Porgy & Bess: High Performance

George Gershwin (Composer), Skitch Henderson (Conductor), Leontyne Price (Performer), William Warfield (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Leontyne Price, William Warfield
• Conductor: Skitch Henderson
• Composer: George Gershwin
• Audio CD (March 9, 1999)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: RCA
• ASIN: B00000I9MJ
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Music
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #18,691 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #4 in Music > Classical > Opera & Vocal > Divas > Price, Leontyne
  • #65 in Music > Classical > Opera & Vocal > Operettas

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

RCA's 1963 highlights disc brought the stars of the early-1950s revival of the work, Leontyne Price and William Warfield, together again. By this time, however, Price was well advanced on her meteoric rise to operatic stardom and Warfield was gaining renown as a recitalist. Both are glorious here and Price's shimmering "Summertime" is worth the price of the disc. A plus is the spirited Sportin' Life of John W. Bubbles, who created the role in the original 1935 production; an old-time vaudevillian, he wrings fun and irony from his all-too-short excerpts. Henderson conducts with vigor and RCA's "High Performance" sound, when heard on a good system, is remarkable. --Dan Davis

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

76 of 76 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A Desert Island Recording... June 6, 2004

By Henry Mautner

Format:Audio CD

I first heard this recording as a high school student in the '60's, and it changed my life. I later became a New York freelance musician, and worked with Skitch Henderson on occasion... and every time I saw him I was reminded of this performance.

To respond to some of the other reviews... John Bubbles is phenomonal as Sporting Life - he was, after all, the composer's personal choice for the role - and those who quibble that his acting is better than his voice are missing the point: "Porgy and Bess" is, first and foremost, meant to be acted! (And, truth be known, I like his voice...)

Which brings us to the legendary Leontyne Price/William Warfield combination. After listening to this again (and the restored sound is wondrous), I felt that a definition of Hell would be to have to follow Leontyne Price in this - or ANY - role. She owned the role of Bess by the time this recording was made, and her acting and vocal skills are matchless (It's possible that the opening "..Ooooh.." in "What You Want Wit' Bess?" is one of the sexiest and most dramatic ten seconds in the history of recording). William Warfield is not far behind in his portrayal of Porgy - it is beatifully sung, if not as convincingly acted as some of the other characters.

But that said, what makes this recording absolutely matchless - and probably forever - is the playing of the nameless 1960's New York studio musicians who comprise the "RCA Victor Symphony Symphony Orchestra." What they bring to the "pit" is what is missing from virtually every other "Porgy" recording: the innate swagger, confidence, and panache that come from a career of working with one foot firmly in the "symphonic" world and the other firmly in the "commercial" (in New York's, case, Broadway/Jazz) world. It is the equivalent of listening to Johann Strauss performed by the Vienna Philharmonic: unique, absolutely right, and unduplicatable. Unfortunately, it's not just a matter of place, but also time... the environment that nurtured these musicians was soon to disappear, and it's been "Gone, Gone, Gone..." for many years now.

But it lives on in this recording. I played it for a friend of mine not long ago who was unprepared for the experience - I looked at her fifteen minutes into it and there were tears rolling down her cheeks. Mine, too.

45 of 46 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Peerless March 6, 2002

By Charlotte Vale-Allen VINE™ VOICE

Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase

This is my all-time favorite recording of Porgy & Bess. Leontyne Price quite rightly won a Grammy for her performance on this album. John Bubbles is the best Sporting Life I've ever heard; bringing to the role a mischievous energy (and a wonderful sand-papery voice) that is utterly engaging. William Warfield (the father, I believe, of comedian Marsha Warfield) is splendid as Porgy. Although this album isn't the full opera, it offers the best-known numbers; the ones we all know and love. I originally found a cassette of this recording in England, wore the tape right out and just, happily, bought the CD.
Most highly recommended.

27 of 27 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Porgy & Bess-highlights - Leontine Price April 17, 2002

By A Customer

Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase

The beautifull voice and perfect control of Leontine Price and other singers in this cast blend into a perfect performance with the subtly directed music. This recording of main songs from the greatest American opera gives a sheer pleasure to the listener. After a recent hearing of the live opera performance given in 2002 in New York, with the orchestra playing too loud and the voices trying to be louder and struggling with control, coming home and putting on this CD was a wonderfull relief and a reward.