Grofe, Part 2--Andre Kostelanetz plays the Grand Canyon and Hudson River Suites!

And you'll be glad he did. It's almost putting it lightly to say that Andre had quite a way with light music. I've always considered his 1942 recording of the Grand Canyon Suite to be on a par with Eugene Ormandy's 1958 version--they are, by far, the two best renditions of the post-Paul-Whiteman score (my apologies to Toscanini).

We'll be hearing Kosty's 1942 version straight from a 99-cent thrift copy of Columbia CL 716 (top), which was at least the label's second long-playing edition of the performance, which had originated as a 12-inch 78 set (found all over eBay). (And not to be confused with Andre's 1961 recording, which included a Johnny Cash narrative called A Day in the Grand Canyon!) It's hard to decide which is more astonishing--the quality of the original 1942 recording or the brilliance of Columbia's remastering. All I did was remove a few clicks and level the digital volume.

Kostelanetz' 1955 recording of the same year's Hudson River Suite is the best of the piece's three versions--we'll be hearing a rip from thrifted vinyl (what else?). I don't remember whether it was Stereo Review or High Fidelity, but one of the two magazines gave the suite a snide review, describing it as "of interest mainly for its special sound effects." Which, we have to say, are extremely well-done. At any rate, Classical critics of the time were angry over the fact that the average record buyer had no use for Honegger or Bartok or Piston, so they took it out on any and all examples of light music that came their way to review, save for the songs of Leroy Anderson. If it was popular, it had to be horrible--so went their reasoning. And you thought that idea originated with campus record store clerks (and/or NPR)! Well, you would be wrong. We're all wrong some of the time. (And somewhat wrong all of the time.)

To the Grofe: Grand Canyon Suite--Andre Kostelanetz, 1942. Hudson River Suite--Andre Kostelanetz, 1955.

PLAYLISTS

Grand Canyon Suite (Ferde Grofe, 1931)--Andre Kostelanetz and His Orch., 1942.

Sunrise
The Painted Desert
On the Trail
Sunset
Cloudburst

Hudson River Suite (Ferde Grofe, 1955)--Andre Kostelanetz and His Orch., 1955.

The River
Henry Hudson
Rip Van Winkle
Albany Night Boat
New York



Lee

1860 recording of "Au Clair de la Lune"

No kidding. It's here: Au Clair de la Lune--French folk song (1860 Phonautogram)

The site includes some other Phonautogram examples and gives article and press release links. I've always wanted to type "article and press release links."

Here's the NYT piece--for the moment, it's working: NYT article; link working as of time of linkage.

Thank you, Leon Scott de Martinville. I imagine these things would fetch quite a price today. I'll keep watching the thrifts:














Lee

Happy Birthday, Ferde Grofe (1892-1972)!

I knew the birthday of American composer/arranger Ferde Grofe was getting near, though I thought it was sometime in April. Something told me I'd better look it up, and I'm glad I did--turns out it's March 27. As in, today.

Glad I checked.

For the next week or so, I'll be putting up daily does of Grofe, beginning right now with his terrific, highly entertaining Over There Fantasie, composed around 1929. It's performed flawlessly (and I mean flawlessly) by The United States Army Band.

Over There Fantasie (Grofe)--The United States Army Band, Conducted by Col. Samuel Loboda, 1975.


More to come!


Lee

Lee's 78s, Part 3--Original Dixieland Jass Band, Europe's Society Orch., Victor Arden-Phil Ohman; more!

I'll bet you didn't know that I'm a comedian with organ and chimes. A lot of people don't know that. I didn't, even.

Anyhow, this is "Lee's 78s, Part 3," and it appears that 21 people have already downloaded the zip file, in spite of the fact I haven't linked to it! Which is totally cool, but of course I'm wondering how people knew it was there. Hmm.

Anyway, lot of great stuff, from way-early dance band music (Kerry Mills ((sic)) Barn Dance, Rainbow) to ragtime banjo ("Black Face" Eddie Ross) to the 1920s piano duo Victor Arden and Phil Ohman. And we've got The Original Dixieland Jass Band on Columbia with two sides long rumored to have been cut prior to the group's Victor label hits--not true, it seems. These sides were cut in May, not January, 1917. So discovered the great discographer Brian Rust, and I'd provide a link if I had one handy.

(James Reese) Europe's Society Orch.'s The Castles in Europe is better known as The Castle House Rag, and this is my newest rip of this magnificent 1914 side. Dig the Bo-Diddley beat at the end.

All ripped, edited, EQ'd, and sent into cyberspace by yours truly. Click here to reach zip file:

Lee's 78s, Part Three.

Those of you who have previously (and mysteriously) downloaded the file, I guess you didn't need the link! Enjoy....

PLAYLIST

RAG DOLL (Nacio Herb Brown)--Victor Arden-Phil Ohman and O., 1928.
KIDDIE CAPERS (Shilkret-Pollack-Sherman) Arden-Ohman and O., 1928.
INDIANA--Original Dixieland Jass Band, 1917.
WHEN THE LEAVES COME TUMBLING DOWN--Paul Specht, Hotel Astor O., 1922.
THE CASTLES IN EUROPE (a.k.a. CASTLE HOUSE RAG)--Europe's Society O., 1914.
ORIENTAL (Rose)--Earl Fuller and His Rector Novelty O., 1918.
TEXAS (Guion)--Earl Fuller and His Rector Novelty O., 1918.
KERRY MILLS BARN DANCE--Prince's Orch., 1908.
RAINBOW (Wenrich)--Prince's Orch., 1908.
ROSS' DOG TROT--"Black Face" Eddie Ross w. Orch., 1921.
ROSS' REEL--"Black Face" Eddie Ross w. Orch., 1921.



Lee

Lee's 78s, Part 3 (in progress?)

So... I've yet to link to "Lee's 78's, Part 3," and yet there have been 21 downloads! How is that possible?

I must ponder this mystery. I've checked to see if I inadvertently made a link to the file, but it doesn't appear that I did. I'm thrilled that people are listening to it, but I'm wondering how they're getting to it.

Anyway, I'll put up a link and tracklist at the first opportunity. The mysteries of cyberspace....



Lee, mystified

Happy Easter from MY(P)WHAE!

Seven Easter favorites, including a new rip of the Haydn Quartet's Christ Arose, which is also known as Low in the Grave He Lay (the first line). Written in 1874 by Robert Lowry, this may be the best Easter gospel number ever.

Of the fun numbers, Make Like a Bunny, Honey pleases me the most, though some are partial to Funny Little Bunnies. Not an argument you're likely to see on a message board anytime soon. Board people tend to argue about really sophisticated stuff, like Stairway to Heaven. Bored people, too.

Let's hop on over to our zip file: Easter, 2008.

PLAYLIST

CHRIST AROSE (Lowry)--Haydn Quartet, 1908.
CHRIST THE LORD IS RISEN TODAY--Kurt Kaiser, 1962.
ROBE OF CALVARY--George Beverly Shea, 1957.
SILLY EASTER BONNET--Linda Barrie w. Peter Pan Orch.
FUNNY LITTLE BUNNIES--The Cricketts w. The Peter Pan Orch.
BUNNY HOP--Peter Pan Orch. and Singers, 1955.
MAKE LIKE A BUNNY, HONEY--Jill Corey, w. Jimmy Carroll's O. and Cho., 1957.


Hoppy Easter!


Lee