120638bk Robeson 16/4/03 11:51 am Page 2 14. Weepin’ Mary—I Want To Be Ready 20. Go Down, Moses 2:04 The Naxos Historical labels aim to make available the greatest recordings of the history of recorded 3:09 (Arr. Henry Burleigh) music, in the best and truest sound that contemporary technology can provide. To achieve this aim, (Arr. Henry Burleigh) HMV Bb 18896-2 Naxos has engaged a number of respected restorers who have the dedication, skill and experience to HMV Bb 14349-4 Recorded February 1930, London produce restorations that have set new standards in the field of historical recordings. Recorded September 1928, London 21. Steal Away 3:00 15. My Lord, What A Mornin’ 2:50 (Arr. Lawrence Brown) Also available in our companion series Naxos Nostalgia ... (Arr. Henry Burleigh) With Ruthland Clapham, piano HMV Bb 14350-2 HMV OB 5829-2) Recorded September 1928, London Recorded December 1933, London 16. Oh! Rock Me, Julie—Oh! Didn’t It Rain 22. De Ole Ark’s A-Moverin’ 1:02 2:50 (Arr. Johnson) (Arr. Henry Burleigh) HMV OEA 2728, part matrix) HMV Bb 14622 Recorded May 1936, London Recorded October 1928, London 23. Nearer, My God, To Thee 4:13 17. Hail De Crown 2:08 (Carey) (Arr. Avery Robinson) With Herbert Dawson at the Kingsway Hall HMV Bb 18893-2) organ Recorded February 1930, London HMV 2B 3465-2 8.120543* 8.120566 8.120630* 18. Exhortation 2:11 Recorded October 1932, London (Will Marion Cook) With Lawrence Brown at the piano, except ... and Naxos Jazz Legends ... HMV Bb 18894-2 where indicated Recorded February 1930, London 19. I Stood On De Ribber—Peter, Go Ring Transfers, Production & Digital Noise Dem Bells 2:53 Reduction by Peter Dempsey (Arr. Henry Burleigh) Original monochrome photo of Paul Robeson HMV Bb 18895-2 from a private collection Recorded February 1930, London 8.120660 8.120666* 8.120672 * Not Available in the U.S. 5 8.120638 6 8.120638 120638bk Robeson 16/4/03 11:50 am Page 1 PAUL ROBESON black Broadway melange Shuffle Along (he the heart of the listener’ earned the apt 1. Git On Board, Li’l Children—Dere’s No 7. Ezekiel Saw De Wheel 2:00 Spirituals temporarily replaced the bass William Hann in definition of ‘the best musical instrument Hidin’ Place Down Dere 2:16 (Arr. Lawrence Brown) Original Recordings 1925-1936 the Four Harmony Kings) and, in July 1922, had wrought by nature in our time’ – fair description, (Arr. Lawrence Brown) Duet with Lawrence Brown sailed to England where he appeared in London for the voice and artistry of Robeson the orator HMV Bb 14352-2 Victor BVE 38420 Among his remaining fans Robeson is still most arrangements popularised by the Erie, in Mary Hoyt Wiborg’s Taboo (later re-titled The and declaimer were ‘natural’ insofar as they Recorded September 1928, Hayes, Middx Recorded March 1927, New York generally admired for his intimate, easy way with Pennsylvania-born Negro baritone recitalist Voodoo) with the celebrated doyenne of English appeared to be spontaneous. His first 2. MEDLEY: Intro—Roll De Ole Chariot 8. I’m Goin’ To Tell God All O’ My songs from films and musicals including Show Henry Thacker Burleigh (1866-1949), whose actresses, Mrs. Patrick Campbell (1865-1940). recordings, all of spirituals, made for Victor (arr. Ruthland Clapham, Paul Robeson)— Troubles 2:34 Boat and with certain numbers of the ‘Just A- seemingly immortal creations included Deep Back in the USA, he sang in the chorus-line of during July 1925, sold better than expected and Mary Had A Baby, Yes, Lord (arr. (Arr. Lawrence Brown) Wearyin’ For You’ or ‘Sleepy Time Down South’ River and Go Down, Moses, both published Lew Leslie’s Plantation Revue (this starred the ill- after four months Robeson received a cheque Jackson)—Swing Low, Sweet Chariot (arr. Victor BVE 38416-3 varieties, ballads heartfelt and direct in commercially in 1917, by Ricordi & Co. fated Florence Mills) and between 1922 and for royalties of $12,000. Lawrence Brown)—Heav’n, Heav’n (I Got Recorded May 1927, New York sentiment with which he could closely identify 1924 appeared as a straight-actor in various a Robe) (arr. Henry Burleigh) 4:05 9. I Got A Home In Dat Rock 2:20 himself. Never a singer in the strictest criterion Paul Le Roy Robeson was born into a middle- plays with the Provincetown Players, including Throughout the late 1920s and 1930s the name With Ruthland Clapham, piano, and the (Arr. Lawrence Brown) Mayfair Orchestra conducted by Ray Noble of ‘bel canto’, he was nonetheless a great class family in Princeton, New Jersey, on 9 April parts in Nan Bagby Stevens’ Roseanne and of Robeson was magnified via stage and film Victor BVE 38417-5 HMV 2B 5095-2 minstrel gifted with the common touch and as a 1898. His mother was a teacher and his father, Eugene O’ Neill’s All God’s Chillun Got Wings, at appearances