Mid-Century Theatre Stars in Their Great Roles

Several months ago, blog reader Jack Gardner was kind enough to send me transfers of this record and its sequel. I wasn't able to use his work for technical reasons, but I did offer to transfer my own copy of the first volume of the ANTA (American National Theatre and Academy) Album of Stars. Today I make good that promise.

A starry affair it is, too, with five legendary names from the stage at mid-century: Helen Hayes, Fredric March, Florence Eldridge, Eva Le Gallienne and John Gielgud, all in roles that were associated with them.

About ANTA and this record

The American National Theatre and Academy (ANTA) is a non-profit theatre producer and training organization established by Congress in 1935.

ANTA sponsored touring companies to foreign counties in the 1940s and 1950s, owned the ANTA Theatre (now August Wilson) on Broadway, and helped establish the Vivian Beaumont Theater in Lincoln Center. It also once was the main membership organization for US regional theatre. Today its focus is the National Theatre Conservatory at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts.

In the late 40s, ANTA produced a number of fund-raising evenings in which stars of Broadway would appear in their best-known roles. This record is a spin-off of those evenings, and would be followed quickly by a second and final volume.

These sides originally were issued in a 78 set circa 1949, although the recordings themselves date from as early as 1947 (Victoria Regina). The LP is from 1950, and was in the catalog until at least 1960. As you can see above, my copy is autographed by all the principals; it may have belonged to someone associated with (or a donor to) ANTA.

The person who owned the record unfortunately did not keep the insert that came with it, so a few brief notes about the productions may be helpful.

Victoria Regina

Hayes as Victoria

Victoria Regina is a 1934 play by Laurence Housman, brother of A.E. Housman. Helen Hayes played the queen in the original Broadway production of 1935. The young Vincent Price was Albert.

The Brown character heard on the record is John Brown, who was servant to Albert until the Prince's death. He then became a servant and confidant to Victoria until his own death in 1883. Brown is played by Ian Martin, an American actor of Scottish descent.

The download includes a PDF of the Playbill from the Broadway production, derived from images available here.

Gielgud as Richard II

Richard II

John Gielgud made a name for himself in the title role of Shakespeare's Richard II at the Old Vic Theatre in 1929. He also returned to the role in later years.

In the first scene on the record Gielgud is John of Gaunt, a role he would adopt later in his career. He is Richard in the second scene.

Years Ago and The Skin of Our Teeth

Years Ago, based on her childhood experiences by actor-author Ruth Gordon, was on Broadway in 1946-47, with her parents played by the husband and wife team of Fredric March and Florence Eldridge.

March and Eldridge in the scene on the LP from Years Ago

Thornton Wilder's allegorical fantasy The Skin of Our Teeth was on Broadway in 1942-43 with March and Eldridge as Mr. and Mrs. George Antrobus. In this scene, George is being sworn in as president of the Ancient and Honorable Order of Mammals, Subdivision Humans. The other voice heard is Alan Hewitt.

In 1955, ANTA would revive the play with George Abbott and Helen Hayes.

Hedda Gabler

Le Gallienne as Hedda

Eva Le Gallienne had taken the title role in Ibsen's Hedda Gabler in a 1948 production, after having been a star on Broadway for nearly three decades. The other role heard in this scene is Judge Brack, played by the excellent Philip Bourneuf, an American character actor who had a long stage career before appearing in films. The role of Tesman is not credited.

These well-recorded excerpts are all mightily impressive, although I have to say that the March-Eldridge team is let down by their comparatively slight material. I imagine the scene from Years Ago worked well on the stage, but on record it is evanescent. And while The Skin of Our Teeth may have won a Pulitzer Prize, today it seems dated and even a little odd.

Hope you enjoy this; my infrequent posts of spoken word material are always popular, perhaps surprisingly so. My apologies to Jack Gardner for taking so long to get to this.

A Dance Date with Les Brown, Plus Reups

I enjoyed my recent post of classical take-offs by the Les Brown band, but that material wasn't characteristic of the sound you would have heard had you attended a Brown concert - or, more likely, dance - at mid-century.

This 10-inch LP is intended to recreate such an experience. Les was popular with the college set, and the cover depicts what the stylish campus couple was wearing back then - the gent with his button-down collar and bow tie, the lady with her the avant-garde pixie cut.

Les Brown's sport coat causes a riot on the bandstand

Speaking of stylish, you could hardly ask for a smoother ensemble than the working band Brown was fronting in 1949-50, when these sides were taped in Los Angeles. The program starts off with three standards, then we come to another one of the classical appropriations that Les apparently found irresistible. This one was called "Ebony Rhapsody" by Arthur Johnston and Sam Coslow, but Franz Liszt called it his Second Hungarian Rhapsody when he wrote it in 1847. It would be hard to find a more abused composition (not that it didn't deserve such treatment), but Brown treats it somewhat in the manner of Ellington, suitably so since the Duke introduced the Coslow-Johnston version in 1934. Later in the program we hear a version of "Cabin the Sky" that is even more Dukish, including a very Johnny Hodges-like alto solo, possibly by Ronnie Lang.

