vinyl LP album cover
Showing posts with label Stephen Sondheim. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Stephen Sondheim. Show all posts
July 3, 2021
May 21, 2021
September 26, 2017
20,000 Vinyl LPs 110: West Side Story ~ Maria, Tony, Bimbo's & Leo Friedman
vinyl LP album cover
Sixty years ago today, September 26, 1957, the Broadway musical, West Side Story, burst onto the theater world and changed the form and character of musicals forever.
The original cast album with its iconic image of Maria and Tony running down a street in New York is one of the most famous photos used on a record album; it, the album, has been an integral part of my life in many ways. In 1958-59 West Side Story was the soundtrack for my life.
The original cast album with its iconic image of Maria and Tony running down a street in New York is one of the most famous photos used on a record album; it, the album, has been an integral part of my life in many ways. In 1958-59 West Side Story was the soundtrack for my life.
The songs were uplifting, inspiring and new. The dance at the gym with its jazzy mambo completely knocked me out! And, of course, Maria is just . . . well, it's just! I still begin to tear up when I hear it and I think of Ann. Somewhere
was "our" song. We were so
in love and I remember taking her to see the first touring production when it
came to San Francisco. By the time it got here Larry Kert, as Tony, was the only member of the original cast in the 1959 US Tour.
We went to Bimbo's afterward and had dinner; it was an upscale supper club with entertainment but I don't remember who was performing. I do remember I had Chicken á la King because it was the cheapest thing on the menu; I was 19, living on my own, working my way through college and didn't have a whole lot of money.
West Side Story playbill
September 14, 1959
photo by Styrous®
(click HERE to see 1959 souvenir program)
We went to Bimbo's afterward and had dinner; it was an upscale supper club with entertainment but I don't remember who was performing. I do remember I had Chicken á la King because it was the cheapest thing on the menu; I was 19, living on my own, working my way through college and didn't have a whole lot of money.
Bimbo's 365 Club
December 5, 2008
San Francisco, CA
photo by Michael "Bink" Knowles
There is a story behind the photograph used on the cover of the album.
It looks very spontaneous but it was
carefully staged by photographer Leo Friedman. The
“West Side Story” shot, which became the cover of the cast album, was
the result of attempts by Friedman after having tried several settings
around New York City and ending
up along a row of tenements on West 56th Street.
“I
made a mark on the street, and I said to Carol: ‘I want Larry chasing
you up the street. When you hit that mark, don’t look at me down here,
look up, with your head up,” Friedman recalled, “And that’s what I
took.”
And so, after what the weary actress, Carol Lawrence, remembered as 300 tries, the shot Friedman wanted was finally captured and, as they say, the rest is history. Actually, there is more history; he got a pretty raw deal in the end. (link to Friedman info below).
And so, after what the weary actress, Carol Lawrence, remembered as 300 tries, the shot Friedman wanted was finally captured and, as they say, the rest is history. Actually, there is more history; he got a pretty raw deal in the end. (link to Friedman info below).
vinyl LP album cover detail
The score for West Side Story was written by Leonard Bernstein with lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. It was orchestrated by Sid Ramin and Irwin Kostal
following detailed instructions from Bernstein, who then wrote
revisions on their manuscript (the original, heavily annotated by Ramin,
Kostal and Bernstein himself is in the Rare Books and Manuscripts Library at Columbia University). Ramin, Kostal, and Bernstein are billed as orchestrators for the show. The orchestra consisted of 31 players: a large Broadway pit orchestra enhanced to include 5 percussionists, a guitarist and a piano/celesta player.
The dark theme of the story (based on Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare), sophisticated music, extended dance scenes, and focus on
social problems marked a turning point in American musical theatre.
Then there is the Bernstein score for the musical which includes Something's Coming, Maria, America, Somewhere, Tonight, Jet Song, I Feel Pretty, A Boy Like That, One Hand, One Heart, Gee, Officer Krupke, and Cool (links below to all on YouTube).
The original 1957 Broadway production, directed and choreographed by Jerome Robbins and produced by Robert E. Griffith and Harold Prince, marked Sondheim's Broadway debut. It ran for 732 performances before going on tour. The production was nominated for six Tony Awards including Best Musical in 1957. However, the award went to The Music Man by Meredith Willson. Robbins won the Tony Awards for his choreography and Oliver Smith won for his scenic designs.
The creators' innovations in dance, music and theatrical style resulted in strong reactions from the critics. Walter Kerr wrote in the New York Herald Tribune on September 27, 1957:
"The radioactive fallout from West Side Story must still be descending on Broadway this morning. Director, choreographer, and idea-man Jerome Robbins has put together, and then blasted apart, the most savage, restless, electrifying dance patterns we've been exposed to in a dozen seasons ...."John Chapman's review in the New York Daily News on September 27, 1957, headed: "West Side Story a Splendid and Super-Modern Musical Drama":
"The American theatre took a venturesome forward step when the firm of Griffith & Prince presented West Side Story at the Winter Garden last evening. This is a bold new kind of musical theatre – a juke-box Manhattan opera."Time magazine found the dance and gang warfare more compelling than the love story and noted that the show's "putting choreography foremost, may prove a milestone in musical-drama history ...
