I saw, by pure chance, a local theater troupe's presentation of P&B. I was a middle aged man then and it was an initial introduction. Why nobody told me about Porgy and Bess before is unknown. I sat after the production in a puddle of emotions with tears streaming down my face. Porgy is a classic must seen by everyone. Go and enjoy opera!! This classic tragedy will leave you appreciating this art form. LONG LIVE PORGY AND BESS!!
What are you talking about? The topic is not immigration, but Porgy and Bess!! Just for the record ... my people had zero choice and we've fought since then for rights guaranteed to others but not us!!@marymrcomcastnet
I bought a copy, dvd, of this movie on line . Quality is so so but it's just nice to have this masterpiece. I remember watching on TV when i was a kid. I'm 72 now. My dad had the soundtrack on vinyl and it was always a favorite of mine. Thank you so much for posting!!!
My uncle had the reel to reel tape of this soundtrack and as a child of 8 years of age I fell in love with the music as well as the story. The old tape is long gone but the soul-stirring memories this beings back are incredibly intact! I still remember the lyrics! Thank you so much for this! 💕
I've always strongly enjoyed this album, which I used to have on LP and later on CD (I think I did anyway). It's not as extensive or Gershwin opera authentic as other versions, but it's very well arranged and sung. I remember listening to the stereo album as a teenager, through headphones; I was very enthused about the track that starts with the early morning sounds of the ghetto making a rhythmic sort of music. A very stereo-rich experience as mixed on the album. Including this in the film was the work of Ruben Mamoulian, the original director who was fired from the film by Goldwyn. He created this originally for the original stage version of Porgy and Bess, which he directed, and earlier for the non-musical play the Gershwin opera was based on. He also used it in his film Love Me Tonight (1932), an amazingly innovative musical that I highly recommend, and it is available. I've seen the movie at least a couple of times. Sorry to disapoint those who despirately wish to see it, at least in a decent form; it's a big disappointment. It's very stage bound, uncinematic. The reason the film is nearly impossible to see is that the Gershwin family hated it and as soon as legally possible withdrew permission to use the Gershwin score. So the film never came out on home video and I'm quite sure is not streaming anywhere, at least in a non-bootleg version. I saw it on TV once or twice in the 1960's, and saw a wide screen film showing at a film festival in Seattle in the 1990's -- the only print they could get was one with Sweedish subtitles, and it wasn't a very good print at that.
An honest living was made for many years by the cast and production staff. It afforded them a modest comfortable living. My mother was a friend of " The Strawberry Woman - Helen Dowdy ". She played this part most of her adult life. The cast party's and interesting happening tales she would share. Actually it was a way of life for some of them to socialize together as friends. Jesus is Love
When I lived in Boston, my girlfriend's father owned a movie theater in downtown,..... she got passes all of the time and I saw this gorgeous movie as a teenager atleast 5 times!!! I memorized every line!! it had quite an influence on my life; my outlook, my love of community, of romance, of raw talent... wow here I am at 81 and I woke up with "Summertime" on my lips... so of course, I played the whole soundtrack and have been smiling all day!!! Thank you George Gershwin!!!!
I agree with the Gershwins! The music of the movie version isn’t close to the original stage recording. But the story is so strong, with so many Black performers it is a shame the movie is not widely available. Gershwin was one of a kind.
Eventually their copywrite on the music will lapse, and if whoever owns the film rights thinks there's some money to be made, they'll make the film available.
I purchased a new album recently. Still available. I have 3 old copies. One of the best soundtracks of any movie ever. Sad that so many people have never had the opportunity to see the movie. Controversial, but not something that people should not be allowed to see.
Me too, @missc0llins!!! Born Jan. 1, 1954. I grew up on this! My Mom & Dad sang in the church choir for years and years. My younger sisters don't quite believe this, when I tell them... they can't remember the Happy Days, before things turned south. But, I can remember the good times, when we were so happy. I can remember Mom & Dad singing, "Bess, You Is My Woman Now" to each other. With all the love in their hearts... I guess I was 5 or 6 years old. I can still feel the happiness... and comfort of those days. Precious memories, I will never forget.