Also on the program is a vocal on "'S Wonderful" by Betty Taylor, who betrays a Helen Forrest influence. Finally, "Tico Tico," a hit for Ethel Smith in 1944, features the explosive drumming of Buddy Rich, who splits the program with the also-excellent Jack Sperling.

The soloists and arrangers, as usual with records of this type, are uncredited. The tenor soloist is probably Dave Pell, and the clarinet Abe Most. The pianist is Jeff Clarkson. Brown's arrangers at the time included Frank Comstock, Skip Martin, Van Alexander and Ben Homer. Some of the arrangements show the influence of the bop trend of the time.

Columbia's "Your Dance Date" series was "Designed for Dancing, with no interruptions between numbers," says the cover. In practice, this meant that pianist Clarkson noodles a bit between the songs. Not sure why Columbia thought this would appeal to folks, but it released at least two sets of such compilations. As you can see from the ad below, Brown's LP came out at the same time as similar assemblages from bandleaders Tony Pastor, Xavier Cugat and Hal McIntyre.

I have previously offered the enjoyable McIntyre LP, along with another Dance Date from a very swinging band headed by arranger George Siravo. I've now remastered both albums - you can find more information on each by following the links above to the original posts; download links to all the LPs are in the comments to this post.

Ad from the June 19, 1950 Billboard

Francescatti in Bach and Prokofiev, Plus Reups

One of the great 20th century violinists who tends to be overlooked these days is the subject of today's post - the elegant Frenchman Zino Francescatti (1902-81).

It's not clear why Francescatti has been forgotten by some - his skill and artistry were and are unquestioned. I have always suspected it might have something to do with the diminutive he used as a first name: "Zino" in place of his given name, René-Charles. How can you be taken seriously with such a silly name, eh?

Whatever the reason for his eclipse, the present coupling should convince you that he was a transcendent artist. It is a coupling of the second Prokofiev concerto, taped in October 1952 with the New Yorkers under Dimitri Mitropoulos, and Bach's E major concerto, recorded the following January with the Clevelanders and George Szell. (The cover says the latter group is the "Columbia Symphony," but the recording was in Severance Hall with its resident band.)

Francescatti and Mitropoulos listen to a playback

I admit some bias about Francescatti - his recordings introduced me to several of the standard-repertoire concertos when I was young. I plan to transfer some of his other early LPs as time goes by.

Reups

Jane Froman - With a Song in My Heart. Issued in conjunction with the 1952 biopic of the radio singer, with fine singing by Froman herself. This is the only LP among the reups; the items below are from my companion singles blog.

Lauritz Melchior. Two sentimental songs ("Ave Maria" and "The Rosary") by the heldentenor, whom M-G-M was trying to turn into both a movie star and a pop singer. Neither effort took hold.

Patty Andrews. A good 1952 single ("I'll Walk Alone" and "That's the Chance You Take") by the solo voice of the Andrews Sisters.

Ralph Flanagan - Top Pops. The Flanagan big band takes on some hits of the day, circa 1953-54, in this EP.

The Barkleys of Broadway. Transfers and scans from the original 1948 78 set derived from the soundtrack of the last Fred Astaire-Ginger Rogers film.

Waltzes by Richard Strauss and Tchaikovsky - Philadelphia/Ormandy. A circa 1954 EP coupling the Rosenkavalier Waltzes with the waltz from the Serenade for Strings. The orchestral playing here is near miraculous. Cover by the quirky Jim Flora.

The links above lead to the original posts. Download links to all items are in the comments. The Froman LP and Ormandy EP have been remastered.

Levant Plays Popular Moderns, Plus Reups

Pianist/actor/personality Oscar Levant continues to be well known today, at least among lovers of the great Hollywood musicals. He didn't appear in that many of them - but he (or his agent) had a knack for picking enormous hits.

Starting with Rhapsody in Blue in 1945 and continuing through The Band Wagon in 1953, his typical role was as the best friend and jocular companion to the likes of Fred Astaire (twice) and Gene Kelly.

1945 ad

Rhapsody was a loose biography of George Gershwin, and Levant was chosen because of his close association with the songwriter/composer, who had died in 1937. Similar to Gershwin, the pianist had one foot in pop music, one in classical. He can be seen as far back as 1924-25 in the piano chair of the Ben Bernie band as the boys rip through a medley of the day's hits, including Gershwin's "Lady Be Good."

Through the years, he became as much known for his neurasthenia and astringent personality as for his penetrating piano technique. First on radio, then in the films cited above and finally on the sofas of the nation's televised talk shows, his biting one liners were and still are widely quoted ("I knew Doris Day before she was a virgin").

1946 ad

Levant nonetheless wanted to be taken seriously as a piano talent, and he deserves such consideration. Fittingly, he began his recording career with Gershwin's Three Piano Preludes in 1941 and later followed that with the composer's concertante works (see below). But Columbia also allowed him to record Beethoven, Brahms, Chopin, Copland, Debussy, Prokofiev, Rachmaninoff and Schumann.

