Anderson, Leroy (29th June 1908-18th May 1975)

He is composer, conductor and bandleader born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, to Swedish parents where his father was a postal clerk and his mother played the organ in the Swedish Church. He moved to Boston with his family when he was one year old and he stayed there until later moving to New York in 1936.

He was educated at the Harvard Grammar School followed by Cambridge High and Latin schools, Harvard University, where he studied with Walter Piston and Georges Enesco, and the New England Conservatory. It was in his various schools that he got his first taste of conducting and composing and his father bought him a trombone so he could play in the front row of the school band.

In 1929 he made his start as a choirmaster and organist as week as being on the faculty at Radcliffe College. Making regular visits back to his parent’s home, he would take the time there to arrange songs from the Broadway shows for the Boston Pops Orchestra. In 1938 they performed his “Jazz Legato” which was his first composition that was followed by Arthur Fiedler, their conductor, urging him to write more for them.

Performing with his brother in a dance band through these years he would regularly play on cruises that sailed to Scandinavia.

At the outbreak of WWII he was drafted into the U.S. Army and served as a translator and interpreter in the Scandinavian Branch of the Military Intelligence and was promoted to the rank of Captain. Given the chance to be Military Attache to Sweden after the war he decided that composing was his passion and he left the service in 1945.

The Boston Pops would continue to premiere his new compositions and he became widely recognised as an acclaimed composer worldwide. He wrote many successful songs which include his No. 1 hit “Blue Tango”, the now standard Christmas “Sleigh Ride”, “The Typewriter”, “The Syncopated Clock”, “Bugler’s Holiday” and man many more. Outside his popular songs he wrote the musical Goldilocks and the acclaimed “Irish Suite” and ” Piano Concerto in C”.

He died of cancer in 1975 aged 66 but still continuing to be recognised he was posthumously inducted into the Songwriter’s Hall of Fame in 1988 and in 1995 Yale University opened the Anderson Band Center. In 2003 Leroy Anderson Square was opened in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Recordings

Belle of the Ball
Cologne Radio Orchestra – Pinchas Steinberg – Laser Light 15 248
Dallas Wind Symphony / Frederick Fennell – Reference Rec. RR-62CD
St. Louis Symphony Orchestra/Leonard Slatkin – RCA 9026 68048-2

Blue Tango
Leroy Anderson & His Orchestra/ Anderson – MCA Classics MCAD2-9815
Cologne Radio Orchestra – Pinchas Steinberg – Laser Light 15 248
Eastman-Rochester Pops Orchestra – Frederick Fennell – Mercury 432 013-2
Richard Hayman and his Symphony Orchestra – Naxos 8.990011
St. Louis Symphony Orchestra/Slatkin – RCA 68048

Bugler’s Holiday
Leroy Anderson and His Orchestra – MCA MCAD-9815-A
Cologne Radio Orchestra – Pinchas Steinberg – Laser Light 15 248
Eastman Rochester Pops Orchestra / Frederick Fennell – Mercury 434 376-2
Rochester Pops / Erich Kunzel – Pro-Arte CDD 454
Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra, Slatkin – RCA 68048

China Doll
Leroy Anderson & His Orchestra/ Anderson – MCA Classics MCAD2-9815

Christmas Festival, A,
Black Dyke Mills Band, – Chandos 4541
Boston Pops/John Williams – Philips 416 287-2
Boston Pops-Arthur Fiedler – DG 419 414-2
Boston Pops / Arthur Fiedler – RCA 09026-61685-2
Boston Pops; Tanglewood Festival Chorus / John Williams – Sony SK 48232
Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra/Hayman – Naxos 8.990005
Rochester Pops Orchestra – Classics for Joy CHD 1531
St Louis Philharmonic Orchestra / Robert Hart Baker – Sonari records — 7 55724 00272 3

Clarinet Candy
St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, Slatkin – RCA 68048

Fiddle Faddle
Leroy Anderson and his Symphony Orchestra – MCA MCAD2-9815-A
Richard Hayman and his Symphony Pops Orchestra – Naxos 8.990011
St. Louis Symphony Orchestra – Leonard Slatkin – RCA 68048-2

First Day of Spring, The
Eastman-Rochester Orchestra / Frederick Fennell – Mercury 475 6942
St. Louis Symphony Orchestra / Leonard Slatkin – RCA 09026-68048-2

