What instrument has stood the test of time as the most romantic musical instrument? No, it’s not the organ. And no, Mr. Wiseguy, it’s not the bass drum or the electrified flute. Now I suppose, if you want to stretch the definition of a musical instrument, you might say the human voice. Frank Sinatra comes to mind.
But Stradivarius knew the answer — it is the violin. So here we have the sine qua non of romantic music: Frank Sinatra singing “Close to You” with a lovely violin solo.
Am I right about this? Any other ideas? But please, no exotic instruments from Asia and forget about the ocarina and the French horn. If you tried to get romantic with a French horn, you could hurt yourself. —Paul Goldfinger.
The album “Windmills of Your Mind” was recorded in 2011 without digital equipment. The sound was “live to analogue” creating an intimate feel for this recording that was made to celebrate the 80th birthday of Paul Motian, a legendary jazz drummer. Bill Frisell is one of the most innovative guitar players in the world, and the quartet was rounded out with vocalist Petra Haden and bassist Thomas Morgan. Some of the songs on the album are from Broadway while others are original compositions.
The tempo of this version of the “Tennessee Waltz” is agonizingly slow, but it is its slowness plus the restraint and virtuosity of the musicians that makes you listen carefully to each note. Although it is a waltz tempo, the slowness doesn’t invite dancing, unless the lights are low and two feel like one—-barely moving–maybe just rocking. —Paul Goldfinger; Blogfinger.net. 2012.
Gertrude Lawrence (1898-1952) was a musical stage star–singer and actress. She was born in London. In 1923, she was introduced to American audiences when she became the first British female performer to star in a Broadway show. It was a musical review by Noel Coward called “London Calling.” Subsequently she was featured in two Gershwin shows including “Lady in the Dark.” The NY Times review called her “a goddess.” In 1951 she won the lead in the original cast of the” King and I” for which she won a Tony for “best actress.”
In 1933, she starred in a Cole Porter show called “Nymph Errant.” Wickipedia says, “The somewhat controversial story concerned a young English lady intent upon losing her virginity. Porter considered the score his best because of its worldliness and sexual sophistication. The musical was produced in London in 1933 and received its US premiere in 1982.”
Today, I heard this Cole Porter song, “How Could We be Wrong?” by Gertrude Lawrence from “Nymph Errant” on the radio. I thought it was beautiful, and the host agreed, although he commented that the song sort of vanished over the years.
This is Gertrude Lawrence, but Maude Maggart has a current recording. —Paul Goldfinger
By Paul Goldfinger, Editor @Blogfinger I like this post, so here it is again.
Some of you read this post, but there is one addition* regarding Madeleine Peyroux the jazz singer working a corner in Paris. The year is 1991, and we were visiting Paris with our son Michael for his 21st birthday. We had been there before and we liked the Left Bank the best, especially the area near the oldest church in town (St. Germaine des Pres) located on the Boulevard St. Germaine.
Michael Goldfinger. We stayed in a walk-up small hotel. Paul Goldfinger photo.
You can walk that neighborhood and find bookstalls along the River Seine, Musee D’Orsay—home of the Impressionists, funky neighborhoods near the Sorbonne, antique shops, bistros where you can’t get a bad meal, small hotels with floor to ceiling windows and no elevators, and wonderful food markets.
Behind the old church where the Blvd. St. Germaine meets Rue de Rennes, is a tiny park where you can relax, called the Rue de l’Abbaye—a respite from the bustle all around it. But also at that intersection is the famous Café Les Deux Magots where Hemingway, Picasso and other artists and intellectuals used to hang out. It’s so much fun to sip an espresso there and people-watch.
One evening Michael, Eileen, and I took a walk. At the corner, in front of the church and across from the café, we heard a street band playing. They were called “The Lost Wandering Blues and Jazz Band,” composed mostly of American musicians. But we were most intriqued by their vocalist, a seventeen year old young woman from New York and California who sounded like Billie Holiday.
She had been living in Paris since she moved there at age 16 with her mom. Madeleine Peyroux is now a jazz star who performs around the world, but we think of her standing on the sidewalk with a floppy hat on, charming the crowd.
Below is the Café Deux Magots which dates back to 1875—just a few years younger than Ocean Grove.
And below that is Madeleine Peyroux singing in French. The song is “J’ai Deux Amours” (I have two loves). It is from her album “Careless Love.” That’s a good song for an album with that name.
Cafe Deux Magots. Paris. 1991. By Paul Goldfinger
Presenting Madeleine Peyroux: * I just found a photo which I took that evening in 1991 across the street from Deux Maggots and on the corner of the church. For years I wondered why I didn’t photograph her.
Warren Vache´ on jazz trumpet at Waterloo Village (Sussex County, NJ) c. 1995. By Paul Goldfinger
There has always been an active jazz scene in New Jersey. Many well known musicians live and perform here, with considerable overlap in NYC. I’ve heard Warren Vaché at Waterloo Village and at the 92nd Street Y in New York. He was born in Rahway and is well known among jazz musicians. He has a beautiful tone. Many of the concerts in Jersey are sponsored by the 40 year old New Jersey Jazz Society. NJ Jazz Society link .
This recording is from an album called “Uptown Lowdown,” a jazz tribute to the Big Apple. Warren Vaché is part of this ten man band, and I especially like this piece called “Rose of Washington Square/ Broadway Rose.” The clarinet player is the excellent Ken Peplowski. And listen for Warren’s trumpet.
By Paul Goldfinger. Click image for larger view. This photo appeared in an ad in Europe.
The tourists are looking southeast at the Champ de Mars, a grassy park which extends past the Eiffel Tower until you reach the École Militaire (Military School) which is faintly visible in this photo. The Champ de Mars has a terrific party each year for Bastille Day (July 14.) You can take an elevator to the top of the Tower and get a great view of the city.
This song was featured in the movie “Saving Private Ryan” when, toward the end, Captain Miller’s men are waiting for the Germans to attack their position guarding a critical bridge in a bombed out French town near Normandy. They find some old records and play them. The music echoes down the abandoned avenues. It is a moment of peaceful beauty for these GI’s who are about to have their world turned upside down.
EDITH PIAF from the album The White Cliffs of Dover—-“La Vie en Rose.” (tr. life through rose colored glasses)
