ROBERT MacGIMSEY - American Society of Music Arrangers and ...

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VOL. I, \o. i Beverly Hills, California APRIL, 19 i i
ROBERT MacGIMSEY
Says
if is generally conceded that Negroes have
;'."«i;ucd the only distinctive folk music
:ni;M< in America. However, little of the dis-
!im;ive character of this music has ever reached
'he public ejir. Down through the years ama-
7cjr collectors have set down Negro songs
ii'urrcitly, adding note; the Negroes never did
*ing. and leaving out notes ami idioms they did
'•"if. Many of the best known spirituals are
•iK-rcly white collectors' memories ot what the
V-grn folk sang.
In public concerts, morion pictures and over
"•'•!: radio we hear only counterfeit, never tra-
'ititinal versions ot spirituals. If glee clubs
•".'. "jther groups would present spirituals in
"i'c- ••'raightfor.vard way in which they were
• nieivcd. an.i uuh the enthusiasm, sweep, and
v.''.;i. that their context cries out for, they
'*''iil.| undoubtedly bring out the "disrinctive-
"^ss td.ii other*, i'aim (or (his m.isic, iiiul fhe
\incii,.m people would get a new kind ol mu-
•'•;.il thnil.
I "in the hundreds ot traditional Negro folk
'•''i:;s. religions and secular, which I have re-
"He! in 'he deep South (my homeland; from
'!ii- oi,i-tjrne singers who really knew the songs,
I '."ui•! play one of their characteristic songs
"ti1.e. ru'ue t e\en three times and challenge
•;ir''!'st any musician to write it down accu-
",:tc!y after hearing such playings! These songs
fine to he heard in
Paul Whiteman in
Atlantic City
"Atlantic City," a Republic's musical extravaganxa,
will have Paul Whiteman and his
original 9-piece band as a special feature in a
revival of the early 2()'s, when Whiteman
played at the famed resort in his ilimb to success.
As a grand (male, the famous band leader
will conduct a 10-piece orchestra in a special
production arrangement of "When Day Is
Done." Arrangements and orchestration are to
be done by M.irlin Skiles. Walter Sch.irt, musical
director at Republic, will conduct.
New ASMA Members
The follow ing new members h.tve been .itlepteil
at ASMA Hoard of Direcior> meeting
on March 17, 19 )4.
Thomas Griselle
Ruby Raksin
William Artzt
Radie Britain
Einar Nilson
Jerry Phillips
Russell Bennett's Violin
Concerto Premiered
The premiere performance of Robert Russell
Bennett's Violin Concerto in a A major, was
rendered by the National Orchestral Association
on February 1-hh, in New York City.
The concert was dedicated to :he "recognition
of American artists and composers." Leon
Barzin conducted and Louis Kaufman was
soloist.
Tansman Scoring Since
You Went Away
Alexander Tansman is composing and orchestrating
the musical score for "Since You
Went Away," a Vanguard ( D. Sehnick) pic.
Charles Previn will conduct the recording of
the score.
Maurice De Packh Handles
Two Gun Rusty
George Pal's Puppetoon, "Two Gun Rusty,"
used musical talents of Afaurice de Packh, w ho
acted as musical director.
Everything goes in cycles in Hollvwoo-.i \
are again experiencing a flurry ot musual putures,
the like of which has not hc-cn seen in
several years.
The trend toward musicals, whit.ii began .1
little while ago, seems to have actjiured .1 neu
impetus, l:\ery st.ulio has one or two rv..>u.ii
pictures either in production or slated t,> roll
before the camera in the very near l.iM'e ll
may be that movie-goers are getting tire.1; oi
war pictures and turning toward lighter forms
of entertainment.
MusKal pictures curremiy in prouiHr:''.E! include:
Met-t Me in 5/. /.-.«;.-. MGNf u,-b !...!•,
Garland; dreenii ich \'i!'.j{c. Twenta-il' (in, .!".'./'.'.'.
(.//I. Republic, K.uul"iu lil.i-i.i I'jr.imiHii.i
teaturing Dorothy I.aninur; t '.i>-n:>':.t< H'.i :.:•
Universal: />i//r v\ V.vJ.n,-. hit I |'i\h
Ciypsy Rose Lee ,uul Dinah Shore, .Vr. •>' .-"..'
l.tiinliiii u. Twentieth Century with iVr,:iv
Goodman; .\\insirfl M.in. PRC.
