John McGlinn - orchestrator

[susiesnowflake]

Posted: 4/9/14 at 3:15am

Does anyone know if it is possible to access or hire the late MrMcGlinn's wonderful orchestrations?

Thanks!

Susan

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 4/9/14 at 4:46am

I don't think he ever orchestrated anything--he was very much involved in tracking down the original orchestrations and helping other orchestrators, if those were lost, try best to re-create them. Many of them are now licensed.

[susiesnowflake]

Posted: 4/9/14 at 6:27am

Thanks so much Eric - do you know how I could find out who now holds the licensing rights?

Susan

[elmore3003]

Posted: 4/9/14 at 8:29am

John was never an orchestrator, and if he needed an orchestration, he usually gave the work to Russell Warner or another. Much of his collection is archived at the Music Division of the Library of Congress in Washington, DC.

[temms]

Posted: 4/9/14 at 1:26pm

I would contact the specific composers' estates, be they Kern, Porter, Gershwin or whoever. Many years ago I discussed "Anything Goes" with Maestro McGlinn, who visibly blanched to learn that the production I was about to conduct was going to be the Lincoln Center version. He said that the Porter estate had the reconstructed orchestrations and that they should be pushing the original version to be done in performance.

Does anyone know what set of orchestrations they used for "Show Boat" at Lyric Opera? Were those ones from the McGlinn recording?

[Mr. Nowack]

Posted: 4/9/14 at 3:13pm

That's very interesting about pushing the original version. I would think the most often performed version is the 1962 version because of the simple arrangements, followed by the 1987 version.

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 4/9/14 at 3:26pm

"He said that the Porter estate had the reconstructed orchestrations and that they should be pushing the original version to be done in performance."

I would guess part of the reason is that if you are using the original orchestrations from the show you would be missing orchestrations from songs if you are doing the Lincoln Center version, as there were some interpolations from other shows. Not to say that you couldn't track down those original orchestrations as well, but you might end up with a less than unified sound, not to mention that the original orchestrations might not match up with the newer arrangements and any new dance music that was added in.

[susiesnowflake]

Posted: 4/9/14 at 6:01pm

So if we wanted to perform live the songs MrMcGlinn recorded on CD in the early 1990s (with the London Sinfonietta, Rebecca Luker, Kim Criswell and others), where should I start looking for the full orchestral score and orchestra parts? The various estates as has been suggested?

[Liza's Headband]

Posted: 4/9/14 at 6:27pm

Yes.

[susiesnowflake]

Posted: 4/9/14 at 6:57pm

Thanks so much Liza's Headband - any idea of who to approach ? I'm struggling a bit finding a contact . . . Would be most appreciative if you could help me further the Great American Songbook down under!!

Susie

[elmore3003]

Posted: 4/10/14 at 9:41am

One of McGlinn's problems was that he only assembled enough of a show for his recordings or concerts and ignored all secondary materials, from scene changes and underscores to Exit Music. He essentially left "Anything Goes," "The Gay Divorce," "Show Boat" and others in unperformable state. For the Porter Trust, I finished "The Gay Divorce," and I did the same for "Show Boat."

You will most likely find, even if you get permissions from the various rights holders, that most of them will have no idea where the McGlinn performance materials might be. Best of luck with your project.

[susiesnowflake]

Posted: 4/10/14 at 6:15pm

Dear Elmore 3003, thanks so much for your invaluable and insightful comments. My research is for a concert to be performed by Australia's leading (and oldest) choral organisation - we have recently forayed into the Great American Songbook and I couldn't be happier as I grew up on this music, even down under.

So a concert performance is all we are looking at, fortunately - scene changes don't worry us. Do you know if there is a Harry Warren/Dubin Trust as there is a Porter Trust? We want to do songs from the Gold Diggers series, Dames, 42nd Street etc. I will need to track down how I get in touch with those responsible for the music rights for these.

Cheers and thanks,
Susie in sydney