EXQUISITE ARLEN SONG " I NEVER HAS SEEN SNOW

Exquisite Arlen Song" I Never Has Seen Snow".  By now, you realize the high regard I have for the creations of Harold Arlen. He is most often thought of as a " Blues" composer of " Blues in the Night"  "I Gotta Right To Sing The Blues" or smouldering torch songs like " The Man That Got Away" " Stormy Weather" One For My Baby" or up tempo swingers like " Accentuate The Positive" " That Old Black Magic" Hooray for Love" and " Down with Love."
The diversity and scope of his music is remarkable. But Arlen also has produced some of the most  emotionally intense art songs . They transcend the boundaries that we normally associate with the American popular song. They are more technically challenging and demand greater concentration in preparation and performance. Songs like " It Was Written In The Stars" " I Wonder What Became Of Me" Last Night When We Were Young" and " A Sleeping Bee" take the American song tradition to a higher level and also require the listener to place closer attention and greater involvement in the performance itself.
A marvellous example of such an exquisite ballad/aria is " I Never Has Seen Snow" from the1954 musical " House of Flowers". The lyrics are credited to Truman Capote who provided the backgound of the story based on his time spent in Haiti. In fact, Arlen did much of the lyric writing but took no official credit for his contributions.
It is song by a young woman in love with her " Near to me boy ". Although she never has seen snow, she believes that " Snow c'aint be as beautiful as my love is." It is a women entranced with the strength of her love and sung with a purity of expression that is compelling.
The version you will hear is by Vanessa Williams singing with the Boston Pops and accompanied on stage by a cellist playing a lovely obligato that is almost like another human voice.
It is a fairly long selection but well worth careful and attentive listening.

Link  http://youtu.be/SYqfL6kygRc
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