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
2▼CD
#TitleRatingLength
1Porgy and Bess: Act II, Scene I. "It takes a long pull to get there"
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 II, Scene I. “It take a long pull to get there”
lyricist:
Ira Gershwin and DuBose Heyward
composer:
George Gershwin (composer)
part of:
Porgy and Bess: Act II, Scene I
3:54
2Porgy and Bess: Act II, Scene I. "Oh, I got plenty o'nuttin" - "Lissen there, what I tells you"
bass-baritone vocals:
Willard White (bass-baritone) (in 1975-08)
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 II, Scene I. “Lissen there, what I tells you”
lyricist:
Ira Gershwin and DuBose Heyward
composer:
George Gershwin (composer)
part of:
Porgy and Bess: Act II, Scene I
recording of:
Porgy and Bess: Act II, Scene I. “Oh, I got plenty o’nuttin’”
lyricist:
Ira Gershwin and DuBose Heyward
composer:
George Gershwin (composer) (from 1934 until 1935)
part of:
Porgy and Bess: Act II, Scene I
3:42
3Porgy and Bess: Act II, Scene I. "I hates yo' struttin' style" - "Mornin', lawyer, lookin' for somebody?" - "Dey's a Buckra comin'"
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 II, Scene I. “I hates yo’ struttin’ style” – “Mornin’, lawyer, lookin’ for somebody?” – “Dey’s a buckra comin’”
lyricist:
Ira Gershwin and DuBose Heyward
composer:
George Gershwin (composer)
part of:
Porgy and Bess: Act II, Scene I
7:47
4Porgy and Bess: Act II, Scene I. "Buzzard Song" - "Lo, Bess, goin' to picnic?"
bass-baritone vocals:
Willard White (bass-baritone) (in 1975-08)
tenor vocals:
François Clemmons (tenor) (in 1975-08)
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 II, Scene I. “Buzzard keep on flyin’”
lyricist:
Ira Gershwin and DuBose Heyward
composer:
George Gershwin (composer) (from 1934 until 1935)
part of:
Porgy and Bess: Act II, Scene I
recording of:
Porgy and Bess: Act II, Scene I. “Lo, Bess, goin’ to picnic?”
lyricist:
Ira Gershwin and DuBose Heyward
composer:
George Gershwin (composer)
part of:
Porgy and Bess: Act II, Scene I
6:50
5Porgy and Bess: Act II, Scene I. "Bess, you is my woman now"
bass-baritone vocals:
Willard White (bass-baritone) (in 1975-08)
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 II, Scene I. “Bess, You Is My Woman Now”
lyricist:
Ira Gershwin and DuBose Heyward
composer:
George Gershwin (composer) (from 1934 until 1935)
part of:
Porgy and Bess: Act II, Scene I
4:43
6Porgy and Bess: Act II, Scene I. "Oh, I can't sit down"
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 II, Scene I. “Oh, I can’t sit down”
lyricist:
Ira Gershwin and DuBose Heyward
composer:
George Gershwin (composer) (from 1934 until 1935)
part of:
Porgy and Bess: Act II, Scene I
4:06
7Porgy and Bess: Act II, Scene II. "I ain't got no shame"
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 II, Scene II. “I ain’t got no shame”
lyricist:
Ira Gershwin and DuBose Heyward
composer:
George Gershwin (composer) (from 1934 until 1935)
part of:
Porgy and Bess: Act II, Scene II
2:38
8Porgy and Bess: Act II, Scene II. "It ain't necessarily so" - "Shame on all you sinners" - "Bess!...Crown!..."
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 II, Scene II. “It ain’t necessarily so” (Sportin’ Life)
lyricist:
Ira Gershwin and DuBose Heyward
composer:
George Gershwin (composer) (from 1934 until 1935)
part of:
Porgy and Bess: Act II, Scene II
recording of:
Porgy and Bess: Act II, Scene II. “Shame on all you sinners” – “Bess!…Crown!…”
lyricist:
Ira Gershwin and DuBose Heyward
composer:
George Gershwin (composer)
part of:
Porgy and Bess: Act II, Scene II
9:33
9Porgy and Bess: Act II, Scene II. "Oh, what you want wid Bess?"
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 II, Scene II. “Oh, what you want wid Bess?”
lyricist:
Ira Gershwin and DuBose Heyward
composer:
George Gershwin (composer)
part of:
Porgy and Bess: Act II, Scene II
3:44
10Porgy and Bess: Act II, Scene III. "Honey, dat's all de breakfast I got time for" - "Take yo' han's off me, I say"
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 II, Scene III. “Honey, dat’s all de breakfast I got time for” – “Take yo’ han’s off me, I say”
lyricist:
Ira Gershwin and DuBose Heyward
composer:
George Gershwin (composer)
part of:
Porgy and Bess: Act II, Scene III
4:37
11Porgy and Bess: Act II, Scene III. "Oh, Doctor Jesus"
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 II, Scene III. “Oh, Doctor Jesus”
lyricist:
Ira Gershwin and DuBose Heyward
composer:
George Gershwin (composer)
part of:
Porgy and Bess: Act II, Scene III
2:21
12Porgy and Bess: Act II, Scene III. "Oh dey's so fresh an' fine" - "I'm talkin' about devil crabs"
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 II, Scene III. “I’m talkin’ about devil crabs”
lyricist:
DuBose Heyward
composer:
George Gershwin (composer)
part of:
Porgy and Bess: Act II, Scene III
recording of:
Porgy and Bess: Act II, Scene III. “Oh dey’s so fresh an’ fine”
lyricist:
Ira Gershwin and DuBose Heyward
composer:
George Gershwin (composer)
part of:
Porgy and Bess: Act II, Scene III
3:20
13Porgy and Bess: Act II, Scene III. "Porgy, Porgy, dat you there"
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 II, Scene III. “Porgy, Porgy, dat you there”
lyricist:
Ira Gershwin and DuBose Heyward
composer:
George Gershwin (composer)
part of:
Porgy and Bess: Act II, Scene III
2:37
14Porgy and Bess: Act II, Scene III. "I loves you, Porgy"
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 II, Scene III. “I loves you, Porgy”
lyricist:
Ira Gershwin and DuBose Heyward
composer:
George Gershwin (composer) (from 1934 until 1935)
part of:
Porgy and Bess: Act II, Scene III
3:25
15Porgy and Bess: Act II, Scene III. "Why you been out on that wharf"
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 II, Scene III. “Why you been out on that wharf so long, Clara?”
lyricist:
Ira Gershwin and DuBose Heyward
composer:
George Gershwin (composer)
part of:
Porgy and Bess: Act II, Scene III
2:29
3▶CD

Credits

Release

librettist:DuBose Heyward