Leonard Lehrman's Adaptations, Completions & Reconstructions

of Works by Marc Blitzstein

The Cradle Will Rock (1936) play in music
adaptation & re-orchestration, 1969, Loeb Experimental Theater at Harvard; Tufts;
broadcast in part on WBAI-FM, NY and WHRB-FM Cambridge, MA Nov. 1989

Discourse* (1933) for Clarinet, Cello and Piano; completion commissioned, 2004

Expatriate* (1940) solo song from No For An Answer, Act II Scene 5
completion of music 3/95; first presented 4/6/95 Madison WI Sonneck Society convention
first public performance 6/11/95 LICA concert, Center Moriches Free Library
recorded by Leonard Lehrman on
A Marc Blitzstein Songbook, Original Cast Recordings OC 4441
published by Boosey & Hawkes in The Marc Blitzstein Songbook, v. 1, 1999

Few Little English* (1936) solo song "for Lenja" [Lotte Lenya]
reconstruction, 1997
recorded by Helene Williams & Leonard Lehrman on
A Marc Blitzstein Songbook, Original Cast Recordings OC 4441
published by Boosey & Hawkes in The Marc Blitzstein Songbook, v. 1, 1999

The Harpies (1931) one-act opera
adaptation & re-orchestration, 1970, Lowell House at Harvard

Idiots First** (1963) one-act opera
completion of music, 12/21/73; orchestration 1991
after story by Bernard Malamud (see Tales of Malamud, below)
publisher: Theodore Presser
preview by Ithaca Opera Association, Barnes Hall, Cornell 8/3/74
prem. Monroe County Library, Bloomington, IN 3/14/76
NY prem. Bel Canto Opera cond. by composer 1/14-15, 21-22/78
orch. prem. 3/19&21/92 by Center for Contemporary Opera, NYU
Winner, Off-Broadway Opera Award "most important event of the season" 1977-8
recipient (w/ #38) of Margaret Jory $1,000 Amer Music Center copying grant '91
and grants from NEA & Mary Cary Flagler Trust
broadcast by WHCU, WQXR 1/78, WNYC 1/78 and WBAI (complete) 3/79
Excerpts: "How I Met My New Grandfather" and "Who Will Close the Door"
recorded by Ronald Edwards & Leonard Lehrman on
A Blitzstein Cabaret, Premier Recordings PRCD 1005
"How I Met My New Grandfather" was also performed (& taped)
by Jose Ferrer, Leonard Bernstein & the NY Philharmonic 4/19/64 and
published by Boosey & Hawkes in The Marc Blitzstein Songbook, v. 1, 1999
"Under the Sky" recorded by James Sergi & Leonard Lehrman on
A Marc Blitzstein Songbook, Original Cast Recordings OC 4441;
published by Boosey & Hawkes in The Marc Blitzstein Songbook, v. 2, 2001

I've Got the Tune (1937) radio song play, adapted for the stage
adaptation, 1970, Lowell House at Harvard; broadcast 1989 on WHRB-FM

Lovely Song* solo song, arr. for duet
reconstruction, 1988, based on "Tanya" from Goloopchik (1945)
and "Jane Pickens Theme" (July 5, 1949)
recorded by Helene Williams, Ronald Edwards & Leonard Lehrman on
A Blitzstein Cabaret, Premier Recordings PRCD 1005
published by Boosey & Hawkes in The Marc Blitzstein Songbook, v. 2, 2001

Lovely to Get Back to Love* (1945) solo song
completion of accompaniment, 2002
prem. by Helene Williams & Leonard Lehrman, 6/23/02, Puffin Cultural Forum, Teaneck, NJ
published by Boosey & Hawkes in The Marc Blitzstein Songbook, v. 3, 2003

Old Sayin's*(1957) duet from Juno
adaptation (new lyrics), 1974
published by Boosey & Hawkes in The Marc Blitzstein Songbook, v. 3, 2003

Quarrel Song* (1957) duet from Juno
adaptation (new lyrics), 1974
recorded by Helene Williams & Leonard Lehrman on
A Blitzstein Cabaret, Premier Recordings PRCD 1005
published by Boosey & Hawkes in The Marc Blitzstein Songbook, v. 2, 2001

A Quiet Girl* (1942) solo song
adaptation (new lyrics), 1988
recorded by Helene Williams & Leonard Lehrman on
A Blitzstein Cabaret, Premier Recordings PRCD 1005
published by Boosey & Hawkes in The Marc Blitzstein Songbook, v. 2, 2001

