A composer that loomed large in my childhood, and one I’d love to introduce to those of you who may not have heard of him, is Al Carmines. He was a key figure in the Off-Off-Broadway scene of the 60s — as Associate Minister of Judson Memorial Church in Greenwich Village, he helped found Judson Poet’s Theater, which produced experimental theater pieces. In the late 60s he started writing his own musicals. My parents happened to meet at Judson (in the church choir) in the late 60s, and the music of Al Carmines was the soundtrack to their early relationship. Al was still at Judson during the first few years of my life, and his wonderful musical/oratorio about the Nativity story, Christmas Rappings – not your typical Christmas play, I assure you – was still being produced every year for most of my childhood. In my family we not only went to see the yearly performance, but we listened to the soundtrack every year while decorating our Christmas tree (and still do), singing along to the entire thing at the top of our lungs. Christmas Rappings is still produced every couple of years at Judson, and I never miss a chance to see it!
My parents used to get out their records of Al’s various other musicals on occasion and wax nostalgic, but I didn’t know those other musicals all that well. (I did know several of his quirky and wonderful hymns well, which we sang frequently on Sundays at Judson.) It wasn’t until I was well out of college that I really got to know this Al Carmines song, my father’s favorite, “Capricious and Fickle” from Promenade, written in 1969. The brilliant words by Maria Irene Fornes along with Carmines’ heart-wrenching score totally captivated me — that up-the-octave repeat and key change on “that true love catches you by surprise” is quintessential Carmines, and by the way, he was famous for writing just a bit out of a singer’s comfortable range! — but it’s this emotional performance by the incredible Alice Playten that leaves me in tears by the end of the song every time.
[Side note/anecdote: I feel very lucky that when I was born, Al was still at Judson Church, and he was still writing a song each year for all the children that were born at Judson that year. Fortunately for me, I was the only one born in my year, and so I got my very own Al Carmines song about me that I will never forget!]
Speaking of unforgettable, I hope you will agree that “Capricious and Fickle” falls into that category:
And to give you a further taste of Al’s genius, here is the opening to Christmas Rappings, which Al always played himself. As Michael Feingold’s Village Voice obituary said of Rappings, “Its iconoclastic approach is indicated by its opening number: the Gospels’ genealogy from Abraham to Jesus, puckishly set as a history of Western classical music from Bach to John Cage. As performed by Carmines himself at the piano, it was a yearly source of ineffable joy.”
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This week’s Song of the Day is curated by mezzo-soprano Sarah Nelson Craft, who is currently the Program Administrator for NYFOS (until Claire Molloy returns from maternity leave!). As a performer she was most recently presented by Carnegie Hall in a solo Spotlight Recital with pianist Warren Jones as part of The Song Continues. She has also been heard as a soloist at venues such as Avery Fisher Hall, Alice Tully Hall, and the Caramoor Festival
Talk about evocative…You bring Al Carmines back to life. I hadn’t thought of Promenade in years. Many thanks, Sarah. Mary Jo
I played the role of Mr. 105 in the West Coast premiere of Al Carmines Promenade in 1971 with Diablo Light Opera Company in Walnut Creek, California. It was directed by Glenn DuBose who later had a long career with PBS. Our production was cast for voices. The score is quasi-operatic and they found some great voices to show off this glorious music. I still treasure the recording of our production. Two years later, Promenade was moved to the Eureka Theater in San Francisco with virtually the same cast. SF PBS channel 44 filmed “Seven Songs from Promenade. It was shown on SF television. It was one of the highlights of my singing career to be associated with this amazing work of art. I would be happy to share our recording with anyone interested. It’s a joy.
Wayne Smith
West Hollywood
I came from a theater family. My mother was Susan Romann; that was her her stage name. She married Joaquin Romaguera (singer/actor) and later Jay Kingwill (theater manager.) She was very close with Al and played in Christmas Rappings, worked as musical director on many of his other musicals, was his conductor in Promenade here in NY and played on the cast album. She taught me to read bass clef and we played together though my early musical career. I actually played a season of Rappings at the church. One of the best times of my life. I was fully immersed and was hanging lights on a 20ft ladder for the show as well; I couldn’t have been more than 16-17 at the time! Al was so genuine and inclusive, a sweet great teddy bear of a man. I have many rich memories of the theater growing up with my parents and their cast parties, summer stock, and NYC life in the 70’s. Al Carmines was the music of that era for me. I think running around Cherry Lane theater while they were rehearsing Wanted influenced my love of music and theater.
An excerpt from our friend Albert Poland:
She arrived to play the piano for replacement auditions for an Al Carmines musical I produced in 1969, called “Peace.” She was statuesque, beautiful and strikingly classy. I remember her wearing a large hat – she may not have been, but that’s my memory of her. All of us stopped and looked. Our attention was drawn to her.
Then she played. Impeccably. The actors wanted a different key? No problem. They did the song as a beguine? No problem. In between actors, we chatted with her. We wanted to know about her. She recognized our curiosity and warmed to it.
Al Carmines was particularly taken with her – musically and in every other way. And she became the musical director for all of his productions from them on. You can hear her playing gloriously on the cast album of his “Promenade.”
– – –
The theater is a great family. Be well and have a wonderful 2024.
Racine Romaguera
New York City
Apologies Sarah, there were two typos in that. Here is a clean version for posting if you like it:
I came from a theater family. My mother was Susan Romann; that was her stage name. She married Joaquin Romaguera (singer/actor) and later Jay Kingwill (theater manager.) She was very close with Al and played in Christmas Rappings, worked as musical director on many of his other musicals, was his conductor in Promenade here in NY and played on the cast album. She taught me to read bass clef and we played together through my early musical career. I actually played a season of Rappings at the church. One of the best times of my life. I was fully immersed and was hanging lights on a 20ft ladder for the show as well; I couldn’t have been more than 16-17 at the time! Al was so genuine and inclusive, a sweet great teddy bear of a man. I have many rich memories of the theater growing up with my parents and their cast parties, summer stock, and NYC life in the 70’s. Al Carmines was the music of that era for me. I think running around Cherry Lane theater while they were rehearsing Wanted influenced my love of music and theater.
An excerpt from our friend Albert Poland:
She arrived to play the piano for replacement auditions for an Al Carmines musical I produced in 1969, called “Peace.” She was statuesque, beautiful and strikingly classy. I remember her wearing a large hat – she may not have been, but that’s my memory of her. All of us stopped and looked. Our attention was drawn to her.
Then she played. Impeccably. The actors wanted a different key? No problem. They did the song as a beguine? No problem. In between actors, we chatted with her. We wanted to know about her. She recognized our curiosity and warmed to it.
Al Carmines was particularly taken with her – musically and in every other way. And she became the musical director for all of his productions from them on. You can hear her playing gloriously on the cast album of his “Promenade.”
– – –
The theater is a great family. Be well and have a wonderful 2024.
Racine Romaguera
New York City