Tillsonburg District High School - Tatler Yearbook (Tillsonburg, Ontario Canada)

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My Opinion of Jazz Everyone, I think, agrees that jazz has, and will continue to have, its proper time and place. That jazz is capturing an al- most overbearing position in modern musi- cal tastes is another more serious aspect. Although I thoroughly enjoy and appre- ciate classical music from Bach to Gilbert and Sullivan, I feel that, for the teen-age generation especially, no other arrange- ment of lyrics and tunes, can replace the currently-popular jazz ballad. Although disguised under thousands of eye-catching titles, the chief essentials of modern music seem to be an emphasized beat and a roman- tic theme. Thus, as long as people are human, they will be dancing and falling in love and the typical ballad is bound to sur- vive in its simple short-lived varieties. As Shakespeare said, If music be the food of love, play on. However, jazz is definitely over-done. When one is exposed to the jumbled non- sensical lyrics accompanied by a screaming trumpet, such as the current Be-Bop suc- cess or when one attempts to understand the weird disjointed bars of Kenton's In- novations for 1950 , one suddenly wonders if man, instead of advancing, is returning to an ancient, barbarous civilization. On the other hand, American jazz assisted by the short wave, has offered a strong in- ternational link. American popular music, served up by a disc jockey is helping this country win the world's good-will and opinions. Comments and requests have poured into our radio stations from Malaya, from Sweden, from Alaska. Even when the lyrics are completely un- intelligible, people of foreign countries seem to crave the gay rhythmic American melodies. It seems strange that nations whose skilled old masters once led the musical realm, can now be requesting our simple, shoddy hits . Consequently, I feel that the arrival of jazz has been accompanied by a disastrous downfall in musical standards. Can any one of today's Hit-Parade favourites hope to be sold, two hundred years hence, as Chopin's immortal compositions will be? Will the meteoric rise of American jazz label our twentieth century as a dark age of music? Although I enjoy jazz im- mensely in its proper place, I fear such results. Shirley Holland, XIII THE TATLER A Moment With Malcuzynski The concert was announced for 8:20 sharp, but not until nearly 8:35 was the auditorium darkened and all attention drawn to the stage where stood the large, black concert grand. Suddenly from the entrance on the left, a thin, frail-looking man darted out, to be met by the excited applause which one would associate with XX'itold Malcuzynski, the world's greatest living pupil of Paderewski and greatest in- terpreter of Chopin. The concert was, in fact, being held to commemorate the cen- tenary of the death of Frederic Francois Chopin, and from my seat in the fourth row, I had an excellent view of the entire per- formance. Finally, after surveying the audience for several seconds, Mr. Malcuzynski deliber- ately faced the keys, and commenced play- ing. The performance of the first number, Polonaise in E-Flat Minor , could not help but immediately convince the audience of the musician's skill-that is, if the extensive advance billing could have left any skeptics! The burst of applause at its conclusion was typical of the subsequent reactions during the evening. Ballade No. 4 , one of the concert's long- est numbers, seemed able to display fully Malcuzynski's artistic temperament. At the end of this second number, he fairly re- bounded from his seat, and made a hurried exit, seemingly oblivious of his several hundred auditors. However, upon his re- turn within a few seconds, he completed the first half of the program by playing Chopin's B-Minor Sonata . I had thought that perhaps the pianist's unscheduled exit after the Ballade was to indicate that he was omitting the Sonata, but when I had heard it, I was glad that I had been mis- taken. During the ensuing intermission, the ushers - university students - passed through the audience, selling reproductions of a clever pencil drawing of Malcuzynski and explaining that the proceeds of their sale were to go in aid of the Polish Literary Institute of Paris. They told us that at the end of the performance, Mr. Malcuzynski would autograph the pictures. The second part of the concert was of a somewhat lighter style, for it included two 75

