Thought for the Day (Nov 9)

Subject: Thought for the Day (Nov 9)
From: Peter T.
Date: 09 Nov 99 - 10:42 AM

Notes for Purists:

"Big event for me in my life was buying a wind-up victrola [1917]. Mosty of my records were the Original Dixieland Jazz Band -- Larry Shields and his bunch. They were the first to record the music I played. I had Caruso records too, and Henry Burr, Galli-Curci, Tetrazini -- they were all my favourites. Then there was the Irish tenor, McCormack -- beautiful phrasing.....[Spontaneously bursts out singing the melody, "Ah, Ah, Rido ben di core/Che tai baie costan poco" from the Rigoletto Quartet] That's the first thing I used to make all the time."

-- Louis Armstrong (from: Joshua Berrett, Louis Armstrong and Opera, The Musical Quarterly, 1992).

Subject: RE: Thought for the Day (Nov 9)
From: Mían
Date: 09 Nov 99 - 12:28 PM

last night was just dreaming of finding a windup victrola like we used to have when i was a kid. would be kinda fun during power interruptions...

Subject: RE: Thought for the Day (Nov 9)
From: bob schwarer
Date: 09 Nov 99 - 12:36 PM

I remember I had some one-sided (grooves on one side only)Decca disks back in the 40's. They're long gone now. Don't even know what happened to them. Probably a victim of neatness. Or the anti-clutter police.

Bob S.

Subject: RE: Thought for the Day (Nov 9)
From: katlaughing
Date: 09 Nov 99 - 02:03 PM

We have a one-sided one of my uncle playing his own jazz composition, pre WWII; he was very accomplished jazz pianist but it all went to drink. Sodl some song he wrote for a hundred bucks and it went big; I'll have to ask dad the name of it.

Peter, this is interesting. I heard one a few years ago about Joplin writing operas. The bits I heard were beautiful.

Subject: RE: Thought for the Day (Nov 9)
From: Mbo
Date: 09 Nov 99 - 03:38 PM

God Bless Louis Armstrong! If only all of us shared his love for different kinds of music...

--Mbo (who loves Louis & Opera & Celtic & Dixieland)

Subject: RE: Thought for the Day (Nov 9)
From: Marion
Date: 09 Nov 99 - 03:44 PM

We used to have a couple of (non-music) records and a player made of cardboard that the listener supplied the power for. There was a little hole in the record, so you stuck in a chopstick and twirled it around yourself.

I don't remember what the record was about - Bible stories, I think - but it was great fun messing around with the speed. I have no idea where it came from, and I've never seen one since. This isn't ancient history - maybe 15 or 20 years ago. It didn't especially look like a child's toy either.

Does anyone know what I'm talking about?

Subject: RE: Thought for the Day (Nov 9)
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 09 Nov 99 - 08:31 PM

Wouldn't that have been magic though - a session with Louis Armstrong and Count John McCormack.

I don't suppose there are tapes of Satchmo singing or playing John McCormack songs are there? Maybe the magic session could still be arranged...