Masterworks Heritage Edition - Gershwin: Porgy & Bess

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Columbia's 1951 Porgy and Bess set new standards for recorded opera during the LP era's teething stage. Choral, solo, and orchestral forces emerge with three-dimensional clarity that brings you closer to the characters and the story. Sound effects also help, but the rattling dice overstay their welcome. The superb cast not only sings with warmth and flair, but also relishes their words to the point that you need not follow the libretto. Lehman Engel moves things along nicely, but sometimes whips up tempos at climaxes, Broadway style. The word "complete" graces the CD jacket, so you won't learn about the cuts unless you listen with score or read the booklet notes. --Jed Distler

Tracks:

Porgy & Bess: Act I, Scene 1: Introduction
Porgy & Bess: Act I, Scene 1: Summertime (Clara) (Sportin' Life) (Serena)
Porgy & Bess: Act I, Scene 1: Seems Like These Bones
Porgy & Bess: Act I, Scene 1: What, That Chile Ain't Asleep Yet? (Sportin' Life)
Porgy & Bess: Act I, Scene 1: Here Comes De Honey Man (Porgy) (Serena) (Sportin' Life)
Porgy & Bess: Act I, Scene 1: Here Comes Big Boy (Crown) (Serena) (Bess) (Porgy) (Sportin' Life)
Porgy & Bess: Act I, Scene 1: Oh Little Stars, Little Stars (Porgy) (Bess) (Serena) (Crown) (Sportin' Life)
Porgy & Bess: Act I, Scene 1: Wake Up An' Hit It Out (Bess) (Crown) (Sportin' Life) (Porgy)
Porgy & Bess: Act I, Scene 2: Where Is Brudder Robbins?...(Gone, Gone, Gone) (Chorus) (Crown) (Sportin' Life) (Porgy)
Porgy & Bess: Act I, Scene 2: Come On, Sister, Come On, Brother...(Overflow) (Chorus) (Serena) (Bess)
Porgy & Bess: Act I, Scene 2: Um! A Saucer-Burying Setup (Serena) (Porgy) (Chorus)
Porgy & Bess: Act I, Scene 2: My Man's Gone Now (Serena) (Chorus)
Porgy & Bess: Act I, Scene 2: How De Saucer Stan' Now, My Sister? (Serena) (Porgy)
Porgy & Bess: Act I, Scene 2: Oh The Train Is At The Station...(Leavin' For The Promise' Lan') (Bess) (Chorus)
Porgy & Bess: Act II, Scene 1: Oh, I'm A-Goin' Out To The Blackfish Banks (It Takes A Long Pull To Get There)
Porgy & Bess: Act II, Scene 1: Mus' Be You Mens Forgot About De Picnic (Clara)
Porgy & Bess: Act II, Scene 1: I Got Plenty O' Nuttin' (Porgy) (Serena)
Porgy & Bess: Act II, Scene 1: Mornin', Lawyer (Porgy) (Bess) (Chorus)
Porgy & Bess: Act II, Scene 1: Dey's A Buckra Comin' (Serena) (Clara) (Porgy)
Porgy & Bess: Act II, Scene 1: Look Out, Dat's A Buzzard! (The Buzzard Song) (Porgy) (Chorus)
Porgy & Bess: Act II, Scene 1: 'Lo Bess. Goin' To The Picnic? (Sportin' Life) (Bess) (Porgy)
Porgy & Bess: Act II, Scene 1: Bess, You Is My Woman Now (Porgy) (Bess)
Porgy & Bess: Act II, Scene 1: Oh, I Can't Sit Down (Chorus)
Porgy & Bess: Act II, Scene 1: What Is De Matter Wid You, Sister? (Bess) (Porgy)

Tracks:

