HIGHLIGHTS FROM SCHEHERARADE

Highlights from Scheherazade

Disneyland STER-3987; 1970

I was introduced to this album in 1985 at the age of 8.  I was immediately in love with this album and the music. This, like many Disneyland Storytellers included a book with stories of the movements. The commentary is interesting to read as it described the story of the queen for 1,001 nights telling the stories of Sinbad the Sailor, Aladdin and his Wonderful Lamp (this story is not in the suite, however) and others.  This and the Flight of the Bumblebee were the first pieces of music from Rimsky Korsakov I heard as a kid. 

Neil Boyle’s illustrations are magnificent as his other artwork on many other Disneyland/Buena Vista titles such as National Anthems of the World, Camarata Conducts Man of La Mancha and others.  My assumption was this was for children to be introduced to classical music and adults alike.  It was released in 1970 in both mono and stereo.  The music from this suite would also be used on The Arabian Nights and Aladdin Storyteller albums.

Performed by the Graunke Symphony Orchestra with Hans Wiesbeck

Music supervised and produced by Tutti Camarata

Side One

First Movement-The Sea and Sinbad’s Ship

Second Movement-The Story of the Kalandar Prince

Side Two

Third Movement-The Young Prince and the Young Princess 

Fourth Movement-Festival at Bagdad/Shipwreck

In my opinion, this and many other classical albums on the Disneyland label should be remastered and reissued for future generations.

Main Street Electrical Parade Souvenir Picture Discs

On June 17, 1972, Disneyland guests were treated to a brand new experience in a form of one of the most glittering and unusual parades presented anywhere in the world. The magic of Disney lit up the darkened streets of Disneyland with a cavalcade of scenes and characters from Disney films recreated by a half-million colorful lights. This parade was graced with the electrosynthomagnetic musical sounds of Jean-Jacques Perrey and Gershon Kingley's tune, "Baroque Hoedown" and a medley of Disney and Patriotic tunes. The parade was an instant hit and the rest is history.

The next summer, Disneyland guests were able to purchase copies of the Parade's sounndtrack on vinyl. The soundtrack record was in a form of a picture disc with a collage of parade floats. The music was performed on the Moog Synthesizer by the late Paul Beaver and Jim Christensen, then Musical Director for Disneyland/Walt Disney World. At the same time, the same music was pressed on a picture disc for the long-running nightly Electrical Water Pageant at Walt Disney World, which inspired the Main Street Electrical Parade. That, too used Baroque Hoedown and the Patriotic Musical finale until 1977.

After 1974, the Parade was on hiatus for America On Parade (1975-1976) but made a return in 1977 with a brand new look. This time, Don Dorsey took over and re-arranged the entire soundtrack and arranged new loops including the Blue Fairy/Baroque Hoedown track with a bass line and melodies, a new Alice in Wonderland loop, an underwater unit based on "Bedknobs and Broomsticks featuring an original song, "A Bit Bubbly" and the then-forthcoming movie, Pete's Dragon.  Don also created a sensational opening for the start of the parade titled, "Electric Fanfare".  Coincidentally, Walt Disney World received their version and both parks released a new picture disc with new graphics.

Hi everyone! Hiatus is OVER! New stuff coming soon...

Hi readers,

I must apologize for the extra long delay in new postings for the past five years.  I've been going through a lot of personal issues and have been suffering from creator's block because of them.  But rest assured, this blog will be back in shape with NEW content and reviews of classic Disney vinyl LPs from the Disneyland/Buena Vista label, just in time for the label's 60th Anniversary.

I would like to thank everyone who has commented and took the time to read the few posts I've written since then.  I appreciate that so much and please bear with me with the new posts in the new future.

Until then, stay tuned....