Jerome Kern Can't
Kelp Singing
The new Universal musical Cant Help
Singing" Deanna Durbin s \ehuie. "ill .;se
Jerome Kern's musical talents tor the many
songs to be specially written for M >s Our inn.
Kern will also act as musical director wirh
Frank Skinner supervising the scoring anJ
orchestrating
Eugene Ormandy on Lendlease
to Australia
Eugene Ornwndy, musical director and conductor
of the Philadelphia Orchestra, is to
leave for Australia on May ~th. as the first
"lend-lease musical artist' under arrangement
made by the Ofrice ot War information and
the Australian Broadcasting Commission.
Threnody for a Soldier Killed
In Action Premiered
The American premiere ot Threnody for .1
Soldier Killed in Action." bv Anthony (oiiiiis
and Michael Heming. was presence,; ,

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^MK^CM^g
\. I, No. 4 April, 1944
PuhinhcJ monthlr in Beveriv Hills. California, by
THE AMERICAN SOCIETY
OF MUSIC ARRANGERS
Editor:
RUDY DB SAXE
Associate Editor* :
Joseph Dubin. Albert Glastet
Charles Mjitwcll
Attist :
George F.. Mtessner. Jr.
Yearly subscription SI. 00
Single copy I Or
Addrtst all communicjiions to
THE SCORE
P.O Box 807. Beverly Hills. Cal.fiforma
Connnis Copvnghtfd 1944 hy
The Amtncan Sorter v of Music Arrangers
Los Annrl*-i. C.il.fofnia
Women in Music
Are women as good musicians as men.' And
here, gentlemen, is a subject as controversial
an.) thorny as the battle ot the sexes.
Up to very recently men have held all prerogames
as tar as performance of music was
concerned. With nr\w exceptions, orchestras
always had a tul! complement of men.
The contention was the perennial one: women
.simply could not play as well as men; they
could not hold to the job and discipline as
readily as men; they were too temimne and
emotional. ... In other words: the ntaker ttA.
Well, the war has changed much of that.
Today we see more and more women in our
orchestras, including the leading symphonic
organisations of the country. Where once it
would have seemed an oddity to tind a woman
player —except perhaps the harpist— it is now
a common sight to see women not only among
the string choir but in other sections, including
the brass.
The contention may be that in case of emergency
any expedient is per force a good one.
Replacing men. now in the army, with women
players is proving to be more than an expedient.
Tci some of us it is becoming apparent
that women can adapt tjiemscives to the rigid
discipline and coordination of orchestra playing,
and strangely enough that they can play,
too. and well!
Arranging has been a field so far reserved
exclusively for men. That this sphere of action
is no longer the happy hunting ground ot men
aione is evidenced by the fact that two women
arrangers have just applied for membership in
t.he American Society of Music Arrangers. I hat
their applications have been unanimously accepted
by the board ot directots is proof that
ASMA is not behind the times in recognizing
true merit.
\Ve welcome you into our ranks, Raclie
Britain and Jerry Phillips.
Rum ni: SAXI;, Hi/in>r
Errata Corrige
In the March issue o( 7/!cp .Vta/t. it was erroneously
st.nc-d that "Minstrel Man," a 1'RC
production, had I crde Cirofe conducting. Information
just rc\eivc'd shous that Mr. Grofe
composed a great many of the songs used in
the picture, while Leo Erdody orchestrated and
conducted.
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THE SCORE
Incidentally ....
For many years the need for a first rate
music publishing house has been keenly felt
on the West Coast, Local composers so far
have had to depend solely on Eastern publishers
tor proper distribution of their work.
The .Delkas Music Publishing House, recently
established here in Los Angeles, is the
first company on the West Coast to be organized,
insofar as standards and means of distribution
are concerned, along lines comparable
to those of the best eastern publishing houses.
Not only will the established composer lind
the necessary outlet for his works through
Delkas, but it is the firm's intention to encourage
the new American composer. By publishing
the works of native composers Delkas
plans to do its share in bringing American
music to the American people.
An interesting feature of the Coast's newest
music house is the association with this tirm
ot Nathan Abas, long known in musical circles
us conductor of the Northern California Symphony
Orchestra, and lor his broadcasts of
symphonic and chamber music. Through extensive
musical knowledge and experience,
Abas is able to bring to the publishing of masic
the same high standards he has always maintained
in its performance. Because of his wide
acquaintance with musicians, such composers as
Still, Toch, Castelnuovo-Tedesco, Biggs, Becker.
