conductor

Cyberdate: 7 July 1949

Welcome to our third Concert in the Park! The Period: late forties; The place: Molson Park, Rosemont, Montreal. The playing of the national anthem signaled the moment awaited by everyone.... let the concert begin.....


O Canada

bum

Rather than begin with the traditional Sousa march, the conductor opted tonight to begin with a light melody sure to please anyone young at heart... La Canzone del Coccodrillo, from the film "Peter Pan", followed by an old traditional tune you are certain to, not only recognize but, sing along....


La Canzone del Coccodrillo


Old MacDonald....

Yknot

Somewhere along the St-Lawrence Seaway, onboard Y-Knot, Summer 77'

One of my fondest memory from those concerts in the park involves our parish choir. Every Montreal's parish in those days had a large choir, composed of dozens of men, women and children. One night, our 80 member St-Marc parish choir joined the 35-piece band in several numbers. The one I remember the most vividly was that fabulous waltz from Strauss... the Blue Danube and, to this day, whenever I hear it, I close my eyes and return to that fantastic night, so many years ago... when 80 voices, forty of which were children's voices floated over the entire area. It went something like this.... (minus those voices which, unfortunately, can only be heard in one's subconscient).


The Blue Danube

Oddly enough, The Blue Danube was initially a failure! But then, with time, it became so popular as to almost become the second national anthem of Austria! Even Brahms admired it if the following anecdote is to be believed (and why shouldn't it?) One night, Straus and his wife were visiting him and when Mrs Strauss asked for his autograph he wrote the opening theme to the Blue Danube then added underneath it "Alas, not by Joh. Brahms!".

When was the last time you took pen and paper and wrote a note, a letter to a friend? Not a typewritten or e-mailed note but a bona-fide 'hand' written letter? Want to recreate a long-lost experience? What better than to do so while listening to the following number, playing lightly in the background. Try it and you just might want to do so more often... it's habit forming.

Molson Park

Don't know just who to write to? No problem; just send 'me' a note describing how nice it feels to once again 'personally' send a relative, a new-found friend a letter, one of those gratifying, daily habits we, in the gogo generation seem to have lost! The address is John Sauvageau P.O. Box 190 Crofton B.C. Canada V0R 1R0 You write, I reply .(promise)Added benefit:Here's your chance to send a real `Dear John' letter!


Beethoven's Romance Op50 for piano solo

It was such a nice feeling to actually write someone that you would like to relive that instant once more? We aim to please.... lower the volume, start with a new page as the following number plays in the background....


A Light Symphony

Close your eyes and imagine an alpine setting.. over 16 instruments
play 'the big sound'.

Sometime, the conductor would dedicate a particular number to a very special person. He would say something like: "And now, I would like to ask you all to join me in dedicating the following number to Gerry C. of Niagara Falls, a very special person indeed".


Revolutions Overture by Jean-Michel Jarre

And now, for a change in pace, a nice lively little number entitled "I can help".


I can help, by Hit Bit

field

What did one do for excitement in those days? It may seem quaint given today's hectic pace of life but one of the big pastimes in those days, one any young, and not so young, fella looked forward to was the coming Saturday night's dance at the old DesLorimier Stadium, turned into a dance hall. The same stadium where the Royals used to play. For less than a dollar, you joined maybe another thousand dancing amateurs and listened to some of the biggest dance bands then making the circuit around the province. And there were no metal detectors and drug sniffers in those days either; there was no need for them. You could listen to and dance to numbers such as the following:

A nice slow number to get dancers on the floor.....


Nice and slow...

Followed by a Tango medley. Tango was very popular in those days.


Tango medley

The following two numbers would have been very popular, had it been written....


Send in the clowns


Theme from "Petergun"
Good stereo effect.

Sometime, they would play one of the best known french folkloric songs, just to get people to sing...


Alouette,

When we heard the first notes of that number, we realized all good things must come to an end. It was an 'Au Revoir'..... till next week!

Auld Lang Syne

And of course, every concert ended with God Save The King!

Royal Union George VI

God Save The King

This page has been accessed [an error occurred while processing this directive] times since 2 Sep 96
and was last modified: Wednesday, 05-Feb-2003 00:46:41 EST

Previous Concert Next Concert

That's it Folks !!! See you at the next Concert in the Park

Guestbook by GuestWorld

Please help spread the good word around. If you like this site, tell a friend, or two or more. It only takes a minute or two and they will thank you, as I do. Thanks.

Nedstat Counter

Background Graphics by Phyllis Backgrounds

Copyright © 1984 Computrain All rights reserved
Midi FunShop © 1996 Computrain All rights reserved