Porgy & Bess: Act II, Scene 2: Ha-da-da, Ha-da-da
Porgy & Bess: Act II, Scene 2: It Ain't Necessarily So (Sportin' Life) (Chorus)
Porgy & Bess: Act II, Scene 2: Hey There! Holt Yo' Holt
Porgy & Bess: Act II, Scene 2: Oh, What You Want Wid Bess (Bess)
Porgy & Bess: Act II, Scene 2: Lemme Go, Hear Dat Boat (Bess) (Crown)
Porgy & Bess: Act II, Scene 3: Honey, Dat's All De Breakfast I Got Time For (Bess) (Porgy) (Serena)
Porgy & Bess: Act II, Scene 3: Oh, Doctor Jesus (Serena) (Porgy)
Porgy & Bess: Act II, Scene 3: Oh, Dey's So Fresh An' Fine...(Porgy)
Porgy & Bess: Act II, Scene 3: Now De Time, Oh, Gawd (Porgy) (Bess)
Porgy & Bess: Act II, Scene 3: If Dere Warn't No Crown, Bess...(I Loves You Porgy) (Porgy) (Bess)
Porgy & Bess: Act II, Scene 3: Why You Been Out On That Wharf So Long, Clara? (Clara)
Porgy & Bess: Act II, Scene 4: Oh, De Lawd Shake De Heavens (Summertime) (Chorus) (Porgy) (Clara) (Serena) (Sportin' Life) (Bess)
Porgy & Bess: Act II, Scene 4: You Is A Nice Parcel Of Christmas (Crown) (Serena) (Bess) (Porgy)
Porgy & Bess: Act II, Scene 4: How 'Bout Dis One, Big Frien'? (A Red Headed Woman) (Crown) (Chorus)
Porgy & Bess: Act II, Scene 4: Jake's Boat, In De River (Bess) (Clara) (Crown) (Porgy)
Porgy & Bess: Act III, Scene 1: Clara, Clara (Chorus)
Porgy & Bess: Act III, Scene 1: You Low-Lived Skunk (Sportin' Life)
Porgy & Bess: Act III, Scene 1: Summertime (Bess) (Porgy)
Porgy & Bess: Act III, Scene 2: Wait For Us At The Corner, Al (Serena) (Porgy)
Porgy & Bess: Act III, Scene 2: Oh, Gawd! They Goin' Make Him Look On Crown's Face! (Bess) (Sportin' Life)
Porgy & Bess: Act III, Scene 2: There's A Boat That's Leavin' Soon For New York (Sportin Life) (Bess)
Porgy & Bess: Act III, Scene 3: Good Mornin', Sistuh! Good Mornin', Brudder (Chorus)
Porgy & Bess: Act III, Scene 3: It's Porgy Comin' Home (Porgy) (Chorus)
Porgy & Bess: Act III, Scene 3: Oh, Bess! Where Is My Bess (Porgy) (Serena)
Porgy & Bess: Act III, Scene 3: Bess Is Gone (Porgy) (Serena)
Porgy & Bess: Act III, Scene 3: I'm On My Way...(Oh, Lawd, I'm On My Way) (Porgy) (Chorus)

Amazon.com

Columbia's 1951 Porgy and Bess set new standards for recorded opera during the LP era's teething stage. Choral, solo, and orchestral forces emerge with three-dimensional clarity that brings you closer to the characters and the story. Sound effects also help, but the rattling dice overstay their welcome. The superb cast not only sings with warmth and flair, but also relishes their words to the point that you need not follow the libretto. Lehman Engel moves things along nicely, but sometimes whips up tempos at climaxes, Broadway style. The word "complete" graces the CD jacket, so you won't learn about the cuts unless you listen with score or read the booklet notes. --Jed Distler

Customer Reviews:

Flawed Recording of a MASTERPIECE.......2006-09-24

Porgy and Bess is unarguably the Greatest American Opera. There are two viable performance editions, what Gershwin wrote, complete, absolutely NO CUTS ALLOWED (see Houstan Grand Opera recording on RCA) and what Gershwin sanctioned for cuts for the original Broadway run, recently recorded by John Maucieri. This recording is neither of these, it is based on the complete score with major cuts. These cuts do serious damage to the piece. So do the cuts that Gershwin sanctioned for Broadway, but at least the composer was involved with the cuts. What Gershwin wrote was a grand opera on the scale of the smaller Wagner operas with more arias and set pieces. When it is cut, the rich tapestry of life on Catfish row suffers and the focus shifts to the Porgy--Bess--Crown relationship with Sportin Life as a major observer. With all that said, this is a great recording, with each and every singer magnificently portraying their characters. These are great artists who should have had major careers but with color bariers on all the major opera houses, it was not to be. How I wish these artists had recorded the work, complete or at least with fewer devistating cuts. How I long to hear Helen Dowdy sing Struttin Style. This was what was being performed as Porgy and Bess in the 1950s. THANK GOD we know better now. Still a worthwhile recording for the principals who lived in these roles for many years. I grew up with it, and it sits proudly on my shelf next to Houston Grand Opera and Glynborne, all important versions.

