Rodzinski Conducts Prokofiev

A while back, we had the first in a series of recordings made by the conductor Artur Rodzinski in the 1940s. That was a Rachmaninoff symphony; here he turns his baton to Prokofiev, with equally fine results. Again the orchestra is the New York Philharmonic, which Rodzinski directed when this recording was made, in October 1946. The location was Carnegie Hall. Columbia was able to achieve better results there than the typically congealed sound it produced in its 30th Street studios.

Next in this series will be a few of the recordings Rodzinski made with the Cleveland Orchestra earlier in the decade, before he moved to New York.

Buddy Clark, Part 2

I recently posted a Christmas record by the fine singer Buddy Clark, who died 60 years ago in a plane crash. My friend Scoredaddy requested more of Buddy's work, so here we go with three more singles. As far as I know, these have not been available since their original issue.

I chose the three singles because they are in a format unique to Columbia records in the late 1940s - the 7-inch, 33 rpm single - or Microgroove 33 singles, as they are sometimes called. When Columbia began issuing the first LPs in 1948, RCA Victor countered with a 45 rpm format. Columbia then issued 33 rpm singles to rival the RCA format as a successor to 78 rpm singles. The 33 single didn't last too long, and now is rarely found.

The label above is similar to the contemporary look that Columbia used for its 78s and its main elements would be adopted as well for 45s. On this record, Clark is here covering (and very well, too) a country song, Floyd Tillman's I Love You So Much It Hurts.

Below is the white-label promotional DJ version of the 33 single. I love the crew-cut, bow-tie DJ with his little turntable (not very level, is it?). No idea who Dick Meyer was - could have been the promo man, a DJ, or a later owner. Here Clark was billed below Xavier Cugat, one of the first popular Latin bandleaders.

I'll be back with a 10-inch LP from Buddy and Dinah Shore.

Note (September 2015): the download now also includes the microgroove single of "You Was" and "If You Will Marry Me," by Clark and Dinah Shore, in a new transfer.

Glasgow Orpheus Choir

The recent post from the King's College Choir got me thinking about other choral music I might feature, and this old HMV issue came to hand - a record I had not listened to.

The Glasgow Orpheus Choir was quite famous in its day, at least in Britain and to some degree the US. The ensemble lasted until the retirement of its founder, Sir Hugh Roberton, in 1951. These recordings were made, as far as I can tell, in the immediate post-war period.

The self-regarding notes from Roberton, included below, suggest that the choir was quite beloved, and that may be. However, its charms seem distinctly faded by the passing of the years. Sir Hugh's comments indicate that he was pleased that the choir disbanded upon his retirement. He doesn't mention that many of its members continued as the Glasgow Phoenix Choir, which continues to this day.

[August 2019 addendum: The choir was much better than I had recognized a decade ago. A new remastering shows off its quality. I've banded Roberton's annoying introductions so you can ignore them if you wish.]

Eartha Kitt

Another icon of the popular arts has passed away - Eartha Kitt, at the age of 81.

Kitt had a remarkable personality, which shows through every moment on this, her first LP on RCA Victor, from the early 1950s. It contains many of her most recognizable tunes, although not the inescapable Santa Baby, nor Monotonous, which she introduced in New Faces of 1952. That performance is on video (but not, it appears, on YouTube.)

I've included separately the Stan Freberg version of C'Est Si Bon, which manages to parody both Kitt's vocal mannerisms and the Henri Rene arrangement.

A Festival of Lessons and Carols, 1954

King's College Chapel in Cambridge is one of the most beautiful places on earth and has one of the best known Christmas ceremonies, the festival of lessons and carols on Christmas Eve, which is broadcast all over the world. The Choir of King's College has made several commercial recordings of the ceremony; one of the first is this 1954 recording, conducted by its then-director, Boris Ord.

The Choir, composed of boys and choral scholars from the college, is justly as famous as its Chapel, which, despite its name, is a vast edifice.

Perhaps because I have been privileged to have attended choral evensong in the chapel, I find this record to be both treasurable and memorable. When the Choir and organist Hugh McLean launch into the hymn While Shepherds Watch, the effect is truly magnificent.

This transfer is from the US Westminster pressing of the Argo original. The sound reflects the beautiful King's College Chapel ambiance - except for several of the lessons, which sound more like they were recorded in the King's College Closet. Odd, but not enough to spoil the overall effect.

Happy holidays to all our friends!

Page Cavanaugh, Part 3

A great musician died yesterday - pianist-singer Page Cavanaugh, whose work has already been featured here on two occasions. Page was 86.

Here is a fine example of his talents - an MGM album from the early 50s. The emphasis here is on the piano, and just as much on the guitarist, who may be Al Viola (no credits on this one).

I learned about Page's death from Bill Reed; please go to his blog, the People vs. Dr. Chilledair, to learn more about this fine artist.

NEW LINK

Morton Gould's Christmas

The records of Morton Gould are favorites of this blog's proprietor, so here is an LP of Christmas music he arranged and recorded in April 1949. This issue on a Columbia budget label is from the mid-50s.

Here Gould arranged suites of carols and hymns for orchestra, with orchestration reminiscent of Vaughan Williams at times. The sound is the usual muzzy product that came out of Columbia's 30th Street studios in New York, but listenable for the most part. The two final movements of the suite of carols are pretty congested, however.

Don't think this has been reissued, and I hope you enjoy. Much of it is quite beautiful, and beautifully played.

NEW TRANSFER FROM ORIGINAL 1949 ISSUE