Norman Wright and others are already numbered
in the Delkas fold.
Shostakovich's new V.iniith S\nifhi>n\s
performed by the New York Philharmonic
Symphony on April Jnd under the baton of
Artur Roclzinslci. This was the premiere performance
in the Western hemisphere of the
new s\mphony depicting phases of the present
war. While it is felt by some that the instrumentation
of the present work is not as complicated
as the composers SiTinfh. the score is
still a massive one, for it calls for an orchestra
of 100 players.
Speaking of musical comedies and . . .
statistics. Robert Russell Bennett, Don Walker
and Hans Spialek are the trio responsible for
practically the entire orchestration of successful
musical comedies played on Broadway in the
last decade. The orchestral score which is taken
from the composer's lead sheet, is completed
within two and three weeks, and contains
around half a million notes. The cost to the
producer runs anywhere from rive to ten thousand
dollars.
The Toets Corner ?
(To those greedy ones who claim all the
tretlir and glory for compositions and arrangements
they never wrote. )
With aopolgies to ,i great philosopher
7 hen.' once u it,\ jtiikddu, iwj f AISOI*.
11 ho ujs loit^in^ for t>/or\d janie.
He dressed up hi other bird's feathers
Anil tried to pnl peacocks to shame.
Hi1 strutted arontiJ in the sunshine
Ami started In put on a shoic,
l\al /'/i aitJietn c- piii id hitn to pieces—
Alter all I'i' // ti:nr>c
and timing of the arrangement. !:•. cry ore hetral
movement must tie in with the picture.
In practice, the functions of the com;v),c:
and arranger are generally combined in r! c
cartoon studio. Colors ot the orchestra, it,.
amount of emphasis needed, the pointing i..
comedy, the placement of s.rjnd effects ,i"
dialogue, the desires ot the sfory men and •
rector— the need of dose control over all rhc'
factors tend to combine the iwi> fun. lions.
l'1'lii.i the n'fiiiiil in u n-riii til iiriult-, Jiu;
ing tint) music in the ciirtmiin, l'\/ .S////;. .
New ASMA Treasurer
Because of unforsec-n < ontingeni ics K
Dunn, ASMA's Treasurer-elect, was obligt ,
resign his oliice. The Bonn! of Dunior. re..,,
mended Arthur Sihocpp toi the po'.r. and ,u ,,
last genc-r.il meeting on April *> his .tot-pi.--,
was unanimously endorsevl
Christmas Holida/
Hans J. Saltcr will compose scoic- to "( |,: ..
mas Holiday," a Deanna IXirbui tccuurc-
Universal. George Farnsli will orclicMutt.

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PICK-VPS
By JOE OUWN
• l..irr\l has traded the \Vestinghousr
in i |)m.ili Shore an shows, as well as Ins
I iiivcrs.d Studio |ob, tor a brand new but
••li-duly oversize G.I. uniform. Good luck and
; spc-edy return, Larry!
• Meeting up with Billy Art/.t at our last
meeting brought fond (f i memories of out
.ixuphonc-playing days. Especially- the recolaaiun
gf that fabulous New Year's Eve party
..nvcn by the McLeans, of Washington newspaper
and Hope diamond fame. Although this
party '.vas given during the prohibition era,
tU-re were three opulent bars for the guests;
-crving champagne, rye, and scotch, re-
Tcctnely. Strangely enough, although the
entire Cabinet and the tup senators were pres-
*-:•••. not one of them noticed this rather flagrant
•'•'"••ie": v.;s note: Gil Grau submitted a sym-
• •'-'Vii sciire to Howard Barlow tor considera-
•i 1 he score w;is returned with a note to the
''!n: that so many works were being submitted
American composers, that in all fairness,
'I' Hiilcrw was reluming them all nnupfiifcl.
'''ii- is .11 Iras! i»)e reason why so htile serious
" •' '< 's v.ruieii in this (Oiintiy l>\ bill
"•''!,/ I'j it rile II.
Cyril Mockridge Scoring
Greenwich Village
*itce:v.\ich \'illage," JOth-Centiiry musical
r l'--':'n starring Carmen Miranda, will have
1 '"i M ickndge as composer of score. Gene
•,•'*••
Some clever stuff goes on in this outft.
