Blog
Nov 26

If Ever I Would Leave You

On This Day in (November 26) 1933 Robert Goulet  born.  Cast as Sir Lancelot and originating the role in the 1960 Broadway musical Camelot starring opposite established Broadway stars Richard Burton and Julie Andrews, he achieved instant recognition with his performance and interpretation of the song “If Ever I Would Leave You”, which became his signature song. His debut in Camelot marked the beginning of a stage, screen, and recording career. A Grammy Award and Tony Award winner, his career spanned almost six decades.

Goulet’s version of the popular Lerner and Lowe classic “If Ever I Would Leave You”  was somehow indelibly stamped into my young teen brain during Goulet’s heyday. From my vantage point (as a pre-teen in the early ‘60s) Robert Goulet was the epitome of the perfect role model: handsome, talented, amazing voice, always gets the girl, etc. I remember listening endlessly to the Camelot original cast recording on my parents ‘hi-fi’. He also was pretty lucky in getting to popularize this powerful song.

We also have to thank lyricist Alan Jay Lerner and composer Frederick Lowe not only for Camelot, but also the broadway classics My Fair Lady, Gigi and others. Thanks, guys!

I hope you like this piano version dedicated to Vicki Maureen.

Enjoy,

Richard Weiss

 

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I Could Have Danced all Night

Gigi

Waltz at Maxim’s

Bosendorfer piano sound – For this recording I’m playing a Yamaha Clavinova – which has the same keyboard action as a traditional acoustic piano, but there are no strings. Pressing a key activates (in this case) a sound which was sampled from a Bösendorfer Imperial Concert Grand piano. Try listening to it with a good set of headphones! It sounds better than any piano I’ve ever owned!!