Leroy Anderson

[shostakovich]

Over the weekend there was a PBS special on Leroy Anderson's career. Any comments about it? Because of a recent discussion about the importance of melody as a criterion for "greatness", I had thought about Anderson as a "mystery composer", but PBS did me in for that. <P>The recent death of Victor Borge was unexpected, even though he was 91. I wonder how many people contributing to the bulletin board are familiar with that musical comedian.

[Michael]

Leroy Anderson is one of my all-time favourite composers. I would go so far as to say that he was the greatest composer of "light" music, and I do not mean that in any derogatory sense. He had the gift of writing the most haunting tunes but his name might not ring too many bells. It took me a good few years to realise that all those great melodies that were familiar to me from my earliest childhood, came from Anderson.<BR>"Sleigh Ride", "The Typewriter", "The Syncopated Clock", "The Waltzing Cat" .... some of the names might not be known, but just hear a few bars and (if you are over a certain age) you'll get a pleasant dose of the nostalgia virus!<BR>Some years ago, Leonard Slatkin and the St. Louis SO made a very good recording of Anderson's best pieces.<P>Michael<P>

[Michael]

Just read the second part of your message, Shos, and I was indeed sad to hear of the death of Victor Borge.<BR>I believe he started out as a serious concert pianist, and then one day, in the middle of some complicated passage, he looked at the audience and gave a long, slow wink and the place erupted! From then on, he mixed music and comedy.<BR>Have you heard his "Mozart Opera"? He does all the parts himself, including the orchestra. But his funniest item, I think, was the non-musical "Phonetic Punctuation".<BR>He will be missed. A great musician and a great comedian.<P>Michael

[shostakovich]

Hi Michael. I can't recall the Mozart opera, but I do remember Phonetic Punctuation. I marveled at his articulation. I generally don't mix music and humor, but he was an exception.<P>I certainly share your enthusiasm for Leroy Anderson. On the PBS program several people, including Keith Lockhart, also made sure the audience understood that "light music" was not unimportant music. His best music grabs you, holds you, and makes you smile for its duration. I don't play an instrument, but am forever whistling. Fiddle Faddle is a killer to whistle. I've never been able to do it at the right speed. As for the Slatkin disc, yes indeed, it's the one to have. <BR>Shos