A 50/50 mix of original 1932 issues, plus two 1941 reissues--all the original 1932 recording, of course. Working with sets from different eras meant using two response curves, but my VinylStudio software is more than up to that challenge. Five movements across eight 12-inch 78 sides presented a bit of an editing challenge, but nothing major. The movements are Sunrise, Painted Desert, On the Trail, Sunset, and the spectacular Cloudburst. More than nine decades later, this suite remains magnificent. Or, should I say, grand.
My album (the holder) pictured above is the 1941 album, and exactly when or where I came across the two original discs (Sunrise and Cloudburst), I don't remember, save that it was at a Goodwill. The original price tag of $1.99 is still on the album's spine, meaning that I bought this set well before the recent sound-recording price hike at GW. Maybe this album came with the mixed 1932 and 1941 pressings. And someplace in my mess of 78s there's the 1941 reissue set I bought back in 1978 at a Cincinnati book store. You know, if this room were about twice the size, I could get my collection in some kind of order...
The background on this famous suite is all over the internet, so I won't repeat those details here. Recorded April 26-28, 1932, making this performance just shy of 94 years old. Amazing fidelity for the period, and even more amazing: The wide dynamic range, all the way from ppp (pianississimo) to fff (triple forte). And I can find no definite year for Grofe's expanded orchestration of the suite, though it may have been around the time of Andre Kostelanetz's superb 1941 recording, which I posted here.
Enjoy!
DOWNLOAD: Grand Canyon Suite 1932.zip
Sunrise
Painted Desert
On the Trail
Sunset
Cloudburst
Grand Canyon Suite (Ferdie Grofe)--Paul Whiteman and His Concert Orch., 1932
Lee
2 comments:
For a minute, I thought that this post was an original 78 pressing of the Mono Andre Kostelanetz Grand Canyon Suite album that you got for $3.99 at Goodwill a couple of years ago. Fortunately for me, the store in my town is still selling albums for 99 cents; i even bought a Longines Symphonette boxed set for that price on March 31st! On the same day, I did buy an album of Decca Records 45s from the early-'50's for $2.99! Considering how much you enjoy Grofe's work, it is no surprise that you would post Paul Whiteman's recording of the Suite here. Maybe one day you will post one of his Grand Award albums here.
musicman1979,
That's a good idea--I have a number of G.A. Whiteman LPs.
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