Liner notes from original albums and CDs for proofreading
Amour, amor, amore—these are three of the most-used words in the world, and three of the most popular. A fourth—love—could be added, except that it is unfortunately non-alliterative. Each of the songs in this collection deals with that treasurable subject more or less directly, and each of them has in its time made contributions to the romantic atmosphere of the day. As played by Percy Faith and his orchestra, they once again conjure up a heady mixture of romance and melody, and offer a perfect occasion for listening or as a background to more sentimental pastimes.
The brilliant arrangements of Percy Faith, although admirably adapted to almost any kind of popular music, shine with particular brightness in the music of other lands. With such melodies he is able to underline their character with imaginative touches of all kinds, pointing up the atmosphere and introducing new elements into the sound qualities of popular songs. Several of the songs in this collection are of American origin, and his touch in them is no less sure, but the exotic sounds he evokes from his orchestra in the others is what gives the collection its special flavor.
His introduction of a harpsichord in Delicado, his use of pyramiding violins in The Song from Moulin Rouge, and his evocative tinkles of ancient bells in Return to Paradise—these are but three of his innovations. In this collection, many others will be heard, in a group of songs dealing with romance in all languages.
Music by Georges Auric opens the program, If Hearts Could Talk from “Abdullah the Great.” As in one of his greatest hits, The Song from Moulin Rouge, Percy Faith indicates a special sympathy for the music of this composer in a lovely arrangement. A clear Spanish influence pervades the next selection, the lively Valencia. One of the greatest hits of the twenties, it offers a splendid showcase for the imaginative ideas of the conductor. Then follows a charming Italian song, Non Dimenticar (Don’t Forget), in which the orchestra gives one of its suavest performances, and One Night of Love, written by Victor Schertzinger for Grace Moore in her movie debut. Apart from its memorable melody, the song also qualifies in this international collection in that the story took place in Italy for the most part.
Petite, a charming tune with a French flavor, introduces the expert Faith orchestral voicings, and The Loveliest Night of the Year from “The Great Caruso” brings with it an unmistakable Viennese touch, having been adapted from the waltz Over the Waves. Another song of French derivation, and one that in its initial release was one of Percy Faith’s biggest hits, is All My Love, original Bolero in France, although quite different from the Ravel composition. Next is heard Dream, Dream, Dream, one of the smoothest Faith arrangements and one that shows he is just as much at home with American melodies as with those of other lands.
Another great Faith success follows, the excitingly Latin Amorada in which he vividly exploits the tonal colorings of his orchestra. Then, moving swiftly eastward to the Bagdad of “Kismet,” he offers Baubles, Bangles and Beads, a beautiful waltz adapted from the music of Borodin and featuring temple bells in its rich arrangement. A combination of Czechoslovakia, France and the United States follows in the Valse Huguette; this amalgam is explained by the fact that the composer, Rudolf Friml, was born in Czechoslovakia, that the musical “The Vagabond King” from which it was selected is set in the Paris of François Villon, and that the operatta was written and first produced in the United States. The collection closes on a final Latin note, in the sumptuous Faith arrangement of My Shawl.
The oldest of eight children, Percy Faith began studying the violin at the age of seven. Shortly thereafter and aunt gave him a fine piano, with which he immediately became fascinated. By the time he was ten, he had progressed to the point where he was able to present a double recital, playing alternate solos on the violin and the piano. However, his real love was the piano, and he concentrated on that instrument. During his high school years, he found after-hours employment in a Toronto movie house, playing music to accompany silent films. Here he learned how to improvise and to ad-lib to fit the mood of various scenes and to stretch out the music when his cue-sheets proved faulty.
Upon graduation from high school, he joined an orchestra which played in and around Toronto. Suddenly, an offer came from Jack Arthur, a symphonic-orchestra conductor known as the “Paul Whiteman of Canada.” Impressed with Percy’s ability, Arthur lent him a small band in the area, intending to place him in his own group after Percy had acquired more experience. However, Percy found work on several radio programs, and continued to study for concert work under such teachers as Frank Wellman of the Toronto Conservatory and Louis Waizman. It was Waizman who recognized the young musician’s talent for interpretative arranging, and convinced him that he should follow that technique.
By 1931, Faith was conducting his own orchestra—a small string group—on the air. He progressed through larger groups and in 1934 the Canadian Broadcasting System hired him as staff arranger and conductor. He was given a program called “Gaiety in Romance” that at once landed a sponsor, and continued with “Streamline” and “Music by Faith.” Early in 1940 he was offered the conductor’s post with the “Carnation Hour” in the United States, which he conducted until 1947, when he starred on “The Pause That Refreshes.” Shortly thereafter, he joined Columbia Records as a member of the Artists and Repertoire staff and as a recording artist in his own right. Since that time his arrangements have been in constant demand, and he has been one of the leaders in the return of the instrumental number to favor.
