Leroy Anderson (June 29, 1908 – May 18, 1975) was an
American composer of short, light concert pieces, many of which were introduced
by the Boston Pops Orchestra under the direction of Arthur Fiedler. John
Williams described him as "one of the great American masters of light
orchestral music."
Born in Cambridge, Massachusetts to Swedish parents,
Leroy Anderson was given his first piano lessons by his mother, who was an
organist. He continued studying piano with Henry Gideon at the New England
Conservatory of Music, and he also took double bass lessons from Gaston
Dufresne in Boston. In 1926 Anderson entered Harvard University, where he
studied theory with Walter Spalding, counterpoint with Edward Ballantine,
harmony with George Enescu and composition with Walter Piston. He graduated
with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1929 and Master of Arts in 1930.
He continued studying at Harvard, concentrating in German and Scandinavian languages, while also working as organist for the university, leading the choir and the Harvard University Band, and conducting and arranging for dance bands around Boston. His arranging work came to the attention of Arthur Fiedler in 1936 and Anderson was asked to show Fiedler any original compositions. Anderson's first work was Jazz Pizzicato in 1938. Fiedler suggested that a companion piece be written and thus Anderson wrote Jazz Legato in 1939.
He continued studying at Harvard, concentrating in German and Scandinavian languages, while also working as organist for the university, leading the choir and the Harvard University Band, and conducting and arranging for dance bands around Boston. His arranging work came to the attention of Arthur Fiedler in 1936 and Anderson was asked to show Fiedler any original compositions. Anderson's first work was Jazz Pizzicato in 1938. Fiedler suggested that a companion piece be written and thus Anderson wrote Jazz Legato in 1939.
In 1942 Leroy Anderson joined the U.S. Army, and was
assigned to Iceland as a translator and interpreter. Later in 1945 he was
assigned to the Pentagon as Chief of the Scandinavian Desk of Military
Intelligence. But his duties did not prevent him from composing, and in 1945 he
wrote "The Syncopated Clock" and "Promenade". Anderson
was a reserve officer and was recalled to active duty for the Korean War. In
1951 Anderson wrote his first hit, "Blue Tango", earning a Golden
Disc and the No. 1 spot on the Billboard charts.
Syncopated Clock", both of which are instantly recognizable to millions of people.
In 1950, WCBS-TV in New York City selected
"Syncopated Clock" as the theme song for The Late Show, the WCBS
late-night movie. Mitchell Parish added words to "Syncopated Clock",
and later wrote lyrics for other Anderson tunes, including "Sleigh
Ride", which was not written as a Christmas piece, but as a work that
describes a winter event. Anderson started the work during a heat wave in
August 1946. From 1952 to 1961, Anderson's composition "Plink, Plank,
Plunk!" was used as the theme for the CBS panel show I've Got A Secret.
Anderson's musical style, heavily influenced by George
Gershwin and folk music of various lands, employs creative instrumental effects
and occasionally makes use of sound-generating items such as typewriters and
sandpaper.
Anderson wrote his Piano Concerto in C in 1953 but
withdrew it, feeling that it had weak spots. In 1988 the Anderson family
decided to publish the work. Erich Kunzel and the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra
released the first recording of this work; three other recordings have since
been released.
In 1958, Anderson orchestrated Meredith Willson's
"76 Trombones", from the musical The Music Man. That year he wrote
his own musical, Goldilocks, which earned two Tony awards but did not achieve
commercial success. Anderson never wrote another musical, preferring instead to
continue writing orchestral miniatures. His pieces, including "The
Typewriter", "Bugler's Holiday", and "A Trumpeter's
Lullaby" are performed by orchestras and bands ranging from school groups
to professional organizations.
Anderson would occasionally appear on the Boston Pops
regular concerts on PBS to conduct his own music while Fiedler would sit on the
sidelines. For "The Typewriter" Fiedler would don a green eyeshade,
roll up his sleeves, and mime working on an old typewriter while the orchestra
played.
In 1975, Anderson died due to cancer in Woodbury,
Connecticut and is buried there.
For his contribution to the recording industry, Leroy
Anderson has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 1620 Vine Street. He was
posthumously inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1988 and his music
continues to be a staple of "pops" orchestra repertoire. (Edited from
Wikipedia)
Here is Viennese Percussionist Martin Breinschmid with his version of the "Typewriter" Live at the BASF concert hall Ludwigshafen, Germany 2008, Strauß Festival Orchestra Vienna
Post Script - My Angel Radio colleague Martin Miller once had an interview with Leeroy's wife who pointed out that most people pronounced Leroy as Lee Roy when in fact it is pronounced with a French Le continuing with Roy.
2 comments:
For “Leroy Anderson & His "Pops" Concert Orch - Sleigh Ride & Other Original Hits” go here;
https://www83.zippyshare.com/v/UZxVD1gh/file.html
1. SLEIGH RIDE
2. THE SYNCOPATED CLOCK
3. SERENATA
4. A TRUMPETER'S LULLABY
5. PROMENADE
6. SARABAND
7. JAZZ PIZZICATO - JAZZ LEGATO
8. THE WALTZING CAT
9. PLINK, PLANK, PLUNK!
10. BELLE OF THE BALL
11. BLUE TANGO
12. HORSE AND BUGGY
13. THE PHANTOM REGIMENT
14. CHINA DOLL
15. THE PENNY-WHISTLE SONG
16. FIDDLE-FADDLE
Leroy’s Anderson’s ‘solo’ record career began in 1950, recording his own works such as those found on this compilation. Like other compositions, his best known tune "Sleigh Ride", written in 1948, had first been recorded by Arthur Fiedler and the Boston Pops Orchestra, and was a minor hit around Christmas, 1949. As both an instrumental and a vocal number (Mitchell Parish added lyrics, as he did to "Fiddle-Faddle", "Serenata" , "Belle Of The Ball" and "Blue Tango"), "Sleigh Ride" went on to become a true perennial, as seasonally reliable as Christmas itself. Under his own name, by far Anderson’s biggest selling tune was "Blue Tango", issued at the end of 1951 and soon a clear million-plus best seller, achieved despite numerous cover versions from the likes of Guy Lombardo, Hugo Winterhalter and Les Baxter.
Thank you for sharing Leroy Anderson. Brilliant composer, right there with Gershwin...appreciated.
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