Broadway or the Concert Hall?

 

Essentially, Leroy Anderson's Goldilocks receives an orchestral concert suite, with just a drop of singing.

Even though I am not familiar with the original Broadway album of this show, some of these numbers scream for some singing.

Knowing the song is called Lazy Moon, my mind fills the title into the appropriate music where I assume the words Lazy Moon would go. Why I don't get the sung version as well, whereas I do get a few of the others, is maddening.

For some reason, the last Suite of Carols for woodwinds is pigeon-holed onto this fifth volume, where I think it would have made more sense to have the three vocal/orchestral numbers from Volume 4 instead.

But that is neither here nor there. This last entry seems breezier and lighter than the previous ones, but Anderson's craftsmanship is still apparent, as is his talent for writing earworms.

A review from 2024

The fifth volume is a rather odd conclusion of Naxos’ Leroy Anderson orchestral works set.

This one takes to the Broadway stage with Anderson’s Goldilocks. One senses straight away the composer’s immediately engaging style fits hand-in-hand with musical theatre. Only three of the 13 tracks dedicated to the work use vocals, even if I can hear the need for singing. such as in Lazy Moon. Why the trio of vocal numbers weren’t given an orchestral arranging is beyond me.

But everything here is attractive, and quite different from the other volumes in this set. Even I can’t help but hum Shall I Take My Heart and Go well after hearing its two versions on this recording. Of course you can still get the original cast recording of Goldilocks on Sony, so it is nice to have this different semi-orchestral suite.

The last of Anderson’s trio of Suite of Carols is added to the program, this one for woodwinds. As with all their efforts in this series, the BBC Concert Orchestra sounds splendid.

 Listen on YouTube

 

Works
Goldilocks (35.40+)
Suite of Carols for Woodwinds (10.46)

Performers
Kim Criswell, soprano
William Dazeley, baritone
BBC Concert Orchestra
Leonard Slatkin, conductor

Label: Naxos
Year: 2008
Total Timing: 52.16

 

 

 

Well, if you enjoy Broadway musicals, this will be for you.

For others, I am not so sure. Why not a purely orchestral suite for this set? Why not vocal versions astride the orchestral ones, besides just the one?

Some odd choices show across this whole collection. I guess the point is Leroy Anderson's fine music making, and we still have that here.

 

 

 

 

Find more Leroy Anderson recordings HERE!