Unlimited Streaming
Listen to this album in high quality now on our apps
Start my trial period and start listening to this albumEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
SubscribeEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
Digital Download
Purchase and download this album in a wide variety of formats depending on your needs.
Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II's fourth musical, South Pacific, was based on several stories in James A. Michener's book Tales of the South Pacific, specifically two that dealt with wartime romances complicated by racial issues. Lyricist and co-librettist Hammerstein had first taken on the issue of racial tolerance in Show Boat in 1927; here, he renewed the theme by exploring the relationship between an older French planter with two young half-Polynesian children and a young American nurse from Arkansas, and between an American lieutenant and a native girl. The cultural contrasts were supported by musical ones: The score veered between lush, operatic ballads ("Some Enchanted Evening," "This Nearly Was Mine") and earthy comedic numbers ("There Is Nothin' Like a Dame," "I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair"). Those contrasts in turn were embodied by the leads, retired Metropolitan Opera bass Ezio Pinza and Broadway musical comedy star Mary Martin, who managed to have an onstage romance without ever quite singing a duet (the closest thing to that being the appropriately named "Twin Soliloquies").
The story also allowed Rodgers & Hammerstein to portray the rough-edged, lusty character of U.S. servicemen, so well-documented in the recently concluded world war, and to present music with an exotic flavor ("Bali Ha'i"). The result was a massive hit. Opening on Broadway April 7, 1949, South Pacific ran 1,925 performances, longer than any musical before it except Rodgers & Hammerstein's Oklahoma! The score was even more popular, if possible. At a time when many different record companies might put out their own covers of a popular song, "Some Enchanted Evening" was a Top Ten hit for no less than six artists, with Perry Como's version hitting number one. Como also had the most successful of five chart versions of "Bali Ha'i," reaching the top five, and Margaret Whiting beat out three chart competitors for the top version of "A Wonderful Guy." (Though not a chart hit, "Younger Than Springtime" has gone on to be a much-recorded standard.)
But it was the original Broadway cast album that was the real blockbuster. Released at a time when record formats were changing, it came out on 78s, EPs, and an early 12" LP, and became the longest running number one hit in history. A perennial seller, it remained in print in successive LP reissues, one in 1962 (Columbia OS-2040 in rechanneled stereo) and another in 1973 (Columbia S-32604). The first CD version was a straight transfer of the LP in 1988 (Columbia CK-32604).
On March 9, 1993, Sony Broadway released a remastered version (SK-53327) with three bonus tracks. Pinza had had one of those Top Ten versions of "Some Enchanted Evening" back in 1949, and that had led Columbia to have him record "Bali Ha'i," a song he did not sing in the show, as a follow-up. In 1951, Martin recorded a one-off single for Columbia of two songs written for but dropped from the show, "Loneliness of Evening" and "My Girl Back Home." These made welcome additions to the 1993 CD. Unfortunately, in returning to the original master tapes, the reissue team mistakenly used an alternate take of "You've Got to Be Carefully Taught," creating a collectable. On November 10, 1998, that error was corrected on a new CD reissue (Sony Classical/Columbia/Legacy SK-60722) that added another bonus track, a nine-minute suite of South Pacific music arranged by Robert Russell Bennett, who had written the original orchestrations for the show, performed by André Kostelanetz and the Philadelphia Orchestra "Pops" in 1951.
© TiVo
You are currently listening to samples.
Listen to over 100 million songs with an unlimited streaming plan.
Listen to this playlist and more than 100 million songs with our unlimited streaming plans.
