steviefromalaska
01-24-2016, 10:03 PM
In the early 1970s the results of a poll indicated that most Americans considered US built automobiles to be inferior in quality compared to foreign
made vehicles. Rather than seeing this as a wakeup call to build higher quality cars, the UAW, in concert with the US auto makers, responded by launching a 30
million dollar campaign designed to strongly imply a perceived improvement in quality when in fact it was just business as usual. The major American record
labels faced a similar reality due to their complete abandonment of any sort of quality control in the 1960s through the 1970s, which led to many record stores
in major retail markets carrying superior imported pressings of American recordings, in addition to carrying the inferior American pressings of the same
product (parallel imports), to give customers a more expensive, but highly more desirable choice. You would think that this would send a message to the
American labels that they should make an effort to improve their pressings but instead the labels threatened the stores with lawsuits if they persisted in
carrying the parallel imports and to hell with the record buying public. What does this have to do with “Berlin to Broadway with Kurt Weill?”
The end result is that most if not all of this title’s pressings sound like the recording was made with a bowl of Rice Krispies in front of the microphones.
And if that was not enough, to add even more insult to the sonic injury, there was the presence of the infamous vinyl bubbles which added a loud low frequency
thump for several rotations to further circumvent your enjoyment of the musical content. Over a ten year period I purchased six sealed copies of this album,
all of which exhibited the aberrations described above making it almost impossible to do a digital transfer that would clean up the sound without
compromising the musical content. I transferred all six albums of this title to digital and have worked off and on for several years to get an acceptable file
that would at least allow one to hear this historic cast album with minimum sonic intrusions, all the while hoping that it would be released on CD. Sadly,
as of this writing that has not happened so in frustration I have completed a remastering of the recording that, while still displaying some imperfections, is
in my opinion the best that can be achieved with current vinyl transfer technology short of having access to a more ideal tape source. “Berlin to
Broadway with Kurt Weill” is my favourite recording showcasing Weill’s unique music and several performances, especially bari-tenor Hal Watters’ “Lonely
House”. “Listen to My Song” and “Mandalay Song” with Watters, Jerry Lanning & Ken Kercheval are definitive, in my opinion. If you have never heard this
recording you are in for a special treat. Please don’t expect any sonic miracles here, but this remastering, at the very least, makes the recording more
listenable. Musically, it is magnificent.
ADDENDUM: I did this remaster project in early 2014 before I started to make alternate FLAC files of my remasterings for this forum.
I intend to create a FLAC version from the DSD master later this year if my health permits. In this meantime enjoy the MP3 (320kbps) version.
BERLIN TO BROADWAY WITH KURT WEILL
Ken Kercheval, narrator
with Jerry Lanning, Margery Cohen, Hal Watters & Judy Lander
Music by KURT WEILL ~ Arranged & Conducted by NEWTON WAYLAND
Berlin to B’way PART 1:
https://www.sendspace.com/file/7ktgd9
Berlin to B’way PART 2 & BONUS TRACKS:
https://www.sendspace.com/file/lra4a7
Cover Art:
https://www.sendspace.com/file/pn1y9u
The tracks are configured to play without any pause in between and as 2 CD set with bonus tracks of Kurt Weill Concert Works to fill out the 2nd CD. If you
burn CDs make sure to program your burning software to record with no pause between tracks.
