Selections from George Gershwin’s Folk Opera Porgy and Bess

~ Release by George Gershwin; Todd Duncan, Anne Brown, Eva Jessye Choir, Decca Symphony Orchestra, Alexander Smallens (see all versions of this release, 2 available)

Annotation

the original 1940 release by Decca Records ("Decca Personality Series"), presented in 4 x 78rpm 12" shellacks.
the 4 discs are numbered 29067 thru' 29070, with A & B sides, each bearing also an additional number sequence from 1 thru' 8. they also each bear yet another ref no. as follows:

track 1: 29067 A => 67740
track 2: 29067 B => 67738
track 3: 29068 A => 67744
track 4: 29068 B => 67737
track 5: 29069 A => 67742
track 6: 29069 B => 67741
track 7: 29070 A => 67743
track 8: 29070 B => 67739

Annotation last modified on 2025-11-22 14:02 UTC.

Tracklist

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1▼12" Shellac
#TitleArtistRatingLength
1Porgy and Bess: Overture and Summertime
soprano vocals:
Anne Brown (American operatic soprano, later resettled in Norway) (on 1940-05-15)
orchestra:
Decca Symphony Orchestra (on 1940-05-15)
conductor:
Alexander Smallens (conductor) (on 1940-05-15)
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
MCA Records, Inc. (do not use as a release label! a division of UMG Recordings, Inc.) (in 1940)
compilation of:
Porgy and Bess: Act I, Scene 1. Overture by Decca Symphony Orchestra, Alexander Smallens (conductor) and Porgy and Bess: Act I, Scene 1. Summertime by Anne Brown (American operatic soprano, later resettled in Norway)
recording of:
Porgy and Bess: Act I, Scene I. “Summertime” (Clara) (on 1940-05-15)
lyricist:
Ira Gershwin and DuBose Heyward
composer:
George Gershwin (composer) (from 1934 until 1935)
part of:
Porgy and Bess: Act I, Scene I
recording of:
Porgy and Bess: Overture (on 1940-05-15)
composer:
George Gershwin (composer)
part of:
Porgy and Bess
George Gershwin?:??
2Porgy and Bess: My Man’s Gone Now
choir vocals:
Eva Jessye Choir (on 1940-05-15)
soprano vocals:
Anne Brown (American operatic soprano, later resettled in Norway) (on 1940-05-15)
orchestra:
Decca Symphony Orchestra (on 1940-05-15)
conductor:
Alexander Smallens (conductor) (on 1940-05-15)
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
MCA Records, Inc. (do not use as a release label! a division of UMG Recordings, Inc.) (in 1940)
recording of:
Porgy and Bess: Act I, Scene II. “My Man’s Gone Now” (on 1940-05-15)
lyricist:
Ira Gershwin and DuBose Heyward
composer:
George Gershwin (composer) (from 1934 until 1935)
part of:
Porgy and Bess: Act I, Scene II
George Gershwin?:??
2▼12" Shellac
#TitleArtistRatingLength
3Porgy and Bess: I Got Plenty o’ Nuttin’
baritone vocals:
Todd Duncan (baritone) (on 1940-05-15)
choir vocals:
Eva Jessye Choir (on 1940-05-15)
orchestra:
Decca Symphony Orchestra (on 1940-05-15)
conductor:
Alexander Smallens (conductor) (on 1940-05-15)
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
MCA Records, Inc. (do not use as a release label! a division of UMG Recordings, Inc.) (in 1940)
recording of:
Porgy and Bess: Act II, Scene I. “Oh, I got plenty o’nuttin’” (on 1940-05-15)
lyricist:
Ira Gershwin and DuBose Heyward
composer:
George Gershwin (composer) (from 1934 until 1935)
part of:
Porgy and Bess: Act II, Scene I
George Gershwin?:??
4Porgy and Bess: Buzzard Song
baritone vocals:
Todd Duncan (baritone) (on 1940-05-15)
choir vocals:
Eva Jessye Choir (on 1940-05-15)
orchestra:
Decca Symphony Orchestra (on 1940-05-15)
conductor:
Alexander Smallens (conductor) (on 1940-05-15)
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
