Erich Kunzel - Grofé: Grand Canyon Suite - Gershwin: Catfish Row (1987)

Five years in the making…that’s how long it took Telarc engineers and producers to get just the right material to enhance this spectacular recording of two of our most cherished bits of Americana. The “Grand Canyon” was ready as far back as the summer of 1983, but producer Robert Woods was determined to enhance the final movement, “Cloudburst” with a REAL thunderstorm (Western style) and add it as a fillup to the traditional Grofé scoring. Many attempts failed, as either weather or equipment faltered. At last West Coast engineer Bruce Leek encountered the perfect conditions, and recorded thunder as only it is heard in the West, sans rain. The results are startling, and listeners will surely select this version over the existing releases in other catalogs. “Catfish Row” was Ira Gershwin’s (the brother of the composer) rechristening of the 1937 suite adapted by the artist from Porgy & Bess, the complete opera, and then allowed to remain unheard for more than twenty years. Leaner in texture, more faithful to the original scoring than the better-known Robert Russell Bennett “symphonic picture.”