Can a 52-year-old arranger-conductor cut one of the best-selling instrumentals of the rock era? The answer for Percy Faith was a resounding yes. The man known for Theme From A Summer Place was well into middle-age when he did an easy listening version of the theme from the popular movie. He already had a long string of hit albums and singles, had provided instrumental backing for other artists on their successful recordings and was a noted radio and TV arranger.
He was born April 7, 1908, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. By the time he was 6, Faith had demonstrated musical abilities, drumming out rhythms on family chinaware. Unwilling to encourage his drumming interests, Faith’s dad responded to his son’s musical interests by buying him a violin and paying for lessons. After three years of fiddling, Faith turned to the piano, which provide to be his forte.
By the time he was 11, Faith was working professionally, providing “Cowboys and Indian” music for silent films in a Toronto theater. The youngster was so short he had to sit on a stack of sheet music to reach the piano. For his efforts, he took home $3 a night and carfare. When he was 15, Faith debuted as a concert pianist and at 18 was writing special arrangements for other musicians and touring with a small concert group.
In 1928, Faith and Joe Allabough, who would go on to manage a radio station in Chicago, formed a radio team they called “Faith and Hope.” Faith was responsible for the music and Allabough, or “Hope,” was the comedian. By 1933, Faith was a staff conductor, arranger and pianist for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, a position he would hold for seven years. His duties included writing music for special programming including coverage of a visit to Canada by the King and Queen of England.
Faith’s work in Canada was not unnoticed by broadcasters in the United States, and, in 1940, he left his home country to serve as musical director for NBC. By 1950, he was working for Columbia Records, charting with Cross My Fingers, featuring a vocal by Russ Emery. He went Top 10 that year with All My Love, followed by the holiday themed Christmas In Killarney, done with the Shillelagh Singers.
Besides arranging and producing hits for himself, Faith worked his musical magic as an arranger and producer for a number of artists including Tony Bennett, Johnny Mathis, Doris Day and others. He was also an accomplished writer and his My Heart Cries For You was a hit for Guy Mitchell, Dinah Shore and Vic Damone in the ‘50s.
Although he was busy with other Columbia artists, Faith continued to have his own hits. In the spring of 1951 he went Top 10 with On Top Of Old Smoky, an old folk song that featured a Burl Ives vocal. He also did well with When The Saints Go Marching In and its flip-side, I Want To Be Near You. In the spring of 1952, he topped the charts with Delicado, featuring Stan Freeman on harpsichord.
In the spring of 1953, Faith had a hit with Swedish Rhapsody. After about a month, the B-Side, Song From ‘Moulin Rouge’ (Where Is Your Heart), with a strong vocal by Felicia Sanders, charted and went all the way to No. 1, where it stayed for 10 weeks, earning Faith his first gold record. He followed with another movie theme, Return To Paradise, and closed out the year on the charts with Many Times.
Faith continued to score popular singles with his lush instrumental sound even as rock ‘n roll took over the pop charts. In 1954 he did well with Dream, Dream, Dream and The Bandit. In ’56, he charted with Valley Valparaiso, We All Need Love and With A Little Bit Of Luck. He continued to do well with albums, especially the romantic “Passport To Romance,” issued in 1956, and a collection of songs from “My Fair Lady” that went Top 10 in 1957. His albums were also popular in the ‘60s, as he opened the decade with the Top 10 “Bouquet.” Faith also went Top 10 in 1960 with “Jealousy” and did the same in early ’61 with songs from “Camelot.”
Faith would go to #1 again with another movie theme. “A Summer Place” was a 1959 film that starred veterans Richard Egan and Dorothy McGuire as disapproving parents while teen stars Sandra Dee and Troy Donahue played misunderstood young lovers. The theme was written by Max Steiner and recorded by Faith in September 1959.
There was some radio play for Theme From “A Summer Place,” but it took almost six months for the record to finally catch on. It charted in the second week of 1960 and headed to the top of the Billboard pop charts, where it remained for nine weeks, selling more than a million copies. It also won a Grammy as record of the year and picked up nominations for best performance by an orchestra and best arrangement.
Theme From “A Summer Place” was followed by the Top 40 Theme For Young Lovers. Meanwhile, Faith’s albums continued to reflect his more adult-oriented sound, as “Mucho Gusto! More Music Of Mexico” sold well in 1961 and “Bouquet Of Love” and “The Music Of Brazil!” were hits in 1962. In 1963, Faith tried something different. That summer, the “Themes For Young Lovers” album was issued, featuring 12 current pop hits that got the warm Faith treatment, including Go Away Little Girl, Our Day Will Come and I Will Follow Him. It became an immediate best-seller, was certified gold and nominated for a Grammy in the best performance by orchestra category.
