Boston Pops

C Dixon · Post by **C Dixon** » 17 Sep 2000 9:12 am

Does anyone know if the Boston Pops orchestra still exists? During the heyday of Arther Fiedler it was THE classic show on PBS. Then when he died, John Williams headed it and did a great job. Since John resigned I have not heard anything about it.

Just wondering. I loved to watch them perform. Even took my dauhgter up to see them several years ago. I went backstage to meet the legendary radio announcer William Pierce. I really cherish that moment. His voice in person was as elloquent and unique as the "Pops" itself.

God bless them all,

carl

Chip Fossa · Post by **Chip Fossa** » 17 Sep 2000 9:21 am

Carl,
Being a Massachusettstonian, I do believe the Boston Pops is still a viable entity.
However, although I am aware that someone has stepped in for John Williams, I haven't a clue as to who it is.

Try to keep this thread alive, as I know there are a good handful of Forumites closer to Boston than I am, and would, or should,
surely know. Mike Idhe, I believe, still teaches at the Berkley School of Music, which I think is in Cambridge, MA {Boston Proper).

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Chip
Williams U-12 8X5

Earnest Bovine · Post by **Earnest Bovine** » 17 Sep 2000 9:39 am

I think Keith Lockhart has been the Pops conductor for a few years now.
It's mostly the same players as the Boston Symphony, without the principal players.

Roger Crawford · Post by **Roger Crawford** » 17 Sep 2000 11:12 am

Keith Lockhart...utility infielder for the Braves!

Earnest Bovine · Post by **Earnest Bovine** » 17 Sep 2000 11:35 am

Braves? What is that?

Bobby Lee · Post by **Bobby Lee** » 17 Sep 2000 1:52 pm

Dvorák, I think.

George Rozak · Post by **George Rozak** » 17 Sep 2000 4:54 pm

I'd have to do some digging to find it, but I believe I've got an old LP around here somewhere featuring Chet Atkins with the Boston Pops Orchestra. Anyone remember that album?

Roger Crawford · Post by **Roger Crawford** » 17 Sep 2000 6:10 pm

Braves...Tommy Lasorta's reason for leaving LA!

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 17 Sep 2000 6:23 pm

Keith Lockhart recently said... "I've been here for 5 years and I'm still the new director of the Boston Pops!"

Keith had big shoes to fill. John Williams has a house full of Grammys and Oscars for composing the music for all of those Spielberg moves! (Jaws, ET, Shindler's List, Close Encounters, Indiana Jones I, II, III, etc.) And Fiedler was no slouch either.

Evening at Pops is still in production and is seen on PBS here in New England. Every 4th of July the Pops play a free concert on the Charles River in Boston that draws over 200,000 people and is broadcast live on A&E.

I've seen the Pops play live twice at their summer home in western Massachusetts and it's inspiring to say the least!

About the Chet Atkins/Pops live album... I heard it a few years ago and I thought that the recording and the mix were pretty bad, although the playing was fine. I think it was done in the 60s or the early 70s?

dougb

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www.dougbsteel.com

Chip Fossa · Post by **Chip Fossa** » 17 Sep 2000 7:22 pm

Hiya Doug,
Well said.
Got some wind that this years' LEE
STEEL BASH may be in jeopardy?

Would be disheartening. Have you heard of this dastardly rumor and/or truism?

Chips Ahoy

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 17 Sep 2000 9:16 pm

Hey Chip,

Yes, it's true... no Mass Bash this year. Bill Hankey called me a while back and said he couldn't pull it together this year. I wonder if Frank Caruso is going to be doing his steel show in Boston again this October?

dougb

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www.dougbsteel.com

P Gleespen · Post by **P Gleespen** » 18 Sep 2000 1:50 am

No Mass Bash? What a drag. Last years was loads of fun. I hope Franks show happens!

Joe Casey · Post by **Joe Casey** » 18 Sep 2000 4:09 am

Had a blast with Frank at the ISGC and one thing he was talking about was his steel show and I can assure you he is going to have it. Doug;Maybe it's time for someone else to carry the ball.Bill did run the bash on little or no funds but his own.

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CJC

Bobby Lee · Post by **Bobby Lee** » 18 Sep 2000 8:10 am

I was never a Fiedler fan. It seemed to me that the orchestra played sloppily under his direction. Of course, all I know is what I saw on TV. The Boston Pops really seemed to snap together a lot better under John Williams. Also, Williams' film music is spectacular.

I haven't really heard anything by The Boston Pop in the past few years.

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<small><img align=right src="http://b0b.com/Averybob.gif" width=64 height=81>Bobby Lee - email: quasar@b0b.com - gigs - CDs
Sierra Session S-12 (E9), Speedy West D-10 (E9, D6),
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Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 18 Sep 2000 10:21 pm

The Pops best known hit under Fiedler is probably "Sleigh Ride". It was written by LeRoy Anderson who did a lot of composing and arranging for the orchestra. Talk about having a good songwriter in the band!

Sleigh Ride sounds great on steel. I really like the Big E's version.

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www.dougbsteel.com

Bobby Lee · Post by **Bobby Lee** » 19 Sep 2000 7:06 am

If you like Leroy Anderson, there's a great Mercury Living Presence compilation album called "Frederick Fennel conducts the music of Leroy Anderson" (Mercury D 173545). It has all of those light classics you remember from the fifties, like "The Typewriter", "The Syncopated Clock", "Chicken Reel", and of course "Sleigh Ride". I highly recommend this CD to fans of "light" orchestral music.

I'm sure Mike Perlowin would hate it!

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<small><img align=right src="http://b0b.com/Averybob.gif" width=64 height=81>Bobby Lee - email: quasar@b0b.com - gigs - CDs
Sierra Session S-12 (E9), Speedy West D-10 (E9, D6),
Sierra 8 Laptop (D13), Fender Stringmaster D-8 (D13, A6)

Earnest Bovine · Post by **Earnest Bovine** » 19 Sep 2000 9:28 am

Leroy Anderson is Nancy Reagan's favorite composer. NOW how do you like him?

Bobby Lee · Post by **Bobby Lee** » 19 Sep 2000 10:31 am

Most elevator rides are mercifully short.

Smiley Roberts · Post by **Smiley Roberts** » 20 Sep 2000 12:29 am

b0b,
"Played sloppily"?? You gotta be kiddin'! If it wasn't for A. F., the B. P. probably wouldn't be where there are today. I own,about,25± albums by the B.P.,under the direction of A.F. Like a friend of mine once told me,"You don't argue with success".

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mm vita brevis
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Bobby Lee · Post by **Bobby Lee** » 20 Sep 2000 6:49 am

Well, like I said, my only exposure to him was via television. One particularly awful performance of the 1812 Overture (with real cannons!) stands out in my memory. They may have made good records, but the televised events didn't inspire me to go out and buy them.