REVIEW POTPOURRI: Celebrating our independence

by Peter Cates

John Dos Passos

Celebrating Independence Day, I found the following paragraph in the first chapter of the 42nd Parallel, a 1937 novel by John Dos Passos (1896-1970):

“U.S.A. is the slice of a continent. U.S.A. is a group of holding companies, some aggregations of trade unions, a set of laws bound in calf, a radio network, a chain of moving picture theatres, a column of stock-quotations rubbed out and written in by a Western Union boy on a blackboard, a public library full of old newspapers and dogeared history books with protests scrawled on the margins in pencil. U.S.A. is a set of bigmouthed officials with too many bank accounts. U.S.A. is a lot of men buried in their uniforms in Arlington Cemetery. U.S.A. is the letters at the end of an address when you are away from home. But mostly U.S.A. is the speech of the people.”

Dos Passos had a unique gift for combining actual slices of history, similar to news reels, with his fictitious characters in his various novels. He was a committed socialist during his younger years but then switched to a conservative world view after a friend of his was cold-bloodedly murdered by Stalin’s assassins during the Spanish Civil War.

Duster

Episode 7 of the current season of the Max TV series Duster, in its recreation of the 1970s, has a depiction of the reclusive multi-millionaire Howard Hughes (1905-1976) who has paid a million dollars for the tape of former President Richard Nixon (1913-1994) authorizing the 1972 Watergate burglary of the Democratic headquarters. While the depiction of the transaction is fictitious, other aspects in the episode are historically correct – those being Hughes depicted as delusional, totally unkempt with long hair and beard and yet a germaphobe who insists that all guests wash their hands at least four times.

Not depicted was Hughes lashing out at former Maine Senator Owen Brewster (1888-1961) during a 1947 Congressional hearing when the Senator tried to unsuccessfully back him into a corner.

Very highly recommended for its intelligent scripting and credible character development.

Giulio Setti

Saint-Saens: Samson and Delilah – Dawn now Heralds the Day (L’Aube qui Blanchit); Gounod: Romeo et Juliette-Prologue. Giulio Setti conducting the Metro­politan Opera Chorus and Orchestra, Victrola Red Seal 4152, ten-inch 78, recorded between late ‘20s and early ‘30s.

Giulio Setti (1869-1938) worked in opera houses in Italy, Egypt, Germany and Argentina before arriving at the Metropolitan Opera House in 1908 as a gifted chorus master.

The above 78 showcases his ability to draw very eloquent ensemble music making on both excerpts. In 1935, Setti returned to Italy.

Eddie Fisher

Eddie Fisher – Lady of Spain; and Outside of Heaven. RCA Victor 20-4953, ten-inch 78, recorded 1952.

Eddie Fisher

Eddie Fisher (1928-2010) was a typically 1950s heartthrob singer of novelty pop songs such as Dungaree Doll, and the above Lady of Spain, which scored big time on the top 40. The pulsating plush arrangements of Hugo Winter­halter (1909-1973) helped immensely with Fisher’s musical success.

Fisher was first married to singer/actress Debbie Reynolds before leaving her to marry Elizabeth Taylor, who in turn would leave him to marry Richard Burton. His career started to tank during the 1960s while his and Reynolds’s daughter, actress Carrie Fisher refused to speak to her father for over 30 years.

In his autobiography, Fisher pays tribute to his Music Director Hugo Winterhalter and tells sadly of the older man losing his will to live after his son Hugo Junior is killed in 1969 while serving in Vietnam. He also collaborated during the less commercially successful ‘60s in a musically very good album for RCA Victor with the phenomenal arranger Nelson Riddle.

Jimmy Dorsey

Jimmy Dorsey

Jimmy Dorsey – Charley, My Boy; and Johnson Rag. Columbia 38649, ten-inch 78, recorded 1949.

In 1949, clarinettist Jimmy Dorsey (1904-1957) assembled a very good group of studio musicians, including Jack Teagarden’s younger brother Charlie on trumpet and pianist Dick Cary, and recorded several captivating Dixieland tunes for Columbia which were quite the contrast to his earlier Decca discs of mostly lyrical and sometimes bland music from the Big Band years (Younger brother Tommy’s records for Victor with the likes of Frank Sinatra, Jo Stafford , Buddy Rich and others were much more musically interesting.).