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

| |
CD 1
#TitleRatingLength
1Porgy and Bess: Act I, Scene I. "Introduction: Jasbo Brown Blues"5:20
2Porgy and Bess: Act I, Scene I. "Summertime" - "Oh, nobody knows when the Lawd is goin' to call..." - "I been sweatin' all day"8:46
3Porgy and Bess: Act I, Scene I. "A woman is a sometime thing (Lissen to yo' daddy warn you)"2:01
4Porgy and Bess: Act I, Scene I. "Here come de honey man" - "Here's the ol' crap shark"3:27
5Porgy and Bess: Act I, Scene I. "They pass by singin'" - "Here comes Big Boy!" - "Don't you ever let a woman grieve you"8:46
6Porgy and Bess: Act I, Scene I. "Oh, little stars" - "Touch that money an' meet yo' Gawd!"3:57
7Porgy and Bess: Act I, Scene I. "Wake up an' hit it out" - "That you, Sportin' Life?"4:30
8Porgy and Bess: Act I, Scene II. "Gone, gone, gone (Where is brudder Robbins?)"
mezzo-soprano vocals:
Barbara Conrad (American operatic mezzo-soprano)
orchestra:
The Cleveland Orchestra
conductor:
Lorin Maazel (conductor)
recorded at:
Masonic Auditorium in Cleveland, Ohio, United States (in 1975-08)
recording of:
Porgy and Bess: Act I, Scene II. “Gone, gone, gone (Where is brudder Robbins?)”
lyricist:
Ira Gershwin and DuBose Heyward
composer:
George Gershwin (composer) (from 1934 until 1935)
part of:
Porgy and Bess: Act I, Scene II
3:40
9Porgy and Bess: Act I, Scene II. "Overflow, overflow" - "Gawd got plenty of money for de saucer"
bass-baritone vocals:
Willard White (bass-baritone)
choir vocals:
The Cleveland Orchestra Chorus
mezzo-soprano vocals:
Barbara Conrad (American operatic mezzo-soprano) and Florence Quivar (mezzo soprano)
orchestra:
The Cleveland Orchestra
conductor:
Lorin Maazel (conductor)
recorded at:
Masonic Auditorium in Cleveland, Ohio, United States (in 1975-08)
recording of:
Porgy and Bess: Act I, Scene II. “Overflow, overflow” – “Gawd got plenty of money for de saucer”
lyricist:
Ira Gershwin and DuBose Heyward
composer:
George Gershwin (composer) (from 1934 until 1935)
part of:
Porgy and Bess: Act I, Scene II
2:54
10Porgy and Bess: Act I, Scene II. "Um! A saucer-burial setup, I see"3:36
11Porgy and Bess: Act I, Scene II. "My man's gone now" - "How de saucer stan' now, my sister?"6:19
12Porgy and Bess: Act I, Scene II. "Headin' for the Promis' Lan'"
soprano vocals:
Leona Mitchell (soprano)
orchestra:
The Cleveland Orchestra
conductor:
Lorin Maazel (conductor)
recorded at:
Masonic Auditorium in Cleveland, Ohio, United States (in 1975-08)
recording of:
Porgy and Bess: Act I, Scene II. “Headin’ for the Promis’ Lan’”
lyricist:
Ira Gershwin and DuBose Heyward
composer:
George Gershwin (composer) (from 1934 until 1935)
part of:
Porgy and Bess: Act I, Scene II
4:43
CD 2
#TitleRatingLength
1Porgy and Bess: Act II, Scene I. "It takes a long pull to get there"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:
Masonic Auditorium 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'"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:
Masonic Auditorium 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:
Masonic Auditorium 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:
Masonic Auditorium 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:
Masonic Auditorium 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!..."9:33
9Porgy and Bess: Act II, Scene II. "Oh, what you want wid Bess?"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"4:37
11Porgy and Bess: Act II, Scene III. "Oh, Doctor Jesus"2:21
12Porgy and Bess: Act II, Scene III. "Oh dey's so fresh an' fine" - "I'm talkin' about devil crabs"3:20
13Porgy and Bess: Act II, Scene III. "Porgy, Porgy, dat you there"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:
Masonic Auditorium 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"2:29
CD 3
#TitleRatingLength
1Porgy and Bess: Act II, Scene IV. "Oh, Doctor Jesus"2:23
2Porgy and Bess: Act II, Scene IV. "Oh, de Lawd shake de heavens" - "One of dese mornings you goin' to rise up singin'"4:03
3Porgy and Bess: Act II, Scene IV. "Oh, dere's somebody knockin' at de do'" - "You is a nice parcel of Christians..."5:11
4Porgy and Bess: Act II, Scene IV. "A red-headed woman" - "Jake's boat in de river" - "Oh, Doctor Jesus"5:41
5Porgy and Bess: Act III, Scene I. "Clara, Clara, don't you be downhearted" - "Crown, Crown, don't you..." - "Summertime"6:33
6Porgy and Bess: Act III, Scene I. Interlude (Death of Crown)2:28
7Porgy and Bess: Act III, Scene II. Introduction - "Wait for us at the corner, Al" - "What is your name?"6:23
8Porgy and Bess: Act III, Scene II. "You've got to go, Porgy" - "Oh, Gawd! They goin' make him look"3:23
9Porgy and Bess: Act III, Scene II. "There's a boat dat's leavin'"3:59
10Porgy and Bess: Act III, Scene III. Introduction3:30
11Porgy and Bess: Act III, Scene III. "Good mornin', sistuh!" - "Thank Gawd I's home again!"2:49
12Porgy and Bess: Act III, Scene III. "Dem white folks sure ain't put nuthin'"5:38
13Porgy and Bess: Act III, Scene III. "Oh Bess, oh where's my Bess"2:30
14Porgy and Bess: Act III, Scene III. "Bess is gone"1:43
15Porgy and Bess: Act III, Scene III. "Oh Lawd, I'm on my way"1:36

Credits

Release

librettist:DuBose Heyward