CD ONE
THREEPENNY OPERA MEDLEY:
1. Introduction [Ken Kercheval]
2. How to Survive [Margery Cohen, Judy Lander, Jerry Lanning, Hal Watters]
3. Barbara Song [Judy Lander]
4. Useless Song [Hal Watters]
5. Jealousy Duet [Margery Cohen, Judy Lander]
6. Useless Song [Hal Watters]
7. Mack the Knife (Moritat) [Margery Cohen, Judy Lander, Jerry Lanning, Hal Watters]
8. How to Survive (reprise) [Margery Cohen, Judy Lander, Jerry Lanning, Hal Watters]
HAPPY END MEDLEY:
9. Introduction [Ken Kercheval]
10. March Ahead to the Fight; Don't Be Afraid [Margery Cohen]
11. Bilbao Song [Jerry Lanning, Hal Watters]
12. Surabaya Johnny [Judy Lander]
13. Childhood's Bright Endeavor [Margery Cohen]
14. Mandalay Song [Ken Kercheval, Jerry Lanning, Hal Watters]
THE RISE AND FALL OF THE CITY OF MAHAGONNY:
15. Introduction [Ken Kercheval]
16. Prelude [Orchestra]
17. Alabama Song [Margery Cohen, Judy Lander, Jerry Lanning, Hal Watters]
18. Deep in Alaska [Hal Watters]
19. Oh, Heavenly Salvation; As You Make Your Bed [Margery Cohen, Judy Lander, Jerry Lanning, Hal Watters]
20. Pirate Jenny (from Threepenny Opera) [Judy Lander]
MARIE GALANTE:
21. Introduction [Ken Kercheval]
22. I Wait for a Ship [Margery Cohen]
23. Sailor Tango (from Happy End) [Margery Cohen, Judy Lander, Jerry Lanning, Hal Watters]
JOHNNY JOHNSON:
24. Introduction [Ken Kercheval]
25. Songs of Peace and War [Jerry Lanning, Judy Lander, Margery Cohen]
26. Hymn to Peace; Listen to My Song (Johnny's Song) [Hal Watters]
KNICKERBOCKER HOLIDAY:
27. Introduction [Ken Kercheval]
28. How Can You Tell an American [Margery Cohen, Judy Lander, Jerry Lanning, Hal Watters]
29. September Song [Jerry Lanning]
LADY IN THE DARK:
30. Introduction [Ken Kercheval]
31. Prelude [Ken Kercheval]
32. Girl of the Moment [Hal Watters]
33. Saga of Jenny [ Judy Lander with Jerry Lanning, Hal Watters]
34. My Ship [Margery Cohen]
CD TWO
ONE TOUCH OF VENUS:
1. Introduction [Ken Kercheval]
2. Speak Low [Margery Cohen, Judy Lander, Jerry Lanning, Hal Watters]
3. That's Him [Margery Cohen]
LOVE LIFE:
4. Introduction; Progress [Jerry Lanning, Hal Watters]
STREET SCENE:
5. Introduction [Ken Kercheval]
6. Ain't It Awful the Heat [Margery Cohen, Judy Lander, Jerry Lanning, Hal Watters]
7. Lonely House [Hal Watters]
LOST IN THE STARS:
8. Introduction [Ken Kercheval]
9. Trouble Man [Judy Lander]
10. Train to Johannesburg [Margery Cohen, Judy Lander, Jerry Lanning, Hal Watters]
11. Cry, the Beloved Country [Margery Cohen, Judy Lander, Jerry Lanning, Hal Watters]
12. Lost in the Stars [Jerry Lanning]
13. Narration [Ken Kercheval]
14. Love Song (from Love Life) [Hal Watters with Margery Cohen, Judy Lander, Jerry Lanning ]
15. Moritat (reprise) Happy Ending [Ken Kercheval & Company]
BONUS TRACKS:
THREEPENNY OPERA SUITE
16. Prelude
17. Die Moritat von Mackie Messer
18. Anstatt - Das Song
19. Die ballade von Angenemen Leben
20. Polly's Lied
21. Tango - Ballade
22. Kanonen - Song
23. Dreigroschen – Finale
MGM Studio Orchestra conducted by Izler Solomon
MUSIC FOR THE STAGE (1935-50)
24. Dance of the Tumblers (Lady in the Dark)
25. Song of the Goddess
26. Aggie's Song
27. Song of the Guns
28. Cowboy Song (Johnny Johnson)
29. Gold (Lost in the Stars)
MGM Studio Orchestra conducted by Arthur Winograd
made vehicles. Rather than seeing this as a wakeup call to build higher quality cars, the UAW, in concert with the US auto makers, responded by launching a 30
million dollar campaign designed to strongly imply a perceived improvement in quality when in fact it was just business as usual. The major American record
labels faced a similar reality due to their complete abandonment of any sort of quality control in the 1960s through the 1970s, which led to many record stores
in major retail markets carrying superior imported pressings of American recordings, in addition to carrying the inferior American pressings of the same
product (parallel imports), to give customers a more expensive, but highly more desirable choice. You would think that this would send a message to the
American labels that they should make an effort to improve their pressings but instead the labels threatened the stores with lawsuits if they persisted in
carrying the parallel imports and to hell with the record buying public. What does this have to do with “Berlin to Broadway with Kurt Weill?”
