Porgy and Bess (Cleveland Orchestra & Chorus feat. conductor: Lorin Maazel)

~ Release by George Gershwin (see all versions of this release, 5 available)

Annotation

1976: Decca Records: The first complete recording of the opera based on Gershwin's original score, restoring the material cut by Gershwin during rehearsals for the New York premiere in 1935, was made by the Cleveland Orchestra under Lorin Maazel in 1976 for Decca Records in the UK and London Records in the U.S., in time for the U.S. Bicentennial. It starred Willard White singing his first Porgy, and Leona Mitchell as Bess. The recording was praised by critics for its performance quality and racial significance, but at the same time was highly criticized by some for not bringing out the "jazzier" qualities of the score.
source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porgy_and_Bess#Complete_recordings

Porgy and Bess (Decca/London 1976), a complete studio production with Leona Mitchell and the Cleveland Orchestra conducted by Lorin Maazel.
source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porgy_and_Bess_discography

Year: 1976 - 19th Annual GRAMMY Awards
Grammy Award nominee:
Category: Album of the Year - Classical
and
Grammy Award winner:
Winner: Lorin Maazel, artist; Michael Woolcock, producer
Genre: Classical
Category: Best Opera Recording
Title: Gershwin: Porgy and Bess
Performing Artist: Lorin Maazel, conductor

source: https://www2.grammy.com/GRAMMY_Awards/Winners/Default.aspx

Willard White - Porgy (baritone)
Leona Mitchell - Bess (soprano)
McHenry Boatwright - Crown (baritone)
Florence Quivar - Serena (soprano)
Barbara Hendricks - Clara (soprano)
Barbara Conrad - Maria (mezzo-soprano)
Arthur Thompson - Jake (baritone)
François Clemmons - Sporting Life (tenor)
James Vincent Pickens - Mingo (tenor)
Samuel Hagan - Robbins (tenor)
William Brown - Peter (tenor)
Christopher Deane - Frazier (baritone)
Alpha Floyd - Annie (mezzo-soprano)
Isola Jones - Lily (mezzo-soprano)
Barbara Conrad - Strawberry Woman
Christopher Deane - Jim (baritone)
James Vincent Pickens - Undertaker (tenor)
William Brown - Nelson (tenor)
Samuel Hagan - Crab Man (tenor)
John Buck - Mr. Archdale
Robert Snook - Detective
Ralph Neally - Policeman
Allan Leatherman - Coroner
Donald Zucca - Scipio
Joela Jones - Jasbo Brown (piano)

more: http://castalbums.org/recordings/Porgy-and-Bess-1976-Studio-Cast/4947
http://www.soundfountain.com/gershwin/porgybess.html (cast -> characters, down left column) - very good overall Porgy and Bess reference
http://www.hbdirect.com/album/1004754-gershwin-porgy-and-bess-maazel-white-boatwright-et-al.html (cast, 'voice' indicates non-singing roles)

Annotation last modified on 2011-03-12 16:35 UTC.

