A while back we offered a selection of octets from the American composer and songwriter Alec Wilder (courtesy of Bill Reed). Today we have a musical that he wrote for American television back in 1958, with lyrics by frequent collaborator William Engvick.
The score contains one glorious and touching number, Evening Song (and its variant, Morning Song), which everyone should hear as performed here by the sublime Barbara Cook. The balance of the score is lesser Wilder, but Evening Song must be heard.
I don't mind telling you that I had a heck of a time transferring this badly mistreated pressing. But the results sound good - with the exception of a few skips in the Finale. Speaking of skips, I skipped transferring the second side of this record, which contains an indifferent performance of an orchestral suite from Humperdinck's opera Hansel and Gretel.
One other note: the musical numbers are separated by narration from Red Buttons. You won't want to hear that more than once, so I have put it into separate tracks.
This is for Mindy of Mindy's Bright Lights of Broadway at Franklynot.
NEW LINK (JUNE 2014)
13 comments:
Buster - I really do appreciate you posting this. It's been great discovering Wilder, and of course I love Barbara Cook. I'm watching Stubby Kaye right now in Guys & Dolls and family friends worked with Rudy Vallee years ago and loved to show off the nude Christmas cards he and his much younger lady friend used to send out.
Mindy, I would like to feature the nude Rudy Vallee Christmas card, for sure. Don't know if it would drive traffic to this site or away from it, but it would cause a lot of talk. If you have any naked pics of Stubby Kaye, send them along as well! It could mark a new direction for my blog.
Thanks for this; and for all the trouble you took to rip a difficult disc.
I am amazed that you have such treasures.
How do you find these things, Buster? I never even heard of this title before!!!! Thanks a million.
It's 40 years later and I'm STILL singing songs from this old TV score! NEVER thot I'd hear it again.... THANK YOU!!!
Dreemfinder,
Thanks for coming by - you've been singing these songs for 50 years actually! Good stuff.
As I love Barbara Cook very much, this is a treat indeed. Thanks a lot for posting this one.
@ Ravel,
Make sure you check out the Yeoman of the Guard promo record on this site, also with Barbara.
Is there any chance of getting an updated link for this "Hansel and Gretel" recording and/or for the "Yeoman of the Guard" recording, also with Barbara Cook? If not, I'm thrilled just to find her Dorothy Parker recording at last!!! Thanks for that one.
bwy lvr - I will have to see if I can find the files, or better, redo the transfer. I redid the Yeoman not long ago for my other blog, but that link is already dead, so I will reup it.
New link:
https://mega.co.nz/#!iRkTDRZA!Ux1g8RawC1i1MGiJemmcSgm1QZ5MQy8swXKGRSiaRJs
Thanks. I really appreciate this!
Thank you Buster. I'm excited to hear this one!
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