When it comes to Hollywood’s Golden Age of Film Musicals, the consensus has always been that one man stood out not so much as the best, as it was almost impossible in a field of such musical brilliance to say one or the other was the best at everything, but Conrad Salinger certainly could be regarded as “first among equals”. In 1957 Verve Records released the sound track LP from “Funny Face”, a Paramount picture that imported almost the entire MGM music department including Salinger to score the film. Verve artist Buddy Bregman suggested a recording of Salinger’s arrangements of standards and the resulting LP, titled “A Lovely Afternoon”, was also released in 1957 and was also one of the first Verve Stereo LPs. The album went out of print quickly and has never been reissued or released on CD in the United States (there was a limited CD release in Japan which is now out of print). Salinger was very pleased with the album, which was recorded at Capitol Records Vine Studio. I came into possession of a stereo reel to reel copy of the recording session and I have used that tape to make a newly remastered edition of the album. There was talk of a second volume but this did not happen as the LP was not very successful, sales-wise. On that premise I have expanded the original LP with additional MGM orchestral arrangements by Conrad Salinger for musicals of the same period, including an extended symphonic suite from “Kiss Me Kate”. The distinctive jazz sound of frequent Salinger collaborator Skip Martin can also be heard in Kate’s “From This Moment On” and in the suite from “Kismet”.
A LOVELY AFTERNOON
Musical Arrangements by Conrad Salinger
Orchestra conducted by Buddy Bregman (except where noted)
https://mega.co.nz/#!etNUxKBZ!6VkuAU0bvjyPROs_r47jH-zDkKVPCShJ7THBnFLPh3A
TRACKS:
1. The Continental
2. I Cover the Waterfront
3. Long Ago and Far Away
4. The Boy Next Door
5. Our Love Affair
6. That’s Entertainment
7. I Concentrate on You
8. Singin’ in the Rain
9. Let’s Fall in Love
10. The Trolley Song
11. I’ve Told Ev’ry Little Star
12. A Wonderful Guy
BONUS TRACKS:
13. GIGI Overture
14. Silk Stockings
15. KISMET Overture and Ballet Music
conducted by Andre Previn
16. JUMBO Overture – conducted by George Stoll
17. THE PIRATE Ballet – conducted by Lennie Hayton
KISS ME KATE: Symphonic Suite
18. So in Love & Wunderbar
19. We Open in Venice
20. Why Can’t You Behave
21. Bianca
22. Bianca’s Wedding
23. From This Moment On
24. So in Love
25. Finale Medley
conducted by Andre Previn
