Bridge Records is releasing The Stuyvesant String Quartet in Concert at The Library of Congress. Recorded December 30, 1946, it is the only complete live concert performance of the Quartet known to exist and includes works of Dohnányi and Dvořák not commercially recorded by the Quartet, and the Prokofiev Opus 50 which they recorded for Columbia Records in 1941. Remastered by Brian Peters, with notes by annotator Laurie Shulman and producer Jay Shulman. (Bridge 9607).
Artek Recordings has released Laura Newell: The Philharmonia Recordings, which includes the 1951 recordings of Bax, Ibert and Malipiero with the Stuyvesant Quartet and her 1953 solo album with works of Casella, Respighi and Donizetti. (Artek AR-0067-2). Amazon
Bridge Records has released The Tattooed Stranger: The Film Music of Alan Shulman the scores Alan composed for R.K.O. 1945-1949 including the documentaries Tennessee Valley Authority, Freedom and Famine, Port of New York, and an excerpt from Behind Your Radio Dial. Notes by Jay Shulman. (Bridge 9560) The Tattooed Stranger Alan Shulman BRIDGE 9560-Bridge Records
Warner Archive has released on DVD the 1950 RKO police procedural The Tattooed Stranger with Alan Schulman’s (sic) exciting film score. Shot on location in New York City, this 64 minute whodunit has never been available in any format. Amazon
It has come to our attention that a Stuyvesant String Quartet CD of Bloch and Shostakovich is being offered on Amazon by Stop Poverty Records purporting to help African people in need. This is an unauthorized CD which we believe to be suspicious and have reported to Amazon. The recordings are available elsewhere.
The Stuyvesant Quartet’s 1947 recording of the Brahms Clarinet Quintet with Al Gallodoro, and their celebrated 1951 recordings of the Mozart D-Major Quartets, K. 499 & 575, have been reissued on Bridge Records (9397) Copies may be ordered from us at $18 postpaid; or from Bridge Records. Lloyd Schwartz’s NPR Fresh Air review is here.
Albany Records has released cellist Wesley Baldwin’s recording of Alan Shulman: Works for Cello (Troy 1187). The CD includes the first new recording of the Concerto for Violoncello, with the Hot Springs Festival Orchestra conducted by Jean Reis, as well as the premiere recordings of Homage to Erik Satie, Serenade, Lament, Lament II, and Suite for Solo Cello, and Suite for the Young Cellist. Amazon
Out of print for more than 75 years, The New Friends of Rhythm recordings have long been favorites of Alan Shulman fans. These sought-after recordings, unavailable since the 78 era, were released in 2007 on Hep Records. The CD, remastered by Doug Pomeroy with notes by Jay Shulman, includes the complete instrumental commercial recordings, plus rare broadcast air checks. Amazon
For many years Alan Shulman’s arrangements were unavailable on compact disc. Fortunately, a number of recent CD reissues are now available from Amazon:
- Irene Kral: The Band And I & SteveIreneO! (Fresh Sound 626) Amazon
- Barbara McNair: Front Row Center (Sepia 1148) Amazon
Essential Media Group has digitally remastered The Poliakin Orchestra’s Irving Berlin – Great Man of American Music, which includes three classic Alan Shulman arrangements, The Girl That I Marry, Say It Isn’t So, and Let’s Face the Music and Dance. Amazon
Alan’s arrangement of Harold Arlen’s Over The Rainbow is also available on Poliakin’s Rodgers/Arlen disc. Both are available for the first time on CD since their 1960 release on Everest Records. Amazon
Maxine Sullivan’s “Le Ruban Bleu” with The New Friends of Rhythm playing Alan Shulman’s 1947 arrangements (Baldwin Street 303) Amazon
Artie Shaw: The ‘Artistry’ of Artie Shaw (Hep 78) (Rendezvous, Mood in Question and Alan’s arrangement of I Concentrate on You. Amazon
Risë Stevens: Dearly Beloved (Flare 256) has several of Alan’s arrangements done around the time he taught orchestration to Nelson Riddle. http://www.webfantastic.co.uk/Flare/roycd256.html
Amazon also has Risë’s out-of-print The Pop Side (Collectors Choice) from the same 1945-47 session in outstanding studio sound. All but the Berlin songs are Alan’s arrangements. Amazon
Leo Reisman’s Puttin’ on the Ritz (Flare 254) has Alan’s first recorded arrangement of Lost in a Fog, recorded for Brunswick in 1934. Amazon
Bridge Records has released Rey de la Torre, historic recordings by the Cuban-born master that were originally recorded for Philharmonia Records and have long been unavailable. Included are the first LP recording of the Boccherini Fandango Quintet with the Stuyvesant Quartet, unavailable since its original release in 1951, and Rey’s popular Music for the Spanish Guitar recorded in 1952 and reissued as a Nonesuch Records LP in the 1960s. Notes by Rey’s student Anthony Weller, and a history of the Stuyvesant Quartet by Jay Shulman. Remastering by Brian C. Peters. Bridge Records
Bridge Records has released the second Stuyvesant String Quartet CD. Included are the Philharmonia/Nonesuch Malipiero Rispetti e Strambotti, their celebrated 1951 recordings of the Debussy and Ravel Quartets, and the 1946 radio broadcast premiere of Alan Shulman’s Rendezvous for Clarinet & String Quartet (Rendezvous with Benny) with Benny Goodman. Audio restoration by Brian C. Peters, notes by Laurie Shulman, and an expanded history of the Quartet by Jay Shulman. $18 postpaid by check to Jay Shulman, P.O. Box 602, Claverack, NY 12513 or online at Bridge Records.
Bridge Records released the definitive collection The Music of Alan Shulman, broadcast performances by the NBC Symphony, in June 2002. Included are Theme & Variations, with violist Emanuel Vardi, clarinet virtuoso Al Gallodoro performing Rendezvous, Leonard Bernstein conducting Shulman’s arrangement of Hatikvah, Milton Katims conducting A Nocturne for Strings, and Waltzes for Orchestra, a rare Guido Cantelli performance of A Laurentian Overture, and Don Gillis conducting Minuet for Moderns and The Bop Gavotte. $18.00 postpaid by check to Jay Shulman, P.O. Box 602, Claverack, NY 12513 or online at Bridge Records.
Theme & Variations for Viola has been recorded by the following artists:
- Yizhak Schotten with the Great Lakes Chamber Orchestra, Richard Rosenberg conductor Presto Music Rental materials available from Wise/Schirmer.
- Cathy Basrak with pianist Robert Koenig. American Viola Works. Cedille Records Cathy has performed the ‘T&V’ with the Boston Pops.
- Joseph DePasquale with Angelin Chang, piano. Amazon The 1954 version for viola, strings and harp was written for Joe who performed it with the Zimbler Sinfonietta in Boston and New York.
- Robert Glazer with Gilda Glazer, piano. Amazon
Soprano Danielle Woerner has recorded Song of the Moon Festival in the Woods from The Chinese Nightingale (1934) on her CD Voices of the Valley. Apple order
Tashi’s 1989 recording of Rendezvous with Richard Stoltzman is still available on CD. Amazon
Maureen Hurd’s recording of Rendezvous with pianist Barbara González-Palmer: Amazon