This is my totally childhood. I listened to this album every day for 4+ months when I was sick in bed with mono as an 8 year old. Gershwin is my heart. ❤️
I have this LP and I also have a DVD with average quality. Love this movie and the stars- Sidney Poitier, Dorothy Dandridge, Sammy Davis Jr., Brock Peters, Pearl Bailey, and Diahann Carroll. I still enjoy this music and the movie. It is a shame that they will not release a descent copy of this to the public.
The orchestrations for Conrad Salinger and Alexander Courage has just wonderful and superb 💯% Incredible orchestration music masterpiece for Porgy and Bess 🎉🎊🙏🙏👏👏🤘🤘🪖🪖💖💖💖
Thanks for pointing out the orchestrators (arrangers really) work. Salinger and Courage were the best of the best at arranging musical theater scores for the screen. And Andre Previn, the music director, was among the best at overseeing the musical aspects of film musicals, as well as creating arrangements and musical underscoring.
🎹 Thanks so much for posting. Of the many recordings of Gershwins masterpiece this one, reworked for the motion picture, remains the richest and most satisfying.
Act I : 0:00 Overture (not as the original opera) 1:03 Love duet (Act II) 5:17 Summertime (following the actual overture) 7:57 A Woman is a Sometime Thing 9:56 Gone, Gone, Gone (chorus) 13:12 My Man’s Gone Now (heartbreaking aria) Act II : 17:26 I Got Plenty O’ Nuttin’ (happy song) 20:37 Bess, You is my Woman Now (love duet) 26:53 How Are You Dis Morning (Act III) 27:19 Oh, I Can’t Sit Down (chorus) 29:04 It Ain’t Necessarily So 32:10 I Ain’t Got No Shame 33:34 What You Want Wid Bess ? (duet) 35:28 Strawberry Woman 36:48 Crabman 38:35 Crown’s leitmotif 38:42 Love motif 39:15 I Loves You Porgy (duet) 41:25 A Read Headed Woman (Crown’s aria) Act III 42:35 Clara, Clara (slow chorus after hurricane) 44:50 There’s a Boat Dat’s Leavin’ Soon for NY 47:10 Oh Bess, Oh Where’s my Bess ? (trio) 49:43 Oh Lawd, I’m On My Way (finale chorus) 51:09 Love leitmotif (very last time) 51:15 Porgy’s leitmotif (very last time and ending)
Given the old age of the recording, you must hear a few lacks of sound. There are also few important melodies missing, because it is not a complete version of the original opera.
The quality is not the best, but the movie is here on youTube. They need to release a re-mastered version. It is hard to listen to the soundtrack here with the commercials. There are CDs of the various soundtrack versions (most seem to be from sellers in the U.K.) and I just bought one for myself. I listened to this so much as a little girl that I know most of the songs by heart. Thanks for putting them here!
Mr.Cosby came out with a show called Cosby ...In one episode he mentioned this movie and years ago I watched it to see what he was talking about...great movie
Previn had been working at MGM for some years but left when MGM stopped making musicals. He worked more as a symphony conductor in later years. I believe "My Fair Lady" in 1963 was the last film he was associated with.
@@jamesshertzer903 That's very interesting! Another memory I have of this is when I was 19 and saw this at a garage sale down the road for $20, BUT, it was an EMI German pressing in stereo. I frantically ran back, bummed the money off my brother, ran back to the sale and snapped it up. That, with Sir John's Sibelius finally coming out on cd were the 2 highlights in my time as a classical music lover/collector.
Poitier, like many actors who are nonsingers, was dubbed for this movie by a professional singer, so don't think he is singing anything for this movie. Poitier didn't even want to do the movie because he was not a singer and did not want to play the role of the crippled "Porgy" where he spend the bulk of production crawling on his knees. In the end, he did the film as part of a deal to assure he also would be able to make the film, 'The Defiant Ones' with Tony Curtis - the film he really wanted to do.
I saw both movies as a child, but did not know that about his doing Porgy and Bess being a condition for him doing The Defiant Ones. I was moved by both movies.
