![]() The treatment of the song is, well, a little corny. In fact, it bears such a striking similarity to a 1949 tune by Mack David, "Sunflower," that David sued for plagiarism and got an out-of-court settlement. How did he do it? The song sounds predictable. And when I heard the recording, I fell out of my chair because he turned my 1890's valentine into one of the most famous pop songs of all time." ![]() I thought it was the silliest idea that I had ever heard. "When a man from my publishing company called me and said, `Louis Armstrong wants to record that,' I laughed. But he recently told NPR that even he had his doubts about "Hello, Dolly!" ![]() He gives great performers great opportunities. But the songwriter, Jerry Herman, is a canny Broadway craftsman who knows how to write for stars. At the recording session in New York, December 4th, 1963, Armstrong expressed no great enthusiasm for it. The song itself is not a particularly high achievement. It had been brought to him by a music publisher. Louis Armstrong had not heard of the musical "Hello, Dolly!" before recording the title tune. And in 1964 there was a shining musical moment made almost purely by strength of character. The greatest performances go beyond virtuosity, beyond music even, to an assertion of humanity. When you talk to a great person at the end of a career, a doctor or a lawyer, a mother or a father, or if you hear a great coach talk about what it takes to win a championship, they'll say that after all the knowledge and all the skill, what it finally comes down to is character. Recordings Used: Hello, Dolly, Louis Armstrong
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |