Re: George Butterworth And Oscar Hammerstein II

Greetings!: 

To begin personally, I had a largely-_GHASTLY_ week last week due to ill health.  Further, I think most people who practice dignity, decency and
deference would presumably add industriousness to those three virtues.  Yet I must admit that I am often lazy, so my ill health and tendency to procrastinate
combined to make this entry now a week late (the last day's delay due to technical problems).  Yet I here offer it, hoping that the familiar "better late than never" can apply on this occasion. 

12 July marked the birthday anniversaries of two vastly different contributors to music.  George Butterworth, an Englishman, was born on that
date in 1885, and died, rather bravely it is reported, during the First World War in 1916.  Apparently being rather self-critical, as others, notably Brahms,
were, he destroyed much before he left for France.  We thus have rather little from him, the best-known of it being a song cycle setting poems from A.
E. Housman's famous book from that period, _A_ _Shropshire_ _Lad_, three little orchestral gems in my view in which he arranges certain English
folksongs, these being the _Two_ _English_ _Idylls_ and _The_ _Banks_ _Of_ _Green_ _Willow_, and an original orchestral work also bearing the title of
that Housman collection in which he quotes from one of his own settings, the first of his _Six_ _Songs_ _From_ _A_ _Shropshire_ _Lad_ called "Loveliest
Of Trees."  This is a powerful work in my opinion, and has been recorded several times, though I do not know how often it appears in concert programmes,
particularly in the UK.  _The_ _Banks_ _Of_ _Green_ _Willow_ begins congenially in A Major with a clarinet quoting that folksong, music which
can hopefully cool one down on a _TORRID_, humid day such as we had here yesterday!  After this has run its course, including a shift to C Major,
there is a quiet passage for horns interrupted by a passionate passage which soon holds sway, leading, through key changes, etc., eventually to A Minor
where the music starts to calm and we begin to hear what I feel is a quintessential English tune, "Green Bushes," which Vaughan Williams included in the
Second Movement of his famous _English_ _Folksong_ _Suite_ and on which Percy Grainger also made variations.  The _Two_ _English_ _Idylls_ each include
a song which Vaughan Williams would also arrange for chorus as part of his _Five_ _English_ _Folksongs_, "Just As The Tide Was Flowing" in the first and
"The Dark-Eyed Sailor" dominating the second.  This is also congenial music, but it has its passionate moments as well.  I like his orchestration in all
of these, especially what I feel is his effective use of the oboe.  And his string writing is also effective!  Butterworth's wonderful setting of "Loveliest
Of Trees" is through-composed, that is not broken up into musical verses, but some of his other settings are strophic, divided into musical verses coinciding
with the verses of the poems, and thus, particularly in the case of "Is My Team Plowing," require a strong contribution from a sensitive singer.  In that
poem, the spirit of a dead man is talking to a friend he has left behind, and the voice of the dead man is often sung white, that is without (or with
little) vibrato and also soft, while the living man is sung out.  Yet this dead man would have done well to remain where he was since he is told at the
end that his friend cheers a dead man's sweetheart, "never ask me whose."  Vaughan Williams also effectively set this poem, minus one verse which much
annoyed Housman, in his Housman cycle of 1909, _On_ _Wenlock_ _Edge_, but, again if a fine singer (such as Mr. Bryn Terfel or Sir Thomas Allen to
mention only two) gets hold of the Butterworth setting, I feel it cannot be beaten!  In addition to these _Six_ _Songs_ _From_ _A_ _Shropshire_ _Lad_ from
which the settings just discussed come, Butterworth also set six other poems from that book, naming it after the first of these, "Bredon Hill."
 Here we have another comparison with _On_ _Wenlock_ _Edge_, but here, though it could be due to greater familiarity, I feel VW's non-strophic setting
(and the twangy strings depicting the one tolling bell) wins out, though I must further assess Butterworth's quasi-strophic version, the verses usually
starting the same while the rest changes, thus making both settings through-composed.  The second set of six also includes two of Housman's most famous
poems so far as I personally know, "When The Lad For Longing Sighs" and "With Rue My Heart Is Laden (the latter seeming particularly English to me in that
wonderful Butterworth manner)," and further includes a powerful setting of "On The Idle Hill Of Summer," the poet expressing his feelings about the futility
of war.  It also must not be forgotten that Butterworth was an avid collector of folksongs along with the likes of Cecil Sharpe, VW, Grainger, etc., travelling
throughout the English countryside and asking older people who knew them to sing them so they could be noted down, and his friendship with VW led to him
telling the older composer that he should write a symphony, this eventually resulting in VW's Second and personal favourite (it probably remains mine as
well), _A_ _London_ _Symphony_!  So now we are faced with that inevitable and unanswerable question which particularly lovers of English music
have been asking ever since Butterworth was killed--what might he further have given us had he lived?  At least some feel he would have gone on to challenge
the likes of VW, etc., for the pre-eminent position in the English music of his day.  Perhaps he might, but, whether or not he would have, we can be grateful
for what he _DID_ leave us, even though it admittedly did not equal, either in quantity or depth, the contributions of another composer who died aged 31,
one Franz Schubert.  One wonders even more what might have happened had _HE_ lived longer! 

