The Play of Daniel

The Play of Daniel
A Twelfth Century Musical Drama
As represented at the Cloisters, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
New York Pro Musica - Noah Greenberg, dir.
Decca "Gold Label" DL 9402 [LP, mono]
Decca "Gold Label" DL 7 9402 [LP, stereo]
Decca "Gold Label" DL 6 9402 [8 tracks cartridge]
Decca "Brunswick" AXTL 1086 [LP, mono]
Decca "Brunswick" SXA 4001 [LP, stereo]
Decca 3200 [LP, mono]
Decca DCM 3200 [LP, stereo]
MCA 2504 [LP, stereo]
Archiv Produktion 18 609 [LP, European market]
Coral COCS 3700 [LP, France]

Contents:

    Anon., Egerton MS: The Play of Daniel
  1. Processional
  2. Jubilemus Regi nostro
  3. Vos Danielem quaerite
  4. Solvitur in libro Salomonis


  5. Ecce Rex Darius
  6. Rex, in eternum vive!
  7. Heu, heu, heu!

  8. Anon., gregorian:
  9. Te Deum Laudamus

Playing time: 40' 28"

Performers:
New York Pro Musica
Cast: Russell Oberlin (Belshazzar's Prince / An Angel / Herald Angel), Brayton Lewis (Belshazzar), Jerold Sien (First Wise Woman), Alan Baker (Second Wise Woman), Paul Ehrlich (First Envious Counsellor), Jean Hakes (Second Envious Counsellor), Arthur Squires (Third Envious Counsellor), Alan Baker (Habakkuk), Betty Wilson (Belshazzar's Queen), Charles Bressler (Daniel), Gordon Myers (Darius), Alva Tripp (First Advisor), Jerold Sien (Second Advisor).
Satraps and Soldiers: William Bohm & Boy choristers of Church of the Transfiguration, New York:(The Little Church Around the Corner): Richard Zahnd, David Kouri, Edmund Cortez, George Ryan, Ronald Frers, Ronald McLaren, Richard Bell
Stuart Gardner, choirmaster
Musicians: Robert Montesi (straight trumpet), Paul Ehrlich (rebec), Paul Maynard (portative organ, psaltery), Martha Blackman (bell carillon, minstrel's harp), George Gaber (percussion), Bernard Krainis (recorders), Inez Lynch (vielle), Jean Hakes (minstrel's harp), James Petrie (miniature highland bagpipes).
Noah Greenberg, dir.

Recording site and date:
The Cloisters, New York, NY, USA [01-02/1958];
Rel.: August 1958

Compilation:
MCAD2-10102 [CD] The Play of Daniel – The Play of Herod

Excerpts:
[8] Horizon DL 34 541 [LP] Music for a Medieval Day: Music of the cloister, cathedral, court, marketplace, and countryside

Comments:
Information from recordings (Decca LP & MCA CD), BN-Opale and James Gollin (from his book "Pied Piper, the many lives of Noah Greenberg", Pendragon, 2001).
Although the first recording of this medieval play, it is one of the most delightful I have ever heard, full of life.

To FAQ references to this recording.

To FAQ CD index page.

Pierre-F. Roberge