PORGY AND BESS
musical show
19351010
1940/42 studio prod. MUSIC: George Gershwin. WORDS: Ira Gershwin, DuBose Heyward. ORCH:TAPE M-12. George Gershwin. COND: Alexander Smallens. CAST: Todd Duncan, Anne Brown, Edward Matthews, Harriett Jackson, Helen Dowdy, Georgette Harvey, & Eva Jessye Choir of orig & 1942 prods; William Woolfolk, Avon Long, & Gladys Goode of 1942 prod. (78/Dec 12" album 145, plus 78/Dec album 283; Dec 8042; CD/MCA MCAD-10520 (ALB-1136); CD/Prism(E) PLATCD-913, with addl material; CD/Naxos(E) 8.110219/20, with addl material (ALB-2121); Salute to Todd Duncan 4842. Excerpts: Duncan: "I Got Plenty o' Nuttin'" (ALB-1627, ALB-1703, ALB-1966) "Porgy's Lament"/Finale (ALB-1755) Duncan, Brown: "I Loves You, Porgy" (ALB-1610, ALB-2092) "Bess, You Is My Woman Now" (ALB-1180, ALB-1825, ALB-1867) Long, Brown: "There's a Boat Dat's Leavin' Soon for New York" (ALB-1548, ALB-1703) Brown: "Summertime" (ALB-1782, ALB-2181).)
1951 studio prod. COND: Lehman Engel. CAST: Lawrence Winters, Camilla Williams, Inez Matthews, June McMechen; Avon Long of 1942 prod; Warren Coleman, Helen Dowdy & Edward Matthews of orig & 1942 prods. (Col SL-162; CD/Sony MH2K-63322.)
1959 film soundtrack. ORCH & COND: André Previn. CAST: Adele Addison (for Dorothy Dandridge), Robert McFerrin (for Sidney Poitier), Pearl Bailey, Cab Calloway (replacing Sammy Davis Jr for this recording), Loulie Jean Norman (for Diahann Carroll), Inez Matthews (for Ruth Attaway), Brock Peters, Leslie Scott. (Col OS-2016; CD/Sony(J) SRCS-7076; CD/CBS(G) S-70007; CD/Hallmark(E) 709152).)
Records by members of orig cast. Edward Matthews: "I Got Plenty o' Nuttin'" (1935: 78/Bruns 7562, ALB-2121) "It Ain't Necessarily So" (1935: 78/Bruns 7562, ALB-1887, ALB-2121) John W Bubbles: "There's a Boat That's Leaving Soon for New York" (Later: ALB-75) "It Ain't Necessarily So" (1980: ALB-841) Todd Duncan: "Bess, O Where's My Bess?" (1947: ALB-678, ALB-744, ALB-982) "I Got Plenty o' Nuttin'" (1937, radio: ALB-815) (1947: ALB-678, ALB-744, ALB-982) "Buzzard Song," "I'm on My Way" Duncan, Anne Brown: "Bess, You Is My Woman Now" Ruby Elzy: "My Man's Gone Now" Brown: "The Train Song" (1937, radio: ALB-815) "Summertime," "My Man's Gone Now" (1947: 78/Tono(Denmark) X-25112)
Studio prod. ORCH: Henri René. COND: Lehman Engel. CAST: Anna Moffo, Urylee Leonardos, Billie Daniels, Valentine Pringle, Avon Long (of 1942 cast), Andrew Frierson. (Reader's Digest 40-8, with The Vagabond King)
1963 studio prod. COND: Skitch Henderson. CAST: Leontyne Price (of 1952 prod), William Warfield (of 1952 & 1961 prods), McHenry Boatwright, John W Bubbles (of orig cast), Robert Henson, Barbara Webb, Miriam Burton, Alonzo Jones, Berniece Hall, Maeretha Stewart. (RCA LSC-2679; CD/RCA 5234-2-RG. Excerpts: Bubbles: "It Ain't Necessarily So" (ALB-1627) "There's a Boat That's Leavin' Soon for New York" (ALB-1095) Warfield, Price: "Bess, You Is My Woman Now" (ALB-1488, ALB-1627).)
