Production information
Produced by Buena Vista Records
Record production number: BV4023
Release date: June 1963
Format: monophonic
Orchestra and chorus conductor: Tutti Camarata
Composed by Frank Churchill, Leigh Harline, Larry Morey, and Paul J. Smith
Sound engineer: Allan Emig
Assistant sound engineer: Brian Ross-Myring
Artists
Norma Zimmer (uncredited)
Bill Lee (uncredited)
Bill Kanady (uncredited)
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Symphonic Snow White
In 1963, in-house musician Salvatore “Tutti” Camarata released an LP of his “modern musical interpretation” of Frank Churchill’s score to Snow White. All the songs are there, arranged differently and sung by uncredited veteran artists. Norma Zimmer and Bill Lee, who had previously sang for Snow White and the Prince in the 20th Century Fox feature Snow White and the Three Stooges, reprise the parts. Norma also had already worked for Walt Disney when she provided the voice of the white rose in Alice in Wonderland. Although Paul J. Smith and Leigh Harline are uncredited, some of their tunes are also adapted in this record such as the mirror theme or the prayer.
The back of the album clearly reads: “Buena Vista stereophonic long-playing microgroove versions should only be played on stereo playback equipment.” Yet this album was first released in a mono mix, with a cover aimed at a mature audience, without any of the characters or elements reminiscent of the film. It was soon reissued in both stereo and mono, with more kid-friendly covers in the USA and abroad.
Some of the songs were also used in several albums such as “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in French and English” and “Walt Disney’s Happiest Songs“.
Inside the album, the following text appears:
Walt Disney’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
In early 1937 the news spread through Hollywood that the young cartoon maker, Walt Disney, already famous for Mickey Mouse and The Three Little Pigs, was trying to produce a full-length motion picture cartoon feature. Amid much shaking of heads, the Hollywood pundits immediately dubbed the project “Disney’s Folly.” It was rumored to be costing in the millions; and who would sit through a feature length cartoon anyway?
In December of 1937 at the Carthay Circle Theatre in Los Angeles, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was premiered, and without promotion on the part of Walt Disney and his entire staff, the film was an all-or-nothing gamble. The story is now history. Disney had taken his critics by surprise, the film would certainly never be forgotten by them, and the box office bonanza which Snow White became will be remembered forever as the start of the Disney Productions’ future growth into the entertainment institution it has now become.
SNOW WHITE’s success was not confined to the United States. The film has been a box office smash all over the world and foreign language versions have been made in French, German, Italian, Swedish, Danish, Finnish, Dutch, Polish, Czechoslovakian, Spanish, Portuguese and Japanese.
SNOW WHITE has been before the public in the United States four times. It was first released to this domestic film industry in 1937, 1945, and 1958. SNOW WHITE has also been reissued all over the world, most recently in foreign markets during Christmas 1958 when it racked up fantastic figures at the box office.
When Walt Disney entered the phonograph record business he was insistent that the albums to be released use the original sound-track of SNOW WHITE. Because it was recorded prior to 1937 some of the music was difficult to reissue, this despite the fact that the music was initially recorded in 1936 on optical film, which with its high noise level makes it seem archaic by today’s recording standards.
There is no question but that the score of SNOW WHITE is the greatest of any Disney motion picture. For it was this score and the songs that went with it that helped in making many of the tunes have become best selling standards. There is no question concerning the role of the film and score of SNOW WHITE in setting new standards in the recording of motion picture music. It was based on a recording of Walt Disney’s most famous film product and was the first directed and supervised by Tutti Camarata, noted musical director and conductor of the recording, and noted for the finest orchestras in Hollywood today. The albums were recorded in part with some of the best known vocalists and singing names. The master of this recent reissue of the Snow White recording has been acclaimed as one of the finest sound re-recordings made in Los Angeles. Chief Engineer was Allan Emig, assisted by Brian Ross-Myring.
A word about Camarata
Tutti Camarata has been Musical Director and Artist and Repertoire chief for Walt Disney’s record operation since its inception. His musical career began early when he played lead trumpet with big name bands and taught and studied at Juilliard and the Institute of Musical Art by day. This unusual ability to perform successfully in the jazz and popular field and the light classical and classical field has continued to this day.
Camarata’s other albums on the Buena Vista label include the famous TUTTI’S TRUMPETS, Music from THE PARENT TRAP, and Other Great Motion Pictures. Other Camarata LPs are available on the Decca and London labels.
Track listing
Side 1:
- Snow White Overture (4:03)
- I’m Wishing (2:59) by Norma Zimmer
- One Song (2:58) by Bill Lee
- With a Smile and a Song (2:34) by Norma Zimmer
- Whistle While You Work (2:11)
- Buddle Uddle Um Dum (2:01)
Side 2:
- Heigh Ho, Heigh Ho (2:11) by Bill Kanady & Bill Lee
- Prayer at Evening (2:35)
- The Silly Song (2:08)
- Some Day My Prince Will Come (3:08) by Norma Zimmer
- One Song (1:28) by Bill Lee
- Snow White Finale (4:12)