MCA Records, Inc. (do not use as a release label! a division of UMG Recordings, Inc.) (in 1940)
recording of:
Porgy and Bess: Act II, Scene I. “Buzzard keep on flyin’” (on 1940-05-15)
lyricist:
Ira Gershwin and DuBose Heyward
composer:
George Gershwin (composer) (from 1934 until 1935)
part of:
Porgy and Bess: Act II, Scene I
George Gershwin?:??
3▼12" Shellac
#TitleArtistRatingLength
5Porgy and Bess: Bess, You Is My Woman
baritone vocals:
Todd Duncan (baritone) (on 1940-05-15)
choir vocals:
Eva Jessye Choir (on 1940-05-15)
soprano vocals:
Anne Brown (American operatic soprano, later resettled in Norway) (on 1940-05-15)
orchestra:
Decca Symphony Orchestra (on 1940-05-15)
conductor:
Alexander Smallens (conductor) (on 1940-05-15)
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
MCA Records, Inc. (do not use as a release label! a division of UMG Recordings, Inc.) (in 1940)
recording of:
Porgy and Bess: Act II, Scene I. “Bess, You Is My Woman Now” (on 1940-05-15)
lyricist:
Ira Gershwin and DuBose Heyward
composer:
George Gershwin (composer) (from 1934 until 1935)
part of:
Porgy and Bess: Act II, Scene I
George Gershwin?:??
6Porgy and Bess: It Ain’t Necessarily So
baritone vocals:
Todd Duncan (baritone) (on 1940-05-15)
choir vocals:
Eva Jessye Choir (on 1940-05-15)
orchestra:
Decca Symphony Orchestra (on 1940-05-15)
conductor:
Alexander Smallens (conductor) (on 1940-05-15)
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
MCA Records, Inc. (do not use as a release label! a division of UMG Recordings, Inc.) (in 1940)
recording of:
Porgy and Bess: Act II, Scene II. “It ain’t necessarily so” (Sportin’ Life) (on 1940-05-15)
lyricist:
Ira Gershwin and DuBose Heyward
composer:
George Gershwin (composer) (from 1934 until 1935)
part of:
Porgy and Bess: Act II, Scene II
George Gershwin?:??
4▼12" Shellac
#TitleArtistRatingLength
7Porgy and Bess: The Requiem
choir vocals:
Eva Jessye Choir (on 1940-05-15)
orchestra:
Decca Symphony Orchestra (on 1940-05-15)
conductor:
Alexander Smallens (conductor) (on 1940-05-15)
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
MCA Records, Inc. (do not use as a release label! a division of UMG Recordings, Inc.) (in 1940)
recording of:
Porgy and Bess: Act III, Scene I. “Clara, Clara, don’t you be downhearted” – “Crown, Crown, don’t you…” (on 1940-05-15)
lyricist:
Ira Gershwin and DuBose Heyward
composer:
George Gershwin (composer)
part of:
Porgy and Bess: Act III, Scene I
George Gershwin?:??
8Porgy and Bess: Porgy’s Lament and Finale
baritone vocals:
Todd Duncan (baritone) (on 1940-05-15)
choir vocals:
Eva Jessye Choir (on 1940-05-15)
orchestra:
Decca Symphony Orchestra (on 1940-05-15)
conductor:
Alexander Smallens (conductor) (on 1940-05-15)
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
MCA Records, Inc. (do not use as a release label! a division of UMG Recordings, Inc.) (in 1940)
compilation of:
Porgy and Bess: Act III, Scene 3. Porgy’s Lament (Where Is My Bess?) by Todd Duncan (baritone) and Porgy and Bess: Act III, Scene 3. Finale (I’m on My Way) by Todd Duncan (baritone) & Eva Jessye Choir
recording of:
Porgy and Bess: Act III, Scene III. “Oh Bess, oh where’s my Bess” (on 1940-05-15)
lyricist:
Ira Gershwin and DuBose Heyward
composer:
George Gershwin (composer) (from 1934 until 1935)
part of:
Porgy and Bess: Act III, Scene III
recording of:
Porgy and Bess: Act III, Scene III. “Oh Lawd, I’m on My Way” (on 1940-05-15)
lyricist:
Ira Gershwin and DuBose Heyward
composer:
George Gershwin (composer) (from 1934 until 1935)
part of:
Porgy and Bess: Act III, Scene III
George Gershwin?:??