"While critics speculated about the comic-tragic darkness of the musical, audiences were captivated. The story appealed to society's undercurrent of rebellion from authority that surfaced in 1950s films like Rebel Without a Cause. West Side Story took this one step further by combining the classic and the hip."
In 1961, West Side Story was made into a film; directed by Robert Wise, it starred Natalie Wood, Richard Beymer, Russ Tamblyn, Rita Moreno, and George Chakiris.
That same year, Stan Kenton recorded Kenton's West Side Story (a jazz version) that received a 1962 Grammy Award for Best Jazz Performance – Large Group (Instrumental) (More on this in a future article).
That same year, Stan Kenton recorded Kenton's West Side Story (a jazz version) that received a 1962 Grammy Award for Best Jazz Performance – Large Group (Instrumental) (More on this in a future article).
Act 1
- "Prologue" – Orchestra, danced by Jets & Sharks
- "Jet Song" – Riff & Jets
- "Something's Coming" – Tony
- "The Dance at the Gym" – Jets & Sharks
- "Maria" – Tony
- "Tonight" – Tony & Maria
- "America" – Anita, Rosalia, & Shark Girls
- "Cool" – Riff & Jets
- "One Hand, One Heart" – Tony & Maria
- "Tonight (Quintet & Chorus)" – Company
- "The Rumble" – Orchestra, danced by Riff, Bernardo, Jets, & Sharks
Act 2
- "I Feel Pretty" – Maria, Rosalia, Estella, & Consuelo
- "Somewhere" – Consuelo, danced by Company
- "Gee, Officer Krupke" – Action, Snowboy & Jets
- "A Boy Like That" – Anita & Maria
- "I Have a Love" – Anita & Maria
- "Taunting" – Anita & Jets
- "Finale" – Company
Credits:
- Art Direction [Costumes Designed By] – Irene Sharaff
- Choreography – Jerome Robbins
- Choreography [Co-choreographer] – Peter Gennaro
- Directed By – Jerome Robbins
- Lead Vocals [Anita, The Girl Of Bernardo, Leader Of The Sharks] – Chita Rivera
- Lead Vocals [Maria, Sister Of Bernardo, Leader Of The Sharks] – Carol Lawrence
- Lead Vocals [Riff, Leader Of The Jets] – Mickey Calin
- Lead Vocals [Tony, Old Friend Of Riff And Co-founder Of The Jets] – Larry Kert
- Leader [Musical Direction] – Max Goberman
- Lighting – Jean Rosenthal
- Liner Notes – George Dale
- Lyrics By – Stephen Sondheim
- Music By – Leonard Bernstein
- Orchestrated By – Irwin Kostal, Leonard Bernstein, Sid Ramin
- Photography By – Friedman-Abeles
- Presenter – Harold S. Prince*, Robert E. Griffith
- Presenter [By Arrangement With] – Roger L. Stevens
- Producer [Produced For Records By] – Goddard Lieberson
- Production Manager [Production Associate] – Sylvia Drulie
- Script By [Book By] – Arthur Laurents
- Set Designer [Scenic Production By] – Oliver Smith (3)
- Vocals [The Jets] – Carole D'Andrea, David Winters, Eddie Roll, Frank Green (2), Grover Dale, Hank Brunjes, Julie Oser, Lee Becker, Lowell Harris, Marilyn D'Honau, Martin Charnin, Nanette Rosen, Tommy Abbott, Tony Mordente, Wilma Curley
- Vocals [The Sharks, Bernardo, The Leader] – Ken Leroy
- Vocals [The Sharks] – Al De Sio, Carmen Gutierrez, Elizabeth Taylor (3), Erne Castaldo, Gene Gavin, George Marcy, Jack Murray, Jamie Sanchez (2), Jay Norman (2), Liane Plane, Lynn Ross (2), Marilyn Cooper, Noel Schwartz, Reri Grist, Ronnie Lee (8)
Notes:
Six-Eye Stereophonic release without "360°-Sound" (see Images)
US-Two Eye Repress: Leonard Bernstein - West Side Story - Original Broadway Cast
US-Half Dozen Repress: Leonard Bernstein - West Side Story - Original Broadway Cast
West Side Story opened in New York at the Winter Garden Theatre September 26th, 1957, following engagements in Washington and Philadelphia.
