George Gershwin - The Ultimate Gershwin 4 CD



The Ultimate Gershwin - 4 CD - set

Ripped at 320

I encountered this incredible bargain when I visited a local record store recently. My eyes nearly popped out of my head - four CDs of first rate Gershwin for just under A‚ÂL10!! That's about two thirds the cost of one full- price CD! This collection is of recordings, beautifully refurbished, made in London and New York in the 1920s, 30s and 40s. Here is some idea of the mouth-watering contents:

CD 1 begins with the Rodney Greenberg recommended (in his Phaidon book, "George Gershwin" performance of Rhapsody in Blue (recorded in 1924) with Oscar Levant and Eugene Ormandy conducting the Philadelphia Orchestra. Levant, a brilliant pianist, was a great friend of Gershwin and a marvellous performer of his music. Levant's mordant wit and lugubrious wisecrackings are keenly felt in his refreshingly unsentimental, rather droll interpretation of the Rhapsody. Listening to his rapid-fire, quicksilver playing, seemingly injecting many extra notes into the work and you could swear that there were more than two hands at work here. He is ably supported by an equally trenchant but highly colourful accompaniment from Ormandy. Just listen to that waspish long-held trumpet call.

Levant and Ormandy also collaborate in a recording of the Concerto in F (recorded in 1925). Again they convey a world-weary cynicism, a hard boiled yet not unattractive view of the exciting urban pulse that is New York. Again in the sparkling outer movements, Levant's playing is risky and breathlessly exciting; the orchestra more concerned with the softer, more romantic elements. The Andante is very interesting. This time the nocturne starts as though narrated by a man-about-town; it's a tougher view than the norm. One might then imagine the city waking up at dawn, the violin solo has a steely ring, the trumpet reveille a no-nonsense call to work. Then sentimentality and nostalgia win and the tone softens to music which is that more affecting because of what has gone before.

George Gershwin is heard playing his own three Preludes in his own inimitable style; it is as though he is improvising them for they have freshness and spontaneity. Prelude No.1 is a tango-powered tour-de-force, Prelude No. 2 is a wistful, blues-based nocturne while Prelude 3 is an up-beat, fast-tempo flappers delight.

Gershwin, himself, plays the celeste, in a wonderfully vibrant and amusing 1928 recording of An American in Paris with the Victor Symphony Orchestra under Nat Shilkret. It is perky, alert, confident, delightfully cheeky and full of telling characterisation. This American is really homesick but he is jolted awake by the appearance of a particularly coy and appealing Parisienne who absolutely exudes jungle allure. The percussion here are prominent as if to suggest the impressionable American's thumping heart.

The CD concludes with the Cuban Overture - a colourful evocation of a sultry night's entertainment in Havana by Paul Whiteman and his Concert Orchestra with Rosa Linda (piano) recorded in 1932.

CD 2 is a compilation of 25 songs recorded between 1922 and 1945 all charmingly rendered in the styles of their periods. All are pearls. I would just mention a few. The laid-back Mr Bing Crosby crooning "Somebody Loves Me"; George Gershwin, himself playing "Fascinating Rhythm" to accompany Fred and Adele Astaire; Sophie Tucker's assertive rendition of "The Man I Love"; the extraordinary, inimitable and enormously expressive Whispering Jack Smith singing "Clap Yo' Hands"; Gershwin playing "Someone to Watch Over Me" and "S'Wonderful"; Peggy Lee wondering "How Long Has this Been Going On?"; Judy Garland's radiant singing of "Embraceable You"; and Fred Astaire's wonderf ul, own way with "They All Laughed", "Let's Call the Whole Thing Off" and "Nice Work if You Can Get It."

CD3 is devoted to the Gershwin of the Jazz bands with recordings made between 1928 and 1937. It opens with a shortened version of the Rhapsody in Blue without piano. It is a hoot! 'Totally irreverent and incredibly cheeky and blowsy in the wild style of the 1920s. In short it is hysterical and bloody marvellous. Again we have 25 tracks; most of them little gems. To mention just a few: Fletcher Henderson swinging "Somebody Loves Me" and "Liza", the latter very joyously and infectiously; then Art Tatum (piano) plays "Liza" in contrasting poetic, dreamy mode before he too races off with it at a breathless pace. The incomparable Fats Waller really goes for it in "I Got Rhythm" and Benny Goodman's Trio relaxes with "Lady Be Good"; The Inkspots sharply realise the rhythm of "Slap that Bass" -mmm, mmm, zoom, zoom, zoom; and Tommy Dorsey's ringing and delightfully strident brass sounds out "They All Laughed" while Billy Holiday and her orchestra implore "They Can't Take That Away from Me".

CD4 takes Gershwin and the jazz bands from 1939 up to 1947. I would single out from these 25 tracks: Doris Rhodes singing the slightly risquAf© "Lorelei" with the Joe Sullivan Septet; "The Man I Love" played by the Quintette of the Hot Club of France featuring Stephane Grapelli and Django Reinhardt; Louis Armstrong with that golden trumpet and his gravelly voice rendering "Love Walked In"; The Benny Goodman quartet - wonderful in guess what - "S'Wonderful"; Felix Mendelssohn and his Hawaiian going wild Hawaiian-style for "I Got Rhythm"; and the Art Tatum Trio hotting up and racing away with "Liza."

The debit side is that there are no notes to speak of; just track listing and dates and locations of recordings. But who cares? What does it matter? After all, notes are widely available elsewhere. Verdict: rush, rush out and buy this one before all the copies are snapped up!

