About 30 years ago, I knew a tuba enthusiast who owned a pawn shop in Eugene, Oregon. For some reason, Jim detested saxophones and (repeating the same old saw as men of a certain age are wont to do) he used to say in his best Groucho Marx imitation, "If you took all the saxophones in the world and laid them end-to-end in the Sahara Desert, that would be a good place for them." I'm actually a big Coleman Hawkins, Lester Young, John Coltrane, Cannonball Adderly fan. Stan Getz is likewise popular at our house as long as it's bossa nova with Charlie Byrd. RA > Subject: Re: [LUTE] Re: Nazi rules for jazz performers > From: [email protected] > Date: Tue, 13 Mar 2012 16:27:32 -0400 > CC: [email protected]; [email protected] > To: [email protected] > > I don't know, Ron. I play the cello, but a dance band - or any big band - without its saxophone section seems unthinkable to me. (Actually, some of my best friends are saxophonists. I haven't invited any over to play sax & lute duets, however - or even sax & cello duets!). > > Ned > On Mar 13, 2012, at 6:12 AM, Ron Andrico wrote: > > > Thanks for this, Gary. What an astonishingly detailed proscription and > > a sad reminder of what can happen under a totalitarian government. We > > can only be grateful that music has so far been under the radar of > > certain extremists in the US government, bent on interfering with other > > aspects of private life. On a lighter note, number ten on the list has > > some merit... > > RA > >> Date: Tue, 13 Mar 2012 04:37:41 -0400 > >> To: [email protected] > >> From: [email protected] > >> Subject: [LUTE] Re: Nazi rules for jazz performers > >> > >> Famed Czech radical Josef Skvorecky recently died at 87 in his > > adopted > >> land of Canada. > >> In the Atlantic, JJ Gould remembers Skvorecky through his memoirs, > >> including a detailed list of the rules for jazz performers during the > >> Nazi occupation. The Reich's Gauleiter for the Nazi Protectorate of > >> Bohemia and Moravia issued a 10-point regulation that Gould calls > > "the > >> single most remarkable example of 20th-century totalitarian invective > >> against jazz." > >> 1 Pieces in foxtrot rhythm (so-called swing) are not to exceed 20% of > >> the repertoires of light orchestras and dance bands; > >> 2 In this so-called jazz type repertoire, preference is to be given > > to > >> compositions in a major key and to lyrics expressing joy in life > > rather > >> than Jewishly gloomy lyrics; > >> 3 As to tempo, preference is also to be given to brisk compositions > >> over slow ones so-called blues); however, the pace must not exceed a > >> certain degree of allegro, commensurate with the Aryan sense of > >> discipline and moderation. On no account will Negroid excesses in > > tempo > >> (so-called hot jazz) or in solo performances (so-called breaks) be > >> tolerated; > >> 4 So-called jazz compositions may contain at most 10% syncopation; > > the > >> remainder must consist of a natural legato movement devoid of the > >> hysterical rhythmic reverses characteristic of the barbarian races > > and > >> conductive to dark instincts alien to the German people (so-called > >> riffs); > >> 5 Strictly prohibited is the use of instruments alien to the German > >> spirit (so-called cowbells, flexatone, brushes, etc.) as well as all > >> mutes which turn the noble sound of wind and brass instruments into a > >> Jewish-Freemasonic yowl (so-called wa-wa, hat, etc.); > >> 6 Also prohibited are so-called drum breaks longer than half a bar in > >> four-quarter beat (except in stylized military marches); > >> 7 The double bass must be played solely with the bow in so-called > > jazz > >> compositions; > >> 8 Plucking of the strings is prohibited, since it is damaging to the > >> instrument and detrimental to Aryan musicality; if a so-called > >> pizzicato effect is absolutely desirable for the character of the > >> composition, strict care must be taken lest the string be allowed to > >> patter on the sordine, which is henceforth forbidden; > >> 9 Musicians are likewise forbidden to make vocal improvisations > >> (so-called scat); > >> 10 All light orchestras and dance bands are advised to restrict the > > use > >> of saxophones of all keys and to substitute for them the > > violin-cello, > >> the viola or possibly a suitable folk instrument. > >> I wonder how the nazis felt about notes inegale. > >> Gary > >> > >> -- > >> > >> > >> To get on or off this list see list information at > >> http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html > > > > -- > > >
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