After “Shangri-La” in 1963 and “Great Folk Themes” in ’64, Faith was back in the summer of that year with “More Themes For Young Lovers.” He would continue into the ‘70s with popular albums that focused on movie themes and pop hits of the day, from “Dr. Zhivago’s” “Somewhere My Love” to Santana’s Black Magic Woman. His last charting album, “Day By Day,” was issued in 1972.
Faith died of cancer on February 9, 1976, not long after overseeing an updated disco version of Theme From “A Summer Place.” He left a rich legacy of music for humself and other artists that covered 50 years and hundreds of records. This collection of two of his best albums for Columbia clearly demonstrates his talent and versatility.
–Mark Marymont
Billboard chart numbers courtesy of BPI Communications and Joel Whitburn’s Record Research
Can a 52-year-old arranger-conductor cut one of the best-selling instrumentals of the rock era? The answer for Percy Faith was a resounding yes. The man known for “Theme From A Summer Place” was well into middle-age when he did an easy listening version of the theme from the popular movie. He already had a long string of hit albums and singles, had provided instrumental backing for other artists on their successful recordings and was a noted radio and TV arranger.
He was born April 7, 1908, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. By the time he was 6, Faith had demonstrated musical abilities, drumming out rhythms on family chinaware. Unwilling to encourage his drumming interests, Faith’s dad responded to his son’s musical interests by buying him a violin and paying for lessons. After three years of fiddling, Faith turned to the piano, which provide to be his forte.
By the time he was 11, Faith was working professionally, providing “Cowboys and Indian” music for silent films in a Toronto theater. The youngster was so short he had to sit on a stack of sheet music to reach the piano. For his efforts, he took home $3 a night and carfare. When he was 15, Faith debuted as a concert pianist and at 18 was writing special arrangements for other musicians and touring with a small concert group.
In 1928, Faith and Joe Allabough, who would go on to manage a radio station in Chicago, formed a radio team they called “Faith and Hope.” Faith was responsible for the music and Allabough, or “Hope,” was the comedian. By 1933, Faith was a staff conductor, arranger and pianist for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, a position he would hold for seven years. His duties included writing music for special programming including coverage of a visit to Canada by the King and Queen of England.
Faith’s work in Canada was not unnoticed by broadcasters in the United States, and, in 1940, he left his home country to serve as musical director for NBC. By 1950, he was working for Columbia Records, charting with “Cross My Fingers,” featuring a vocal by Russ Emery. He went Top 10 that year with “All My Love,” followed by the holiday themed “Christmas In Killarney,” done with the Shillelagh Singers.
Besides arranging and producing hits for himself, Faith worked his musical magic as an arranger and producer for a number of artists including Tony Bennett, Johnny Mathis, Doris Day and others. He was also an accomplished writer and his “My Heart Cries For You” was a hit for Guy Mitchell, Dinah Shore and Vic Damone in the ‘50s.
Although he was busy with other Columbia artists, Faith continued to have his own hits. In the spring of 1951 he went Top 10 with “On Top Of Old Smoky,” an old folk song that featured a Burl Ives vocal. He also did well with “When The Saints Go Marching In” and its flip-side, “I Want To Be Near You.” In the spring of 1952, he topped the charts with “Delicado,” featuring Stan Freeman on harpsichord.
In the spring of 1953, Faith had a hit with “Swedish Rhapsody.” After about a month, the B-Side, “Song From ‘Moulin Rouge’ (Where Is Your Heart),” with a strong vocal by Felicia Sanders, charted and went all the way to No. 1, where it stayed for 10 weeks, earning Faith his first gold record. He followed with another movie theme, “Return To Paradise,” and closed out the year on the charts with “Many Times.”
Faith continued to score popular singles with his lush instrumental sound even as rock ‘n roll took over the pop charts. In 1954 he did well with “Dream, Dream, Dream” and “The Bandit.” In ’56, he charted with “Valley Valparaiso,” “We All Need Love” and “With A Little Bit Of Luck.” He continued to do well with albums, especially the romantic “Passport To Romance,” issued in 1956, and a collection of songs from “My Fair Lady” that went Top 10 in 1957. His albums were also popular in the ‘60s, as he opened the decade with the Top 10 “Bouquet.” Faith also went Top 10 in 1960 with “Jealousy” and did the same in early ’61 with songs from “Camelot.”
Faith would go to #1 again with another movie theme. “A Summer Place” was a 1959 film that starred veterans Richard Egan and Dorothy McGuire as disapproving parents while teen stars Sandra Dee and Troy Donahue played misunderstood young lovers. The theme was written by Max Steiner and recorded by Faith in September 1959.