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M U S C Edited by Elizabeth Simmons, X11 Music! Music! Music! Elizabeth Simmons, XII Today if a song strikes you as familiar, it is probably a classic with a different tempo and set to words, or it is the revival of a song written a few years ago. While we're on the subject of revision, is there anyone who hasn't felt a thrill hearing Tony Martin render There's No Tomorrow, the cur- rently popular version of the Italian love song O Sole Mio, or Vic Damone sing You're Breaking My Heart also translat- ed from Italian? Also there are the instru- mentals such as Sabre Dance Boogie ar- ranged by Louis Musch for Freddy Martin and his Orchestra from Sabre Dance in the Gayne Ballet, and 12th Street Rag playedin jazz rhythm. NVho knows, maybe next year this song will be brought out again in its original state with the other rags and Dixie Land songs rapidly becom- ing popular. W'hile some song writers were busy re- writing, others have been going mad trying to think of different music. VVe thought they had reached their limit with Mule Train but that was before Frankie Laine introduced Cry of the NVild Goose. I Won- der if the composer read Call of the Wil- derness, writter by Gilbert Parker? Choice of music seems to be reverting to the type played about two decades ago. If this continues, in about a century people will be doing the minuet and waltz again in swirling elaborate robes. .M-.0-M. Musical Quiz . - l. What does one need to unlock a door? Z. VVhat does one do with a tape-line? 3. What should one write upon the re- ceipt of a gift? 4. VVhat word would describe the ,point of a pin? 5. What should one do when one is tired? 6. What waits for no one? 7. VVhat is the teaching faculty of the school sometimes called? 8. VVhat is the term given to the number of points made in a game? 9. What is likely to happen to an old car tire? 10. VVhat instrument is used for weighing? 74 Music, the Universal Language of Mankind The Tillsonburg Canadian Concert As- sociation had the above quotation on tl1e concert programs used in their first attempt to bring brilliant Canadian artists here. The series of concerts commenced with Howard Cable and his Canadian Symphonette. The concert auditorium, St. Paul's United Church, was filled to overflowing with music lovers. The concert was a pronounced suc- cess and Mr. Cable and the Symphonette were obliged to give three encores before the audience was satisfied. Tillsonburg was honoured by having Miss Evelyn Pasen, young Toronto mezzo- soprano, and Gordon Kushner, another noted Canadian artist, who was Miss I'asen's accompanist besides playing his own piano renditions. Both artists had great talent and pleasing personalities, necessary for real success. Halina Bilochetsky, thirteen-year-old prodigy of the violin, and Lawrence Felton, baritone, were the artists for the third con- cert. The violinist's ability was truly re- markable and Mr. Felton had a fine, impressive voice. For the fourth concert, Andrew MacMil- lan, baritone, and Miss Rachel Cavalho, pianist, favoured us with their magnificent artistry. In my opinion, the program was superb and ended much too soon. Their hard work and ability were evident throughout the performance. The concerts were really a success and it is hoped that there will be many more of them. They have brought genuine musical culture to many people who could only otherwise hear good music on the radio. Throughout the series of concerts, a num- ber of high school students ushered for the performances. VVe should like to see Till- sonburg District High School sponsoring concerts in their new auditorium in the near future. E.P.S. THE TATLER

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mazurkas, two etudes, Opus 10, Nos. 2 and 12 tthe Revolutionary Etude j, and the lN'altz in E Flat tOpus 185. It is common in such affairs as this to leave the best till last, and Malcuzynski's program was no exception, for it ended with the extremely difficult and spectacular Scherzo No. 3 in L' Sharp Minor . The final chord of this number set off wave after wave of applause which resulted in the illus- trious Pole's return for one encore, and then another, and yet a third, until he linally re- appeared only to bow, indicating that three encores was the limit. Immediately, streams of people clutching their souvenir pictures began to make their way towards various doors in quest of their autographs. At last I managed to arrive at the door of the greenroom where the celebrated pianist sat in a low, leather- covered arm chair beside a small table. I was struck by his friendliness as he an- swered politely any questions or remarks from admirers that time would allow. He was pale, and closeup looked younger than at a distance, although still frail A lone woman twhom I took to be Mrs. Malcuzyn- ski, if indeed there is onel remained placidly and unobtrusively on a chesterfield at the other end of the room. I laid my picture on the table, and his long, lean. white fingers explained a fragment of his skill, as he ap- plied his illegible signature-apparently a mark of greatness! He said that he yas very tired after his performance, and I be- lieved him. Decorum demanded, of course, that I should not linger to stare at greatness, but at least as I moved towards the steps at the door, l could not help looking back-as I shall in my memory for years to come- upoii this exciting moment with Malcuzyn- ski. Richard Jones, XII. My Hit Parade Glenn Miller's In the Mood is surely reet. It's an oldie with a rhythmic beat. Third Man Theme is an Englishtune Ry Guy Lombardo: you should hear it soon. Tell Me XVhy by Ralph Flanagan, Copying the style of Miller again. Tony Martin's There's No Tomorrow Fills youths with spine-tingling sorrow. Running close second to his incomparable style 76 Vic Damone's vocals will last quite a while. Doris Day sings the River Seine XYith a lilting voice that applause does gain. The haunting words of Sentimental Me , Hy the Ames Brothers, in my heart will al- ways be. Chattanoogie Shoe Shine Hoy by Bing Gives my Hit Parade an added zing. The Cry of the XYild Goose by Frankie Laine Stimulates joy in some and in others pain. C'est Si lion by Danny Kaye Brings joy like the flowers in May. My Favourite of course is Mel Torme, Of him and his vocals much I could say, In that velvet fog I could lose myself long And it's all done with just a song! Claire Macliwan. XII. Answers. 1. Key. 2. Measure. 3. Note. 4. Sharp. 5. Rest. 6. Time. 7. Staff. S. Score. 9. Flat. 10. Scales. Elizabeth Gibson, XIA. ,..T1.0 ..,1 A MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD tfontinued from Page Sixteenj faithfully for many years. As ai. ex- student, l ask you to think rather kindly of it when you pass through its doors for the last time. lt will have completed its duties as an educational centre for the Tillsonburg district and at the time of writing, your lloard has not arranged for its disposition. llnt in a country such as ours. we must move. on to bigger and better things and I am happy to have had some small part in this progress of secondary education. In conclusion, I wish to thank your Editor for his kind invitation to bring this message to you, and also to congratulate him and his staff on the publication of The Tatler. With best wishes for the future of the Stu- dent llody and Teaching Staff of the Till- sonbnrg District lligh School, l remain, Sincerely yours, J. n. v.fxi-i.12iQ, THE TATLER