I did a quick look through my unorganized piles of CD-Rs and found these examples of Russian (and Russian-themed) songs and pieces recorded in America, most of them from 78s. Then I did a quick Google-images search and combined the visual results into one (above). At which point, I was ready for business. Operation Get Post Ready was almost complete.
In this playlist, we have dance band, mood music, and concert band renditions of works by Cui, Rachmaninoff, Mussorgsky, Tchaikovsky (whom my trumpet teacher deliberately mispronounced, "Chicky-osko-vowsky"), Shostakovitch, Moe Jaffe and Nat Bonk, and many more. I don't remember why I made the shortened Comedian's Galop/Sabre Dance track, which combines performances by the National Symphony O. and Oscar Levant, but here it is.
All recordings were ripped by me from my collection, and most were re-tweaked for this post. Looking over the line-up, maybe you're wondering how I could have forgotten the 1812 Overture, but I didn't--Grofe quotes it repeatedly in his arrangement of There's a Boatman on the Volga (track #1). It helps lighten the sad mood. The vocal by Gladys Rice (1890-1983 is superb.
To the music: Russian music from America
PLAYLIST
THERE'S A BOATMAN ON THE VOLGA (Arr: Ferde Grofe)--Paul Whiteman O.; vocal: Gladys Rice, 1926.
BOLSHEVIK (Moe Jaffe-Ned Bonx)--Waring's Pennsylvanians, w. vocal refrain, 1926.
DANUBE WAVES (Ivanovici)--Prince's Orch., 1916.
HORA STACCATO--George Liberace and His Orch., 1958.
HYMN TO THE SUN (Rimsky-Korsakov; Arr: Grofe)--Paul Whiteman, 1933 (radio).
TCHAIKOWSKIANA (Arr: Herman Hand)--Paul Whiteman Orch., 1928.
PRELUDE (Rachmaninoff)--Marek Weber Orch., 1926.
POLKA (Shostakovich)--Pierre Luboshutz, Genia Nemenoff, duo-pianists, 1941.
SONG OF THE FLAME--David Whitehall Orch.
DARK EYES--Ferrante and Teicher (from Soundproof LP, 1955).
TWO GUITARS (Makarow)--The A.&P. Gypsies, 1925.
WHERE THE VOLGA FLOWS--Frank Westphal and His Rainbo O., 1922.
COMEDIAN'S GALOP/SABRE DANCE--National Symphony O./Oscar Levant.
ORIENTALE (Cui)--Pierre Luboshutz, Genia Nemenoff, duo-pianists, 1940.
CORONATION SCENE (Moussorgsky)--Same, 1940.
Lee
6 comments:
Thanks so much Lee. My wife is Russian from Ukraine. You've made us happy.
Thank you so much!
Very interesting!
Can I put this record on Russian resources? Naturally with reference to your authorship.
Georgy,
Glad you enjoyed! Feel free to put the music on Russian resoures.
Thanks a lot, Lee.
First time here (vua Georgy's "reference to your authorship" / resource) :)
Interesting, unique blog!
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A Question:
Do you have any Jewish, Yiddish, Klezmer music also maybe ... by any chance?
Thanks again.
Most excellent, and thanks a ton!
I have the Overture 1812 played by a military band on a 'red' Aeolian disc, and somebody, I assume back in the '20s, wrote this on the label: "A disgrace to Tchaikowsky" . hehe
Ha! I once owned a condensed version of that piece on a 10" Jumbo label 78--it sounded like a parody. I played it at the shop of the dealer who sold it to me, and halfway through, he demanded that I turn it off!
I seem to recall that I ignorantly used alcohol on the disc at some point, dissolving some of the grooves. Worse yet, I did the same thing not too long ago on a 78 that I THOUGHT was vinyl (but turned out to be shellac).
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