There was some radio play for “A Summer Place,” but it took almost six months for the record to finally catch on. It charted in the second week of 1960 and headed to the top of the Billboard pop charts, where it remained for nine weeks, selling more than a million copies. It also won a Grammy as record of the year and picked up nominations for best performance by an orchestra and best arrangement.
“Summer Place” was followed by the Top 40 “Theme For Young Lovers.” Meanwhile, Faith’s albums continued to reflect his more adult-oriented sound, as “Mucho Gusto! More Music Of Mexico” sold well in 1961 and “Bouquet Of Love” and “The Music Of Brazil!” were hits in 1962. In 1963, Faith tried something different. That summer, the “Themes For Young Lovers” album was issued, featuring 12 current pop hits that got the warm Faith treatment, including “Go Away Little Girl,” “Our Day Will Come” and “I Will Follow Him.” It became an immediate best-seller, was certified gold and nominated for a Grammy in the best performance by orchestra category.
After “Shangri-La” in 1963 and “Great Folk Themes” in ’64, Faith was back in the summer of that year with “More Themes For Young Lovers.” He would continue into the ‘70s with popular albums that focused on movie themes and pop hits of the day, from “Dr. Zhivago’s” “Somewhere My Love” to Santana’s “Black Magic Woman.” His last charting album, “Day By Day,” was issued in 1972.
Faith died of cancer on February 9, 1976, not long after overseeing an updated disco version of “Theme From A Summer Place.” He left a rich legacy of music for humself and other artists that covered 50 years and hundreds of records. This collection of two of his best albums for Columbia clearly demonstrates his talent and versatility.
–Mark Marymont
Billboard chart numbers courtesy of BPI Communications and Joel Whitburn’s Record Research
Coming home from Europe, the American traveler brings a good many things, as much as the weight-allowance or the stateroom will handle. French perfume, Italian leather, British brushes, Swedish glass, Belgian lace, German carvings—all these, and many, many more find their way back to the States. And a lot of it winds up in the attic.
Not so the lovely, lively melodies that have lately poured forth from the Continent, however. These linger on, as good songs do, to become unforgettable and fragrantly evocative souvenirs of the Grand Tour. In this enchanting collection, Percy Faith applies his suave touch to a dozen Continental songs, largely from France and Italy, giving them such glowing colors that they take on a nostalgic patina even for those who have never been abroad.
As in his superb orchestrations of songs from The Sound of Music, My Fair Lady, and Kismet, or such memorable programs as Bouquet and Viva!, the Faith magic is as potent as ever, and in these souvenirs—echoing in one’s memory across the Atlantic—he presents another treasurable collection of delightful songs.
Can a 52-year-old arranger-conductor cut one of the best-selling instrumentals of the rock era? The answer for Percy Faith was a resounding yes. The man known for Theme From A Summer Place was well into middle-age when he did an easy listening version of the theme from the popular movie. He already had a long string of hit albums and singles, had provided instrumental backing for other artists on their successful recordings and was a noted radio and TV arranger.
He was born April 7, 1908, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. By the time he was 6, Faith had demonstrated musical abilities, drumming out rhythms on family chinaware. Unwilling to encourage his drumming interests, Faith’s dad responded to his son’s musical interests by buying him a violin and paying for lessons. After three years of fiddling, Faith turned to the piano, which provide to be his forte.
By the time he was 11, Faith was working professionally, providing “Cowboys and Indian” music for silent films in a Toronto theater. The youngster was so short he had to sit on a stack of sheet music to reach the piano. For his efforts, he took home $3 a night and carfare. When he was 15, Faith debuted as a concert pianist and at 18 was writing special arrangements for other musicians and touring with a small concert group.
In 1928, Faith and Joe Allabough, who would go on to manage a radio station in Chicago, formed a radio team they called “Faith and Hope.” Faith was responsible for the music and Allabough, or “Hope,” was the comedian. By 1933, Faith was a staff conductor, arranger and pianist for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, a position he would hold for seven years. His duties included writing music for special programming including coverage of a visit to Canada by the King and Queen of England.
Faith’s work in Canada was not unnoticed by broadcasters in the United States, and, in 1940, he left his home country to serve as musical director for NBC. By 1950, he was working for Columbia Records, charting with Cross My Fingers, featuring a vocal by Russ Emery. He went Top 10 that year with All My Love, followed by the holiday themed Christmas In Killarney, done with the Shillelagh Singers.
Besides arranging and producing hits for himself, Faith worked his musical magic as an arranger and producer for a number of artists including Tony Bennett, Johnny Mathis, Doris Day and others. He was also an accomplished writer and his My Heart Cries For You was a hit for Guy Mitchell, Dinah Shore and Vic Damone in the ‘50s.