From £10.83/month
South Pacific - Original Broadway Cast Recording (Richard Rodgers)
Mary Martin, Performer - Biff McGuire, Performer - Jim Hawthorne, Performer - Betta St. John, Performer - Harvey Stephens, Performer - Roslyn Lowe, Performer - Dickinson Eastham, Performer - Jacqueline Fisher, Performer - Alex Nicol, Performer - William Tabbert, Performer - William Ferguson, Performer - Noel DeLeon, Performer - Barbara Luna, Performer - Don Fellows, Performer - Chin Yu, Performer - Fred Sadoff, Performer - Musa Williams, Performer - Archie Savage, Performer - Goddard Lieberson, Producer - Henry Michel, Performer - Evelyn Colby, Performer - Oscar Hammerstein II, Lyricist - Orchestra, Performer - Richard Silvera, Performer - Helena Schurgot, Performer - Henry Slate, Performer - Martin Wolfson, Performer - Thomas Gleason, Performer - Salvatore Dell'Isola, Conductor - Richard Loo, Performer - Michael DeLeon, Performer - Alan Gilbert, Performer - Richard Rodgers, Composer - Beau Tilden, Performer - Mardi Bayne, Performer - Myron McCormick, Performer - Juanita Hall, Performer - Jack Fontan, Performer - Pat Northrop, Performer - Bill Dwyer, Performer - Gloria Meli, Performer - Sandra Deel, Performer - Bernice Saunders, Performer - Mary Ann Reeve, Performer - Ezio Pinza, Performer - Eugene Smith, Performer
Originally released 1949. All rights reserved by Sony Music Entertainment
Mary Martin, Performer - Biff McGuire, Performer - Jim Hawthorne, Performer - Betta St. John, Performer - Harvey Stephens, Performer - Roslyn Lowe, Performer - Dickinson Eastham, Performer - Jacqueline Fisher, Performer - Alex Nicol, Performer - William Tabbert, Performer - William Ferguson, Performer - Noel DeLeon, Performer - Barbara Luna, Performer - Don Fellows, Performer - Chin Yu, Performer - Fred Sadoff, Performer - Musa Williams, Performer - Archie Savage, Performer - Goddard Lieberson, Producer - Henry Michel, Performer - Evelyn Colby, Performer - Oscar Hammerstein II, Lyricist - Orchestra, Performer - Richard Silvera, Performer - Helena Schurgot, Performer - Henry Slate, Performer - Martin Wolfson, Performer - Thomas Gleason, Performer - Salvatore Dell'Isola, Conductor - Richard Loo, Performer - Michael DeLeon, Performer - Alan Gilbert, Performer - Richard Rodgers, Composer - Beau Tilden, Performer - Mardi Bayne, Performer - Myron McCormick, Performer - Juanita Hall, Performer - Jack Fontan, Performer - Pat Northrop, Performer - Bill Dwyer, Performer - Gloria Meli, Performer - Sandra Deel, Performer - Bernice Saunders, Performer - Mary Ann Reeve, Performer - Ezio Pinza, Performer - Eugene Smith, Performer
Originally released 1949. All rights reserved by Sony Music Entertainment
Mary Martin, Performer - Biff McGuire, Performer - Jim Hawthorne, Performer - Betta St. John, Performer - Harvey Stephens, Performer - Roslyn Lowe, Performer - Dickinson Eastham, Performer - Jacqueline Fisher, Performer - Alex Nicol, Performer - William Tabbert, Performer - William Ferguson, Performer - Noel DeLeon, Performer - Barbara Luna, Performer - Don Fellows, Performer - Chin Yu, Performer - Fred Sadoff, Performer - Musa Williams, Performer - Archie Savage, Performer - Goddard Lieberson, Producer - Henry Michel, Performer - Evelyn Colby, Performer - Oscar Hammerstein II, Lyricist - Orchestra, Performer - Richard Silvera, Performer - Helena Schurgot, Performer - Henry Slate, Performer - Martin Wolfson, Performer - Thomas Gleason, Performer - Salvatore Dell'Isola, Conductor - Richard Loo, Performer - Michael DeLeon, Performer - Alan Gilbert, Performer - Richard Rodgers, Composer - Beau Tilden, Performer - Mardi Bayne, Performer - Myron McCormick, Performer - Juanita Hall, Performer - Jack Fontan, Performer - Pat Northrop, Performer - Bill Dwyer, Performer - Gloria Meli, Performer - Sandra Deel, Performer - Bernice Saunders, Performer - Mary Ann Reeve, Performer - Ezio Pinza, Performer - Eugene Smith, Performer