The end result is that most if not all of this title’s pressings sound like the recording was made with a bowl of Rice Krispies in front of the microphones.
And if that was not enough, to add even more insult to the sonic injury, there was the presence of the infamous vinyl bubbles which added a loud low frequency
thump for several rotations to further circumvent your enjoyment of the musical content. Over a ten year period I purchased six sealed copies of this album,
all of which exhibited the aberrations described above making it almost impossible to do a digital transfer that would clean up the sound without
compromising the musical content. I transferred all six albums of this title to digital and have worked off and on for several years to get an acceptable file
that would at least allow one to hear this historic cast album with minimum sonic intrusions, all the while hoping that it would be released on CD. Sadly,
as of this writing that has not happened so in frustration I have completed a remastering of the recording that, while still displaying some imperfections, is
in my opinion the best that can be achieved with current vinyl transfer technology short of having access to a more ideal tape source. “Berlin to
Broadway with Kurt Weill” is my favourite recording showcasing Weill’s unique music and several performances, especially bari-tenor Hal Watters’ “Lonely
House”. “Listen to My Song” and “Mandalay Song” with Watters, Jerry Lanning & Ken Kercheval are definitive, in my opinion. If you have never heard this
recording you are in for a special treat. Please don’t expect any sonic miracles here, but this remastering, at the very least, makes the recording more
listenable. Musically, it is magnificent.
ADDENDUM: I did this remaster project in early 2014 before I started to make alternate FLAC files of my remasterings for this forum.
I intend to create a FLAC version from the DSD master later this year if my health permits. In this meantime enjoy the MP3 (320kbps) version.
BERLIN TO BROADWAY WITH KURT WEILL
Ken Kercheval, narrator
with Jerry Lanning, Margery Cohen, Hal Watters & Judy Lander
Music by KURT WEILL ~ Arranged & Conducted by NEWTON WAYLAND
Berlin to B’way PART 1:
https://www.sendspace.com/file/7ktgd9
Berlin to B’way PART 2 & BONUS TRACKS:
https://www.sendspace.com/file/lra4a7
Cover Art:
https://www.sendspace.com/file/pn1y9u
The tracks are configured to play without any pause in between and as 2 CD set with bonus tracks of Kurt Weill Concert Works to fill out the 2nd CD. If you
burn CDs make sure to program your burning software to record with no pause between tracks.