Tracklist

1▼CD
#TitleRatingLength
1Porgy and Bess: Act I, Scene I. "Introduction: Jasbo Brown Blues"
piano:
Joela Jones
choir vocals:
The Cleveland Orchestra Chorus
orchestra:
The Cleveland Orchestra
conductor:
Lorin Maazel (conductor)
recorded at:
TempleLive Cleveland Masonic in Cleveland, Ohio, United States (in 1975-08)
recording of:
Porgy and Bess: Act I, Scene I. Introduction: Jasbo Brown Blues
lyricist:
Ira Gershwin and DuBose Heyward
composer:
George Gershwin (composer) (from 1934 until 1935)
publisher:
Chappell & Co., Inc. (USA)
part of:
Porgy and Bess: Act I, Scene I
5:20
2Porgy and Bess: Act I, Scene I. "Summertime" - "Oh, nobody knows when the Lawd is goin' to call..." - "I been sweatin' all day"
soprano vocals:
Barbara Hendricks (soprano)
orchestra:
The Cleveland Orchestra
conductor:
Lorin Maazel (conductor)
recorded at:
TempleLive Cleveland Masonic in Cleveland, Ohio, United States (in 1975-08)
recording of:
Porgy and Bess: Act I, Scene I. “Oh, nobody knows when the Lawd is goin’ to call…” – “I been sweatin’ all day”
lyricist:
Ira Gershwin and DuBose Heyward
composer:
George Gershwin (composer)
part of:
Porgy and Bess: Act I, Scene I
recording of:
Porgy and Bess: Act I, Scene I. “Summertime” (Clara)
lyricist:
Ira Gershwin and DuBose Heyward
composer:
George Gershwin (composer) (from 1934 until 1935)
part of:
Porgy and Bess: Act I, Scene I
8:46
3Porgy and Bess: Act I, Scene I. "A woman is a sometime thing (Lissen to yo' daddy warn you)"
baritone vocals:
Arthur Thompson (baritone)
orchestra:
The Cleveland Orchestra
conductor:
Lorin Maazel (conductor)
recorded at:
TempleLive Cleveland Masonic in Cleveland, Ohio, United States (in 1975-08)
recording of:
Porgy and Bess: Act Ⅰ, Scene Ⅰ. “Lissen to yo’ daddy warn you … A woman is a sometime thing”
lyricist:
Ira Gershwin and DuBose Heyward
composer:
George Gershwin (composer) (from 1934 until 1935)
part of:
Porgy and Bess: Act I, Scene I
2:01
4Porgy and Bess: Act I, Scene I. "Here come de honey man" - "Here's the ol' crap shark"
baritone vocals:
Arthur Thompson (baritone)
orchestra:
The Cleveland Orchestra
conductor:
Lorin Maazel (conductor)
recorded at:
TempleLive Cleveland Masonic in Cleveland, Ohio, United States (in 1975-08)
recording of:
Porgy and Bess: Act I, Scene I. “Here Come de Honey Man”
lyricist:
Ira Gershwin and DuBose Heyward
composer:
George Gershwin (composer)
part of:
Porgy and Bess: Act I, Scene I
recording of:
Porgy and Bess: Act I, Scene I. “Here’s the ol’ crap shark“
lyricist:
Ira Gershwin and DuBose Heyward
composer:
George Gershwin (composer)
part of:
Porgy and Bess: Act I, Scene I
3:27
5Porgy and Bess: Act I, Scene I. "They pass by singin'" - "Here comes Big Boy!" - "Don't you ever let a woman grieve you"
bass-baritone vocals:
Willard White (bass-baritone)
orchestra:
The Cleveland Orchestra
conductor:
Lorin Maazel (conductor)
recorded at:
TempleLive Cleveland Masonic in Cleveland, Ohio, United States (in 1975-08)
recording of:
Porgy and Bess: Act I, Scene I. “They pass by singin’” – “Here comes Big Boy!” – “Don’t you ever let a woman grieve you”
lyricist:
Ira Gershwin and DuBose Heyward
composer:
George Gershwin (composer)
part of:
Porgy and Bess: Act I, Scene I
8:46
6Porgy and Bess: Act I, Scene I. "Oh, little stars" - "Touch that money an' meet yo' Gawd!"
bass-baritone vocals:
McHenry Boatwright (bass-baritone) and Willard White (bass-baritone)
orchestra:
The Cleveland Orchestra
conductor:
Lorin Maazel (conductor)
recorded at:
TempleLive Cleveland Masonic in Cleveland, Ohio, United States (in 1975-08)
recording of:
Porgy and Bess: Act I, Scene I. “Oh, little stars” – “Touch that money an’ meet yo’ Gawd!”
