PORGY AND BESS Gershwin - rare original cast album 1940 (Decca)

$

115

 “Decca Presents Selections from George Gershwin's Folk Opera, PORGY AND BESS"

 I am pleased to offer this truly historic artifact of increasing value and rarity. For your consideration is this pre-owned record set of George Gershwin's beloved folk opera, Porgy and Bess. The spectacular Art Deco design of the black, white, and orange album cover bespeaks the energy of the Jazz Age and features a striking photograph (by the renowned Vandamm Studio?) of a scene from the original New York production, with African-American cast. The pictorial endpaper portrays the intimacy of the recording sessions.

This album of selections from Porgy and Bess was issued as Decca Album # 145 released in 1940; singing by members of the original 1935 New York Broadway production: Todd Duncan (Porgy), Baritone; Anne Brown (Bess), Soprano, and The Eva Jessye Choir. Decca Records released this volume on 4 twelve-inch 78-rpm vinyl records assigned the numbers 29067, 29068, 29069 and 29070. NOTE: record 29068 in missing from this set but the music from all four records may be enjoyed at no charge from the Internet Archive at http://archive.org/details/GershwinPorgyAndBess

(Sound engineer for transfer and restoration: Bob Varney.)   

The complete set of four records (this sale includes three of those) would include these selections from the Internet Archive collection:

Record 1 (Decca 29067):

       [side A]  Overture & Summertime  

       [side B]  My Man's Gone Now  

Record 2 (Decca 29068 - missing from the album being sold):

       [side A]  I Got Plenty o’ Nuttin’ 

       [side B]  Buzzard’s Song 

Record 3 (Decca 29069):

       [side A]  Bess, You Is My Woman 

       [side B]  It Ain't Necessarily So

Record 4 (Decca 29070):

       [side A]  The Requiem  

       [side B]  Porgy's Lament and Finale  

Condition:

For their age, the nearly 75-year-old original folder and records are in good condition and are represented faithfully by the images above. The three included records have minor scratches and are playable.

Note: Antiques and collectibles are sold “as-is”.

Dimensions (approximate):

Height: 12 1/2"

Width: 14”

Thickness: 1”

Questions will receive my prompt response.

Next USPS business day shipping (FREE) by Media Mail (2-8 days) to U.S. addresses served by the US Postal Service.

Direct pick-up from seller not available.

THANK YOU for your interest in this unique listing!