Reviewer: Ian Lace

Tracks:

01 Rhapsody In Blue (1924) - Levant, Oscar
02 Preludes For Piano No 1 - Gershwin, George
03 Preludes For Piano No 2 - Gershwin, George
04 Preludes For Piano No 3 - Gershwin, George
05 Concerto In F For Piano And Orchestra I (1925) - Levant, Oscar & The New York Philharmonic
06 Concerto In F For Piano And Orchestra II (1925) - Levant, Oscar & The New York Philharmonic
07 Concerto In F For Piano And Orchestra III (1925) - Levant, Oscar & The New York Philharmonic
08 American In Paris - Gershwin, George & The Victor Symphony Orchestra
09 Cuban Overture - Whiteman, Paul & Rosa Linda
10 Swanee - Jolson, Al
11 I'll Build A Stairway To Paradise - Whiteman, Paul Concert Orchestra
12 Somebody Loves Me (1) - Crosby, Bing
13 Fascinating Rhythm - Gershwin, George & Fred Astaire/Adele Astaire
14 Oh Lady Be Good - Kent, William
15 Man I Love - Tucker, Sophie
16 Clap Your Hands - Smith, 'Whispering' Jack (1)
17 Someone To Watch Over Me - Gershwin, George
18 It's Wonderful (1) - Gershwin, George
19 My One And Only (What Am I Gonna Do) - Smith, 'Whispering' Jack (1)
20 How Long Has This Been Going On - Lee, Peggy & Benny Goodman Orchestra
21 Liza (All The Clouds'll Roll Away) - Jolson, Al
22 Ridin' My Time - Carlyle Cousins
23 Embraceable You - Garland, Judy
24 I Got Rhythm (1) - Nichols, Red & His Five Pennies/Dick Robertson
25 But Not For Me Lee Wiley - Waller, Fats
26 Summertime - Robeson, Paul
27 I Got Plenty O' Nuttin' - Long, Avon
28 They All Laughed - Astaire, Fred
29 Let's Call The Whole Thing Off - Astaire, Fred
30 They Can't Take That Away From Me - Dennis, Denny & Roy Fox
31 Foggy Day - Grantham, Cyril & Geraldo Orchestra
32 Nice Work If You Can Get It - Noble, Ray & His Orchestra/Fred Astaire
33 Love Is Here To Stay - Melachrino, George
34 Love Walked In - Melachrino, George
35 Rhapsody In Blue - Smith, Leroy & His Orchestra
36 Somebody Loves Me - Henderson, Fletcher Orchestra
37 Got Rhythm - Redman, Don & His Orchestra
38 Liza (1) - Henderson, Fletcher Orchestra
39 Liza (2) - Tatum, Art
40 Somebody Loves Me - Rollini, Adrian
41 Lady Be Good (1) - Hawkins, Coleman
42 Lady Be Good (2) - Quintette Du Hot Club De France
43 I Got Rhythm (2) - Waller, Fats & His Rhythm Orchestra
44 I Got Rhythm (3) - Norvo, Red & His Swing Sextet
45 Lady Be Good (3) - Goodman, Benny Trio
46 It's Wonderful (2) - Trumbouer, Frank & His Orchestra
47 Lady Be Good (4) - Jones-Smith Inc.
48 I Got Rhythm (4) - Dorsey, Jimmy & His Orchestra
49 They All Laughed - Dorsey, Tommy & His Orchestra
50 They Can't Take That Away From Me - Holiday, Billie & Her Orchestra
51 Slap The Bass - Ink Spots
52 I Got Rhythm (5) - Wells, Dicky
53 Lady Be Good (5) - Wells, Dicky
54 Liza (4) - Goodman, Benny Quartet
55 Somebody Loves Me - Carter, Benny & His Orchestra
56 I Got Rhythm (6) - Freeman, Bud Trio
57 Lady Be Good (6) - Slim & Slam
58 Liza (5) - Webb, Chick & His Orchestra
59 Love Walked In (2) - Armstrong, Louis & His Orchestra
60 It's Wonderful - Goodman, Benny Quartet
61 Lady Be Good - Basie, Count & His Orchestra
62 Summertime - Bechet, Sidney Quintet
63 Man I Love - Quintette Du Hot Club De France
64 Lady Be Good (7) - Shaw, Artie & His Orchestra
65 Do It Again - Calloway, Cab & His Orchestra
66 Man I Love - Quintette Du Hot Club De France
67 Lorelei - Rhodes, Doris & The Joe Sullivan Sentet
68 I Got Rhythm (7) - Mendelssohn, Felix & His Hawaiian Serenaders
69 Lady Be Good (8) - Wilson, Teddy & His Orchestra
70 Lady Be Good (9) - Bechet, Sidney & His New Orleans Feetwarmers
71 I Got Rhythm (8) - Metronome All Star Leaders
72 Tengo Ritmo - Aleman, Oscar
73 Liza - Tatum, Art Trio
74 It's Wonderful - Hawkins, Coleman Quintet
75 Lady Be Good (10) - Bushkin, Joe Sextet
76 It's Wonderful - Condon, Eddie & His Orchestra
77 It's Wonderful - Shaw, Artie & His Orchestra
78 Someone To Watch Over Me - Hawkins, Coleman & His Orchestra
79 Foggy Day - Shaw, Artie & His Orchestra
80 Lady Be Good (11) - Condon, Eddie & His Orchestra
81 Someone To Watch Over Me - Quebec, Ike Swing Seven
82 Somebody Loves Me - Powell, Bud Trio

Kod:
http://rapidshare.com/files/201930393/u101_George_Gershwin_-_The_Ultimate_Gershwin__Disc_1_.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/201937145/u101_George_Gershwin_-_The_Ultimate_Gershwin__Disc_2_.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/202772982/u101_George_Gershwin_-_The_Ultimate_Gershwin__Disc_3_.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/202778370/u101_George_Gershwin_-_The_Ultimate_Gershwin__Disc_4_.rar