Klarinet Archive - Posting 000064.txt from 2009/08

From: "Dan Leeson" <dnleeson@-----.net>
Subj: [kl] Klezmer stuff
Date: Wed, 12 Aug 2009 11:21:46 -0400

I'm rethinking my suggestion about the Bellison arrangements, which I only
knew and played in the clarinet/piano version.

I don't think they are klezmer pieces at all, but only Jewish folk songs and
melodies. The one I remember most was entitled "To the marriage canopy" (or
in Yiddish, "An de chupah"). The titles are printed in Russian, Yiddish and
English as I remember but it has been at least 30 years since I played four
of them.

The wife of actor Alan Alda introduced me to the pieces. She had been first
in Houston a long time ago and after she married Alan (who used to schlep
boxes of music for our chamber music parties) supported the young and
struggling actor by teaching clarinet in New York.

And on that there hangs another great story.

There was a clarinet quartet in which both she and I played. Three women
players and me. I was called "the rose amongst the thorns."

One Sunday morning we met to play at Alan's house in New Jersey, and Alan's
father Robert Alda was there visiting. At lunch we talked about clarinet
playing and he asked what we thought were among the more difficult solos.

I mentioned the Rhapsody in Blue, asking Robert Alda, "Do you know it?"

And he said, "Know it? I wrote it."

For a few seconds I could not figure out what he meant, but then it dawned
on me. Robert Alda was the star of a 1940s musical and his role was that of
Gershwin. I think the title of the movie was Rhapsody in Blue, but I am not
sure.

We all broke up after that got explained. Of course he knew it. He wrote
it!!

Dan Leeson

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