Klarinet Archive - Posting 000012.txt from 2002/03

From: "Michele deGastyne" <michele.degastyne@-----.net>
Subj: [kl] Clarinetist Louis Greenspan
Date: Fri, 1 Mar 2002 10:01:07 -0500

Dear Anna -

I saw your name on Klarinet and thought about our last talk regarding Louis
Greenspan.
I had an amazing experience recently at an Arts Conference in Ft.
Lauderdale, FL, at the FNCC "Florida Nature Culture Center" of my SGI
Buddhist organization.

A number of well-known jazz musicians are members of SGI-USA, including
Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Nestor Torres, etc. I've never met them
before, however, and had some truly wonderful experiences. - But I'll save
that for a future note.

In the meantime, I also saw at FNCC the son-in-law of Louis Greenspan for
the first time in about 20 years. Actually, he is the person who introduced
me to Louis in the late 1970's, so it was extremely touching and nostalgic.
Particularly since John's wife, Barbara, was the daughter that Louis lost
from cancer last summer, the same month his wife passed.

Anyway, John just sent me the most incredible tape of Louis performing. I'd
never heard these recordings before:

Carnival of Venice in 1934
At 17 years old, he won the National Amateur Championship for this
performance and was given a four year college scholarship.

Rigoletto by Verdi, around 1950
Age about 34
U.S. Army Band at Constitution Hall in Wash, DC

Von Weber Clarinet Concerto, about 1990
Age about 74
Charlottesville Municipal Band

John Ford also told me about some old French publication which had sung
praises about Louis' tonguing skills, but I guess John forgot to include
that in the package with the tape.
Anyway, the recording is a cassette, but if you'd like a copy, please send
me your address and I'll try to reproduce and send it.

He is 85 now, but I think he still practices the clarinet sometimes.
I understand that he is overcoming his grief and trying to enjoy his life.
He certainly was an inspiration to me when I saw him a couple months ago! He
was thinking more about how to encourage/empower me, than about his own
problems.

Were you ever able to connect with him when we exchanged phone numbers?
I know he thinks most fondly of you, and was most proud of your
accomplishments in NY, etc.

Hope all is well in Iceland.

best regards,

Michele

----- Original Message -----
From: Anna Benassi <acb@-----.is>
Subject: [kl] Norðdahl product

> Wow, are you all getting this too? I thought they got my address
> through the Icelandic Music Teachers' Association, but now I see that
> the marketing is more widespread than that.
>
> Have any of you contacted the sender to ask him to reduce the
> frequency of his posts ? If not, I can try to do so by phone if it
> will help. Haven't seen the product "in person" myself, so I can't
> comment on it.
>
> If anyone thinks a person-to-person contact to the seller will help
> ease his e-mail burden, contact me privately, and I'll give Norðdahl a
> jingle.
>
> All the best,
>
> Anna Benassí
> (also based in Iceland)
>
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------
>

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