Peter Duchin's Birthday

Peter Duchin
(son of Eddy Duchin)
pianist and band Leader
28 July, 1937 -

I have created a YouTube of Peter Duchin playing a Broadway tune of very long ago, "Once Upon a Time", from the 1962 musical, "All American."

Peter Duchin, piano (1973)
Once Upon a Time (Strouse)
Click here to view this L'Envoi YouTube.

The Summertime of Robert Farnon

Robert Farnon
Canadian-born conductor, composer
and strings arranger par excellence
(24 July 1917 - 23 April 2005)

Robert Farnon (1968)
Summertime (Gershwin)
Click here to view this L'Envoi YouTube.

Once Upon a Time Graduation Speech

An excerpt from the "Commemoration Ode," delivered at Harvard University on 21 July, 1865 by James Russell Lowell.

"O Beautiful! my Country! ours once more!
...
What were our lives without thee?
What all our lives to save thee?
We reck not what we gave thee;
We will not dare to doubt thee,
But ask whatever else, and we will dare!"

Latin Jazz Cal Tjader

Cal Tjader
American-born percussionist
and jazz musician
(16 July 1925 – 5 May 1982)
The MP3 below expired on 08-04-2010.
Click here to play the current selection.

Cal Tjader (1963)
- Poinciana (Simon)

A Golden Exodus

Ernest Gold
Austrian-born composer and arranger
Oscar winner for Best Music 'Exodus' (1960)
(13 July 1921 - 17 March 1999)
The MP3 below expired on 07-16-2010.
Click here to play the current selection.

Martin Boettcher and his orchestra (2005)
- Exodus (Gold)

Some Virginia Trip Photos

  Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA

Stone Bridges, tradmark of Blue Ridge Parkway

National D-Day Memorial, Bedford, VA

Lee Chapel, Washington & Lee University, Lexington, VA

Natural Bridge, Natural Bridge, VA

Harlem Nocturne

Earle Hagen
Movie and television composer and arranger
Best known for his instrumental classic 'Harlem Nocturne'
(9 July 1919 — 26 May 2008)
The MP3 below expired on 07-13-2010.
Click here to play the current selection.

Max Greger, tenor sax (1992)
- Harlem Nocturne (Hagen)

Colleen Dhas

Percy Grainger
Australian-born composer
(8 July 1882 – 20 February 1961)

Today, 8 July, is Australian-born composer Percy Grainger's birthday anniversary. It's very likely you have heard of the tune 'Danny Boy'. Grainger arranged it. Yes. That he did. Its original title is 'Irish Tune from County Derry.' For today, I have created a YouTube using another one of his Irish tunes.

Geoffrey Simon & The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra (1990)
Colleen Dhas (Grainger)
Click here to view this L'Envoi YouTube.

This video is embedded with the 1990 world premiere recording of Grainger's 'Colleen Dhas.' The pastoral setting of this work is agreeable to that of an Irish countryside.

An Americana on Amercia's Birthday

Stephen Foster
Foremost 19th century American songsmith
(4 July, 1826 – 13 January, 1864)

The MP3 below expired on 07-09-2010.
Click here to play the current selection.

Robert White, tenor (1976)
- Beautiful Dreamer (Foster)


Beautiful Dreamer (1862)

Beautiful dreamer, wake unto me
Starlight and dewdrops are waiting for thee
Sounds of the rude world heard in the day
Lull'd by the moonlight have all pass'd away
Beautiful dreamer, queen of my song
List while I woo thee with soft melody
Gone are the cares of life's busy throng
Beautiful dreamer, awake unto me
Beautiful dreamer, awake unto me

Beautiful dreamer, out on the sea
Mermaids are chanting the wild lorelie
Over the streamlet vapors are borne
Waiting to fade at the bright coming morn
Beautiful dreamer, beam on my heart
E'en as the morn on the streamlet and sea
Then will all clouds of sorrow depart
Beautiful dreamer, awake unto me
Beautiful dreamer, awake unto me

A Summer Place 2010

A summer place for respite and pampering (June 22 - 29, 2010).

Norrie Paramor and Orchestra
with Patricia Clark
Theme from 'A Summer Place' (Steiner)
Click here to view this L'Envoi YouTube.