Thursday, July 8, 2010

Musical Genius at Work



Surely one of the musical highlights in the history of the San Antonio Symphony occurred when Danny Kaye came in 1976 or 77 to give a benefit concert, the proceeds to be used to establish a retirement fund for the orchestra. From the first moment of the rehearsal, when Danny Kaye flung his baton over his shoulder, leaving the orchestra stunned with delight, to the time he pulled exactly the same stunt at the beginning of the concert (no one expected him to do it again), to the final downbeat, both the orchestra and the public were under his musical spell. What a delight! He was a true genius. And let's not overlook the genius of Louis Armstrong, either.

1 comment:

Jack Fishman said...

FANTASTIC! But, it makes me sad. In "the good old days" Danny Kaye could create something about Classical composers and it could resonate in popular culture. Today, in our Lady Gaga, American Idol, LeBron James culture, listing great composers could NOT be enjoyed this way. The Internet is to blame. We are all retreating into smaller and smaller niche audiences and a there is less and less value placed on a widely accepted set of cultural values. Thanks for posting this wonderful video.