Originally released 1949. All rights reserved by Sony Music Entertainment
Mary Martin, Performer - Biff McGuire, Performer - Jim Hawthorne, Performer - Betta St. John, Performer - Harvey Stephens, Performer - Roslyn Lowe, Performer - Dickinson Eastham, Performer - Jacqueline Fisher, Performer - Alex Nicol, Performer - William Tabbert, Performer - William Ferguson, Performer - Noel DeLeon, Performer - Barbara Luna, Performer - Don Fellows, Performer - Chin Yu, Performer - Fred Sadoff, Performer - Musa Williams, Performer - Archie Savage, Performer - Goddard Lieberson, Producer - Henry Michel, Performer - Evelyn Colby, Performer - Oscar Hammerstein II, Lyricist - Orchestra, Performer - Richard Silvera, Performer - Helena Schurgot, Performer - Henry Slate, Performer - Martin Wolfson, Performer - Thomas Gleason, Performer - Salvatore Dell'Isola, Conductor - Richard Loo, Performer - Michael DeLeon, Performer - Alan Gilbert, Performer - Richard Rodgers, Composer - Beau Tilden, Performer - Mardi Bayne, Performer - Myron McCormick, Performer - Juanita Hall, Performer - Jack Fontan, Performer - Pat Northrop, Performer - Bill Dwyer, Performer - Gloria Meli, Performer - Sandra Deel, Performer - Bernice Saunders, Performer - Mary Ann Reeve, Performer - Ezio Pinza, Performer - Eugene Smith, Performer
Originally released 1949. All rights reserved by Sony Music Entertainment
Mary Martin, Performer - Biff McGuire, Performer - Jim Hawthorne, Performer - Betta St. John, Performer - Harvey Stephens, Performer - Roslyn Lowe, Performer - Dickinson Eastham, Performer - Jacqueline Fisher, Performer - Alex Nicol, Performer - William Tabbert, Performer - William Ferguson, Performer - Noel DeLeon, Performer - Barbara Luna, Performer - Don Fellows, Performer - Chin Yu, Performer - Fred Sadoff, Performer - Musa Williams, Performer - Archie Savage, Performer - Goddard Lieberson, Producer - Henry Michel, Performer - Evelyn Colby, Performer - Oscar Hammerstein II, Lyricist - Orchestra, Performer - Richard Silvera, Performer - Helena Schurgot, Performer - Henry Slate, Performer - Martin Wolfson, Performer - Thomas Gleason, Performer - Salvatore Dell'Isola, Conductor - Richard Loo, Performer - Michael DeLeon, Performer - Alan Gilbert, Performer - Richard Rodgers, Composer - Beau Tilden, Performer - Mardi Bayne, Performer - Myron McCormick, Performer - Juanita Hall, Performer - Jack Fontan, Performer - Pat Northrop, Performer - Bill Dwyer, Performer - Gloria Meli, Performer - Sandra Deel, Performer - Bernice Saunders, Performer - Mary Ann Reeve, Performer - Ezio Pinza, Performer - Eugene Smith, Performer
Originally released 1949. All rights reserved by Sony Music Entertainment
Mary Martin, Performer - Biff McGuire, Performer - Jim Hawthorne, Performer - Betta St. John, Performer - Harvey Stephens, Performer - Roslyn Lowe, Performer - Dickinson Eastham, Performer - Jacqueline Fisher, Performer - Alex Nicol, Performer - William Tabbert, Performer - William Ferguson, Performer - Noel DeLeon, Performer - Barbara Luna, Performer - Don Fellows, Performer - Chin Yu, Performer - Fred Sadoff, Performer - Musa Williams, Performer - Archie Savage, Performer - Goddard Lieberson, Producer - Henry Michel, Performer - Evelyn Colby, Performer - Oscar Hammerstein II, Lyricist - Orchestra, Performer - Richard Silvera, Performer - Helena Schurgot, Performer - Henry Slate, Performer - Martin Wolfson, Performer - Thomas Gleason, Performer - Salvatore Dell'Isola, Conductor - Richard Loo, Performer - Michael DeLeon, Performer - Alan Gilbert, Performer - Richard Rodgers, Composer - Beau Tilden, Performer - Mardi Bayne, Performer - Myron McCormick, Performer - Juanita Hall, Performer - Jack Fontan, Performer - Pat Northrop, Performer - Bill Dwyer, Performer - Gloria Meli, Performer - Sandra Deel, Performer - Bernice Saunders, Performer - Mary Ann Reeve, Performer - Ezio Pinza, Performer - Eugene Smith, Performer