There are a couple of poor copies of the "Porgy & Bess" (1959) posted on TH-cam......however, the song "My man's gone now"...is CUT from the film.🤷🏾♂️
There's the excellent Huston Opera version of the original opera, shot for TV, on TH-cam. It's a low resolution video, video and audio quality is pretty poor, but it's watchable.
This does not sound like the film soundtrack. As I listen to it more, it sounds like one of the stage productions. Sammy Davis had a very different voice, especially noticeable with "It Ain't Necessarily So."
did Sidney Poitier have to die for this recording to be made available? i've always enjoyed this recording, conducted by Andre Previn. as for the movie itself, apparently its theme was so politically offensive to some black people that the movie had to be hidden away out of sight and out of mind..
@@Roestradd for lots of reasons. black people tired of seeing blacks living in poverty--and happy about it. . .but that's not reason to essentially ban a movie from being seen.
I'm black, born in 1950, so I grew up with this movie and the songs. I don't remember anyone in my family nor among my friends being offended by the movie....and if the movie had gone over well and made a lot of money, nobody's objections to it would have mattered to the film's producers. It's history. I think it had more to do with the Gershwin family disliking the movie.
I listened to this so much when I was a child! Loved it, know every note by heart.
so true, miss collins- me too!
Yes, me too.
Me too
Our parents had great taste
Me too . Remind me of thosre precious times....
I saw, by pure chance, a local theater troupe's presentation of P&B. I was a middle aged man then and it was an initial introduction. Why nobody told me about Porgy and Bess before is unknown.
I sat after the production in a puddle of emotions with tears streaming down my face. Porgy is a classic must seen by everyone. Go and enjoy opera!! This classic tragedy will leave you appreciating this art form.
LONG LIVE PORGY AND BESS!!
I agree!!!!!!❤️
❤
Got that right!!
What are you talking about? The topic is not immigration, but Porgy and Bess!! Just for the record ... my people had zero choice and we've fought since then for rights guaranteed to others but not us!!@marymrcomcastnet
I am glad you had a rich experience.
Thank you Mr. Gershwin.
I bought a copy, dvd, of this movie on line . Quality is so so but it's just nice to have this masterpiece. I remember watching on TV when i was a kid. I'm 72 now. My dad had the soundtrack on vinyl and it was always a favorite of mine. Thank you so much for posting!!!
I wish that I could see this movie again! Thank you for the soundtrack!
there's a poor quality copy elsewhere on youtube right now
Dan Fluery has a not bad upload on here.
@@Onefortheroad325 Thank you 🙏🏽 I’m watching it now.
@@reelblack Thank you 🙏🏽
@@MotivationNAffirmations4YRLife oh good, enjoy
My uncle had the reel to reel tape of this soundtrack and as a child of 8 years of age I fell in love with the music as well as the story. The old tape is long gone but the soul-stirring memories this beings back are incredibly intact! I still remember the lyrics! Thank you so much for this! 💕
I have loved this work for my entire life. It's spiritual.
I remember watching this when I was in high school. I wish it was available now. I love this version. Non better.
This is simply stunning...
Greetings i had this as a teenager with the book i loved it good to hear it again at age 74 Blessings!😍💝🎇
I've always strongly enjoyed this album, which I used to have on LP and later on CD (I think I did anyway). It's not as extensive or Gershwin opera authentic as other versions, but it's very well arranged and sung. I remember listening to the stereo album as a teenager, through headphones; I was very enthused about the track that starts with the early morning sounds of the ghetto making a rhythmic sort of music. A very stereo-rich experience as mixed on the album. Including this in the film was the work of Ruben Mamoulian, the original director who was fired from the film by Goldwyn. He created this originally for the original stage version of Porgy and Bess, which he directed, and earlier for the non-musical play the Gershwin opera was based on. He also used it in his film Love Me Tonight (1932), an amazingly innovative musical that I highly recommend, and it is available.