1935 album. COND: Alexander Smallens (of orig prod). "Recorded under the supervision of the composer." CAST: Lawrence Tibbett & Helen Jepson; orchestra and chorus of orig prod. (78/Vic 12" album C-25; Camden 500; CD/Prism(E) PLATCD-913, with 1940/41 studio prod; ALB-1351; ALB-1400; ALB-1928; ALB-2121. Excerpts: Tibbett, Jepson: "Bess, You Is My Woman Now" (ALB-436, ALB-711, ALB-2092) Tibbett: "I Got Plenty o' Nuttin'" (ALB-436, ALB-711, ALB-1112, ALB-1186, ALB-1464, ALB-1615, ALB-1867, ALB-2092) "Buzzard Song" (ALB-436, ALB-1627, ALB-1966) Jepson: "Summertime" (ALB-711).)
1957 studio prod. COND: Kenneth Alwyn. CAST: Lawrence Winters (of 1962 prod), Isabelle Lucas, Ray Ellington, Barbara Elsy, Pauline Stevens. (Heliodor 25052; CD/Classics for Pleasure(E) 3359722, with Carmen Jones.)
Album. COND: Warren Edward Vincent. VOCALS: Avon Long (of 1942 prod), Le Vern Hutcherson (of 1952 prod), Margaret Tynes. (Design 1002; CD/Pickwick 1123-2, with overture added)
1950 album. COND: Robert Russell Bennett. CAST: Rise Stevens, Robert Merrill, chorus. (RCA LM-1124. Excerpts: Merrill: "A Woman Is a Sometime Thing," "Bess, Oh Where's My Bess," "Oh Lawd, I'm on My Way" Chorus: "Gone, Gone, Gone" Stevens: "My Man's Gone Now" (ALB-436).)
1959 album by Harry Belafonte & Lena Horne. ORCH & COND: Lennie Hayton, Robert Corman. (RCA LSO-1507; CD/Collectables COL-2845, with Jamaica.)
1942 album by Avon Long (of 1942 cast) & Helen Dowdy (of orig & 1942 casts). COND: Leo Reisman. Dowdy: "Summertime" Long: "It Ain't Necessarily So," "A Woman Is a Sometime Thing," "There's a Boat That's Leaving Soon for New York," "I Got Plenty o' Nuttin'" Long, Dowdy: "Bess, You Is My Woman Now" (78/Dec album 351; ALB-969; ALB-2121. Excerpt: Long: "I Got Plenty o' Nuttin'" (ALB-1136).)
1938 medley. COND: Nathaniel Shilkret. VOCALS: Jane Froman, Felix Knight, Sonny Schuyler, chorus. (ALB-303)
1953 album by Cab Calloway, Helen Thigpen, & Leslie Scott of 1953 prod. COND: Jay Blackton. (RCA 10" LPM-3156, with Girl Crazy. Excerpt: Calloway: "It Ain't Necessarily So" (ALB-436).)
Studio prod. COND: Paul Belanger. VOCALS: Brock Peters (of 1959 film cast), Margaret Tynes, Miriam Burton, Charles Colman, Joseph Crawford (of orig & 1950 prods), William Dillard, Theresa Merritte, chorus. (Concert Hall CHS-1247)
July 19, 1935 rehearsal by members of orig prod. COND & PIANO: George Gershwin. Abbie Mitchell: "Summertime" (ALB-375, ALB-1381, ALB-1610, ALB-1627, ALB-1966) Edward Matthews: "A Woman Is a Sometime Thing" Orchestra: Finale, Scene 1, Act 1 Ruby Elzy: "My Man's Gone Now" Todd Duncan, Anne Brown: "Bess, You Is My Woman Now" (ALB-375, ALB-1381, ALB-1966)
1975 studio prod. COND: Lorin Maazel. CAST: Willard White (of 1986 Glyndebourne prod), Leona Mitchell, McHenry Boatwright, Florence Quivar, Francois Clemmons, Barbara Hendricks, Arthur Thompson, Barbara Conrad. (London(E) OSA-13116; CD/Dec(E) 475-8663).)
Studio prod. "Ed Sullivan presents Porgy and Bess." No other credits. (National Academy 7)
1976 prod. COND: John DeMain. CAST: Donnie Ray Albert, Clamma Dale, Andrew Smith, Wilma Shakesnider, Larry Marshall, Betty Lane, Alexander B Smalls, Carol Brice. (RCA ARL3-2109; CD/RCA RCD3-2109. Incomplete: RCA ARL1-4680. Excerpt: Albert: "Oh Lawd, I'm on My Way" (ALB-1627).)
