BALALAIKA
Composers: George Posford;
Bernard Grun
Lyricist: Eric Maschwitz
Opened: December
22, 1936, Adelphi Theatre, London; transferred on February 6, 1937, to His
Majesty's Theatre; transferred on February 19, 1938, to the Adelphi
Theatre
Performances: 570
Note: An earlier version of this musical toured England in 1933-1934 under the title THE GAY HUSSAR. A soundtrack was issued on Caliban 6004 (with I MARRIED AN ANGEL), but the individual numbers on that records are not identified. Except as noted below, no attempt has been made to compile discological information for recordings of traditional numbers.
At Last In Your Arms (M/L: Cole Porter) (written for but not used in the film version):
1. Unpublished Cole Porter Vol.
II, CD/Painted Smiles PSCD-125 (Laura Kenyon)
2. Unmined Cole: Unpublished
Gems Of Cole Porter, CD/Centaur CRC 2387 (Paulina Stark with Judy Brown, piano)
At The Balalaika (M: George Posford; L:
Eric Maschwitz) (film version had music adapted by Herbert Stothart and
additional lyrics by George Wright and Chet Forrest):
1. 78/HMV C-2894 (New Mayfair
Orchestra conducted by Clifford Greenwood)
2. 78/Columbia 17173 D (Nelson
Eddy with orchestra conducted by Nathaniel Finston) (film version) [reissued on
Nelson Eddy's Greatest Hits, CD/Sony 24298]
3. 78/Decca F 6263 (Greta
Keller with Fred Hartley and His Quintet)
4. 78/Columbia 35332 (Gil Mershon
with Orrin Tucker and His Orchestra) (film version)
5. 78/Decca 2981 A
(Bobby Ramos with Henry King and His Orchestra (film version)
6. 78/Inco
2002 (Linda Keene with Lennie Hayton and His Orchestra) (film version)
7.
78/Bluebird B 10533 (Eddie Holly with Abe Lyman and His Californians) (film
version)
8. 78/Ammor 113 (Sid Gary) 78/Vocalion 5306 (Joe Martin with Del
Courtney and His Orchestra) (film version)
9. 78/Victor 26463 (Wayne King
& Trio, vocal, with Wayne King and His Orchestra) (film version)
10.
45/Dot 45-15433 (Esquire Boys) (L: George Wright; Chet Forrest) (film version)
11. 45/Varsity 8125 (Linda Keene with Lennie Hayton and His Orchestra)
(film version)
12. Maid Of The Mountains/Balalaika, World LM 7040 (Neil
Williams and Male Chorus with orchestra conducted by Greg Harvey)
13.
Russia, London 820 183 (Stanley Black) [reissued on France/Russia,
CD/Dutton/Vocalion CDLK 4336]
14. Cha Cha Cha At The El Morocco, Tico
LP-1025 (Tito Puente and His World Famous Orchestra) (film version) [reissued
on CD/Tico 1025]
15. Cha Cha Cah: Live At Grossinger's, CD/RCA 38036 (Tito
Puente and His World Famous Orchestra) (film version)
16. Classic Voices,
Vol. 6, CD/HHO Licensing (Perry Como) (unknown version)
17. The Best Of
Richard Tauber, CD/EMI 0724358203950 (Richard Tauber) (unknown version)
18.
Tango! The Dance That Swept The World!, CD/Pearl Flapper 9752 (Geraldo and His
Orchestra)
19. The Billy Mayerl Piano Transcriptions, Vol. 2, CD/Priory
Records 467 (Eric Parkin)
20. I'm In A Dancing Mood, CD/Grasmere 95 (Phil
Kelsall) (unknown version)
21. A Nice Cup Of Tea, Vol. 2, CD/Vocalion CDEA
6053 (Billy Cotton and His Band) (unknown version)
22. Ballroom Dancing,
CD/Castle Pulse 223 (Victor Silvester and His Orchestra) (unknown version)
23. The Peter Morrison Collection, CD/Corban 034 (Peter Morrison) (unknown
version)
24. The Very Best Of Joe Loss, CD/EMI 3910302 (Joe Loss)
25.
Spectacular Tangos/Gypsy!, CD/Dutton/Vocalion 4318 (Werner Muller and His
Orchestra)
26. Vol. 6: Boomps-A-Daisy, CD/Dance Bands 6128 (Jack Hylton and
His Orchestra) (unknown version)
27. Love Themes From Great Operas/My Gypsy
Love, CD/Vocalion 4387 (Frank Chacksfield and His Orchestra)
28. Side By
Side, CD/Maestro CDTS 147 (Malcolm Wilce Duo) (unknown version)
29. 20
Suosikkia/Kotona Taas, CD/WEA (Eino Gron) (unverified)
30. An Evening To
Remember: Live With The Australian Pops Orchestra, CD/DRG 13103 (Joan
Sutherland with the Australian Pops Orchestra) (unknown version)
Radio
transcriptions (unknown versions) performed by Cliff Grass with the Gray Gordon
Orchestra and by the Blake Reynolds Orchestra are also known to exist.