Originally released 1949. All rights reserved by Sony Music Entertainment
Mary Martin, Performer - Biff McGuire, Performer - Jim Hawthorne, Performer - Betta St. John, Performer - Harvey Stephens, Performer - Roslyn Lowe, Performer - Dickinson Eastham, Performer - Jacqueline Fisher, Performer - Alex Nicol, Performer - William Tabbert, Performer - William Ferguson, Performer - Noel DeLeon, Performer - Barbara Luna, Performer - Don Fellows, Performer - Chin Yu, Performer - Fred Sadoff, Performer - Musa Williams, Performer - Archie Savage, Performer - Goddard Lieberson, Producer - Henry Michel, Performer - Evelyn Colby, Performer - Oscar Hammerstein II, Lyricist - Orchestra, Performer - Richard Silvera, Performer - Helena Schurgot, Performer - Henry Slate, Performer - Martin Wolfson, Performer - Thomas Gleason, Performer - Salvatore Dell'Isola, Conductor - Richard Loo, Performer - Michael DeLeon, Performer - Alan Gilbert, Performer - Richard Rodgers, Composer - Beau Tilden, Performer - Mardi Bayne, Performer - Myron McCormick, Performer - Juanita Hall, Performer - Jack Fontan, Performer - Pat Northrop, Performer - Bill Dwyer, Performer - Gloria Meli, Performer - Sandra Deel, Performer - Bernice Saunders, Performer - Mary Ann Reeve, Performer - Ezio Pinza, Performer - Eugene Smith, Performer
Originally released 1949. All rights reserved by Sony Music Entertainment
Mary Martin, Performer - Biff McGuire, Performer - Jim Hawthorne, Performer - Betta St. John, Performer - Harvey Stephens, Performer - Roslyn Lowe, Performer - Dickinson Eastham, Performer - Jacqueline Fisher, Performer - Alex Nicol, Performer - William Tabbert, Performer - William Ferguson, Performer - Noel DeLeon, Performer - Barbara Luna, Performer - Don Fellows, Performer - Chin Yu, Performer - Fred Sadoff, Performer - Musa Williams, Performer - Archie Savage, Performer - Goddard Lieberson, Producer - Henry Michel, Performer - Evelyn Colby, Performer - Oscar Hammerstein II, Lyricist - Orchestra, Performer - Richard Silvera, Performer - Helena Schurgot, Performer - Henry Slate, Performer - Martin Wolfson, Performer - Thomas Gleason, Performer - Salvatore Dell'Isola, Conductor - Richard Loo, Performer - Michael DeLeon, Performer - Alan Gilbert, Performer - Richard Rodgers, Composer - Beau Tilden, Performer - Mardi Bayne, Performer - Myron McCormick, Performer - Juanita Hall, Performer - Jack Fontan, Performer - Pat Northrop, Performer - Bill Dwyer, Performer - Gloria Meli, Performer - Sandra Deel, Performer - Bernice Saunders, Performer - Mary Ann Reeve, Performer - Ezio Pinza, Performer - Eugene Smith, Performer
Originally released 1949. All rights reserved by Sony Music Entertainment
Mary Martin, Performer - Biff McGuire, Performer - Jim Hawthorne, Performer - Betta St. John, Performer - Harvey Stephens, Performer - Roslyn Lowe, Performer - Dickinson Eastham, Performer - Jacqueline Fisher, Performer - Alex Nicol, Performer - William Tabbert, Performer - William Ferguson, Performer - Noel DeLeon, Performer - Barbara Luna, Performer - Don Fellows, Performer - Chin Yu, Performer - Fred Sadoff, Performer - Musa Williams, Performer - Archie Savage, Performer - Goddard Lieberson, Producer - Henry Michel, Performer - Evelyn Colby, Performer - Oscar Hammerstein II, Lyricist - Orchestra, Performer - Richard Silvera, Performer - Helena Schurgot, Performer - Henry Slate, Performer - Martin Wolfson, Performer - Thomas Gleason, Performer - Salvatore Dell'Isola, Conductor - Richard Loo, Performer - Michael DeLeon, Performer - Alan Gilbert, Performer - Richard Rodgers, Composer - Beau Tilden, Performer - Mardi Bayne, Performer - Myron McCormick, Performer - Juanita Hall, Performer - Jack Fontan, Performer - Pat Northrop, Performer - Bill Dwyer, Performer - Gloria Meli, Performer - Sandra Deel, Performer - Bernice Saunders, Performer - Mary Ann Reeve, Performer - Ezio Pinza, Performer - Eugene Smith, Performer
