[78-L] Mitch Miller Horrifies

[David Lennick]

Jeff Sultanof wrote:
> I wonder what the motivation was to put this set together. There is no
> question that Miller, a very talented man, was responsible for some of the
> worst recordings ever perpetrated on the public. The fact is that that very
> public bought a lot of these records, and his radio and television program
> was very popular.

And nobody brought them back and asked for refunds. I'm getting a little pissed 
off at the general tone of this thread. We're all free to poop on Mitch Miller 
and generally do, but the fact of the matter is that nobody held a gun to 
Goddard Lieberson's head (or anyone else at Columbia) and said "Hire our boy 
Mitch and screw up the music forever or kiss your kneecaps goodbye". He 
produced hit records. He happened to produce them in an era known for boring 
crap, imitation country and western, stolen folk songs, novelties featuring 
barking dogs, an era that is generally regarded as a low point in popular music 
and one which could only have led to the rise by default of rock 'n' roll and 
R&B, and he made records that SOLD. There was garbage before Mitch came along, 
too. And Sinatra made some stinkers before Mitch was at Columbia..check out 
"The Dum Dot Song".
> 
> As if adding insult to injury, Miller claimed that only he knew how
> Gershwin's late concert compositions should sound, because he played them
> with Gershwin at the podium. His memory must have deteriorated badly; these
> were the worst recordings Gershwin I've ever heard.

Just curious which ones you're referring to.
> 
> Of course the buying public could send a great message to JSP by not buying
> this set.

JSP isn't in business for its health any more than any record company is these 
days. And it's not the business of you or me or any people on this list to tell 
JSP, Naxos, Jasmine or any other label to say "Don't buy these records".
> 
> And yes, I agree with Dr. Biel that Miller made up for all of this garbage
> by keeping Alec Wilder busy in any number of capacities. That certainly is
> worth something.
> 
> Jeff Sultanof

Alec Wilder could produce crap too, incidentally..read the reviews of a couple 
of pieces he composed specially for issue on Golden Crest.

dl