Four Walt Whitman Songs (1942 and 1947)

For voice and orchestra on texts by Walt Whitman.
Orchestral accompaniment for 1 and 2 by Kurt Weill, for 4 by Weill and Irving Schlein, for 3 by Carlos Surinach (1956).

Song List
Performance Information
Recordings

Song list

1. Beat! Beat! Drums!
2. Oh Captain! My Captain!
3. Come up from the Fields, Father
4. Dirge for Two Veterans

Performance Information

Orchestra: 2.1.2.bass cl.1; 2.2.2.0; harp, timp, perc; strings.
Duration: 18 minutes
Published Editions: vocal and piano score, EA 584
Performance Materials: All territories: EAMC
First performance: (Possibly) March 2, 1952, New York, Joseph James, vocalist, "Y" Symphonic Workshop, Maurice Levine, cond. (first three songs only)
Note: "Beat! Beat! Drums!" was recorded by Helen Hayes on RCA Victor in 1942, as a recitation with orchestral accompaniment revised by Weill (recording available on Pearl GEMM CDS 9294).

Guide to orchestration, territory abbreviations, and publishers' symbols.

Recordings

Koch Schwann CD
314 050

Wolfgang Holzmair, baritone, Robert-Schumann-Kammerorchester, Marc-Andreas Schlingensiepen, cond.

Also see Walt Whitman Songs, in the original arrangement for voice and piano.