William Bolcom: Theatrical Songs

(E.B. Marks). 51 songs, including music from Casino Paradise, Dynamite Tonite, Greatshot, The Wind in the Willows, Ancient Cabaret, Minicabs, Songs to Dance, and songs not from a show, set, or cycle ("Lime Jello Marshmallow Cottage Cheese Surprise" and more). With notes on the songs, manuscript facsimiles, and composer comments. Includes several first editions and first-time transpositions. There are different songlists for the High Voice and Medium/Low Voice editions. "There are excellent notes by the composer on all of the songs detailing their genesis and background and setting the scenes for those from shows. Some of the songs received a premiere performance, and some were composed for shows that ‘never got off the ground, ‘ as the composer says...‘The Last Days of Mankind‘ is a song composed for a project discussed but apparently never set in motion. It is a setting of a terrifying war poem by Frank McGuinness that takes the form of a death march in C minor...In giddy contrast to the war poem is Bolcom‘s own ‘Lime Jello Marshmallow Cottage Cheese Surprise‘...This collection of selected earlier songs of William Bolcom is a source for unusual material, much of which is theatrical in nature and some of which is more like art song. Singers looking for something different will find good material here."-- Journal of Singing