jmc's classics
This week is the anniversary of the premiere of three of Le Roy Anderson's works: "Plink, Plank Plunk" and "Fiddle-Faddle' in 1947 and Blue Tango in ``1951. I have never heard of those pieces. He is remembered of two pieces: The typewriter song of 1950 and his famous Christmas song Sleigh Ride from 1948. He also wrote a Trumpeter's Lullaby in 1949 which is my favorite works.
Anderson (1908-1975) was an American composer of mostly light Classical pieces. I have not heard many of them lately. He was born in Massachusetts to Swedish parents. he went to Harvard and studied with Walter Piston and Edward Hill. He was a member of Phi Beta Kappa and graduated magna cum laude. He wrote two pieces about Harvard. He was trained as an organist. Fiddle Faddle was based on the children's song "Three Blind Mice" Plink, Plank, Plunk was written for sting orchestra. I am not familiar with this piece. It lasts about three minutes. It has been recorded by Hugo Winterhalter and les Baxter among others. Anderson also wrote an "Irish Suite" and a "Scottish Suite". He also wrote some works for for brass band among other works. The typewriter is now obsolete. It has been taken over by the PC. I don't even know if any are made anymore. Anybody older than 40 knows what a typewriter sounds like. I don't have a typewriter now. I took typing classes both in junior highs school and high school. Middle schools used to be called junior His Trumpeters Lullaby and Sleigh Ride are my favorite compositions of Anderson's. British composer Frederick Delius (1862-1934) a piece called "Sleigh Ride" from his "Three small Tonepoems" whish is also called "Winter Night" The "Troika" From Sergei Prokofiev's Lieutenant Kije Suite is considered a musical sleigh ride. It refers to a team of three horses pulling a sleigh. "Troika" means three. It is still summer. There will be "Christmas in July" shortly. Hopefully by the holiday season things will be getting back to normal.
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