1959 studio prod. CAST: Fern Susan, Janice Lynne, Gordon Sidney, George Atwell, Paul Francine, chorus. (Lion 70095)
Studio prod. COND: Lorenzo Fuller. CAST: Martha Flowers (of 1953, 1955, & 1961 prods); Irving Barnes (of 1953, 1961, & 1964 prods), Joseph Attles (of 1965 prod), Leesa Forster, Lorenzo Fuller, chorus. (Music for Pleasure(E) 1154)
Studio prod. COND: Al Goodman. CAST: Lee Carroll, Jene Jones, Bill St Clair, Bob Storm. (Pirouette FM-21)
1942 album. PIANO: Cy Walter. VOCALS: Mabel Mercer. Walter: "I Got Plenty o' Nuttin'," "Bess, You Is My Woman," "There's a Boat Dat's Leavin' Soon for New York" Mercer, Walter: "Summertime," "My Man's Gone Now," "I Loves You, Porgy" (78/Liberty Music Shop album L-360/362; AEI Records 1107 (ALB-982), with Cabin in the Sky; CD/AEI CD-017, with Cabin in the Sky & Carib Song.)
1985 studio prod. COND: Leonard Slatkin. VOCALS: Simon Estes & Roberta Alexander of 1985 New York prod; Diane Curry, chorus. (CD/Philips(G) 412720-2)
Album by Inia Te Wiata of 1965 New Zealand & 1966 Israel prods, with Isabelle Lucas & chorus. Overture (ALB-1671) "I Got Plenty o' Nuttin'," "Bess, You Is My Woman Now," "It Ain't Necessarily So," "I Loves You, Porgy," "I'm On My Way" (ALB-1042, ALB-1671) "There's a Boat Dat's Leavin' Soon for New York" (ALB-1042)
1938 medley by Savoy Hotel Orpheans. COND: Carroll Gibbons. VOCALS: Webster Booth, Anne Ziegler. (78/Col(E) DX-824, ALB-1407)
1976 album. ORCH & COND: Frank DeVol. VOCALS: Ray Charles, Cleo Laine, chorus. PIANO: Ray Charles. (RCA CPL2-1831; CD/RCA 1831-2-R.)
1959 album. ORCH & COND: Russell Garcia. VOCALS: Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong. Trumpet by Louis Armstrong. (Verve 6040-2; CD/Verve 827475-2.)
1959 album by Sammy Davis Jr of 1959 film prod & Carmen McRae, chorus. COND: Jack Pleis, Buddy Bregman, Morty Stevens. (Dec DL-78854. Excerpt: Davis: "I Got Plenty o' Nuttin'" (LP 1095).)
1988 studio prod. COND: Simon Rattle. CAST: Willard White, Cynthia Haymon, Damon Evans, Bruce Hubbard, Cynthia Clarey, Gregg Baker, Harolyn Blackwell, Marietta Simpson. (CD/EMI(E) CDS-749568-2.
1989 records by Bruce Hubbard of 1976 & 1984 New York prods & 1986 Glyndebourne prod. "Bess, You Is My Woman Now" (with Marvis Martin), "A Woman Is a Sometime Thing" (ALB-1367)
1965 TV performances by Cab Calloway & chorus of 1953 prod. "It Ain't Necessarily So," "There's a Boat Dat's Leavin' Soon for New York" (ALB-1436)
1993 studio prod. COND: Erich Kunzel. CAST: Harolyn Blackwell, Gregg Baker, Marquita Lister, Angela Brown, Cab Calloway (of 1953 prod), Sebronette Barnes. (CD/Telarc 80434, with Blue Monday)
1956 studio prod. ORCH & COND: Russ Garcia. Also Duke Ellington Orch. NARRATOR: Al Collins. VOCALS: Mel Tormé, Frances Faye, George Kirby, Betty Roché, Frank Rosolino, Sallie Blair, Johnny Hartman, Loulie Jean Norman, Joe Derise. (Bethlehem EXLP-1; CD/Bethlehem R2-75828.)
2006 studio prod reproducing the original 1935 production. COND: John Mauceri. CAST: Alvy Powell, Marquita Lister, Robert Mack, Nicole Cabell. (CD/Dec B0007431-02)
Promo by members of 2006 London prod, adapted & directed by Trevor Nunn. ORCH: Gareth Valentine. COND: David White. CAST: Clarke Peters, Nicola Hughes, Lorraine Velez, Gilz Terrera. "Summertime," "I Got Plenty o' Nuttin'," "Bess, You Is My Woman," "It Ain't Necessarily So," "Oh, Lawd I Am on My Way" (CD/Unnamed label mx DEWY-060830.001)
From: Show Music on Record by Jack Raymond
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loc.natlib.smor.19351010
Show Music on Record
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loc.natlib.smor.19351010