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[ChasSmith]

And..........   THREE!

[elmore3003]

DR Elmore, what kind of piano is that? 

It's not just a "plain old piano", is it?  Isn't he switching between at least two sounds, to get the tack piano where called for?

It was a tack piano. Thumb tacks are placed on the hammers so the metal head hits the strings instead of the felt.

[ChasSmith]

DR Elmore, what kind of piano is that? 

It's not just a "plain old piano", is it?  Isn't he switching between at least two sounds, to get the tack piano where called for?

It was a tack piano. Thumb tacks are placed on the hammers so the metal head hits the strings instead of the felt.

Right, but I thought I heard non-tack in some songs.  I guess not!!   

[ChasSmith]

I had some other damned fool question, too.  What was it?

[ChasSmith]

Guess I'll use up another post thinking about it.

[Jane]

Great photos yesterday from DR GINNY and DR JANE.  And a nice new avatar for DR MIKE.

Thank you.

[elmore3003]

DR Elmore, what kind of piano is that? 

It's not just a "plain old piano", is it?  Isn't he switching between at least two sounds, to get the tack piano where called for?

It was a tack piano. Thumb tacks are placed on the hammers so the metal head hits the strings instead of the felt.

Right, but I thought I heard non-tack in some songs.  I guess not!!   

You did. There were two pianos and a celesta.

[elmore3003]

And it's time to leave Toyland!  I had a nice visit with Ben, and I've accomplished all I wanted to work on here.

[Ben]

Not me, his other friend, Ben.

[John G.]

DR ChasSmith, I'm glad you enjoyed IRMA LA DOUCE. I think the director completely screwed up the ending, turning "Christmas Child" into a family get-together rather than the funny, sacrilegious number it was meant to be.

Funny, I always felt the waving of the middle finger in that scene was more subtle, less of a raspberry. After all, you have the unmarried couple with their newborn child. She's been called a poule. And the lowest level of society comes to worship the child. I saw it as a parallel. But I've never seen the show.

I don't have a book here, just a (ahem) (cough) score, so I don't know what, if anything was suggested for that scene.

DR John, the entire cast is grouped in a very straightforward tableau around Irma and Nestor who are seated at the table in the bar, and while the song is expertly performed, the scene is static and does not suggest the humorous sacrilegious aspect.

DR Elmore, how has this been portrayed in the past -- or what would you do with it?

Did you notice all the Biblical jargon: NESTOR: "He shall be Nestor" ALL (Response): "He shall be Nestor."

The scene has Irma in bed with the babies, Nestor standing beside her, with the gang all laying their machine guns, brass knuckles, pistols, etc. at her feet as a parody of the Adoration of the Magi. The original French lyric "Il est ne" is a parody of the carol "Il est ne, le divin enfant,"

Yeah, I got the relation of the two songs. And the tableau vivant style. How else would you make it more like Radio City Music Hall's Christmas spectacular?

[ryacko]

Happy Thursday, all,

Finally recovered from the lunacy of the last weeks, I think.

TOD: So many things. But one that comes to mind is seeing a hummingbird. There's something magical about them and their unique hovering vibration. Not surprising, I suppose, that in Native American Animal Medicine, they represent Joy.

"And the word of the day is: CAPRINE!"  -  that would be... Caprese with tangerine?   

[John G.]

A LI'L IRMA:

http://goo.gl/TVg4Hl

Loved that. Thanks.

[John G.]

In 45 minutes, I have to defend my thesis. Not anxious to face this, but ready to get it over with.

[ChasSmith]

In 45 minutes, I have to defend my thesis. Not anxious to face this, but ready to get it over with.

Good luck on it!

[elmore3003]

Yeah, I got the relation of the two songs. And the tableau vivant style. How else would you make it more like Radio City Music Hall's Christmas spectacular?

Mr Doyle did none of that. They sat on the floor and sang the song! It was completely static.  You know the French lyrics for IRMA?

[MBarnum]

Got two very nice emails today, which means that I will be doing a couple of celebrity interviews in the coming weeks...


....one with this Bollywood and Hindi television actor.....







...and one with this Punjabi film actor, director, writer and singer.....








Color me happy! 

[MBarnum]

Sending lots of defending the thesis vibes for you, DR JohnG!

[ChasSmith]

DR Elmore -- What score is Rob Berman using, and did this one require a lot of cleanup or other work?

From my seat and through the glasses, it almost looked like he could have been conducting from the existing Tams-Witmark P/C score.  I'll surely be wrong on that! 

[John G.]

Yeah, I got the relation of the two songs. And the tableau vivant style. How else would you make it more like Radio City Music Hall's Christmas spectacular?

Mr Doyle did none of that. They sat on the floor and sang the song! It was completely static.  You know the French lyrics for IRMA?

I've seen Il est ne. Wish I had a French recording.

So, how was the Irma?

[singdaw]

~ ~ ~ EXTRA-STRENGTH VIBES OF FORTITUDE ~ ~ ~  for DR John G.!!!

[elmore3003]

And I am home, by the way, waiting on a call from Rob Berman.

[singdaw]

Congratulations, DR MBarnum!


 

[elmore3003]

DR Elmore -- What score is Rob Berman using, and did this one require a lot of cleanup or other work?

From my seat and through the glasses, it almost looked like he could have been conducting from the existing Tams-Witmark P/C score.  I'll surely be wrong on that! 

Encores! used the Tams-Witmark materials, which are not in bad shape, but missing accidentals and things like that. Some of the cues in the P/C were rewritten so the score isn't always in sync with what's actually played. Joshie also looked at original materials and full scores in the David Merrick collection at the Library of Congress, and Tams-Witmark also has a ton of materials from the national tour.

It's in better shape than, say, FANNY, which was a mess when I helped Joshie with it.

[ChasSmith]

Always fascinating stuff.  Thanks.

[bk]

Only got about four or five hours of sleep and have been on the move since getting up, including eating and stuff.

[Jrand74]

Fanny Was A Mess is a newly discovered Jane Austin novel......   

[Jrand74]

And now I am off to Act One......of......GUYS & DOLLS.....

[elmore3003]

Fanny Was A Mess is a newly discovered Jane Austin novel......   

Since MANSFIELD PARK is my least favorite Austen novel, yes! Fanny Price is a mess.

[Dan M]

Was a tad E&T as I had some COMPANY over, no NIGHT MUSIC, but then again no one had to SEND IN THE CLOWNS.
(Also, due to the winds here, the "antenna" that my computer needs to communicate with to piggyback the front office's signal, has been wavering, and so my internet connection has as well.)

[Dan M]

VIBES and BEST WISHES to all who may lack in that department today.

CONTINUED LIONEL HAMPTON VIBES & XYLOS for IMPRESARIO BK!, and THESIS VIBES for DR JOHN G.!

BETTER DAYS AHEAD VIBES for DR ELMORE!  Love those quincunxes!  Mercury had been in retrograde I believe for just about all of February.