Nostalgia

Good Morning Everybody...(Thank you Sherry for the advice, it worked like a charm.)....Last Wednesday was Valentine's Day. Do you ever think back on that day to your first Love(s)...I do, and I get all nostalgic about it. I did a special concert for a group of older citizens on Wednesday and I thought I would write a special piece just for that day, so here is my latest composition which I call "Remembering Love"
I tried various combinations of instruments to get the right 'feel' and finally settle on the flute for the melody and the Grand piano for the accompaniment...I hope you like it.

Have a Good one......TTYL....Derek.<center><table border=1><tr><td>"Remembering Love"
Remembering Love.not (63.7 k)</td></tr></table></center>

Ah, nostalgia. A perfect thread for this post. Last week, I was at the Portland (Oregon) VA Hospital for an early morning appointment. Afterwards I had to wait for a prescription to be filled and hearing a piano playing in the large lobby, I wandered over to listen.

An older gentleman was playing, mostly old show tunes and big-band pieces arranged for piano. I struck up a conversation with the artist and soon found myself enveloped in a world of wonder. The man's name was Taud Coffman, a unique spelling which certainly must identify him to anyone who might have ever known him.

He told me that he started as a singer at Carnegi Hall, but the money was poor. He wound up working in musicals, both onstage on and off Broadway, and in movies. He mentioned many, but for me the standout was The Music Man (starred Robert Preston).

He dropped names like Judy [Garland], Frank [Sinatra], and Barbara [Streisand] (not friendly with her, but had to work with her). He did not sound like one trying to impress, but simply like one recalling his life to a friend.

We have several older musicians on this forum who were playing professionally during the time of Taud's career. I wonder if any of you, perhaps Fred or M G or you, Derek, might have ever known Taud, either personally or professionally? You might like to know that he is living within a few miles of the Portland VA Hospital, in seemingly good health though beginning to have some memory problems, and that he cares enough about us vets to volunteer several hours a week playing for our benefit. I, for one, am truly grateful.

I hope there are some out there who perhaps knew Taud in his prime and can shed further light on overlapping music careers. I wish I had my camera with me at the time and I might have posted a picture of Taud. Perhaps on my next trip.

Fred, my prayers are continuing for Patsy. I hope she is doing well.

Blessings to all,
Lee

Hi Lee,

Thanks for your prayers for Patsy. Except for being able to sleep on her "favorite" side, she is doing very well and we will find out next Monday what further treatment she will require over the next several months.

I never came across Taud in my travels. I wish I had the opportunity to talk with him as you had. I had the good fortune of working with some pretty big names in those days, but not any of the three he mentioned. The closest I came to Sinatra was when he found my piano player sitting in at Jilly's in New York, and "stole" him from my band and sent him to Jilly's West. No big loss, though, he was an excellent "lounge singer" type but not the best piano player in the world. I couldn't get his foot off the sustain pedal.

Cheers,
Fred

Good Morning Lee,I see my little piece of 'Nostalgia' set you off on a bit of nostalgia too, no, I have never heard of Taud Coffman but I can relate to his reminiscings.All of my years as a professional musician were spent in England, my nearest claim to fame is that I played for a singer at various clubs who was known as Jerry Dorsey, he changed his name to Engelbert Humperdink and I have never met him since. I also worked on various shows with a singer who was referred to as the 'Screaming Welshman' because he liked to have the volume way up there. He was called Tom Jones, he had the same agent as Jerry and the rest is history. One of my favourite artistes I worked with was Lynne Perry, she was a song and dance comedienne, a wonderful lady who went on to become a film star and a member of the cast of "Coronation Street" which is the longest running soap opera ever, I also worked with the lead singers at a show in Sheffield who were with the London production of a musical called "Camelot". Yes I was lucky to work with quite a few great performers who were pretty famous in their day but only in England.The nearest I got to the "Greats" of America was when I accompanied a lady who's voice was on the sound track of the film "South Pacific" Another lovely lady and a wonderful performer. I would just love to meet Taud, like Fred we would have so much to reminisce about. Like Taud I now spend my time entertaining in the local hospitals and seniors lodges, I like to think I specialize in working with those suffering with Alzheimers, that is where I do most of my work. By the way, I did a quick search of the internet but Taud is not there.
Hi Fred, I'm glad your wife is so much better, we'll keep the prayers and thoughts going though until she is really over all her troubles. I have a new part for the Clarinet Polka which I will be posting for you because I think you will be able to fit it into your arrangement just fine...That's it for today, it seems my "Nostalgic" music created nostalgia but a little differently to the way I anticipated, I assume that you both thought it O.K.

Have a Good one.....TTYL......Derek.

Hi Derek,
Thanks for the continuing support for Patsy. I would love to download the new part for Clarinet Polka. Thanks!
Cheers,
Fred

Hi Derek,

I've enjoyed all your music, but especially the Aerya Waltz and this one. I took the liberty of trying it with the Hagi flute--a soundfont I got I can't remember where. It is breathy in the first octave and has a legato effect and considerable vibrato, which the GM font has none of. It sounds quite beautiful with this flute. If you can use soundfonts, or would like to try it with Synthfont, I'd be happy to send it--856KB.

Very compelling piece, and, yes, "nostalgia" fits perfectly.

all best,
mgj

Hello MG....I'm so glad you enjoy my music. I would love to hear the Hagi flute, it sounds just like the sound I was looking for. When I first got it ready to post I had the melody on the Pan flute but when I put it into Composer I didn't like the sound of it so I changed it to the flute...I would be delighted to get the sound font but I have to tell you I have never seen or used one before so it will be a learning experience.Indeed everything is a learning experience at the moment because I have just started with Composer so I have lots and lots to learn. I remember Sherry said she collected sound fonts, I'd like to get into that too so any help from anybody would be most welcome.
I do envy you your ability to compose classical music, I'm afraid my compositons were always slanted toward the 'commercial' side of music, I gave the audience what they wanted and it was a living. It must seem pretty mundane to all you classical guys but it's been fun, and still is.
I think I'm a little too old too change now but I enjoy looking at and listening to the more serious side of the forum. Thanks again....

Have a Good one......TTYL.....Derek.