I've seen the movie at least a couple of times. Sorry to disapoint those who despirately wish to see it, at least in a decent form; it's a big disappointment. It's very stage bound, uncinematic. The reason the film is nearly impossible to see is that the Gershwin family hated it and as soon as legally possible withdrew permission to use the Gershwin score. So the film never came out on home video and I'm quite sure is not streaming anywhere, at least in a non-bootleg version. I saw it on TV once or twice in the 1960's, and saw a wide screen film showing at a film festival in Seattle in the 1990's -- the only print they could get was one with Sweedish subtitles, and it wasn't a very good print at that.
Maybe it's the childhood memories ❣️ But this Amazing Soundtrack is this Boy Soprano's Favorite! Getting to sing All of the parts! 😂😂
Classic Movie 💎🔝 starring Sidney Poitier 😍❣️
RIP the great Sidney Poitier ❤❤
❤️❤️❤️❤️this Movie 🎥
Rest Easy , Sir Sydney Poitier 🕊🕊🕊🕊
An honest living was made for many years by the cast and production staff. It afforded them a modest comfortable living. My mother was a friend of " The Strawberry Woman - Helen Dowdy ". She played this part most of her adult life. The cast party's and interesting happening tales she would share. Actually it was a way of life for some of them to socialize together as friends. Jesus is Love
When I lived in Boston, my girlfriend's father owned a movie theater in downtown,..... she got passes all of the time and I saw this gorgeous movie as a teenager atleast 5 times!!! I memorized every line!! it had quite an influence on my life; my outlook, my love of community, of romance, of raw talent... wow here I am at 81 and I woke up with "Summertime" on my lips... so of course, I played the whole soundtrack and have been smiling all day!!! Thank you George Gershwin!!!!
Absolutely insane this never had a VHS or DVD release - and hasn't even played on television in decades.
ikr! Absolutely insane.
I agree with the Gershwins! The music of the movie version isn’t close to the original stage recording. But the story is so strong, with so many Black performers it is a shame the movie is not widely available. Gershwin was one of a kind.
@@valkinsora George Gershwin, the composer of it, died long before the movie version was made
@alessandromoon4650 I hope that some day it can be shown because the family has a change of heart, or because it's in the hands of someone else.
Eventually their copywrite on the music will lapse, and if whoever owns the film rights thinks there's some money to be made, they'll make the film available.
I purchased a new album recently. Still available. I have 3 old copies. One of the best soundtracks of any movie ever. Sad that so many people have never had the opportunity to see the movie. Controversial, but not something that people should not be allowed to see.
The music and the voices are breathtakingly beautiful…..
Love this movie... I was eight when I first saw it and I still remember. Powerful
Good afternoon reelblack 🙋🏽♀️
Nice seeing Mr Woods during the Sidney Poitier chat.
I didn’t realize this movie was not available to watch again. I loved it, so moving and rich.
You can watch on TH-cam!
I grew up singing along.
Pearl Bailey, Sammy, Dorothy D, Diane C, Sydney P😊 what a collection of talent!
And, Brock Peters, who played Crown.😊😊
How could I forget a favorite "What you want with Bess?"🎶 Thanks for that! and Brock? 😊
Me too, @missc0llins!!! Born Jan. 1, 1954. I grew up on this! My Mom & Dad sang in the church choir for years and years. My younger sisters don't quite believe this, when I tell them... they can't remember the Happy Days, before things turned south. But, I can remember the good times, when we were so happy. I can remember Mom & Dad singing, "Bess, You Is My Woman Now" to each other. With all the love in their hearts... I guess I was 5 or 6 years old. I can still feel the happiness... and comfort of those days. Precious memories, I will never forget.
This is my totally childhood. I listened to this album every day for 4+ months when I was sick in bed with mono as an 8 year old. Gershwin is my heart. ❤️
We had a choir director that loved the soundtrack and we sang it at our spring recital.❤
So good to hear this sound track🌟🌟
My soul needed this today. THANK YOU!!
I have this LP and I also have a DVD with average quality. Love this movie and the stars- Sidney Poitier, Dorothy Dandridge, Sammy Davis Jr., Brock Peters, Pearl Bailey, and Diahann Carroll.
I still enjoy this music and the movie. It is a shame that they will not release a descent copy of this to the public.
