Clik here to view.
The Two 'Down in the Valley' Recordings
One of the first posts on this site was the Decca recording of one of Kurt Weill's last compositions, the 1948 folk opera Down in the Valley. But that was only one of two recordings of the work made in...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Dinah Sings for Green Stamps
I don't mean the headline to suggest that Dinah was paid in S&H Green Stamps. Rather, this was a promotional record for a 1962 television show sponsored by Green Stamps.Before I go farther, I...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Paul Whiteman's 1946 and 1954 Gershwin Recordings
This post brings you yet another Paul Whiteman version of Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue," adding the Cuban Overture and "'I Got Rhythm' Variations" for good measure.It's a "Rhapsody in Blue" with a...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Buddy Clark with the Bands (and Hildegarde)
Buddy Clark had become one of America's leading vocalists in the years before his early death in a 1948 plane crash. But he wasn't always so popular, even though he had been making records and radio...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Kurtz Conducts Rodgers and Porter Suites
Let's return to the 10-inch LP format and to conductor Efrem Kurtz for today's selection. This is the other album resulting from Kurtz's six-year tenure as the music director in Houston - suites from...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Popular Lecuona
My recent post of a few Morton Gould recordings of the music of Ernesto Lecuona (1895-1963) led me to seek out recordings that would demonstrate how the Cuban composer’s music became popular in America...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Christmas in July with Ernie - Plus the Weavers and the King's College Choir
All this month my friend Ernie, the Christmas music fanatic, has been posting his annual Christmas in July shares over at his blog. These consist of Christmas-related or at least acquainted songs that...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Evensong at King's College, Cambridge, 1956
The tradition of choral Evensong in Anglican churches reaches back to 1549 and the first Book of Common Prayer, by which time the Choir of King's College, Cambridge had been in existence for more than...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Johnnie Johnston: 'Platinum Hair, SIlver Pipes'
Capitol News, September 1945Johnnie Johnston (1915-96) is forgotten today, but at one it time seemed possible that he could become a star not only as a singer but in the movies.Today his legacy...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Kurtz, Sevitzky, Golovanov and Rodziński Conduct Music from Khachaturian's...
I am of two minds about the music of Aram Khachaturian (1903-78), the composer of Armenian descent. I enjoy some of his music (the Violin Concerto in particular), but can't stand much of it (the...
View ArticleClik here to view.
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...
View ArticleClik here to view.
A Buster Bonanza: Kay Thompson, Johnny Costa and Paul Whiteman
Because I've been away most of the past two weeks, I wanted to get some new material up on the blog quickly. So I've turned to several items that I've had in the queue for some time, but never posted...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Lambert and Malko Conduct Tchaikovsky
Today we return to the recordings of composer-conductor-arranger-author Constant Lambert in a work by Tchaikovsky, a composer he favored. We also hear another Tchaikovsky composition led by a much...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Curious Case of Malko's "Sleeping Beauty"
Is it you, Nicolai? Or you, Constant?My post directly below combines two Tchaikovsky readings by the illustrious conductors Constant Lambert and Nicolai Malko. The 1955 RCA Bluebird LP includes...
View ArticleA September Serenade, Mundell Lowe, Plus a Vocal Reup
Lately I have been off investigating Tchaikovsky recordings (see posts below), so good friend David Federman has filled the void with three very interesting recordings: a "September Serenade"...
View ArticleClik here to view.
'Fancy Free' and 'On the Town'
The young Leonard BernsteinBack in February I featured an early Robert Shaw Chorale LP, which led in a roundabout way to a discussion in the comments section of the competing albums that had resulted...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Anthems from St. Michael's College, Tenbury
The most famous boys' choir in England is surely that of King's College, Cambridge, which has appeared on this site a few times. But there are - or in this case were - other such choirs. This record is...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Music from Hollywood and Percy Faith
My friend David F. recently asked if I had anything against the arranger and conductor Percy Faith, given that I had never posted one of his many, many LPs.Well, I do like Percy and have many of his...
View Article'Lost Summer Love,' the Sleeping Beauty Mystery Put to Rest, Plus a Reup
Today we have a second autumn-themed mix from David Federman, an answer to the Great Sleeping Beauty Mystery, and a reup from ex-Cugat canary Abbe Lane.'Lost Summer Love'David has dubbed his latest...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Lambert's 'Sleeping Beauty' Recordings, Plus Weldon's 'Faust' Ballet Music
1946 Covent Garden Sleeping Beauty production - the PrologueMy recent post of an LP containing Nicolai Malko's recording of excerpts from Tchaikovsky's score for the Sleeping Beauty ballet set off a...
View Article