November 30 - Allan Sherman (The Musical Birthday Series, 7th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for November 30th are here: Carl Loewe (2019), Allan Sherman (2020), Charles-Valentin Alkan (2021), Weston Noble (2022), Clay Aiken (2023), and Andreas Werckmeister (2024)

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Allan Sherman (30 November 1924 – 20 November 1973) had a short career in the early 1960s singing enormously successful comic song parodies. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

O Fortuna

Sherman's career success was short-lived: after peaking in 1963, his popularity declined rather quickly. – Wikipedia

Allan Sherman's sudden rise

Took the pundits by surprise;

Alas, they weren't surprised at all

By Allan Sherman's sudden fall.

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In High Places

The popularity of "Sarah Jackman" (his parody of "Frere Jacques") was enhanced after President John F. Kennedy was overheard singing the song in the lobby of the Carlyle hotel. -- Wikipedia

His parodies, though frivolous,

   Were eminently quotable,

And they were often quoted by

   The lowly and the notable.

 

 

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November 29 - Jacob Gade (The Musical Birthday Series, 7th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for November 29th are here: Gustave Reese; Gaetano Donizetti (2019), Gaetano Donizetti (2020), John Gary; Gaetano Donizetti (2021),  Gaetano Donizetti (2022),  Billy Strayhorn; Gaetano Donizetti (2023), and Gaetano Donizetti (2024)

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Jacob Gade (29 November 1879 – 20 February 1963) was a Danish violinist and composer, mostly of orchestral popular music. He is remembered today for a single tune, Jalousie. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gade Dance!

His royalties as composer were so ample that in the 1970s it was estimated that the song was played, at least, once every minute on some radio of the planet. -- Wikipedia

His "Jalousie" was such a hit

That some have posited that it

Was heard, when it was at its height,

Continuously, day and night,

Across the world's radio dials....

And that explains his banker's smiles.

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Geographic Conundrum

Q. 

A Danish tango, what a contradiction!

Is Truth, indeed, a stranger thing than fiction?

A.

Well, yes, it's true this sultry thing came forth

From chilly regions in the Baltic North.

 

 

 

 

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November 28 - František Drdla (The Musical Birthday Series, 7th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for November 28th are here: Jean-Baptiste Lully (2019), Anton Rubinstein (2020), Paul Shaffer; Ferdinand Ries (2021), Jean-Baptiste Lully (2022), Anton Rubinstein (2023), and Anton Rubinstein (2024)

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František Drdla (28 November 1868 – 3 September 1944) was a Czech concert violinist and composer of  light music. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Three Thoughts on the Name "Drdla"

(1)

When orthographic oddities abound,

It's hard to guess how monikers might sound.

(2)

A name like this, a consonantal wreck,

Is something that you live with, --- when you're Czech.

(3)

When consonants are laid on with a trowel,

An English speaker wants "to buy a vowel."

 

 

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November 27 - Charles Koechlin (The Musical Birthday Series, 7th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for November 27th are here: Jimi Hendrix (2019), Hilary Hahn (2020), Rudolph Reti; Margaret Ruthven Lang (2021), Anton Stamitz (2022), Anton Stamitz (2023), and Margaret Ruthven Lang (2024)

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Charles Koechlin (27 November 1867 – 31 December 1950) was a French composer, teacher and musicologist. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Couplets

He was highly eclectic in inspiration (nature, the mysterious orient, French folksong, Bachian chorale, Hellenistic culture, astronomy, Hollywood movies, etc.) and musical technique. – Wikipedia

Charles Koechlin's catalogue of works

Is full of eccentricity and quirks.

When listening to music so eclectic,

A critic might approach it as a skeptic.

But though he never mined a single quarry,

Inspired by this and that to make a score, he

Found a niche within the repertóry.

 

And that, my friends, concludes this entry's story.

 

 

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November 26 - Robert Goulet (The Musical Birthday Series, 7th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for November 26th are here: Tina Turner; Robert Goulet (2019), Earl Wild (2020), Johannes Bach (2021), Robert Goulet (2022), Johannes [Johann] Bach (2023), and Karl Siegmund von Seckendorff; Johannes [Johann] Bach (2024)

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Robert Goulet (26 November 1933 – 30 October 2007) was a baritone singer who was hugely successful on Broadway and recorded numerous hit LPs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

No Barnyard Sounds

When the baritone Robert Goulet

Appeared in musical play,

The audience found

That his elegant sound

Was never a bark or a bray.

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It Wouldn't Be in Summer

He achieved instant recognition with his performance and interpretation of the song "If Ever I Would Leave You", which became his signature song. — Wikipedia

Did he ever succumb to dismay

That that song had become a cliché?

Did he long to be glib

With a naughty ad lib

In a quite unprofessional way?

 

 

If you enjoy these posts, please help me, and consider sharing.  [Also, please visit my other blog: Alternate Tales: Great Art Repurposed.]