The name of Oscar Hammerstein II is much more familiar to Americans, especially those who love the American Musical Theater, and he did not just work with Rodgers!  In fact he also worked early on with American operetta composers such as Friml and Romberg, and with
Kern on that landmark of the genre, _Show_ _Boat_!  As those of you who have been visiting this house regularly may know by now, I am one who
likes to observe anniversaries, and, since Kern's birthday coincides with Mozart's, I have decided from now on, if all goes well, to combine Kern and Hammerstein's
birthdays on 12 July, Hammerstein's, by playing that _MARVELOUS_ EMI recording of _Show_ _Boat_ conducted by that great advocate for musicals, Mr. John
McGlinn!  In fact it was an E-Mail exchange with our Honourary Patroness which prompted me to check into this recording of which I had only previously
heard without hearing any of it.  I bought it, and once again here comes that tattered cliche used here earlier, "Better late than never!"  As is
very well known, Hammerstein, in this musical, explores certain social issues, particularly those having to do with race, thus adding more substance to
an evening which would usually be lighter in nature, sentimentality being particularly prized in those days (not that this is lacking in _Show_ _Boat_,
"You Are Love" sounding as if it could have come right out of a Lehar operetta, though still extremely effective for me and presumably many others!).
 At the risk of raising a proverbial "hornet's nest," I agree with the decision made by the producers of this recording to retain what we now often call
the "N word" where Hammerstein originally used it since it adds a further touch of realism (as I feel it also does in _Porgy_ _And_ _Bess_), and, as was
pointed out in the book accompanying this recording, Hammerstein was not here showing himself as a racist since later, when working with Rodgers on
_South_ _Pacific_, he included that number, "You've Got To Be Carefully Taught."  We are further told that this classic has been subjected to much revision
since it first appeared in 1927 (its first preview was actually given right here in Washington!), and thus much of its "cutting-edge" side has
been watered down in most, if not all, modern productions.  Yet here we have much of it in this EMI recording, including some of the spoken dialogue!
From what I read, the part of Ravenal was eventually changed from a tenor to a baritone, thus necessitating the transposition of at least some of his music
down from its higher keys.  Yet, having first heard Mr. Alan Jones sing "Make Believe" in its original D Major in the 1936 film, I still think it works
best starting in that key, and apparently this was how it was in 1927, beginning in D and then moving up to E-Flat when Ravenal's future wife joins to
lead to the duet.  On the other hand, though one cannot deny the contribution Mr. Robeson made to this musical in and before the 1936 film, "Ol' Man River" works better in keys higher than his B-Flat (A-Flat in at least one later recital) in my opinion.  Again in my opinion, the original 1927 Bennett
orchestrations are _MARVELOUS_!  Yet I have a "pet peeve" about this and _MANY_ other recordings involving works including both music and spoken dialogue.
 Producers, etc., have this idea that listeners do not want the dialogue included in recordings (though they obviously must tolerate at least some of it
in the theater, hopefully all of it in a broadway musical), and regretably some customer reviews on a site such as Amazon would tend to bolster this view.
 Yes, attempting to include nearly all the music Kern composed for this work while he was yet alive amply fills three CD's along with the dialogue they
chose to include, and yet, while including as much of the music as possible is important, should not this great work be regarded as a whole, and should
not the work of Hammerstein, certainly one of the greatest of all American musical lyricists, stand on equal terms with Kern's?  I personally would just
as soon be without all those appendices and instead be given a _COMPLETE_ performance of this 1927 version, allowing for decisions as to what pre-Broadway
cuts would be re-opened and which would not!  I think an English company called Jay Records has given us some uncut musicals, and, if and when copyright
may allow, I hope we might have _MANY_ more!  And while we are about it, could we _PLEASE_ have more _COMPLETE_ recordings of operas and operettas which
include spoken sections, even if the librettists are not on a par with the composers?  And if they are in foreign languages, simply, if possible, engage
either native speakers/singers or those fluent enough in the languages of these works to make them effective dramatically in the spoken sections as well
as in the musical ones!  Let us put these theories about CD listeners not wanting the dialogue to the test, with convincing delivery thereof, and _THEN_
find out _FOR_ _SURE_ if their theories are right!