US-Two Eye Repress: Leonard Bernstein - West Side Story - Original Broadway Cast
US-Half Dozen Repress: Leonard Bernstein - West Side Story - Original Broadway Cast
West Side Story opened in New York at the Winter Garden Theatre September 26th, 1957, following engagements in Washington and Philadelphia.
Label: Columbia Masterworks – OS 2001
Format: Vinyl, LP, Stereo
Country: US
Released: Oct 1957
Viewfinder links:
West Side Story ~ 1959 souvenir program
Leo Friedman ~ Broadway's Photographer
Net links:
West Side Story ~
Synopsis
Characters
Principal cast
Musical numbers
Recordings
Awards and nominations
West Side Story (film) website
YouTube links:
Jet Song
Something's Coming
The Dance at the Gym
Maria
Tonight
America
Cool
One Hand, One Heart
Tonight (Quintet & Chorus)
I Feel Pretty
Somewhere
Gee, Officer Krupke
I Have a Love
Finale
West Side Story (the film)
West Side Story Reunion
Making of a classic
The Making of West Side Story (1 hr. 20 min.)
"There's a Place For Us . . . "
~ Somewhere
~ Somewhere
Styrous® ~ Monday, September 26, 2017
August 9, 2017
20,000 Vinyl LPs 101: The Gay Life with Barbara Cook
Barbara Cook died yesterday, Tuesday, August 8, 2017. Cook was one of the bastions of Broadway musical singers.
Cook came to prominence in the 1950s. She made her Broadway debut in Flahooley which starred Yma Sumac (1951). She continued performing mostly in theatre until the
mid-1970s, when she began a second career as a cabaret and concert
singer.
During her years as Broadway’s leading ingénue Cook was lauded for her excellent lyric soprano voice. She was particularly admired for her vocal agility, wide range, warm sound, and emotive interpretations. As she aged her voice took on a darker quality, even in her head voice, that was less prominent in her youth.
During her years as Broadway’s leading ingénue Cook was lauded for her excellent lyric soprano voice. She was particularly admired for her vocal agility, wide range, warm sound, and emotive interpretations. As she aged her voice took on a darker quality, even in her head voice, that was less prominent in her youth.
The Gay Life ~ Barbara Cook
vinyl LP album back cover
photo by Styrous®
vinyl LP album back cover
photo by Styrous®
Cook was born in Atlanta, Georgia, on October 25, 1927. She began singing at an early age, at the Elks Club. She spent three years after graduating from high school working as a typist.
In 1948, Cook decided to try to find work as an actress in New York. She began to sing at clubs and resorts, eventually procuring an engagement at the Blue Angel club in 1950.
Cook's clear soprano voice enabled her to win the role of Cunegonde in the Leonard Bernstein operetta Candide in 1956. She became famous for the show stopping song, Glitter and Be Gay. Although Candide was not a commercial success, Cook's portrayal of Cunegonde established her as one of Broadway's leading ingenues.
Her two most famous roles after Candide were her Tony Award winning portrayal of Marian the Librarian in the Meredith Willson 1957 hit The Music Man and as Amalia Balash in the 1962 Jerry Bock-Sheldon Harnick musical She Loves Me.
Barbara Cook as Cunegonde, Candide - 1956
Her two most famous roles after Candide were her Tony Award winning portrayal of Marian the Librarian in the Meredith Willson 1957 hit The Music Man and as Amalia Balash in the 1962 Jerry Bock-Sheldon Harnick musical She Loves Me.
In 1994, Cook was inducted into the American Theatre Hall of Fame. In 1997, she celebrated her 70th birthday by giving a concert at Albert Hall in London with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in November, joined by performers including Elaine Stritch and Maria Friedman. The Times
reviewer noted: "The world is usually divided into actresses who try to
sing and singers who try to act. Cook is one of the few performers who
manage to combine the best of both traditions, as she reminded us in It Might as Well be Spring by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II - and, at the close, in her encore of the Bock and Harnick song, Ice Cream."
On October 22, 2007, Cook sang at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts with the Fort Lauderdale Gay Men's Chorus
in the chorus's concert entitled "An Evening With Barbara Cook". Upon
completion of the concert, an almost full house greeted her with a round
of Happy Birthday in honor of her impending 80th birthday, which, on December 2, 2007, she celebrated belatedly in the UK with a concert at the Coliseum Theatre in London's West End.
As she entered her ninth decade, Cook performed in two sold-out concerts with the New York Philharmonic at Lincoln Center in 2007.
On April 12, 2011, Cook appeared with James Taylor, Bette Midler and Sting, at Carnegie Hall for a gala called "Celebrating 120 Years of Carnegie Hall".
At the time of her death, Cook was widely recognized as one of the
"premier interpreters" of musical theatre songs and standards, in
particular the songs of composer Stephen Sondheim.
Her subtle and sensitive interpretations of American popular song
continued to earn high praise even into her eighties. She was named an
honoree at the 2011 Kennedy Center Honors.
