Kitty Carlisle - Song of Norway & Roberta - Edvard Grieg & Jerome Kern

A great bargain, but . . .

After listening to this recording, I revisited Byron Kolln's review and that of Mark Andrew Lawrence of the Decca reissue of ROBERTA, as well as the two reviews of the Decca reissue of SONG OF NORWAY. (This Sepia recording is a duplicate of those two recordings minus THE VAGABOND KING.) Although I'm pleased with the recording, I just can't get very excited about it.

First of all, except for the overture (which includes a robust male chorus singing the merits of their alma mater), this sounds more like a movie soundtrack that a stage musical. The orchestrations are extremely un-Broadway, and Alfred Drake is holding back something fierce. On a couple of ocassions, he allows his magnificent upper register to ring, but most of the time he uses his falsetto for the high notes. The feeling is that he, and Miss Carlisle, are in a movie close-up, where singing full voice would be totally inappropriate.

My first encounter with ROBERTA was probably the April 7, 1952 Railroad Hour broadcast (Nadine Conner opposite Gordon MacRae) or the November 9, 1953 broadcast with Dorothy Kirsten and MacRae. The Railroad Hour orchestra was conducted by Carmen Dragon, and the full-throated chorus was (I believe) the Roger Wagner Chorale. The wimpy orchestra here (except for the overture) is directed by Harry Sosnik; Jeffrey Alexander's chorus is featured on this recording and was probably back-up chorus on a number of 40s and 50s pop recordings.

THE SONG OF NORWAY fares better with me. Here, at least are Broadway voices backed by an orchestra with a real "Broadway" sound. This was the first Robert Wright and George Forest show to reach Broadway, and it had the longest run of any of their shows until GRAND HOTEL. It has some lovely moments; the singers are all excellent; and the orchestra is first-rate. (But I much prefer KISMET and KEAN over this show. I even prefer MAGDALENA, which is based on music by Villa-Lobos.)

Again, the Railroad Hour provided me with my introduction to SONG OF NORWAY. I also remember a wonderful production by the Los Angeles Civic Light Opera somewhere in the 60s. (Yes, I remember the 60s. Does that mean I really wasn't there?) I wish there was a recording of that production or another modern stereo recording. But since these don't exist, I'll have to make do.

Whether you get this recording or the ones on Decca depends on whether or not you want Decca's recording of THE VAGABOND KING. This recording, like a number of others on the Sepia label, is a real bargain.


May 2, 2005

2 superb cast-recordings with Kitty Carlisle

This lovely CD from the UK-based label Sepia comprises 2 cast-recordings with Kitty Carlisle. ROBERTA is the charming musical that catapulted Bob Hope to stardom in the original Broadway production; while SONG OF NORWAY is the fanciful musical-biography of composer Edvard Grieg.

ROBERTA features an impressive lineup of Broadway talent headed by Carlisle and Alfred Drake. The immortal score includes several great standards ("Yesterdays" "Something Had to Happen", "Don't Ask Me Not to Sing" and "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes"). The movie version starring Irene Dunne interpolated the song "Lovely to Look At" into the score.

The performances are superb. Kitty Carlisle sings the score beautifully, and she is more than matched by the full-throated baritone of Alfred Drake.

SONG OF NORWAY features the original Broadway cast augmented by Kitty Carlisle who steps into the role of diva Louisa Giovanni. The score includes "I Love You", "Strange Music" and "Hill of Dreams". Carlisle suits the songs and mood of the piece perfectly.

On the whole, having these 2 recordings (relatively complete and unabridged) on the single disc is well worth the price. September 2, 2003

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