• Looks like Bobby Armbustcr will !u\ .1
nice break this summer, as the Pabst Show ;>
reporteii to be going straight musical (CT eichr
weeks. Hob's been waiting tor a chance like th:s
(or years and we should hear some ni>.e sti:tt
with a display ot good taste.
SYMPHONY NEWS
I he eighth and ninth syinphou\o CMS .1!
this season continued this listener s h.:nibie
opinion that the Philharmonic Orchestra umier
the leadership ot Alfred \Va!lcnstein is m.ikmi,
long strides along the rocky road leading to
musical eminence.
One might quarrel—and 1 assure you s'.ti'.e
do quite vehemently with unorthodox inrc-rpreations
ot established warh.trse-s sucii as
Tschaikousky's Sixth Symphony, but it w.is a
refreshing experience to tin,! o>:r rhar rhc
orchestra was not beating its colic.!;\ b'c..~i
before a sombre and gloomy wading wail. Indeed,
the strings seemed almost to chuckle in
certain passages of the second nv.'vcmcnt.
Tm: CRi'ATrRis 01 PKOMI- mi i > by the
immortal Beethoven received reverent but vita!
treatment- Aaron Copland's Hi! 1 V nil KIP
Ballet Suite exploded a musical Ivt-toot. annoying
some and pleasing others mightily. Vi liarever
opinions there are about Copland as a
It is easy to listen to and, strangest ot all. it musical genius, one must admire his tre-
is never corny! It it could ever get to the ears mendous technique and sense ot humor.
of Americas composers in its original form F.nesco's Ror.MAMAN RHAtx>i>v No. j
they would no doubt use it lavishly to enrich didn't seem to click with the audience, but
the musical literature of our land.
through no perceptible fault ot interpretation
i Mr. Ruben .Mac (iiinsny is one o! the lc.i-.l- Perhaps that is one ot the reasons it is not
/';/.C' ,iHtbt>ri!tt.Js on ^e^m music i;i A^icri:.i. played more often. Ravel's Au.oKU'O [V i.
Iti the estimation o) \\'iUijni Grant Still. t»il\n nun CiRACIOSO are ouhtaniiing brought the txpofituLi sparkle

New Music Literature
MUSIC
L. A. PUBLIC LIBRARY
Moore-Devil and Daniel VC'ebster (opera)
Grieg—Autumnal Gale (min.score)
Rahev—Tes Yeux ( min.score )
MacDowell — Piano Concerto N. 2
JOHN DE KEYSER
Prokorieff—Lieutenant Kije (orrh. score)
Copland —Billy the Kid (orcli.score )
Schoenberp—Transti.eured Night ( orcli.score)
\Yiiliam Grant Still-Bells: ( 1 > Phantom
Chapel. (2 > fairy Knoll (piano)
SCH1RMER
Kroll —l:our Bagatelles for String Quartet
Debussy—Beau Soir (Arrangement Viol, and
piano i
Faure—Aurore i Arrangement violin an.I piano)
Bach—Musical Offering ( Instrumental)
FREEMAN
Blakeney—Flight of the Earls (String Orji.)
Cherniavsky— Night Intermezzo (String. Orciu
Lubin-Suite in Olden Style (String. Orch.)
Mills-Harp Cues tor Radio
BOOKS
L. A. PUBLIC LIBRARY
Stumpt—Antange dcr Musik
Tauhnian—Music on My Beat -
Sachs-Rise of Music in the Amient World
JOHN Di: KEYSER
Finn—The Conductor Raises His Baton
Ctoflin—Jazz from the Congo to the
Metropolitan
Lmvenherp-Annals of Opera 159~-19-fU
Spalamg-Rise to lollovv.
Membership in the American Society of
Music Arrangers is open to professional composer-arrangers
in all fields. Membership applications
"ill be forwarded by Secretary Vernon
Letnvich upon request.
THE SCORE
BOOK REVIEW
By RUTH DE SAKE
THIS MODERN Music, by John Tasker Howard.
(Thomas Y. Crowell Co., New York.)
Written especially for people who listen to
music, this book can be accepted by the professional
musician as well. Modern music may
be appreciated only when it is understood, and
Mr. Howard's description and analysis of dissonances
and discords brings the reader to that
understanding. Music progresses from year to
year, and with new rhythms, new harmonies
and new ideas constantly being discovered, the
listener must have an insight into what modern
music represents if he is to comprehend what
contemporary composers are attempting to do.
Beginning with the i»il>ri BuiKilnf. I .'IN \V