Leroy Anderson
Let me apologize for not knowing this composer before. I found out today that I sure did know some of his work, though never knew his name. I will never forget it now 🙂
For years and years one of the programs on a Dutch Radio Station started the show by playing a piece of music accompanied by the sound of an old fashioned typewriter. I loved it and anyone of my generation (in Holland) probably knows the music as it was a very popular radio show.
Today, while browsing youtube videos, I suddenly noticed – in the list of videos which appear on the right of the youtube pages – a video called: ‘The Typewriter’ and I thought: ‘No…. that can’t be it, now can it?’ So I clicked and lo and behold, there it was. I was so happy (and used ‘replay’ a lot :p). That’s when I learned the composer was called Leroy Anderson (1908-1975. Official Website). Many performances of The Typewriter on youtube, but this is my favourite:
There are more videos featuring Anderson’s work. All masterpieces IMHO. The interesting part is that they are all light concert pieces and you’d think they’re easy to play, but there are many comments at the different videos where people stated that the music is intricate and quite difficult to perform – check youtube and you’ll find some terrible performances as well, just shows the level of skill needed to play Anderson’s work. According to Wikipedia John Williams described him as “one of the great American masters of light orchestral music.”
Anderson wrote many, many great pieces of music, but to name just a few (great titles!): The Waltzing Cat, Sandpaper Ballet, Clarinet Candy, A Trumpeter’s Lullaby, Bugler’s Holiday, The Syncopated Clock, Plink Plank Plunk, Fiddle Faddle, Jazz Pizzicato, Â and last but by no means least … *drumroll* … Sleigh Ride!
Well waddayaknow, one of my favourite Christmas tunes! Listening to it year after year and I never knew Leroy Anderson wrote it!
As I said in the beginning, I will never forget his name now!
(Useless fact: it’s 7 months until Christmas :D)