Forgotten Dreams
Cologne Radio Orchestra – Pinchas Steinberg – Laser Light 15 248
Eastman Rochester Pops Orchestra / Frederick Fennell – Mercury 434 376-2
Julia Shaw, Harp; Nora Bumanis, Harp – CBC Records MVCD 1103
St. Louis Symphony Orchestra / Leonard Slatkin – RCA 09026-68048-2
Utah Symphony Orchestra – Maurice Abravanel; Eugene Foster, Flute – Musical Heritage Society 5179177

Girl I left Behind Me, The
The Denver Brass and Colorado Isle of Mull Saint Andrew Pipes and Drums – John Kuzma, Organ – Klavier K-11107

Girl in Satin, The
Cologne Radio Orchestra – Pinchas Steinberg – Laser Light 15 248

Horse and Buggy
St. Louis Symphony Orchestra – Leonard Slatkin – RCA 68048-2

Irish Suite
Boston Pops Orchestra – Arthur Fiedler – RCA 60746-2-RG
Eastman-Rochester Pops Orchestra – Frederick Fennell – Mercury 434 376-2
Richard Hayman and His Orchestra – Naxos 8.555016
Richard Hayman and his Symphony Orchestra – Naxos 8.990018

Jazz Legato
Leroy Anderson & His Orchestra / Anderson – MCA Classics MCAD2 9815
Eastman-Rochester Pops Orchestra / Frederick Fennell – Mercury 432 013-2
St. Louis Symphony/Leonard Slatkin – RCA 9026 68048-2

Jazz Pizzicato
Leroy Anderson & His Orchestra / Anderson – MCA Classics MCAD2 9815
St. Louis Symphony Orchestra / Leonard Slatkin – RCA 0 6026 68048 2

Last Rose of Summer, The
Cincinnati Pops Orchestra – Erich Kunzel; John McDermott, tenor; Liz Knowles, fiddle; Silver Arm Celtic Band; Kieran O’Hare, pipes; et al – Telarc CD-80571

Minstrel Boy, The
Rochester Pops / Newton Wayland – Pro-Arte CDD-454

Penny-Whistle Song
St. Louis Symphony/Leonard Slatkin – RCA 9026 68048-2

Phantom Regiment, The
Leroy Anderson & His Orchestra / Anderson – MCA Classics MCAD2 9815
Cologne Radio Orchestra – Pinchas Steinberg – Laser Light 15 248
St. Louis Symphony Orchestra – Leonard Slatkin – RCA 68048-2

Piano Concerto in C major
Cincinnati Pops Orchestra – Erich Kunzel; Stewart Goodyear, piano – Telarc CD-80112
Toronto Symphony Orchestra; Catharine Wilson, piano / Skitch Henderson – SPY SRCD-1001

Pirate Dance from Goldilocks
Eastman Rochester Pops Orchestra / Frederick Fennell – Mercury 434 376-2
London Pops Orchestra – Frederick Fennell – Mercury 434 376-2

Plink, Plank, Plunk
Leroy Anderson & His Orchestra / Anderson – MCA Classics MCAD2 9815
Eastman-Rochester ‘Pops’ Orchestra – Frederick Fennell – Mercury 432 013-2
Richard Hayman and his Symphony Orchestra – Naxos 8.559125
Richard Hayman and his Symphony Orchestra – Naxos 8.990011
Philharmonia Orchestra – Sir Charles Groves – Denon CO-73534
St. Louis Symphony Orchestra/Leonard Slatkin – RCA 9026 68048-2

Promenade
Eastman Pops Orchestra / Frederick Fennell – Mercury 432 013-2
Richard Hayman and Orchestra – Naxos 8.559125
St. Louis Symphony Orchestra – Leonard Slatkin – RCA 68048

Sandpaper Ballet
Eastman-Rochester Pops Orchestra – Frederick Fennell – Mercury 434 376-2
Rochester Pops / Erich Kunzel – Pro-Arte CDD-454
St. Louis Symphony Orchestra / Leonard Slatkin – RCA 0 9026 68048 2

Sarabande
Cologne Radio Orchestra – Pinchas Steinberg – Laser Light 15 248
Eastman-Rochester Pops / Frederick Fennell – Mercury 432 013-2