Originally released 1949. All rights reserved by Sony Music Entertainment
Mary Martin, Performer - Biff McGuire, Performer - Jim Hawthorne, Performer - Betta St. John, Performer - Harvey Stephens, Performer - Roslyn Lowe, Performer - Dickinson Eastham, Performer - Jacqueline Fisher, Performer - Alex Nicol, Performer - William Tabbert, Performer - William Ferguson, Performer - Noel DeLeon, Performer - Barbara Luna, Performer - Don Fellows, Performer - Chin Yu, Performer - Fred Sadoff, Performer - Musa Williams, Performer - Archie Savage, Performer - Goddard Lieberson, Producer - Henry Michel, Performer - Evelyn Colby, Performer - Oscar Hammerstein II, Lyricist - Orchestra, Performer - Richard Silvera, Performer - Helena Schurgot, Performer - Henry Slate, Performer - Martin Wolfson, Performer - Thomas Gleason, Performer - Salvatore Dell'Isola, Conductor - Richard Loo, Performer - Michael DeLeon, Performer - Alan Gilbert, Performer - Richard Rodgers, Composer - Beau Tilden, Performer - Mardi Bayne, Performer - Myron McCormick, Performer - Juanita Hall, Performer - Jack Fontan, Performer - Pat Northrop, Performer - Bill Dwyer, Performer - Gloria Meli, Performer - Sandra Deel, Performer - Bernice Saunders, Performer - Mary Ann Reeve, Performer - Ezio Pinza, Performer - Eugene Smith, Performer
Originally released 1949. All rights reserved by Sony Music Entertainment
Mary Martin, Performer - Biff McGuire, Performer - Jim Hawthorne, Performer - Betta St. John, Performer - Harvey Stephens, Performer - Roslyn Lowe, Performer - Dickinson Eastham, Performer - Jacqueline Fisher, Performer - Alex Nicol, Performer - William Tabbert, Performer - William Ferguson, Performer - Noel DeLeon, Performer - Barbara Luna, Performer - Don Fellows, Performer - Chin Yu, Performer - Fred Sadoff, Performer - Musa Williams, Performer - Archie Savage, Performer - Goddard Lieberson, Producer - Henry Michel, Performer - Evelyn Colby, Performer - Oscar Hammerstein II, Lyricist - Orchestra, Performer - Richard Silvera, Performer - Helena Schurgot, Performer - Henry Slate, Performer - Martin Wolfson, Performer - Thomas Gleason, Performer - Salvatore Dell'Isola, Conductor - Richard Loo, Performer - Michael DeLeon, Performer - Alan Gilbert, Performer - Richard Rodgers, Composer - Beau Tilden, Performer - Mardi Bayne, Performer - Myron McCormick, Performer - Juanita Hall, Performer - Jack Fontan, Performer - Pat Northrop, Performer - Bill Dwyer, Performer - Gloria Meli, Performer - Sandra Deel, Performer - Bernice Saunders, Performer - Mary Ann Reeve, Performer - Ezio Pinza, Performer - Eugene Smith, Performer
Originally released 1949. All rights reserved by Sony Music Entertainment
Mary Martin, Performer - Biff McGuire, Performer - Jim Hawthorne, Performer - Betta St. John, Performer - Harvey Stephens, Performer - Roslyn Lowe, Performer - Dickinson Eastham, Performer - Jacqueline Fisher, Performer - Alex Nicol, Performer - William Tabbert, Performer - William Ferguson, Performer - Noel DeLeon, Performer - Barbara Luna, Performer - Don Fellows, Performer - Chin Yu, Performer - Fred Sadoff, Performer - Musa Williams, Performer - Archie Savage, Performer - Goddard Lieberson, Producer - Henry Michel, Performer - Evelyn Colby, Performer - Oscar Hammerstein II, Lyricist - Orchestra, Performer - Richard Silvera, Performer - Helena Schurgot, Performer - Henry Slate, Performer - Martin Wolfson, Performer - Thomas Gleason, Performer - Salvatore Dell'Isola, Conductor - Richard Loo, Performer - Michael DeLeon, Performer - Alan Gilbert, Performer - Richard Rodgers, Composer - Beau Tilden, Performer - Mardi Bayne, Performer - Myron McCormick, Performer - Juanita Hall, Performer - Jack Fontan, Performer - Pat Northrop, Performer - Bill Dwyer, Performer - Gloria Meli, Performer - Sandra Deel, Performer - Bernice Saunders, Performer - Mary Ann Reeve, Performer - Ezio Pinza, Performer - Eugene Smith, Performer