Although he was busy with other Columbia artists, Faith continued to have his own hits. In the spring of 1951 he went Top 10 with On Top Of Old Smoky, an old folk song that featured a Burl Ives vocal. He also did well with When The Saints Go Marching In and its flip-side, I Want To Be Near You. In the spring of 1952, he topped the charts with Delicado, featuring Stan Freeman on harpsichord.
In the spring of 1953, Faith had a hit with Swedish Rhapsody. After about a month, the B-Side, Song From ‘Moulin Rouge’ (Where Is Your Heart), with a strong vocal by Felicia Sanders, charted and went all the way to No. 1, where it stayed for 10 weeks, earning Faith his first gold record. He followed with another movie theme, Return To Paradise, and closed out the year on the charts with Many Times.
Faith continued to score popular singles with his lush instrumental sound even as rock ‘n roll took over the pop charts. In 1954 he did well with Dream, Dream, Dream and The Bandit. In ’56, he charted with Valley Valparaiso, We All Need Love and With A Little Bit Of Luck. He continued to do well with albums, especially the romantic “Passport To Romance,” issued in 1956, and a collection of songs from “My Fair Lady” that went Top 10 in 1957. His albums were also popular in the ‘60s, as he opened the decade with the Top 10 “Bouquet.” Faith also went Top 10 in 1960 with “Jealousy” and did the same in early ’61 with songs from “Camelot.”
Faith would go to #1 again with another movie theme. “A Summer Place” was a 1959 film that starred veterans Richard Egan and Dorothy McGuire as disapproving parents while teen stars Sandra Dee and Troy Donahue played misunderstood young lovers. The theme was written by Max Steiner and recorded by Faith in September 1959.
There was some radio play for Theme From “A Summer Place,” but it took almost six months for the record to finally catch on. It charted in the second week of 1960 and headed to the top of the Billboard pop charts, where it remained for nine weeks, selling more than a million copies. It also won a Grammy as record of the year and picked up nominations for best performance by an orchestra and best arrangement.
Theme From “A Summer Place” was followed by the Top 40 Theme For Young Lovers. Meanwhile, Faith’s albums continued to reflect his more adult-oriented sound, as “Mucho Gusto! More Music Of Mexico” sold well in 1961 and “Bouquet Of Love” and “The Music Of Brazil!” were hits in 1962. In 1963, Faith tried something different. That summer, the “Themes For Young Lovers” album was issued, featuring 12 current pop hits that got the warm Faith treatment, including Go Away Little Girl, Our Day Will Come and I Will Follow Him. It became an immediate best-seller, was certified gold and nominated for a Grammy in the best performance by orchestra category.
After “Shangri-La” in 1963 and “Great Folk Themes” in ’64, Faith was back in the summer of that year with “More Themes For Young Lovers.” He would continue into the ‘70s with popular albums that focused on movie themes and pop hits of the day, from “Dr. Zhivago’s” “Somewhere My Love” to Santana’s Black Magic Woman. His last charting album, “Day By Day,” was issued in 1972.
Faith died of cancer on February 9, 1976, not long after overseeing an updated disco version of Theme From “A Summer Place.” He left a rich legacy of music for humself and other artists that covered 50 years and hundreds of records. This collection of two of his best albums for Columbia clearly demonstrates his talent and versatility.
–Mark Marymont
Billboard chart numbers courtesy of BPI Communications and Joel Whitburn’s Record Research
Percy Faith, whose regular orchestra of about forty-five musicians spends most of its time working for just about every conductor in New York, except Faith, can nevertheless, quite truthfully call this group of unexcelled professionals “my orchestra.” Like a company of actors who must scatter to earn a living, but who, when the call comes, return to the theatre, Percy’s orchestra reunited whenever he calls them for a new album, hungrily returning to the music they like to play best. They’ve been returning to Percy now for so many years that during and after each performance there is about the orchestra an air of affection and respect for each other and for “Perce,” all of which has as much to do with the special beauty of Percy Faith’s music as his own composing and arranging talent. The glossy shine of his strings, the crackle of his brass, the mellow humor of his woodwinds, the swinging exuberance of his rhythm section you enjoy in albums such as My Fair Lady (CL 895), Viva (CL 1075) or The Columbia Album of George Gershwin (C2L 1) are a miraculous confluence of music and men who belong together.
This album began in a bar at the corner of Third Avenue and 30th Street after the last session for the Porgy and Bess (CL 1298) album. Percy, with Harold Chapman, the Columbia engineer who has developed the remarkable sound the Faith orchestra has on records, and a dozen members of the orchestra, who hoped to prolong this latest reunion an hour longer, were having a nightcap together before going home. With the excitement of Percy’s Gershwin arrangements still upon us, we discussed what to most of us was the essence of Percy’s orchestral writing, his “string sound.” And we decided that night that the next album would be orchestrated for strings alone to show off the remarkable interplay which takes place among the strings in all Faith arrangements.