The pianist's first album (M-508) was A Recital of Modern Music, with the Gershwin preludes, Debussy, Shostakovich, the short-lived Russian Valery Jelobinsky (Zhelobinsky) and a selection from Levant's own Sonatina. That line-up did incline toward the lighter side, as did its follow-up, Oscar Levant Plays Popular Moderns, recorded in 1944-45, and the subject of today's post, which contains the 10-inch LP version of a set originally issued on 78 as M-650.

Cover of 78 set

Of course, there is nothing here that we would consider modern, with the program consisting of Falla, Lecuona, Poulenc, Debussy and Albéniz. Then again, we are much further away in time from Levant's recording dates than those sessions were from the death of Debussy, for example.

Levant performs these varied works with striking sympathy. His work in the more reflective pieces may come as a surprise to those who know him only from the finger-busters that were his normal filmic fare.

Indeed, Levant did become identified with the steel-finger specials that came off best on the big screen. He had a hit with a transcription of Khachaturian's "Sabre Dance" in 1948, which then was interpolated into The Barkleys of Broadway in 1949, along with some of the Tchaikovsky first concerto, which he had done with Ormandy in 1947.

Columbia thereafter placed him into the virtuoso repertoire, including concertos by Khachaturian and Rubinstein. But he also somehow recorded the Honegger Concertino, and as late as 1958 was taping Chopin, Debussy, Mompou, Prokofiev, Ravel, Cyril Scott and again Shostakovich. He does well by such varied fare, as can be heard in the present collection.

Reups

Gershwin - Second Rhapsody, I Got Rhythm Variations, Preludes (Levant, Gould). Along with this new issue, I've revisited my two previous posts of Levant's work. The first is an important collection of Gershwin compositions, including the Second Rhapsody and the Variations on "I Got Rhythm." Trust me when I write that these could hardly be more brilliantly performed (or recorded) by the pianist along with the great Morton Gould and a New York orchestra. These sessions are from 1949, and are joined on the 10-inch LP by Levant's classic set of the Preludes.

Humoresque (Waxman OST with Levant and Stern). Levant appears along with violinist Isaac Stern in a Waxman adaptation of music from Tristan und Isolde, which the film composer turns into a quasi-concerto for this 1946 pot-boiler. A curiosity, to be sure.

Cyrano de Bergerac (José Ferrer). Issued in conjunction with this 1953 film, this potted version of Cyrano with its great exponent, José Ferrer, was actually based on a stage production and included incidental music by Paul Bowles. Reupped by request.

Christmas Chimes (James Blades). A belated contribution to the season, this collection of music for chimes was recorded by the great English percussionist James Blades in 1952. Also reupped by request.

The links above lead to the original posts. Download links to all items are in the comments. All except the Christmas item have been remastered and have much improved sound.

Levant in 1940

Les Brown's Classics in Rhythm

Pop and jazz musicians attempting the classics (Benny Goodman) or even attacking them (Spike Jones) were not novelties at mid-century. Dance bands had been including classical numbers in their books at least as far back as in 1938, when Larry Clinton turned Debussy's "Rêverie" into "My Reverie."

I'd like to tell you that I've never enjoyed these transformations, but I have to confess a fondness for Glenn Miller's take on Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata and even "My Reverie" as assayed by the amazing Sarah Vaughan.

Les Brown

In 1950, Les Brown assembled an entire 10-inch LP of such numbers, dubbed Classics in Rhythm, and I am featuring the album tonight in response to a request.

If I were I a cynic, I'd suggest that the impetus behind efforts to popularize the classics was usually financial - such music was often copyright-free, meaning no need to pay royalties to the composer. But a good portion of the Brown LP was not yet in the public domain. The first number, which is based on Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf, and the finale, a version of Richard Rodgers's ballet Slaughter on Tenth Avenue, are both from 1936.

Besides those two composers, Brown chose themes drawn from a Chopin Prelude and Nocturne, Bizet's Carmen, Wagner's Tannhauser, and the inevitable Rachmaninoff Prelude in C-sharp minor. Frank Comstock arranged the Prokofiev piece, Ben Homer the Bizet, and Wes Hensel the Rachmaninoff. The others charts are uncredited.

I should mention the perhaps obvious point that "Slaughter" is not a classical composition, even though it was the basis of a George Balanchine ballet in the wonderful Rodgers and Hart show On Your Toes. The music was originally scored for pit band by the great Hans Spialek; the cast album of the 1983 revival uses his arrangements. The music has since become ubiquitous: you can also find versions by everyone from Liberace to the Ventures.

The musicianship on the Les Brown LP, which I believe was recorded by his working band, is excellent, and the sound from my near-mint copy is very good for the period. The recordings are from 1950.

This is the first appearance of a Brown LP on this blog. His band dated back to 1938, when he was a student at Duke University. Originally dubbed the Blue Devils after the school's athletic teams, it later became the Band of Renown. The bandleader's biggest hit was 1945's "Sentimental Journey," with its characteristically warm vocal by Doris Day, who was soon to move on to Hollywood. Brown continued fronting a band until his death in 2001 - an exceptionally long time. He was associated with Bob Hope and his shows for 50 years.