and the ever-increasing record sales Recorded May 1927, New York a former slave and sometime student of Recorded September 1933, London singer of spirituals (and latterly of protest the author’s personal request. In 1924 Robeson of this populist who sang from his heart to the 10. Deep River 2:23 songs) he has long been rated a master, theology, was a practising Presbyterian made his first (silent) screen appearance, as a masses. In 1927 Robeson starred in Porgy And 3. Joshua Fit De Battle Ob Jericho (Arr. Henry Burleigh) although he was by no means the first or only preacher. Brought up in a hard-working, God- young preacher, in Oscar Micheaux’s Body And Bess (the Pulitzer Prize-winning play version of (Arr. Lawrence Brown) 1:55 Victor BVE 38418-5 Duet with Lawrence Brown Negro vocalist to establish an international fearing environment, Paul’s studious inclinations Soul and in London the following year played the the 1925 Du Bose Heyward novel on which Recorded May 1927, New York Victor BVE 33088-5 reputation in these genres. More accurately, like were encouraged and at thirteen he was selected title role in O’Neill’s 1921 masterpiece Emperor Gershwin based his 1935 folk-opera) and by Recorded July 1925, Camden, NJ 11. Witness 2:28 the tenors Roland Hayes and John Payne and, for Somerville High School where, in addition to Jones (a film-version made by United Artists in 1928 he was domiciled in London. His (Arr. Lawrence Brown) even more monumentally in his own generation indulging his fondness for amateur dramatics, less than a week in 1933, also starred Robeson). appearance there in the première of the Kern 4. Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Duet with Lawrence Brown the mezzo Marian Anderson, through large he also shone at football and sang in the glee musical Show Boat (he later participated in the Child 2:58 Victor BVE 38740 Although already an acclaimed stage-actor, global sales of his spiritual recordings Robeson club. Initially intending to pursue a career in show’s New York revival, in 1932) conferred on (Arr. Lawrence Brown) Recorded May 1927, New York when Robeson began his career as a recitalist in Victor BVE 34077-2 furthered an already thriving tradition. jurisprudence, he successively enrolled in the law him both a transatlantic cachet and a new, more 12. Scandalize My Name 2:05 faculties of two leading American universities: 1925 he not unreasonably feared that a generalised recognition in the signature-tune of Recorded January 1926, Camden, NJ Far from being a pure manifestation of folk- programme devoted exclusively to spirituals (Arr. Henry Burleigh) first, Rutgers in New Jersey, then Columbia in ‘Ol’ Man River’. From 1928 onwards, an 5. Nobody Knows De Trouble I’ve Seen HMV Bb 13545-2 song, the spiritual as we now know it is really a would fail to draw a good audience, despite the New York City. Paul graduated from Rutger’s extended series of recordings of popular fare as 3:01 Recorded June 1928, Hayes, Middlesex hybrid contrived from the religious songs of the precedents recently set by the American tenor (Arr. Lawrence Brown) with a Bachelor’s degree in 1919, was called to well as the spirituals included in this compilation 13. Sinner, Please Doan’ Let Dis Harves’ South such as those gathered in William F. the bar in 1921 and continued to study law until John Payne and other black artists. With the made Robeson a dark-hued counterpart in the Victor BVE 34438 Allen’s monumental 1868 compendium Slave Recorded January 1926, Camden, NJ Pass 2:03 he graduated, in 1923. support of some fine arrangements by his catalogues to McCormack or Peter Dawson Songs Of The United States and exploited accompanist Lawrence Brown, however, he (Arr. Henry Burleigh) which provided His Master’s Voice – and 6. Hear De Lam’s A-Cryin’ 2:36 commercially in the touring shows of the Christy A keen semi-pro drama student he had scored a big success at his first New York recital. HMV Bb 13547-2 Robeson himself – with a ready money-spinner (Arr. Lawrence Brown) Recorded June 1928, Hayes, Middlesex Minstrels of the 1850s, the Georgia and Fisk meanwhile also made his acting début in Simon The event did much to elevate the status of the during years of recession. Duet with Lawrence Brown University Jubilee Singers of the 1870s and, The Cyrenian (Harlem YMCA, 1920), worked spiritual while his voice itself ‘all honey and Victor BVE 38419 more recently still and most enduringly, in the briefly in Eubie Blake and Noble Sissle’s all- persuasion, yearning and searching, and probing Peter Dempsey, 2003 Recorded March 1927, New York 2 8.120638 3 8.120638 4 8.120638 120638bk Robeson 16/4/03 11:50 am Page 1 PAUL ROBESON black Broadway melange Shuffle Along (he the heart of the listener’ earned the apt 1.