“Not even a flute?” asked Percy’s flutist dejectedly.
“Come on,” Percy told him. “I’ll drive you home. Next time maybe all flutes.”
Bouquet, then, is Percy’s first album by his large string orchestra, and he has written it with loving care. The title song is his own, but there is so much composition in a Faith arrangement that even the great songs by other composers included here seem to belong to Percy. This is a result of many things that go into one of his arrangements. First, there is a style that has come to be identified with Percy. You’ll recognize parts of it in the descending string figures in Tenderly and the rising sweep of The Song from Moulin Rouge. Then, there are the counter-melodies Percy writes to compliment the original melody of each song. They are always present, but listen particularly to Laura or Solitude or Fascination for fine examples. Also, the continuous movement of string sections is a Faith trademark, perfected in this album by dividing the orchestra into four major sections of two banks of violins, one section of low strings, and one section of piano, harp, guitar and vibraphone. The violin sections are, in turn, divided into two parts, and melodies seem to grow continuously across the orchestra. The contrast of ensemble and soloist is another Faith characteristic, and solos by George Ockner in Laura and Intermezzo provide another color. Finally, and, perhaps, most important to an analysis of Percy Faith’s unique musical sound is the natural flow of his writing. Musicians like to play his arrangements because the writing is logical, the line is always sustained. “They almost play themselves,” is a remark I’ve heard many times from people who have played his arrangements. You who listen know this feeling well. It is the reason you are listening again to Faith.
Little need be said about the songs. You know them all, except for Bouquet, which you will like to know. They are the greatest of all popular songs for this kind of album, and they fit together like parts of a suite for strings.
The orchestra for this album consists of thirty-two violins, eight cellos, six violas, two basses, and harp, piano, guitar and vibraphone. The forty-eight string players, led by George Ockner, Percy’s concertmaster, are some of the finest performers in music, men whose skill has made them the highest paid, most respected instrumentalists in America. Even their instruments would cost a king’s treasure to buy, for in this orchestra are seven Stradivarius, eight Guarnerius, four Ruggieri and a dozen Gagliano instruments, as well as a sprinkling of such other famous makers’ names as Montagnana, Guadanini, Gaspar di Salo, Beronzi, and Goffriller. Percy conducted with a Scripto pencil costing twenty-nine cents.
During the years in which I have been associated with Percy Faith in the production of his records, I’ve seen and heard his talent displayed in almost every musical circumstance. He has conducted symphonies and variety shows, written for the screen, had his own television and radio shows, composed hit songs and flattered countless recording stars with his graceful accompaniments. He is a Canadian with a flair for Latin rhythms, a lover of Gershwin’s music, and a man who has earned his stature in the world by preserving and nourishing the finest of all performers, the orchestra. In other words, he is what he likes to be, and while I am certain that he will do much more of importance in music than he has already done, his is the success of an artist who enjoys that rarest of all achievements — universal acclaim for what he likes best to do.
Notes by Irving Townsend
Rock ‘n’ roll is generally presumed to be a young person’s game, so it may come as a surprise to learn that the best-selling instrumental of the rock era was a lush, richly orchestrated ballad credited to a 52-year-old conductor. Percy Faith was the conductor and his hit was The Theme From “A Summer Place.” It sold well over a million copies and topped the Bilbaord pop chart for nine weeks in early 1960.
Born in Toronto, Canada, April 7, 1908, Faith learned to play the violin by the time he was 7. He went on to study at the Toronto Conservatory of Music. He also played piano in a silent movie theater and the violin with several Canadian orchestras.
When Faith was 18 he severely damaged his hands trying to put out a fire at a clothing store operated by his sister. His violin-playing days were over but he continued in music, working as a conductor and arranger, joining the Canadian Broadcasting Company in 1933. He had his own show – “Music By Faith” – that was so popular in Canada it was picked up for broadcast in the U.S. by the Mutual Broadcasting System.
Faith relocated to the United States in 1940 as musical director for a radio series called “The Carnation Contented Hour.” In 1950, he was hired by Columbia Records’ head Mitch Miler to serve as an arranger and conductor for the label’s staff orchestra.
The Faith touch was soon heard on huge pop hits for Tony Bennett, including Because Of You (1950), Cold Cold Heart (1952) and Rags To Riches (1953). Faith also worked on big singles for Guy Mitchell, Rosemary Clooney, Frankie Laine and Doris Day.
Miller also encouraged Faith to record on his own and his first success came in 1950 when I Cross My Fingers, with a vocal by Russ Emery, was a Top 20 hit. All My Love, also issued in 1950, went Top 10. Faith closed out the year with Christmas In Killarney, which was a Top 30 song.