I saw this when it first came out. It is a crime that it has not been rereleased. It should be available for everyone in the world to see.
I agree, it’s very saddening…
Thank you for all that you share 🏆 🏆 🏆 🏆
The orchestrations for Conrad Salinger and
Alexander Courage has just wonderful and superb 💯% Incredible orchestration music masterpiece for Porgy and Bess 🎉🎊🙏🙏👏👏🤘🤘🪖🪖💖💖💖
Thanks for pointing out the orchestrators (arrangers really) work. Salinger and Courage were the best of the best at arranging musical theater scores for the screen. And Andre Previn, the music director, was among the best at overseeing the musical aspects of film musicals, as well as creating arrangements and musical underscoring.
Thank God i can still find this here. Thanks to my late father i got to know this. Memories from long ago....
I grew up listening to the stage recording- I look younger than I am😅- and it’s my favorite
Splendid, as I remember
😝
Thanks for the upload. Appreciate it 🙏
🎹 Thanks so much for posting. Of the many recordings of Gershwins masterpiece this one, reworked for the motion picture, remains the richest and most satisfying.
My dad would make pancakes on Saturday morning and we would wake up to "morning Serena",how are you this, morning ❤ I know every world and nuance!
Act I :
0:00 Overture (not as the original opera)
1:03 Love duet (Act II)
5:17 Summertime (following the actual overture)
7:57 A Woman is a Sometime Thing
9:56 Gone, Gone, Gone (chorus)
13:12 My Man’s Gone Now (heartbreaking aria)
Act II :
17:26 I Got Plenty O’ Nuttin’ (happy song)
20:37 Bess, You is my Woman Now (love duet)
26:53 How Are You Dis Morning (Act III)
27:19 Oh, I Can’t Sit Down (chorus)
29:04 It Ain’t Necessarily So
32:10 I Ain’t Got No Shame
33:34 What You Want Wid Bess ? (duet)
35:28 Strawberry Woman
36:48 Crabman
38:35 Crown’s leitmotif
38:42 Love motif
39:15 I Loves You Porgy (duet)
41:25 A Read Headed Woman (Crown’s aria)
Act III
42:35 Clara, Clara (slow chorus after hurricane)
44:50 There’s a Boat Dat’s Leavin’ Soon for NY
47:10 Oh Bess, Oh Where’s my Bess ? (trio)
49:43 Oh Lawd, I’m On My Way (finale chorus)
51:09 Love leitmotif (very last time)
51:15 Porgy’s leitmotif (very last time and ending)
Given the old age of the recording, you must hear a few lacks of sound.
There are also few important melodies missing, because it is not a complete version of the original opera.
THANK YOU FOR SHARING👍
It’s such a pity that this movie is no longer available…
It's here on youTube. Watchable, though not the best quality.
@@shesaknitterWhere exactly ?
@@Dylonely_9274 th-cam.com/video/Un5qzpWtg6g/w-d-xo.html
Thanks.
They need to release the movie it’s nice to have the soundtrack but I would prefer to see the movie itself!!!!!
The quality is not the best, but the movie is here on youTube. They need to release a re-mastered version. It is hard to listen to the soundtrack here with the commercials. There are CDs of the various soundtrack versions (most seem to be from sellers in the U.K.) and I just bought one for myself. I listened to this so much as a little girl that I know most of the songs by heart. Thanks for putting them here!
Reelback hugs n 💋 4this upload just dug this album out n yes my Kenwood system still work 😘😘😘
Mr.Cosby came out with a show called Cosby ...In one episode he mentioned this movie and years ago I watched it to see what he was talking about...great movie
A young Andre Previn on the podium, knocking it out of the park. The only true performance of this work.
Previn had been working at MGM for some years but left when MGM stopped making musicals. He worked more as a symphony conductor in later years. I believe "My Fair Lady" in 1963 was the last film he was associated with.
@@jamesshertzer903 That's very interesting! Another memory I have of this is when I was 19 and saw this at a garage sale down the road for $20, BUT, it was an EMI German pressing in stereo. I frantically ran back, bummed the money off my brother, ran back to the sale and snapped it up. That, with Sir John's Sibelius finally coming out on cd were the 2 highlights in my time as a classical music lover/collector.