lyricist:
Ira Gershwin and DuBose Heyward
composer:
George Gershwin (composer)
part of:
Porgy and Bess: Act I, Scene I
3:57
7Porgy and Bess: Act I, Scene I. "Wake up an' hit it out" - "That you, Sportin' Life?"
soprano vocals:
Leona Mitchell (soprano)
orchestra:
The Cleveland Orchestra
conductor:
Lorin Maazel (conductor)
recorded at:
TempleLive Cleveland Masonic in Cleveland, Ohio, United States (in 1975-08)
recording of:
Porgy and Bess: Act I, Scene I. “Wake up an’ hit it out” – “That you, Sportin’ Life?”
lyricist:
Ira Gershwin and DuBose Heyward
composer:
George Gershwin (composer)
part of:
Porgy and Bess: Act I, Scene I
4:30
8Porgy and Bess: Act I, Scene II. "Gone, gone, gone (Where is brudder Robbins?)"
mezzo-soprano vocals:
Barbara Conrad (American operatic mezzo-soprano)
orchestra:
The Cleveland Orchestra
conductor:
Lorin Maazel (conductor)
recorded at:
TempleLive Cleveland Masonic in Cleveland, Ohio, United States (in 1975-08)
recording of:
Porgy and Bess: Act I, Scene II. “Gone, gone, gone (Where is brudder Robbins?)”
lyricist:
Ira Gershwin and DuBose Heyward
composer:
George Gershwin (composer) (from 1934 until 1935)
part of:
Porgy and Bess: Act I, Scene II
3:40
9Porgy and Bess: Act I, Scene II. "Overflow, overflow" - "Gawd got plenty of money for de saucer"
bass-baritone vocals:
Willard White (bass-baritone)
choir vocals:
The Cleveland Orchestra Chorus
mezzo-soprano vocals:
Barbara Conrad (American operatic mezzo-soprano) and Florence Quivar (mezzo soprano)
orchestra:
The Cleveland Orchestra
conductor:
Lorin Maazel (conductor)
recorded at:
TempleLive Cleveland Masonic in Cleveland, Ohio, United States (in 1975-08)
recording of:
Porgy and Bess: Act I, Scene II. “Overflow, overflow” – “Gawd got plenty of money for de saucer”
lyricist:
Ira Gershwin and DuBose Heyward
composer:
George Gershwin (composer) (from 1934 until 1935)
part of:
Porgy and Bess: Act I, Scene II
2:54
10Porgy and Bess: Act I, Scene II. "Um! A saucer-burial setup, I see"
spoken vocals:
Robert Snook
orchestra:
The Cleveland Orchestra
conductor:
Lorin Maazel (conductor)
recorded at:
TempleLive Cleveland Masonic in Cleveland, Ohio, United States (in 1975-08)
recording of:
Porgy and Bess: Act I, Scene II. “Um! A saucer-burial setup, I see”
lyricist:
Ira Gershwin and DuBose Heyward
composer:
George Gershwin (composer)
part of:
Porgy and Bess: Act I, Scene II
3:36
11Porgy and Bess: Act I, Scene II. "My man's gone now" - "How de saucer stan' now, my sister?"
mezzo-soprano vocals:
Florence Quivar (mezzo soprano)
orchestra:
The Cleveland Orchestra
conductor:
Lorin Maazel (conductor)
recorded at:
TempleLive Cleveland Masonic in Cleveland, Ohio, United States (in 1975-08)
recording of:
Porgy and Bess: Act I, Scene II. “How de saucer stan’ now, my sister?”
lyricist:
Ira Gershwin and DuBose Heyward
composer:
George Gershwin (composer)
part of:
Porgy and Bess: Act I, Scene II
recording of:
Porgy and Bess: Act I, Scene II. “My Man’s Gone Now”
lyricist:
Ira Gershwin and DuBose Heyward
composer:
George Gershwin (composer) (from 1934 until 1935)
part of:
Porgy and Bess: Act I, Scene II
6:19
12Porgy and Bess: Act I, Scene II. "Headin' for the Promis' Lan'"
soprano vocals:
Leona Mitchell (soprano)
orchestra:
The Cleveland Orchestra
conductor:
Lorin Maazel (conductor)
recorded at:
TempleLive Cleveland Masonic in Cleveland, Ohio, United States (in 1975-08)
recording of:
Porgy and Bess: Act I, Scene II. “Headin’ for the Promis’ Lan’”
lyricist:
Ira Gershwin and DuBose Heyward
composer:
George Gershwin (composer) (from 1934 until 1935)
part of:
Porgy and Bess: Act I, Scene II
4:43
2▶CD
3▶CD

Credits

Release

librettist:DuBose Heyward