OVER THE RAINBOW by HAROLD ARLEN & E.Y. HARBURG, arr. Warren Barker - GREATER MIAMI SYMPHONIC BAND

OVER THE RAINBOW by HAROLD ARLEN & E.Y. HARBURG, arr. Warren Barker © 1938, 1939 (this arrangement 1966) Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc., administered by EMI Feist Catalog Inc. All copyrighted music in this video is used under license with ASCAP and BMI. Recorded live at Pinecrest Gardens, Pinecrest, Fl., Miami-Dade County FL., November 3, 2024. GREATER MIAMI SYMPHONIC BAND is delighted to present this performance of OVER THE RAINBOW, featuring GMSB vocal soloist Susie Blank Wolfe (who is also the long-time GMSB String Bass player), with Music Director Robert Longfield on the podium. OVER THE RAINBOW may be the most renowned and iconic song of the 20th century. It is often synonymous with the horrendous Jewish experience of WWII. Written in 1939 with a strong set of lyrics about escaping beyond the rainbow to a land “where the clouds are far behind,” the song’s universal and emotional appeal continues to this day. This song has captured, and continues to capture, the hearts of people worldwide. Harold Arlen, the composer of the piece, was the son of Lithuanian-Jewish refugees. His father Samuel was the well-respected Cantor of Pine Street Synagogue in Buffalo, NY. It is said that Samuel could instantly improvise melodies to any text. In doing so, he gave his son perhaps the most prized musical education of his most formative years. E.Y. "Yip" Harburg was a prolific lyricist. Among his many credits are "Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?", "April in Paris", "It's Only a Paper Moon", and ALL of the songs in the MGM musical WIZARD OF OZ, including a lovely ballad written for a 16-year old actress, Judy Garland. That ballad was OVER THE RAINBOW, and Garland's moving performance helped propel her to stardom. We are confident that you will enjoy Susie Blank Wolfe's heartfelt rendition of this iconic ballad. IMPORTANT NOTE: For best viewing experience - after clicking on image above, move pointer to lower right and click on the GEAR shaped icon. Then choose 1080p60 quality setting (a red colored box with letters "HD" in white will appear on the GEAR icon) for maximum viewing and listening pleasure. Then click on the PLAY button. Then choose full screen. For more information about GREATER MIAMI SYMPHONIC BAND go to www.GMSB.org, "Like" us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter @GMSB79, and PLEASE SUBSCRIBE to our GMSB YOUTUBE CHANNEL.