Everyone have a BLESSED DAY and STAY SAFE
I HAVE THIS IN ON VINYL 😃
Me too.
Me, too….
Adele Addison's voice still shivers me as she sings Summertime
The first ever performance of Summertime was sung by American soprano Abbie Mitchell. 14:44
Can You Show Buck & The Preacher & A Patch Of Blue These Are My Fav Sidney Poitier Movies👍😊
Columbia mono r'1959"porgy and bess"strk. Album❤❤❤❤❤
I have the album.
Poitier, like many actors who are nonsingers, was dubbed for this movie by a professional singer, so don't think he is singing anything for this movie. Poitier didn't even want to do the movie because he was not a singer and did not want to play the role of the crippled "Porgy" where he spend the bulk of production crawling on his knees. In the end, he did the film as part of a deal to assure he also would be able to make the film, 'The Defiant Ones' with Tony Curtis - the film he really wanted to do.
I saw both movies as a child, but did not know that about his doing Porgy and Bess being a condition for him doing The Defiant Ones. I was moved by both movies.
🔥🔥🔥
I find the film depressing but love to listen to the soundtrack recording.
It is a tragedy, but tragedy is life affirming. It honors what is most important, what is the best in man.
The ONLY recording of Porgy and Bess...
?
I always thought this movie was a classical example of pure black American artistic performance.
Thanks for your channel. I only just learned of your existence from another channel called ISSACHAR. I have just subscribed.
Thank You
I think as it is difficult to see this movie on the screen, there should be a campaign to get this movie remade.
It is impossible...at least so far. Perhaps some day that will change.
There are a couple of poor copies of the "Porgy & Bess" (1959) posted on TH-cam......however, the song "My man's gone now"...is CUT from the film.🤷🏾♂️
Do you have "A Piece of the Action?" One of my favs!@
Where can I find the movie Porgy and Bess?
It's not available. CBS won't release the rights to show it was the last I heard. I wish I could get a copy.
@@sarahlaidler3325
It is locked up in the vaults. There are other stage versions out there. Beautiful storyline.
Movie is available if you hunt for it...
In the overture I hear some notes from West Side Story. Or is it just me?
funny cuts like in the first part of "It ain't necessarily so" -- sad. Otherwise a great document of music history.
Does anyone know where to find a video of this movie or even a video of the Broadway play that it’s based on?
A not good (though still watchable) video of the movie is here on youTube. There are also copies elsewhere on the web if you know where to look.
There's the excellent Huston Opera version of the original opera, shot for TV, on TH-cam. It's a low resolution video, video and audio quality is pretty poor, but it's watchable.
PBS shows the Houston Opera periodically. Good luck 😊
This does not sound like the film soundtrack. As I listen to it more, it sounds like one of the stage productions. Sammy Davis had a very different voice, especially noticeable with "It Ain't Necessarily So."
That was Cab Calloway who retained the rights.
Where can I find the movie ?
Locked in a vault, literally. Very sadly, it is not available.
3:02
47:10
did Sidney Poitier have to die for this recording to be made available? i've always enjoyed this recording, conducted by Andre Previn. as for the movie itself, apparently
its theme was so politically offensive to some black people that the movie had to be hidden away out of sight and out of mind..
Why did some black folks find it offensive?
@@Roestradd for lots of reasons. black people tired of seeing blacks living in poverty--and happy about it. . .but that's not reason to essentially ban a movie from being seen.
The Gershwen estate was against it 😢
I'm black, born in 1950, so I grew up with this movie and the songs. I don't remember anyone in my family nor among my friends being offended by the movie....and if the movie had gone over well and made a lot of money, nobody's objections to it would have mattered to the film's producers. It's history. I think it had more to do with the Gershwin family disliking the movie.
It’s a shame that they tried to kill this opera it’s beautiful and not down grading
I think you mean not degrading. I agree, but then I'm white, and not the ideal person to assess this.
41:25