SOFTLY AS IN A MORNING SUNRISE

Music: Sigmund Romberg- Lyrics: Oscar Hammerstein II

Year: 1928

softly as in a morning surise-clasicos del jazz-standards jazz

Origin of the song

The musical The New Moon premiered on 19 September 1928 at the Imperial Theatre in New York. The song ‘Softly As In A Morning Sunrise’ was heard in both acts of the play and on both occasions it was performed by actor Robert Halliday. The show, which received massive support from the public, gave five hundred and nine performances.

In 1930, in view of its success, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer adapted the operetta to the screen with the title of New Moon, directed by Jack Conway and starring Grace Moore, Lawrence Tibbett and Adolphe Menjou. However, the film did not include this song. The same producer filmed a new version in 1940, New Moon, directed by Robert Z. Leonard, in which ‘Softly As In A Morning Sunrise’ was heard during the credits and then sung by Nelson Eddy.

The New Moon was the last operetta Sigmund Romberg composed for the theatre. He and other musicians saw that the future was in Hollywood.

Other popular operettas by Romberg include Maytime (1917), Blossom Time (1921), The Student Prince (1924), The Desert Song (1926), Rosalie (1928) -in collaboration with George Gershwin- and The Girl In Pink Tights (1954).

Versions in the top charts

PERFORMERS	DATE OF RECORDING	DAY OF ENTRANCE	PERMANENCE WEEKS	HIGH POSITION REACHED
Nat Shilkret Victor Orchestra	1928.10.18	1929.01.19	6	5	Franklyn Baur (voc)

Jazz. Outstanding performances

Instrumental

PERFORMERS	DATE OF RECORDING	MUSICIANS WHO TOOK PART IN THE RECORDING
Artie Shaw Orchestra	1938.11.17	Artie Shaw (cl, dir), Chuck Peterson, Claude Bowen, John Best (tp), George Arus, Russell Brown, Harry Rodgers (tb), Les Robinson, Hank Freeman (cl, as), Tony Pastor, Ronnie Perry (cl, ts), Les Burness (p), Al Avola (g), Sid Weiss (b), Cliff Leeman (d)
Milt Jackson Quartet	1952.04.??	Milt Jackson (vib), John Lewis (p), Percy Heath (b), Kenny Clarke (d)
Modern Jazz Quartet	1955.07.02	Milt Jackson (vib), John Lewis (p), Percy Heath (b), Connie Kay (d)
Bud Shank Quartet	1956.11.08	Bud Shank (as, fl), Claude Williamson (p, cel), Don Prell (b), Chuck Flores (d)
Sonny Clark Trio	1957.10.13	Sonny Clark (p), Paul Chambers (b), Philly Joe Jones (d)
Sonny Rollins Trio	1957.11.03	Sonny Rollins (ts), Wilbur Ware (b), Elvin Jones (d)
Ramsey Lewis Trio	1959.04.22	Ramsey Lewis (p), Eldee Young (b), Redd Holt (d)
Art Pepper Quartet	1960.02.29	Art Pepper (as), Wynton Kelly (p), Paul Chambers (b), Philly Joe Jones (d)
Miles Davis Quintet	1961.04.22	Miles Davis (tp), Hank Mobley (ts), Wynton Kelly (p), Paul Chambers (b), Jimmy Cobb (d)
Bobby Timmons Trio	1961.10.01	Bobby Timmons (p), Ron Carter (b), Albert Heath (d)
John Coltrane Sextet	1961.11.02	John Coltrane (ss, ts), Garvin Bushell (ob), Eric Dolphy (as), McCoy Tyner (p), Reggie Workman (b), Elvin Jones (d)
Larry Young Quartet	1965.11.10	Larry Young (org), Woody Shaw (tp), Joe Henderson (ts), Elvin Jones (d)
Jim Hall- Ron Carter Duo	1972.08.04	Jim Hall (g), Ron Carter (b)
Kenny Drew Trio with Zoot Sims	1978.08.24	Zoot Sims (ts), Kenny Drew (p), Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen (b), Ed Thigpen (d)
Freddie Hubbard Quartet	1982.06.17	Freddie Hubbard (tp), Billy Childs (p), Herbie Lewis (b), Louis Hayes (d)
Marc Copland Quintet	1997.09.??	Marc Copland (p), Tim Hagans (tp), Joe Lovano (ts), Gary Peacock (b), Bill Stewart (d)
Daniel Sadownick Sextet	2008.??.??	Daniel Sadownick (per), Joe Magnarelli (tp), Michael Karn (ts), Rob Bargad (p), Scott Colley (b), Daniel Freedman (d)

Vocal

PERFORMERS	DATE OF RECORDING	MUSICIANS WHO TOOK PART IN THE RECORDING
June Christy	1954.03.25	June Christy (voc), Maynard Ferguson, Conrad Gozzo, Shorty Rogers (tp), Milt Bernhart, Harry Betts, Tommy Pederson (tb), John Graas (tpa), Paul Sarmento (tu), Harry Klee, Bud Shank (as), Bob Cooper, Ted Nash (ts), John Rotella (bars), Russ Freeman (p), Howard Roberts (g), Joe Mondragon (b), Shelly Manne (d), Pete Rugolo (dir)
Helen Merrill	1957.12.18	Helen Merrill (voc), Mike Simpson (fl, cl, ts), Dick Marx (p), Freddy Rundquist (g), John Frigo (b), Jerry Slosberg (d)
Abbey Lincoln	1959.03.25	Abbey Lincoln (voc), Kenny Dorham (tp), Phil Wright (p), Les Spann (g), Sam Jones (b), Philly Joe Jones (d)
Lorez Alexandria	1962.02.??	Lorez Alexandria (voc), Howard McGhee (tp), John Young (p), George Eskridge (g), Israel Crosby (b), Vernell Fournier (d)
Jay Clayton & Don Lanphere	1988.09.08	Jay Clayton (voc), Don Lanphere (as, ts), Marc Seales (p), Chuck Deardorf (b), Dean Hodges (d)
Trio da Paz with Dianne Reeves	2002.??.??	Romero Lubambo (g), Nilson Matta (b), Duduka Da Fonseca (d), Dianne Reeves (voc)

On cinemas

The song 'Softly As In A Morning Sunrise' is included in the soundtrack of the following movies:

ORIGINAL TITLE	TITLE IN SPAIN	YEAR OF PRODUCTION	PERFORMERS OF THE SONG IN THE FILM
New Moon	Luna llena	1940	Nelson Eddy; credits
Deep in My Heart	Profundamente en mi corazón	1954	Tamara Toumanova (dubbed by Betty Wand); Helen Traubel
Hollywood Ending	Un final made in Hollywood	2002	Barbara Carroll (piano)