The hits kept coming in the early ‘50s. In 1951, he went Top 10 with On Top Of Old Smokey which sported the voice of Burl Ives. He also did well with When The Saints Go Marching In. Delicado, issued in the spring of 1952, went to No. 1 for a week.
In the spring of 1953, Faith’s recording of Swedish Rhapsody went on the charts where it would peak at No. 21. It’s flip side, Song From ‘Moulin Rouge’ (Where Is Your Heart), with a sweet vocal by Felicia Sanders, went on the Billboard list a month after Swedish Rhapsody. It would stay there for 24 weeks – 10 at No. 1 – and be cited as the best-selling record of 1953.
Later in ’53 Faith had a Top 20 record with Return To Paradise. Many Times was also popular that year. In 1954 he charted with Dream, Dream, Dream and The Bandit.
While Faith’s singles were being challenged by Elvis Presley and his pals, the conductor was doing well on the album charts. Adults were taken with his lush arrangements of standards and “Passport To Romance” was a Top 20 in the summer of 1956. “My Fair Lady,” with songs from the enormously popular Broadway musical, did even better, going Top 10 in 1957. A collection of songs from “Porgy And Bess” did well in 1959. In 1960, both “Bouquet” and “Jealousy” were Top 10 sellers.
In the early fall of 1959, Faith – who continued to release an occasional single – recorded the them from Warner Bros.’ “A Summer Place.” It was a steamy story of young love starring teen sensations Sandra Dee and Troy Donahue and adults Dorothy McGuire, Richard Egan and Arthur Kennedy. The single took almost six months to edge into Billboard’s Hot 100 in January 1960.
Once it got on the charts, the record moved quickly, and, after less than two months, it settled in at the top of the rankings for a nine-week run. It also won a Grammy as Record of the Year.
Despite his massive hit, Faith didn’t release an album based on the single. But he didn’t seem to need to as his albums of lush mood music continued to sell very well. In 1961, he was back in the Top 10 with music from “Camelot.” That was followed by popular collections featuring the music of Mexico and Brazil.
In 1963, Faith slightly altered his musical direction. He was still doing lush collections of instrumentals, but he switched from standards as his source to the Top 40. “Themes For Young Lovers” featured his 1960 hit of the same name and string-filled arrangements of teen hits like Go Away Little Girl, All Alone Am I and On Broadway. The sparkling sound of the album pushed it to Billboard’s Top 15 and eventual gold record status.
Faith continued to offer his versions of pop hits on “Shangri-La” and “Great Folk Themes.” In 1964, he was back with “More Themes For Young Lovers.”
Through the early ‘70s, Faith continued to record popular albums featuring his orchestra and chorus, including “Love Theme From Romeo And Juliet,” for which he received a 1969 Grammy for Best Contemporary Performance by a Chorus.
In all, Faith had 30 albums on the Billboard charts between 1956 and 1972. Three of them went gold.
Faith died of cancer February 9, 1976. He left a huge legacy of great music during his years on Columbia and Collectables is pleased to present some of the best of that work on this tribute to a man who spent more than 40 years bringing fine music to the work.
– Mark Marymount
Percy Faith’s composing, arranging and conducting for large orchestra have done more than anything else to preserve and nourish the popularity of the orchestra. The heart of a large orchestra is the string section, just as the heart of a small combo is the woodwinds and brass. And within Percy’s orchestra the string section is his favorite, and its sound has become his trademark.
The first Percy Faith album Bouquet (CL 1322) to feature his string section was a triumph. Featuring an enormous string contingent that any major symphony orchestra would be proud to call its own — 16 first violins, 16 second violins, 8 violas and 8 cellos — the album was recorded in Columbia’s New York studio by Harold Chapman, the engineer who has supervised all Percy’s albums. Bouquet of Love is, of course, a sequel to Bouquet. To the sumptuous strings are added a number of instruments that blend into the ensemble perfectly — percussion, harp, piano, and guitar.
Once again, a huge studio has been arranged to accommodate triple banks of strings which carry great melodies and equally memorable countermelodies back and forth across the orchestra. Once again, engineer Harold Chapman was in charge. The repertoire includes some of the finest ballads America has produced. As in the first Bouquet, Percy has included some of his own compositions, this time Duet and Music Until Midnight, along with those of Richard Rodgers, Cole Porter, Harold Arlen, Harry Warren, Irving Berlin, Victor Young and others.
