 1946. The album was one of several she produced with the assistance of the Shulman brothers - Alan provided the charts and Sylvan conducted the orchestra.

Like Stevens, the Shulmans were active crossover artists. Cellist Alan and violinist Sylvan were one half of the Stuyvesant Quartet, one of the finest such ensembles then active. They both were members of Toscanini's NBC Symphony. Alan wrote both pop and classical compositions. And they were members of the New Friends of Rhythm, a jazz group that made a number of records for Victor.

The Stuyvesant Quartet in 1947 - Sylvan Shulman, Bernard Robbins, Alan Shulman and Ralph Hersh

Stevens does well by these familiar tunes, ranging from Rodgers and Hart, Porter and Gershwin to the Mercer-Kern "Dearly Beloved," one of my favorite songs. She also includes Victor Herbert's "I'm Falling in Love with Someone," which she remade for the Herbert LP mentioned above.

Good sound on this one. In addition to the colorful Columbia ad below, the download includes a 1950 Life magazine article on the singer.

Please scroll past the ad for some reups.

Life magazine, 1946 (click to enlarge)

Reups

As usual, the links below take you to the original posts. All of these have been remastered and are now in tip-top shape - better than me, in fact.

Josef Marais - Songs of the South African Veld. If he is remembered at all today, folk singer Josef Marais is known for the records he made with Rosa de Miranda as Marais and Miranda. But before forming that duo he made captivating discs with his Bushveld Band. This was his first album, dating from 1939 and 1940. The original transfer was courtesy of reader JohnnyUSA.

Josef Marais - Songs of the Veld Vol. 2. This follow-up album collects the records Marais made in 1941. It includes his best-known song - at least among people of my generation - "Marching to Pretoria."

The Glasgow Orpheus Choir. My post on this group - dating from 10 years ago - was not what you call a rave. I now realize I was reacting to the overwhelming self-importance of the choir's director, Sir Hugh Roberton. The group itself is excellent and the program is enjoyable.

Eddie Fisher - Eddie Fisher Sings & A Girl, a Girl. Fisher is not one of my favorite singers, but he was skillful and popular. He also married (and divorced) the delightful Debbie Reynolds and sired the equally delightful Carrie Fisher. This post includes the 10-inch LP Eddie Fisher Sings and adds the EP A Girl, A Girl as a bonus.

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