A Vividly theatrical recording.......2005-02-20

This album was a labour of love for Goddard Lieberson at Columbia records. And a daring pospect too: an expensive 3 - record set of Gershwin's folk opera. Well cast and recorded with vivid theatricality, the was in fact the only complete version of PORGY in circulation until 1976 when both London and RCa offered new note complete versions that restored much of the score Gershwin was forced to cut between the Boston premiere and the opening night on Broadway. (The RCA set taken from the Houston Grand Opera production is the one to get. No other PORGY before or since can touch it.)

This older album preserves the edited text (but does restore "The Buzzard Song.") The edits actually make the whole thing flow faster and make for a very enjoyable listening experience. The cast, chorus and orchestra are all first rate. The sound is pretty good considering the limitations of mono recording in 1951. Strangely, as of this writing the set appears to be deleted.

There are also a variety of Jazz interpretations. A strange album with Mel Torme and Frances Faye on Bethlehem, a highly prized album with Lena Horne and Harry Belafonte, and albums by Sammy Davis Jr and Caremen MacRae, Ella Fitzgerald, and Miles Davis.

Sammy Davis also appeared in the 1959 Samual Goldwyn film version with Sidney Poitier and Dorthy Dandridge. The film was withdrawn from circulation by the Gershwin estate in 1974 and has rarely been seen since. The Columbia Records "soundtrack" album was briefly available from SONY on CD but it too has been withdrawn. (Strangely, contract problems prevented Sammy Davis Jr from appearing on that album and his songs were redone for the record by Cab Calloway!) It is still the preferred version of "highlights" from the score for many listeners who enjoy the well-sung program and lush orchestrations.

"Masterwork" Tells the Tale.......2004-07-01

Plenty of old stage and soundtrack recordings for sale. However, this one is unique in that it was created for the "ear" as a sound recording and not taken from a Broadway or screen performance. Printed support materials enhance your immediate enjoyment of this work, even for those previously unaquainted with the Porgy & Bess story. Consider this was recorded in 1951, and it is a further testament to the technical and artistic expertise that went into its' making.

An American opera's authentic voice.......2002-12-22

Regardless of its age and numerous technical drawbacks, this is probably the definitive treatment of Porgy and Bess. Several of the featured singers were in the original production, and the quality of their work has not diminished. Most important, it is presented as a piece of theater, not a multi-voiced concert. It is a drama, perhaps a tragedy, with emotional depth and developed characters. While adpatations were made from the original score, these changes were penned by Ira Gershwin himself. The vulnerable masculinity of Porgy is perfectedly captured; and Camilla Williams as Bess is nothing short of exquisite. Warren Coleman (one of the original cast) has a power and rawness that has yet to be matched. Undoubtedly, the crime of the performance is the times in which the recording was produced. The soloists and voices were among the finest in America; and all were denied their proper due and opportunities because of pervasive racism. Prohibited from performing in other operas, they at least come fully into their own in this hallmark recording.

GLORIOUS.......2002-07-24

Every one of the Masterworks Heritage CD's I've bought are more than just worthwhile. First, the artwork in the enclosed booklets is from the original releases; then, of course, the historical magic of these recordings works like a charm. PORGY AND BESS, arguably the finest American opera ever written and certainly one of the Twentieth Century's most melodic and moving pieces of musical theatre is given a rich treatment in this set of two Sony CD's. Some fans call it a musical comedy and others insist it is a true opera. No matter. With a first-rate cast PORGY AND BESS works well in venues as different as Radio City Music Hall is from the Metropolitan Opera House. I have seen and loved it in both of these places.

The cast of this 1951 studio recording could hardly be bettered: Lawrence Winters and Camilla Williams are wonderful in the title roles and Avon Long practically owns the major supporting role of 'Sportin' Life.' Lehman Engel is for now and always one of the greatest Broadway conductors and the J. Rosamond Johnson Chorus works hard to great effect, singing and acting all of the characters who live in Catfish Row. There are numerous photographs and original designs within the liner notes and even the CD's, themselves, are cleverly made to duplicate the look of the original LP's.

If you've really never heard all of PORGY AND BESS this is a good recording to start with. There are more modern recordings with much better sound (I particularly like the one from Glyndebourne, England on EMI) and this set is obviously abridged, but it has most of the great music from the 'hit tunes' like "Summertime" and "I Got Plenty Of Nuttin'" to the lesser known "Oh, I Can't Sit Down!" and "Ha-da-da, ha-da-da." The score and lyrics by George and Ira Gershwin and Du Bose Hayward work perfectly to make one of the true glories of modern musical theatre. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

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