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Kritzerland is proud to present a new musical theatre album:
BEN BAGLEY’S LEONARD BERNSTEIN REVISITED
Music by Leonard Bernstein
Lyrics by Comden and Green, John LaTouche, Richard Wibur, Alan Jay Lerner, and Leonard Bernstein
Featuring Nell Carter, Estelle Parsons, John Reardon, Chita Rivera, Arthur Siegel, and Jo Sullivan
Ben Bagley’s Leonard Bernstein Revisited is another delightful entry in the Revisited series.
For Leonard Bernstein Revisited, Bagley assembled his usual eclectic group of singers, including Nell Carter, Estelle Parsons, John Reardon (who worked with Bernstein on the 1961 recording of On the Town, and the recording of Songfest/Chichester Psalms), Chita Rivera, Arthur Siegel, and Jo Sullivan. The arrangements were mostly by Bagley’s frequent collaborator, Dennis Deal.
The album includes cut songs from Wonderful Town, including its original opening number that was cut out of town, and other rarities from 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue and Candide, as well as assorted other pieces.
The album came out on CD in 1989, and, as with most of the Bagley CDs, the mastering was perfunctory. As we’ve done with the other albums in this series, we have considerably spruced up the sound. For almost all the other CDs in the series, Bagley went into the studio and recorded bonus material to fill out the CD length. But not in the cast of Leonard Bernstein Revisited, which clocks in at just over forty-one minutes. So, we’ve taken the liberty of including three bonus tracks from the purported London cast album of West Side Story, the one starring Bruce Trent and purportedly George Chakiris – but there is some confusion as to what that album actually was – most likely a studio cast album and whether George Chakiris is actually on the album is anyone’s guess. So, from that we’ve chosen the “Overture,” the “Ballet Sequence (“Somewhere”),” and “The Rumble,” just to present that marvelous Bernstein music in that fun stereo sound.
LEONARD BERNSTEIN REVISITED is limited to 500 copies only and priced at $19.98, plus shipping. CDs will ship by the last week of July, but never fear, we’ve actually been averaging three to five weeks early in terms of shipping ahead of the official ship date. To place an order, see the cover, or hear audio samples, just visit www.kritzerland.com.
And
Kritzerland is proud to present another in its series of classical releases, the music of one of the greatest of all African-American composers:
WILLIAM GRANT STILL
LENOX AVENUE
also featuring Suite for Violin and Orchestra and other pieces
Conducted by William Grant Still, Howard Barlow, and Henry Svedrofsky
Featuring Louis Kaufman, violin
William Grant Still’s musical life was possibly richer and more varied than any other American composer. He learned the value of his ethnic heritage as a child and later became involved in the intricacies of jazz and blues as well as show music. He was gifted with a great talent for melody, a gift well evidenced by the variety of work contained on this CD.
Lenox Avenue, for narrator, orchestra, and singers, is perhaps the most remarkable of Still’s works since it brought together so many of the elements that characterized his output. Originally commissioned by CBS Radio in 1937, it was transformed into a stage work the following year and given its premiere by the Dance Theatre of Los Angeles. Lenox Avenue is pure Americana and a piece that had great influence. The performance on this disc is from 1938 with the CBS Symphony Orchestra conducted by Howard Barlow, with narration by the wonderful actor Juano Hernandez. Also, included is the very rare orchestral version without narration, and it is equally wonderful. That performance is conducted by William Grant Still himself.
Among the most important associations in the career of William Grant Still was his long friendship with the renowned American violinist, Louis Kaufman. Featured on this CD are several pieces commissioned and specifically written for Kaufman, including the wonderful Suite for Violin and Orchestra.
Portions of this album were first released in 1991 on the Bay Cities label. The broadcast of Lenox Avenue was taken from acetates and at that time as much as could be done to clean up the sound was done, which, unhappily, wasn’t really much. However, here it is, 2018, and we’re blessed with Chris Malone, who has done wonders with both the original version of Lenox Avenue, as well as the broadcast version from 1937 of the orchestral version. Both now sound as good as they’re ever going to.
William Grant Still was an American original and a truly important figure in American music.
William Grant Still – Lenox Avenue is limited to 500 copies only and priced at $19.98, plus shipping. CDs will ship by the last week of July , but never fear, we’ve actually been averaging three to five weeks early in terms of shipping ahead of the official ship date. To place an order, see the cover, or hear audio samples, just visit www.kritzerland.com.
ATTENTION INDIEGOGO CONTRIBUTORS: WE ARE DOWN TO THE LAST FEW PEOPLE, SO FROM HERE ON IN IF YOU’D LIKE A CD YOU MUST OPT-IN BY SENDING AN E-MAIL TO KRITZERLAND@GMAIL.COM. PLEASE DO NOT SEND US AN E-MAIL IF YOU ARE DONE WITH YOUR PERK LEVEL. IF YOU ARE UNSURE, THEN ASK BEFORE OPTING IN, PLEASE.
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