Originally released 1949. All rights reserved by Sony Music Entertainment
Mary Martin, Performer - Biff McGuire, Performer - Jim Hawthorne, Performer - Betta St. John, Performer - Harvey Stephens, Performer - Roslyn Lowe, Performer - Dickinson Eastham, Performer - Jacqueline Fisher, Performer - Alex Nicol, Performer - William Tabbert, Performer - William Ferguson, Performer - Noel DeLeon, Performer - Barbara Luna, Performer - Don Fellows, Performer - Chin Yu, Performer - Fred Sadoff, Performer - Musa Williams, Performer - Archie Savage, Performer - Goddard Lieberson, Producer - Henry Michel, Performer - Evelyn Colby, Performer - Oscar Hammerstein II, Lyricist - Orchestra, Performer - Richard Silvera, Performer - Helena Schurgot, Performer - Henry Slate, Performer - Martin Wolfson, Performer - Thomas Gleason, Performer - Salvatore Dell'Isola, Conductor - Richard Loo, Performer - Michael DeLeon, Performer - Alan Gilbert, Performer - Richard Rodgers, Composer - Beau Tilden, Performer - Mardi Bayne, Performer - Myron McCormick, Performer - Juanita Hall, Performer - Jack Fontan, Performer - Pat Northrop, Performer - Bill Dwyer, Performer - Gloria Meli, Performer - Sandra Deel, Performer - Bernice Saunders, Performer - Mary Ann Reeve, Performer - Ezio Pinza, Performer - Eugene Smith, Performer
Originally released 1949. All rights reserved by Sony Music Entertainment
Mary Martin, Performer - Biff McGuire, Performer - Jim Hawthorne, Performer - Betta St. John, Performer - Harvey Stephens, Performer - Roslyn Lowe, Performer - Dickinson Eastham, Performer - Jacqueline Fisher, Performer - Alex Nicol, Performer - William Tabbert, Performer - William Ferguson, Performer - Noel DeLeon, Performer - Barbara Luna, Performer - Don Fellows, Performer - Chin Yu, Performer - Fred Sadoff, Performer - Musa Williams, Performer - Archie Savage, Performer - Goddard Lieberson, Producer - Henry Michel, Performer - Evelyn Colby, Performer - Oscar Hammerstein II, Lyricist - Orchestra, Performer - Richard Silvera, Performer - Helena Schurgot, Performer - Henry Slate, Performer - Martin Wolfson, Performer - Thomas Gleason, Performer - Salvatore Dell'Isola, Conductor - Richard Loo, Performer - Michael DeLeon, Performer - Alan Gilbert, Performer - Richard Rodgers, Composer - Beau Tilden, Performer - Mardi Bayne, Performer - Myron McCormick, Performer - Juanita Hall, Performer - Jack Fontan, Performer - Pat Northrop, Performer - Bill Dwyer, Performer - Gloria Meli, Performer - Sandra Deel, Performer - Bernice Saunders, Performer - Mary Ann Reeve, Performer - Ezio Pinza, Performer - Eugene Smith, Performer
Originally released 1949. All rights reserved by Sony Music Entertainment
Mary Martin, Performer - Biff McGuire, Performer - Jim Hawthorne, Performer - Betta St. John, Performer - Harvey Stephens, Performer - Roslyn Lowe, Performer - Dickinson Eastham, Performer - Jacqueline Fisher, Performer - Alex Nicol, Performer - William Tabbert, Performer - William Ferguson, Performer - Noel DeLeon, Performer - Barbara Luna, Performer - Don Fellows, Performer - Chin Yu, Performer - Fred Sadoff, Performer - Musa Williams, Performer - Archie Savage, Performer - Goddard Lieberson, Producer - Henry Michel, Performer - Evelyn Colby, Performer - Oscar Hammerstein II, Lyricist - Orchestra, Performer - Richard Silvera, Performer - Helena Schurgot, Performer - Henry Slate, Performer - Martin Wolfson, Performer - Thomas Gleason, Performer - Salvatore Dell'Isola, Conductor - Richard Loo, Performer - Michael DeLeon, Performer - Alan Gilbert, Performer - Richard Rodgers, Composer - Beau Tilden, Performer - Mardi Bayne, Performer - Myron McCormick, Performer - Juanita Hall, Performer - Jack Fontan, Performer - Pat Northrop, Performer - Bill Dwyer, Performer - Gloria Meli, Performer - Sandra Deel, Performer - Bernice Saunders, Performer - Mary Ann Reeve, Performer - Ezio Pinza, Performer - Eugene Smith, Performer