Sacco and Vanzetti* (1959) three-act opera
completion, 2001
commissioned by Ford Foundation, optioned by Metropolitan Opera
completion commissioned in part by The Puffin Foundation
publisher: Theodore Presser; excerpts publ. by Boosey & Hawkes
in Marc Blitzstein Songbook, v. 1, 1999 (#1); v. 2, 2001 (#2, 3, 4, 5)
first complete perfs in concert with piano at The White Barn, Westport, CT 8/17-19/01
excerpts:
1. Sacco's Act II Aria, "With A Woman To Be,"
performed (& taped) by Luigi Alva, Leonard Bernstein & the NY Philharmonic 4/19/64;
also 4/28/85 by Charles Walker & Michael Barrett;
2. Sacco-Rosa Act II Duet, prem. Ronald Edwards, Helene Williams & Leonard Lehrman
at Jean Cocteau Repertory Theater, Bowery, Manhattan, 9/16/00;
repeated at Merrick Library 12/3/00; People's Voice Cafe at Workmen's Circle, Manhattan, 12/16/00;
and National Opera Association convention, New Yorker Hotel 1/12/01, along with #3-7:
3. Vanzetti's Last Statement, completed by Lehrman, prem. 3/2/95 at Medicine Show, Manhattan;
4. Vanzetti's First Aria, completed by Lehrman, 8/99;
prem. 8/2/00 by Ronald Edwards & Leonard Lehrman in concert at Cherubini Conservatory, Florence, Italy
5. Sacco's "The Whole Shoe" Aria, completed by Lehrman 7/00;
prem. 8/2/00 by Ronald Edwards & Leonard Lehrman in concert at Cherubini Conservatory, Florence, Italy
6. Sacco-Mrs. Evans Duet (music based on "Be With Me" and "Such A Little While" from Blitzstein's Reuben Reuben), completed by Lehrman 8/00; prem. by Ronald Edwards, Helene Williams & Leonard Lehrman 9/16/00
7. Sacco-Rosa-Vanzetti Trio (music based on "The Hills of Amalfi" from Blitzstein's Reuben Reuben),
completed by Lehrman 8/00; prem. by Ronald Edwards, Helene Williams & Leonard Lehrman 9/16/00
[duet version premiered Torremaggiore, Italy 8/7/00 & Bryant Library 12/2/01]
8. Mary Donovan's Aria, completed by Lehrman 1/01;
prem. by Helene Williams & Leonard Lehrman,
Composer/Performer Roundtable, Music Library Assn convention, NYC 2/22/01
9. Act I Quartet Finale (music derived in part from "Have Yourself A Night" from Blitzstein's Reuben Reuben), completed by Lehrman 8/99
#1 recorded by Ronald Edwards & Leonard Lehrman on
A Blitzstein Cabaret, Premier Recordings PRCD 1005
#2-5 recorded by Gregory Mercer, Helene Williams, James Sergi & Leonard Lehrman on
A Marc Blitzstein Songbook, Original Cast Recordings OC 4441
#2 & 3 broadcast on Long Island Cablevision TV 44 (Ch. 70) 8/14/01 7:30pm, 8/15/01 9:30pm
#1-9 performed by Mercer, Williams, Sergi & Lehrman at Hewlett-Woodmere Library 3/3/02,
Great Neck Library 6/9/02, Puffin Cultural Forum (Teaneck NJ) 6/23/02

Send for the Militia*(1936) solo song from Parade
reconstruction, 1974
recorded by Helene Williams & Leonard Lehrman on
A Blitzstein Cabaret, Premier Recordings PRCD 1005
published by Boosey & Hawkes in The Marc Blitzstein Songbook, v. 2, 2001

Smoking Glasses* (1938) solo song
completion of accompaniment, 7/95
prem. by Gregory Mercer & Leonard Lehrman, Hewlett-Woodmere Library, 3/3/02
recorded by Gregory Mercer,& Leonard Lehrman on
A Marc Blitzstein Songbook, Original Cast Recordings OC 4441
published by Boosey & Hawkes in The Marc Blitzstein Songbook, v. 2, 2001

Song* (1925) (Rupert Brooke) solo song
completion of mm. 14-34 (of 34)

Tales of Malamud
set of one-act operas completion
includes Idiots First** (see above) and new operas by Leonard Lehrman
all published by Theodore Presser, based on other works of Bernard Malamud:
Karla*** (1974) based on "Notes from a Lady at a Dinner Party"
Suppose A Wedding*** (1996) based on the "scene of a play" of the same name

Three Millay Canons* (1927)
1. Pity Me
2. Safe (completed by Lehrman, 2003)
3. I Only Know

War Song**** (1945) (Dorothy Parker) solo song
completion of accompaniment, 7/95
prem. by Helene Williams & Leonard Lehrman,
Salle Nadia Boulanger, Fontainebleau, France, 7/11/96
official U.S. prem., Hewlett-Woodmere Library, 3/3/02
published by Boosey & Hawkes in The Marc Blitzstein Songbook, v. 3, 2003

What Is the Stars?* (1957) trio from Juno
reconstructed from recording, 1974
prem. by Helene Williams, Ronald Edwards & Leonard Lehrman 9/16/00
recorded by them on
A Blitzstein Cabaret, Premier Recordings PRCD 1005
published by Boosey & Hawkes in The Marc Blitzstein Songbook, v. 2, 2001

_____
*Copyright by The Estate of Marc Blitzstein
**Copyright by Bernard Malamud, Leonard Lehrman and the Estate of Marc Blitzstein
***Copyright by Leonard Lehrman and the Estate of Bernard Malamud
****Copyright by the Estate of Dorothy Parker and the Estate of Marc Blitzstein