Re: [ARSCLIST] A Christmas Carol - reissues

[David Lennick <dlennick@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

This same question appeared on the 78-L list. I'll post an abbreviated version of my answer, having produced both the St. Clair and Direct Source CDs. The DGG issue seems to have divided the story into scenes, since those timings don't relate to the original 78RPM sides..it also looks as if they
didn't go back to the 78s but used the 1949 master, which made a couple of cuts to fit it onto the LP lengths possible at that time. The Laughton recording is complete since it runs17 minutes.

dl

Matthew Barton wrote:

> I believe Radio Spirits has released the sixty minute radio version of "A Christmas Carol" featuring Lionel Barrymore and narrated by Orson Welles. That dates from about 1939. I think they performed it at this length for a few years before they started doing the shorter version listed below.
>
> "The Oldest Christmas Story" is also available on Prima Voce's "Spirit of Christmas Past." The rest of that CD is mostly 78 era opera singers performing classical Christmas repertoire, but you also get Basil Rathbone reciting "The Night Before Christmas."
>
> I don't have the DG CD, and I can't find my copy of the Ronald Colman 78 album, but the Laughton "Pickwick Papers" was issued on two 12 inch 78s, so that first track must represent some kind of joining of the first two parts, possibly with some abridging.
>
> The Laughton reading from the Pickwick Papers ends before Mr. Wardle tells his Christmas ghost story of "The Goblins Who Stole a Church Sexton" but there's a wonderful reading of it on Caedmon by none other than Boris Karloff!
>
> Matthew Barton
> American Folklife Center
> The Library of Congress
> 101 Independence Ave., SE
> Washington, DC 20540-4610
> phone: (202) 707-1733
> fax: (202) 707-2076
> email: mbarton@xxxxxxx
> AFTER 11/12/05:
> Matthew Barton
> P.O. Box 1924
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> sndtrackng@xxxxxxx
> >>> rjhodge@xxxxxxx 01/10/06 1:14 PM >>>
> Add " The Small One "- Decca 78's set # DA-533  Bing crosby with supporting cast Score by Victor Young
> And " The Littest Angel "- Loretta Young with supporting cast- Decca 78's  set#DA 399  Story by Charles Tazewell Score by Chas. Paul
>
> Bob Hodge
>
> Robert Hodge,
> Senior Engineer
> Belfer Audio Archive
> Syracuse University
> 222 Waverly Ave .
> Syracuse N.Y. 13244-2010
>
> 315-443- 7971
> FAX-315-443-4866
>
> >>> sternth@xxxxxxxxxxxxx 1/10/2006 12:35 PM >>>
> This Christmas has seen an abundance of reissues of Dickens' A Christmas
> Carol on cd.  A list follows.
> Anyone know of others?  and a few questions about these issues, plus I
> would appreciate discographical details.
> Best wishes, Thomas.
>
> St.Clair NRX34852  Norman Rockwell A Festival of Carols
>   (reissues the 1942 Columbia 78's with Basil Rathbone.
>   Also includes 13 Christmas songs sung by Nelson Eddy with Paul
> Weston's Orchestra & Chorus)
>
> Deutsche Gramophon  00289 477 5742  Charles Dickens Classics
>   A Christmas Carol - Ronald Colman (sic)  rec. 17 September 1941
>    (4'34"  3'05"  2'59"  5'55" 5'58"_
>   Mr Pickwick's Christmas - Charles Laughton, music composed and
> conducted by HANNS EISLER (5 Sept 1944)
>    (7'10" 4'47"  5'17")
>   in a previous mention of this cd, someone suggested that it might be
> taken from an abridged later reissue.  Can anyone confirm
> if this contains the complete productions??.  (the playing times given
> are from the cd notes)
>   has DG done any other reissues like this??
>
> Direct Source XMS 91082  A Christmas Carol & Other Christmas Tales
>  A Christmas Carol - Lionel Barrymore with Richard Hale and cast  1947
> (24'06")
>  The Oldest Christmas Story - Charles Laughton with The Hanns Eisler
> Orchestra  1944 (3'11")
>  The Happy Prince - Orson Welles & Bing Crosby with Lurence Tuttle and cast;
>                                 Victor Young & His Orchestra  1945 (12'15")
>  My New Year's Wish For You - Franklyn MacCormack with Herbert Foote,
> organ  1948 (2'52")
>  Lullaby Of Christmas - Gregory Peck with supporting cast & The Carmen
> Dragon Orchestra  1949 (19'04")
>  'Twas The Night Before Christmas - Lionel Barrymore with Buddy Cole,
> organ  1950 (3'05")
>
> Laserlight 12 765  Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol
>  performed by Sir Lawrence Olivier and Guests
>   sandwiched between Gloucestershire Wassail and Good King Wenceslas.
>  this sounds like a radio broadcast - anyone have any details???  No
> cast is announced at the intro or closing.