There is one change in Percy’s new orchestral bouquet. Now Percy and “Chappie” and the orchestra are all in Hollywood, where even concertmasters wear sports shirts and cellists drive larger sports cars than violinists. For Percy and for me, this second album by the Percy Faith Strings is most of all a tribute to a wonderful orchestra. The pleasure these musicians took in recording Bouquet of Love is discernible in every measure. The click of their bows on the stands is the only expression of their satisfaction we did not record. We dedicate the album to all the fine musicians listed below.
IRVING TOWNSEND
Violins
Erno Neufeld, Concertmaster—The Percy Faith Orchestra/Leonard Atkins/Israel Baker, Concertmaster—Bruno Walter/Robert Barene, Concertmaster—Walt Disney Studios/Arnold Belnick/George Berres/Joachim Chassman/Samuel Cytron/Walter Edelstein/David Frisina, Concertmaster—Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra/Sam Feed/Jacques Gasselin, Concertmaster—NBC Studios, Hollywood, California/James Getzoff/Benny Gill/Mort Herbert/Nathan Kaproff, former Concertmaster—Columbus Philharmonic/Murry Kellner/Anatol Kaminsky, Concertmaster—Revue Studios/Lou Klass/Robert Levine/Marvin Limonick/Dan Lube, Concertmaster—Warner Brothers Studios/Alfred Lustgarten/William Miller, former Concertmaster—National Symphony Orchestra/R. Marshall Moss/Alex Murray, former Concertmaster—Republic Studio/Nathan Ross/Ambrose Russo/John Santulis/Albert Saparoff/Ralph Schaeffer/Sidney Sharp/Paul Shure/Joseph Stepansky/Leon Trebacz.
Violas
Cecil Figelski, former First Viola—Baltimore Symphony Orchestra/Leroy Collins/Alvin Dinkin, First Viola—20th Century Fox Studios/Allan Harshman, Solo Viola—MGM Studios/G. R. Menhennick/Robert Ostrowsky/Joseph Reilich/Milton Thomas, Solo Viola—Pablo Casals Festival.
Celli
George Neikrug, former Cello—Pittsburg Symphony Orchestra/Justin Di Tullio/Arman Kaproff, First Cello—Walt Disney Studio/Raphael Kramer, former First Cello—Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra/Edgar Lustgarten, former First Cello—St. Louis Symphony/David Pratt/Joseph Saxon.
Basses
Abe Luboff/Peter Mercurio
Percussion
Lou Singer
Harp
Dorothy Remsen
Piano
Raymond Turner
Guitar
Alton Hendrickson
Orchestra Manager
Bobby Helfer
lengthy liner notes to be added!
Camelot, the fabulous new musical by Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe, takes its title from King Arthur’s legendary castle in the dawn of chivalry. Broadway’s greatest new hit unfurls the glittering pageantry of Arthur’s court in a dazzling blend of music and movement. Brave knights languish for their lovely ladies between jousting tournaments, Merlin weaves his magical spells, and Camelot bursts into melodious life once more. Mr. Lerner and Mr. Loewe are the gifted artists who created My Fair Lady, which received virtually every award the theatre has to offer, both here and abroad, and Gigi, which won nine Academy Awards. Earlier, their score from Brigadoon collected many honors. The sunny fields and dark forests of Camelot are a long way from Eliza Doolittle’s Covent Garden or Gigi’s Paris boulevards, but they have inspired the composers to a shimmering blend of medieval beauty and medieval lustiness. Book, music and lyrics are fused in an enchanting re-creation of an ageless legend. And as Percy Faith’s sumptuous arrangements of the music demonstrate, Camelot’s score has a vibrant life of its own, off-stage as well.
The story deals with the ill-starred romance between Queen Guenevere (or Jenny, as she is called in the play) and Sir Lancelot. Richard Burton makes his musical debut as King Arthur, and Julie Andrews, the incomparable star of My Fair Lady, portrays his Jenny. Sir Lancelot is played by Robert Goulet, a young radio star from Canada, and others in the cast are Roddy McDowall, Robert Coote and M’el Dowd. Mr. Lerner’s book and lyrics are based not on the sentimental Tennyson version of the tale, but on the witty and irreverent novel, The Once and Future King, by T. H. White.
The scope of the story, with its brilliant court scenes, country revels and mystical forests, offers Mr. Loewe an opportunity for some of his loveliest music. The rousing March, the bustling title song and the zestful The Lusty Month of May are among his sprightliest compositions. Among the ballads are the tender How to Handle a Woman, the bittersweet I Loved You Once in Silence and the haunting Follow Me. To all of these, and to the other charming songs in this collection, Percy Faith brings the special distinction of his suave arrangements, painting an orchestral portrait of Camelot to rank with his best-selling My Fair Lady. The valedictory of Mr. White’s novel is not the conventional “The End,” but “The Beginning.” This has a special meaning in the book, but with their matchless craftsmanship, Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe have expanded that meaning and given Camelot a shining musical future.
