Musical Oddities

Subject: Musical Oddities
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 25 Nov 05 - 07:44 PM

OK - I'll start.

Charles Ives - American pioneer of music rich in dissonances was married to a woman called Harmony, and lived in Concord.

Robin

Subject: RE: Musical Oddities
From: mack/misophist
Date: 26 Nov 05 - 01:26 AM

And, IIRC, sold life insurance.

Subject: RE: Musical Oddities
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 26 Nov 05 - 01:57 AM

He was told "to get a proper job selling insurance cause music won't give you a living". Started his own company apparently. Became a millionaire, and then wrote the music he liked.

Subject: RE: Musical Oddities
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 26 Nov 05 - 04:06 AM

Igor Stravinsky, also noted for dissonances, was approached by Ringling Bros to compose music for the entrance of the elephants in the grand parade (at the circus, of course).

Igor declined on grounds that elephants were too ugly.

Ringling Bros replied "we'll only use rather small elephants and we'll pay $10,000," or something to that effect.

Igor relented.

At the premier performance, the band struck up the piece just as the elephants began their entrance. The elephants bolted, and refused to return to the arena.

The elephants didn't like the piece much better than I did, although I participated in several public performances of it back in the early '60s. (Much to my personal shame).

John