Ballerina, Sad And Lonely (M: George
Posford):
1. 78/HMV C-2894 (New Mayfair
Orchestra conducted by Clifford Greenwood)
Ballet Music ("Reflections')
(M: George Posford):
1. 78/HMV C-2894 (New Mayfair
Orchestra conducted by Clifford Greenwood)
The Devil In Red (M: Bernard Grun):
1. Maid Of The
Mountains/Balalaika, World LM 7040 (Chorus with orchestra conducted by Greg
Harvey)
Drinking Song (M: George
Posford):
1. Maid Of The
Mountains/Balalaika, World LM 7040 (orchestra conducted by Greg
Harvey)
If The World Were Mine (M: George
Posford):
1. 78/HMV C-2894 (New Mayfair
Orchestra conducted by Clifford Greenwood)
2. 78/Decca F 6263 (Greta Keller
with Fred Hartley and His Quintet)
3. Maid Of The Mountains/Balalaika,
World LM 7040 (Neil Williams, Valda Bagnall, and Chorus with orchestra
conducted by Greg Harvey)
4. Tango! The Dance That Swept The World!,
CD/Pearl Flapper 9752 (Geraldo and His Orchestra)
The Magic Of Your Love (M: Franz Lehar as adapted by Herbert
Stothart; L: Gus Kahn; Clifford Grey) (used in the film
version):
1. 78/Columbia 17173 D (Nelson
Eddy with orchestra conducted by Nathaniel Finston) [reissued on Smilin'
Through, CD/Memoir 436]
2. 78/Gramophone D.A. 1730 (John McCormack with
orchestra)
Nichevo (M: Bernard
Grun):
1. 78/HMV C-2894 (New Mayfair
Orchestra conducted by Clifford Greenwood)
Overture (M: George Posford):
1. Maid Of The
Mountains/Balalaika, World LM 7040 (orchestra conducted by Greg
Harvey)
Ride Cossack Ride (M: Herbert
Stothart; L: Bob Wright; Chet Forrest) (written for the film
version):
1. 78/Columbia 17172 D (Nelson
Eddy with orchestra conducted by Nathaniel Finston) [reissued on Through The
Years, CD/ASV/Living Era 5254]
2. Soul Of Russia & Poland, CD/Countdown
Records (101 Strings Orchestra) (unverified)
Russian March:
1. 78/HMV C-2894 (New Mayfair
Orchestra conducted by Clifford Greenwood)
Song Of The Volga Boatmen (M/L: Traditional) (used in the
film version):
I have not attempted to compile
discological information for this number beyond original film cast
performances.
1. 78/Columbia 17172 D (Nelson Eddy with orchestra conducted
by Nathaniel Finston) [reissued on Nelson Eddy's Greatest Hits, CD/Sony
24298]
Toreador Song (M/L: Bizet) (used in
the film version):
I have not attempted to compile
discological information for this number beyond original film cast
performances.
1. 78/Columbia 70349 D (Nelson Eddy) [reissued on When I'm
Calling You, CD/ASV/Living Era 5124]
Two
Guitars (M/L: Traditional):
No attempt has been made to
compile discological information for this number outside of cast or studio cast
recordings.
1. Maid Of The Mountains/Balalaika, World LM 7040 (Chorus with
orchestra conducted by Greg Harvey)
Other
Material:
Be A Casanova (M: George Posford)
Boys (M:
Traditional) Chook-Chook (M: Traditional)
Chorus ("All A Man Requires Of A
Woman")
Come This Holy Night Of Christmas (M: Bernard Grun)
Cossacks
Sing Off Stage (M: Bernard Grun)
Curtain Music Segue (inst.)
Drinking
Song (M: George Posford)
Entr'acte And Intro To Act 2 (inst.)
Entrance
Of Emperor And Interlude (inst.)
Entrance Of Nicki (M: George Posford)
Exit Of Cossacks (M: Bernard Grun)
Exit Of Officers (M: Bernard Grun)
Fanfare & Russian Imperial Hymn (inst.)
Finale To Act 2 (inst.)
Flow Flow White Wine (M: Traditional as adapted by Herbert Stothart; L: Gus
Kahn) (written for the film version)
From Ballet Room To Gipsy Restaurant
(M: George Posford)
From Marakov's House To The Palace Ballroom - Interlude
(inst.)
Hussars (M: Traditional)
In The Moonlight On The Island (M/L:
Traditional)
Interlude To Act 2, Scene 2 (M: Bernard Grun)
Introduction
To Act 3 (M: George Posford)
Let Guitars Sound (M/L: Traditional)
Masha, Masha, Masha! (M: Bernard Grun)
Moonshine (inst.)
Music For
Practice Steps (M: Bernard Grun)
Muzurka (M: George Posford)
My Heart
Is A Gypsy (M: Bronislau Kaper; L: Gus Kahn) (written for but not used in the
film version)
Paso Doble (M: George Posford)
Porch (M: Traditional)
Red Rose (M: George Posford)
Red Shirt (M/L: Traditional)
Return Of
Guests & Gipsies (M: Bernard Grun)
Russian Hymn (M/L: Traditional)
Shadows On The Sand (M: Herbert Stothart; L: Bob Wright; Chet Forrest)
(written for the film version; sheet music only)
Silent Night (M/L:
Traditional)
Sleeping Beauty Waltz (M: Tschaikowsky)
Tango (M: George
Posford)
Tanya (M: Herbert Stothart; L: Bob Wright; Chet Forrest) (written
for the film version)
The Night Grows Old (Valse Sentimentale) (M: George
Posford)
This Night Of Feasting (M/L: Traditional)
Valse Sentimentale
(M: George Posford)
Vodka-Vodka (M: Traditional)
Welcome, Welcome (M/L:
Traditional)
Where Is The Snow (M: Bernard Grun)
Wishing Episode (M:
Herbert Stothart; L: Bob Wright; Chet Forrest) (written for the film version)