Originally released 1949. All rights reserved by Sony Music Entertainment
Mary Martin, Performer - Biff McGuire, Performer - Jim Hawthorne, Performer - Betta St. John, Performer - Harvey Stephens, Performer - Roslyn Lowe, Performer - Dickinson Eastham, Performer - Jacqueline Fisher, Performer - Alex Nicol, Performer - William Tabbert, Performer - William Ferguson, Performer - Noel DeLeon, Performer - Barbara Luna, Performer - Don Fellows, Performer - Chin Yu, Performer - Fred Sadoff, Performer - Musa Williams, Performer - Archie Savage, Performer - Goddard Lieberson, Producer - Henry Michel, Performer - Evelyn Colby, Performer - Oscar Hammerstein II, Lyricist - Orchestra, Performer - Richard Silvera, Performer - Helena Schurgot, Performer - Henry Slate, Performer - Martin Wolfson, Performer - Thomas Gleason, Performer - Salvatore Dell'Isola, Conductor - Richard Loo, Performer - Michael DeLeon, Performer - Alan Gilbert, Performer - Richard Rodgers, Composer - Beau Tilden, Performer - Mardi Bayne, Performer - Myron McCormick, Performer - Juanita Hall, Performer - Jack Fontan, Performer - Pat Northrop, Performer - Bill Dwyer, Performer - Gloria Meli, Performer - Sandra Deel, Performer - Bernice Saunders, Performer - Mary Ann Reeve, Performer - Ezio Pinza, Performer - Eugene Smith, Performer
Originally released 1949. All rights reserved by Sony Music Entertainment
Robert Russell Bennett, Arranger - Various, Performer - Producer not documented on available sources, Producer - Mary Martin, Performer - Lehman Engel, Conductor - Joshua Logan, Lyricist - Oscar Hammerstein II, Lyricist - Richard Rodgers, Composer
Originally released 1951 SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
Robert Russell Bennett, Arranger - Various, Performer - Producer not documented on available sources, Producer - Mary Martin, Performer - Lehman Engel, Conductor - Joshua Logan, Lyricist - Oscar Hammerstein II, Lyricist - Richard Rodgers, Composer
Originally released 1951 SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
Robert Russell Bennett, Arranger - Various, Performer - Producer not documented on available sources, Producer - Lehman Engel, Conductor - Joshua Logan, Lyricist - Oscar Hammerstein II, Lyricist - Richard Rodgers, Composer - Ezio Pinza, Performer
Originally released 1950 SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
Robert Russell Bennett, Arranger - Various, Performer - Producer not documented on available sources, Producer - Andre Kostelanetz, Conductor - Joshua Logan, Lyricist - Oscar Hammerstein II, Lyricist - Richard Rodgers, Composer - Philadelphia Pops Orchestra, Performer
Originally released 1952 SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
Album review
Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II's fourth musical, South Pacific, was based on several stories in James A. Michener's book Tales of the South Pacific, specifically two that dealt with wartime romances complicated by racial issues. Lyricist and co-librettist Hammerstein had first taken on the issue of racial tolerance in Show Boat in 1927; here, he renewed the theme by exploring the relationship between an older French planter with two young half-Polynesian children and a young American nurse from Arkansas, and between an American lieutenant and a native girl. The cultural contrasts were supported by musical ones: The score veered between lush, operatic ballads ("Some Enchanted Evening," "This Nearly Was Mine") and earthy comedic numbers ("There Is Nothin' Like a Dame," "I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair"). Those contrasts in turn were embodied by the leads, retired Metropolitan Opera bass Ezio Pinza and Broadway musical comedy star Mary Martin, who managed to have an onstage romance without ever quite singing a duet (the closest thing to that being the appropriately named "Twin Soliloquies").