Cook died from respiratory failure yesterday, August 8, 2017 at her Manhattan home. She was 89 years old. The marquee lights of the Broadway theaters will be dimmed for one minute in tribute to Cook, tonight, August 9.
The Gay Life is a musical with a book by Fay and Michael Kanin, lyrics by Howard Dietz, and music by Arthur Schwartz.
Based on a cycle of seven short plays by Arthur Schnitzler, published in 1893 and first staged in 1910, The Gay Life focuses on womanizing playboy Anatol Von Huber. The score is a mixture of traditional Broadway show tunes and operetta.
Tracklist:
Side 1:
A1 – Herbert Greene Overture
A2 – The Gay Life Ensemble What A Charming Couple
A3 – Jeanne Bal Why Go Anywhere At All?
A4 – Jules Munshin Bring Your Darling Daughter
A5 – Walter Chiari, Jules Munshin Now I'm Ready For A Frau
A6 – Barbara Cook Magic Moment
A7 – Walter Chiari, Barbara Cook Who Can? You Can!
A8 – The Gay Life Ensemble Oh, Mein Liebchen
A9 – Barbara Cook The Label On The Bottle
Side 2:
B1 – Walter Chiari, Barbara Cook This Kind Of Girl
B2 – Jules Munshin The Bloom Is Off The Rose
B3 – Walter Chiari, Jules Munshin I'm Glad I'm Single
B4 – Barbara Cook Something You Never Had Before
B5 – Jules Munshin, Lu Leonard, Loring Smith You Will Never Be Lonely
B6 – Walter Chiari, Barbara Cook You're Not The Type
B7 – Elizabeth Allen Come A-Wandering With Me
B8 – Walter Chiari, Jules Munshin I Never Had A Chance
B9 – Barbara Cook I Wouldn't Marry You
B? – Walter Chiari And For The First Time
B10 – The Gay Life Ensemble Finale
Credits:
Conductor – Herbert Greene
Lyrics By – Arthur Schwartz, Howard Dietz
Music By – Arthur Schwartz, Howard Dietz
Notes:
Capitol Full Dimensional Stereo
Walter Chiari, Barbara Cook, Jules Munshin – The Gay Life (Original Broadway Cast)
Label: Capitol Records – SWAO 1560
Format: vinyl LP, Stereo, gatefold
Country: US
Released: 1961
Genre: Stage & Screen
Style: Musical
Side 1:
A1 – Herbert Greene Overture
A2 – The Gay Life Ensemble What A Charming Couple
A3 – Jeanne Bal Why Go Anywhere At All?
A4 – Jules Munshin Bring Your Darling Daughter
A5 – Walter Chiari, Jules Munshin Now I'm Ready For A Frau
A6 – Barbara Cook Magic Moment
A7 – Walter Chiari, Barbara Cook Who Can? You Can!
A8 – The Gay Life Ensemble Oh, Mein Liebchen
A9 – Barbara Cook The Label On The Bottle
Side 2:
B1 – Walter Chiari, Barbara Cook This Kind Of Girl
B2 – Jules Munshin The Bloom Is Off The Rose
B3 – Walter Chiari, Jules Munshin I'm Glad I'm Single
B4 – Barbara Cook Something You Never Had Before
B5 – Jules Munshin, Lu Leonard, Loring Smith You Will Never Be Lonely
B6 – Walter Chiari, Barbara Cook You're Not The Type
B7 – Elizabeth Allen Come A-Wandering With Me
B8 – Walter Chiari, Jules Munshin I Never Had A Chance
B9 – Barbara Cook I Wouldn't Marry You
B? – Walter Chiari And For The First Time
B10 – The Gay Life Ensemble Finale
Credits:
Conductor – Herbert Greene
Lyrics By – Arthur Schwartz, Howard Dietz
Music By – Arthur Schwartz, Howard Dietz
Notes:
Capitol Full Dimensional Stereo
Walter Chiari, Barbara Cook, Jules Munshin – The Gay Life (Original Broadway Cast)
Label: Capitol Records – SWAO 1560
Format: vinyl LP, Stereo, gatefold
Country: US
Released: 1961
Genre: Stage & Screen
Style: Musical
Net links:
Barbara Cook ~
Discography
Stage work
NPR ~ My First Memories Are Of Singing (audio interview)
Variety obit
Playbill obit
Washington Post obit
LA Times obit
YouTube links:
Magic Moment (The Gay Life)
Something You Never Had Before (The Gay Life)
The Label On The Bottle
Glitter and Be Gay (Candide)
Barbara Cook on Candide: Auditioning for Bernstein
PBS ~ An Evening with Barbara Cook (54 min)
Barbara Cook on The Dick Cavett Show, 1982 (28 min)
photo by Mike Martin
Styrous® ~ Tuesday, August 9, 2017
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)