Hoping this finds you well,

J. V.

Articles Concerning The Late Corporal Santos

Greetings!:

 

Those who want a boost in their faith in God, humanity at its best, and the sometimes-flawed military at its best as well, are _URGED_ to read the various articles, etc., reference the late Corporal Santos which our Honourary Patroness recently posted in her blog!  You may find these at tvmeg.blogspot.com. 

 

Respectfully and joyfully submitted,

 

J. V.

Happy Birthday, US Marine Band!

Greetings!:

 

In the name of the House of Old-School, and though it is rather late in the day, I extend my heartiest congratulations and best wishes to "The President's Own" United States Marine Band on the occasion of its 208th anniversary! 

 

As all Marines (obviously I was not one) will know, the Corps observes 10 November, the day on which it was established, after a manner since the present Government had not yet been established by then, in 1775.  It actually became part of the present Government by an act of Congress on 11 July, 1798, and, as part of that act, the United States Marine Band was also created, thus making it the oldest continuously-operating musical organization in the US Military.  Thus, since the Corps has appropriated 10 November as its birthday, the Band now has 11 July to itself, and thus they observe their _ONLY_ establishment anniversary on that day! 

 

The Band started as a fife-and-drum corps in Philadelphia, but moved here to the present Nation's Capital when it was established in 1801 (or 1800?).  President Jefferson, the first President to be inaugurated in this city, came to call the Band "The President's Own," and it has performed for every US President since then, though I feel there is still work to be done to determine, if this can indeed be done accurately, as to when it started supporting inaugurations, the Band's current belief being that this started with President Jefferson, and one source I recently consulted (one of the Inaugural websites, though not necessarily the one linked to from this blog) has it accompanying him back to the White House after he was sworn in for his second term in 1805.  In Dr. Paul F. Boller's book, _Presidential_ _Inaugurations_, he conjectures that it started supporting these in 1821.  Most of the early inaugurations were held indoors (often in the Senate Chamber), so one must assume there was no music for the actual swearing-in, this presumably being limited to escorts as above, or to the balls when they started (the afternoon parades did not really come into their own until the late 19th Century, much of the pageantry prior to then being focused on escorting the President and President Elect to the swearing-in ceremony). 

 

The Band gradually became transformed from that first fife-and-drum corps into the superb professional ensemble it is today.  It continued to play at the White House and at important national events, one of the most significant of these being at Gettysburg on 19 November, 1863, when President Lincoln gave his immortal address there.  Yet a particularly important period in its history occurred between 1880 and 1892 when its 17th Director (they were called Leaders in those days), John Philip Sousa, was in charge.  He improved the Band's technical and musical standards, and began the practice of taking it on an annual concert tour so that those outside this area could have more of an opportunity to experience it.  And so it went into the 20th Century up to 1955 when a development happened which I personally feel improved this Organization even further.  The man who would eventually become Colonel Albert Schoepper became its 22nd Director.  For the first time so far as I know, an arranging staff was established, and, particularly throughout the 1960's, I personally feel the Band again improved as per its playing, and Colonel Schoepper, as far as I am concerned, was a _MARVELLOUSLY_ musical conductor!  I hear he could also be quite tough and intimidating, and _MAYBE_ that is how he got some of his results, though it would appear that he might not get such in our day when authoratarian approaches, it must be somewhat-reluctantly admitted, sometimes, if not often, backfire (yet, in the tradition of this blog, would that we could get back to obedience to lawful orders and, yes, _DEFERENCE_ from those under them, without those in leadership having to resort to tyrannical leadership techniques!).  My first exposures to the Band were through the annual tree-lighting ceremonies which open our Christmas Pageant of Peace, and I actually date my becoming fully interested from that ceremony in 1960, though, due to the cold weather, it did not play at its best.  It sounded similar to me on that _FRIGID_ day about a month later when President Kennedy was sworn in, but a recently-acquired DVD containing an abridged version of that ceremony has them sounding even better, so _HOPEFULLY_ they were not resorting to pre-recorded music for that newsreel (the acoustic would suggest that they were not).  I attended my first Marine Band concert in the Summer of 1962, when Watergate meant a music barge just off the bank of the Potomac just below the Lincoln Memorial (as well as a fine nearby restaurant, the Watergate Inn).  After another Watergate concert in 1963, my mother and I started frequently attending its other Summer concerts, on the East Plaza of the Capitol (these would move to their present site, the lower West Terrace, in the mid-to-late 1970's, and inaugurations would also move to that side in 1981).   I believe I first met Colonel Schoepper in 1965, and, though he could be moody, he was always decent with me, and we even had some contact after his retirement in 1972.  I have had the privilege of knowing all of his successors, as well as his immediate predecessor, Lieutenant Colonel William F. Santelmann (who, of course, I met after the fact as it were).  Colonel John R. Bourgeois, 25th Director and the Band's current Director Imeritus, served as Operations NCO under Colonel Schoepper, in which capacity I first met him, and he was my other favourite among the former Directors I have known.  He, along with his two successors, Colonel Timothy W. Foley and the current Director, Lieutenant Colonel Michael J. Colburn, are, as far as I am concerned, as intelligent as they come, and the latter has already become a special favourite of mine as well! 