The story also allowed Rodgers & Hammerstein to portray the rough-edged, lusty character of U.S. servicemen, so well-documented in the recently concluded world war, and to present music with an exotic flavor ("Bali Ha'i"). The result was a massive hit. Opening on Broadway April 7, 1949, South Pacific ran 1,925 performances, longer than any musical before it except Rodgers & Hammerstein's Oklahoma! The score was even more popular, if possible. At a time when many different record companies might put out their own covers of a popular song, "Some Enchanted Evening" was a Top Ten hit for no less than six artists, with Perry Como's version hitting number one. Como also had the most successful of five chart versions of "Bali Ha'i," reaching the top five, and Margaret Whiting beat out three chart competitors for the top version of "A Wonderful Guy." (Though not a chart hit, "Younger Than Springtime" has gone on to be a much-recorded standard.)
But it was the original Broadway cast album that was the real blockbuster. Released at a time when record formats were changing, it came out on 78s, EPs, and an early 12" LP, and became the longest running number one hit in history. A perennial seller, it remained in print in successive LP reissues, one in 1962 (Columbia OS-2040 in rechanneled stereo) and another in 1973 (Columbia S-32604). The first CD version was a straight transfer of the LP in 1988 (Columbia CK-32604).
On March 9, 1993, Sony Broadway released a remastered version (SK-53327) with three bonus tracks. Pinza had had one of those Top Ten versions of "Some Enchanted Evening" back in 1949, and that had led Columbia to have him record "Bali Ha'i," a song he did not sing in the show, as a follow-up. In 1951, Martin recorded a one-off single for Columbia of two songs written for but dropped from the show, "Loneliness of Evening" and "My Girl Back Home." These made welcome additions to the 1993 CD. Unfortunately, in returning to the original master tapes, the reissue team mistakenly used an alternate take of "You've Got to Be Carefully Taught," creating a collectable. On November 10, 1998, that error was corrected on a new CD reissue (Sony Classical/Columbia/Legacy SK-60722) that added another bonus track, a nine-minute suite of South Pacific music arranged by Robert Russell Bennett, who had written the original orchestrations for the show, performed by André Kostelanetz and the Philadelphia Orchestra "Pops" in 1951.
© TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 20 track(s)
- Total length: 01:04:23
- Main artists: Original Broadway Cast of "South Pacific"
- Composer: Richard Rodgers
- Label: Masterworks Broadway
- Genre: Soundtracks Musical Theatre
Originally released 1949, 1950, 1951, 1952 SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT // (P) 1998 SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
Improve album informationWhy buy on Qobuz...
-
Stream or download your music
Buy an album or an individual track. Or listen to our entire catalogue with our high-quality unlimited streaming subscriptions.
-
Zero DRM
The downloaded files belong to you, without any usage limit. You can download them as many times as you like.
-
Choose the format best suited for you
Download your purchases in a wide variety of formats (FLAC, ALAC, WAV, AIFF...) depending on your needs.
-
Listen to your purchases on our apps
Download the Qobuz apps for smartphones, tablets and computers, and listen to your purchases wherever you go.