CD ONE
THREEPENNY OPERA MEDLEY:
1. Introduction [Ken Kercheval]
2. How to Survive [Margery Cohen, Judy Lander, Jerry Lanning, Hal Watters]
3. Barbara Song [Judy Lander]
4. Useless Song [Hal Watters]
5. Jealousy Duet [Margery Cohen, Judy Lander]
6. Useless Song [Hal Watters]
7. Mack the Knife (Moritat) [Margery Cohen, Judy Lander, Jerry Lanning, Hal Watters]
8. How to Survive (reprise) [Margery Cohen, Judy Lander, Jerry Lanning, Hal Watters]
HAPPY END MEDLEY:
9. Introduction [Ken Kercheval]
10. March Ahead to the Fight; Don't Be Afraid [Margery Cohen]
11. Bilbao Song [Jerry Lanning, Hal Watters]
12. Surabaya Johnny [Judy Lander]
13. Childhood's Bright Endeavor [Margery Cohen]
14. Mandalay Song [Ken Kercheval, Jerry Lanning, Hal Watters]
THE RISE AND FALL OF THE CITY OF MAHAGONNY:
15. Introduction [Ken Kercheval]
16. Prelude [Orchestra]
17. Alabama Song [Margery Cohen, Judy Lander, Jerry Lanning, Hal Watters]
18. Deep in Alaska [Hal Watters]
19. Oh, Heavenly Salvation; As You Make Your Bed [Margery Cohen, Judy Lander, Jerry Lanning, Hal Watters]
20. Pirate Jenny (from Threepenny Opera) [Judy Lander]
MARIE GALANTE:
21. Introduction [Ken Kercheval]
22. I Wait for a Ship [Margery Cohen]
23. Sailor Tango (from Happy End) [Margery Cohen, Judy Lander, Jerry Lanning, Hal Watters]
JOHNNY JOHNSON:
24. Introduction [Ken Kercheval]
25. Songs of Peace and War [Jerry Lanning, Judy Lander, Margery Cohen]
26. Hymn to Peace; Listen to My Song (Johnny's Song) [Hal Watters]
KNICKERBOCKER HOLIDAY:
27. Introduction [Ken Kercheval]
28. How Can You Tell an American [Margery Cohen, Judy Lander, Jerry Lanning, Hal Watters]
29. September Song [Jerry Lanning]
LADY IN THE DARK:
30. Introduction [Ken Kercheval]
31. Prelude [Ken Kercheval]
32. Girl of the Moment [Hal Watters]
33. Saga of Jenny [ Judy Lander with Jerry Lanning, Hal Watters]
34. My Ship [Margery Cohen]
CD TWO
ONE TOUCH OF VENUS:
1. Introduction [Ken Kercheval]
2. Speak Low [Margery Cohen, Judy Lander, Jerry Lanning, Hal Watters]
3. That's Him [Margery Cohen]
LOVE LIFE:
4. Introduction; Progress [Jerry Lanning, Hal Watters]
STREET SCENE:
5. Introduction [Ken Kercheval]
6. Ain't It Awful the Heat [Margery Cohen, Judy Lander, Jerry Lanning, Hal Watters]
7. Lonely House [Hal Watters]
LOST IN THE STARS:
8. Introduction [Ken Kercheval]
9. Trouble Man [Judy Lander]
10. Train to Johannesburg [Margery Cohen, Judy Lander, Jerry Lanning, Hal Watters]
11. Cry, the Beloved Country [Margery Cohen, Judy Lander, Jerry Lanning, Hal Watters]
12. Lost in the Stars [Jerry Lanning]
13. Narration [Ken Kercheval]
14. Love Song (from Love Life) [Hal Watters with Margery Cohen, Judy Lander, Jerry Lanning ]
15. Moritat (reprise) Happy Ending [Ken Kercheval & Company]
BONUS TRACKS:
THREEPENNY OPERA SUITE
16. Prelude
17. Die Moritat von Mackie Messer
18. Anstatt - Das Song
19. Die ballade von Angenemen Leben
20. Polly's Lied
21. Tango - Ballade
22. Kanonen - Song
23. Dreigroschen – Finale
MGM Studio Orchestra conducted by Izler Solomon
MUSIC FOR THE STAGE (1935-50)
24. Dance of the Tumblers (Lady in the Dark)
25. Song of the Goddess
26. Aggie's Song
27. Song of the Guns
28. Cowboy Song (Johnny Johnson)
29. Gold (Lost in the Stars)
MGM Studio Orchestra conducted by Arthur Winograd