Serenata
Leroy Anderson and his Orchestra – MCA MCAD-9815-B
Cologne Radio Orchestra – Pinchas Steinberg – Laserlight 15 248
Eastman-Rochester Pops / Frederick Fennell – Mercury 432 013-2
Eastman Rochester Pops / Frederick Fennell – Mercury SACD 475 6942

Sleigh Ride
The Abbey Road Ensemble – Jonathan Tunick; London Voices; Kiri Te Kanawa, soprano; Roberto Alagna, tenor; Thomas Hampson, baritone – EMI 56176
Leroy Anderson and his Orchestra – MCA MCAD-9815-B
The Boston Pops Orchestra – John Williams – Sony Classical SK 48232
Boston Pops/Fiedler – DG 419 414 (Carols arranged by Leroy Anderson)
Boston Pops + Chorus/Fiedler – RCA 6428
Boston Pops/Fiedler – Al Hirt, trumpet – RCA 61685
Cincinnati Pops, Mel Torme, Telarc 83315
Detroit Symphony Orchestra/Jarvi – BGD 0117
Eakin Piano Trio – Naxos 8554099
Eastman-Rochester Pops Orchestra – Frederick Fennell – Mercury Living Presence 432 013-2
Richard Hayman and His Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra & Choir, Naxos 8.990006
The Glenn Miller Orchestra – Laser Light 15 418
Philadelphia Orchestra + Chorus/Ormandy – RCA 6430
Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra and Chorus/Richard Hayman – Naxos 8.990013
Rochester Pops Orchestra – Erich Kunzel, Pro Arte 220
St. Louis Symphony Orchestra – Leonard Slatkin – RCA 68048
Saint Louis Wind Symphony – Dan Pregrave – ”In the Christmas Mood’ EndEnsCmasCD06
Sonos Handbell Ensemble – James Meredith – Apogee WTP 5176

Song of Jupiter
Eastman Rochester Pops Orchestra – Frederick Fennell – Mercury 432 013-2

Song of the Bells
Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra and Chorus – Richard Hayman – Naxos 8.990013

Suite of Carols for Brass Choir
Leroy Anderson and His Orchestra – Decca B0003552-02

Suite of Carols for String Orchestra
Leroy Anderson and His Orchestra – Decca B0003552-02

Summer Skies
Eastman-Rochester Pops Orchestra / Frederick Fennell – Mercury 475 6942

Syncopated Clock, The
Leroy Anderson and His Orchestra – MCA Classics MCAD2-9815-A
Cologne Radio Orchestra – Pinchas Steinberg – Laserlight 15 248
Eastman-Rochester ‘Pops’ Orchestra – Frederick Fennell – Mercury 432 013-2
Richard Hayman and Orchestra – Naxos 8.559125
Rochester Pops / Erich Kunzel – Pro Arte CDD-454
St. Louis Symphony Orchestra / Leonard Slatkin – RCA 0 9026 68048 2
Isau Tomita, Synthesizer – RCA Victor Red Seal 5660-2-RC

Trumpeter’s Lullaby, A
Leroy Anderson and his Symphony Orchestra – MCA MCAD-9815-B
Cologne Radio Orchestra – Pinchas Steinberg – Laser Light 15 248
Eastman-Rochester Pops Orchestra – Frederick Fennell – Mercury 434 376-2
St. Louis Symphony Orchestra/Leonard Slatkin – RCA 9026 68048-2

Typewriter, The
Leroy Anderson & His Orchestra /Anderson – MCA 9815
Eastman Pops Orchestra / Frederick Fennell – Mercury 432 013-2
Eastman Rochester Pops / Frederick Fennell – Mercury SACD 475 6942
Richard Hayman and Orchestra – Naxos 8.559125
St. Louis Symphony Orchestra / Leonard Slatkin – RCA 0 9026 68048 2

Waltzing Cat, The
Leroy Anderson and his Orchestra – MCA 9815
Eastman Rochester Pops / Frederick Fennell – Mercury 432 013-2
St. Louis Symphony Orchestra /Slatkin – RCA 09026 68048-2

Here he conducts his “Blue Tango”…

Sources:

Anderson, Leroy (29th June 1908-18th May 1975)

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