 

"The President's Own" actually consists of more than that superb band, also including a chamber orchestra, which plays frequently at the White House, notably at state dinners, and now gives increasingly-frequent public concerts, and various chamber ensembles, combos, etc.  Another of Colonel Schoepper's innovations was to bring in a vocalist, and now there are two, Gunnery Sergeant Kevin Bennear and the first female to hold this particular position (though there are now many other women in the Organization), Staff Sergeant Sara Dell'Omo. 

 

Although I greeted this Organization as part of my general greeting which concluded my "Honours and Greetings" post earlier in this blog, I wanted to devote this individual post to it since it has been a _MOST_ important part of my life!  Though various musical organizations participated, via recordings, in the securing and activation ceremony for this blog on 2 June, the Marine Band was the featured one, and, as I once told Colonel Foley, I would, if allowed, like to consider this organization not only "The President's Own," but _MY_ own as well!  Should you be interested in more information, you may find it on the Band's official website, a link to which may be found in the "favorite links" section of my profile. 

 

Once again many congratulations and best wishes come from this house to "The President's Own" on this, their 208th anniversary! 

 

Gratefully, respectfully and joyfully submitted,

 

J. V.

Spoof/Fishing E-Mails

Greetings!:

 

I expect that all of us who use E-Mail have, especially in recent years, been the recipients of these messages which preport to be from some legitimate business, usually a bank or online sales outlet, claiming that the information we have on record with such is out of date, etc., and urging, or more frequently it would seem demanding/requiring, that we update said information on pain of losing our privileges with that particular institution or outlet.  As most of us hopefully know by now, this practice has come to be called either fishing or spoofing since, if one gives in, the perpetrator(s) have caught the fish as it were, our sensitive personal and/or financial information, and thus can use it to their own perverse ends.  It further appears that, since we are being increasingly and rightly advised to expose the full headers of such messages when reporting them to various authorities (such as the FTC's reporting E-Mail address, spam@uce.gov, or addresses such as spoof@ebay.com, spoof@paypal.com or abuse@(variousotherdomains).com), the perpetrators of these scams now often forge these headers, thus making the messages even more difficult to trace.  And yet, despite these seemingly-sophisticated "safeguards," they can also appear _EXTREMELY_ stupid sometimes, such as when they ignore PayPal's _CLEARLY_-stated procedure that _ALL_ legitimate messages originating from them begin with the full name of the recipient.  For those who know this, the proverbial game is up already, and thus they should not be caught.  There is yet another stupidity I have detected sometimes.  Certain of these messages, according to their full headers, are said to be from nobody@domain.com.  One hopes that _NOBODY_ in their _RIGHT_ mind would fall for a message from such a lame-brained (if I may describe such in that way) nobody!  This is an important factor, but what I wish to mainly ask here is what progress, if any, is being made to unmask those who forge their headers?  Can we expect any sort of technology in the near future which will make it difficult, if not impossible, for one to get away with forging one's headers, thus allowing for the perpetrators of these scams to be caught?  I am glad, if it will help, to continue forwarding on these messages to the proper authorities for hoped-for action, but this sometimes can be tedious at best, and so could someone _PLEASE_ try to come up with some sort of technology which will, at _VERY_ worst, be _EXTREMELY_ difficult for these scammers to circumvent?  What say any of you if you have some information you can share without inappropriately breaching any sort of valid security?  And while we are about it, I have lately started receiving once again (though I always receive some occasionally) these Nigeria-fee-scam messages.  I gather that this scam, in one form or another, has been around since the Middle Ages, and yet is there hope for _FINALLY_ stamping it out, at least on the Internet? 

 

We have been having some moderate temperatures here in our Nation's Capital over the past day or so, so I hope any of you who read this are somehow experiencing the like where you are! 

 

Further hoping this finds you otherwise well, 

 

J. V.