Teddy bears picnic

Saturday was a day at home. Liz worked in the garden in hot sun. I rearranged the shelves in the back bedroom so that the heavy photo books are now at the bottom and gained some shelf space. I put up my mirror in our bedroom and hung the pictures from work in the study and upstairs. At last I fixed up the water butt by cutting out a piece of drainpipe! We watched the Derby and had a chat to Graeme in Scotland on skype. To smoke vespers and Mass for the Ascension. Fr Michael Durand gave us a scare when he sort of tripped while censing the Lady altar but all was well. Nick was an excellent cantor.
Watched QI and "Have I got more news for you".
On the piano I have a score which was presented to Phyllis by Elsie and Harry May 1945. It is the Teddy Bears Picnic piano only by John W.Bratton. It belonged to my grandmother in York and was given to her by her sister and brother-in-law Harry Bean who was an organist. His son also played the organ in York.
Harry John Walter Bratton (January 21, 1867 – February 7, 1947) was an American composer and theatrical producer.
Brought up by his Grandmother in New Castle, Delaware, near Wilmington, Bratton studied at the Philadelphia College before embarking on a career as a baritone singer. Bratton progressed into acting in and producing musical comedies, ultimately composing for the stage.
He wrote over 250 songs, teaming up, for many, with lyricists Walter H Ford and Paul West.[1] He is best remembered for his 1907 composition "Teddy Bears' Picnic"[1] the only one of his songs to be a lasting hit. Although most of his compositions had lyrics, he left Teddy Bears' Picnic as an instrumental. Perhaps because it sold so well as sheet music he never felt the need to do anything else with it, except feature it in some of silent movie hits of the twenties. Many years later British based, but Irish born Jimmy Kennedy wrote the lyrics. This explains why this American composition has British lyrics..note "Mummies and Daddies" not as is often misquoted "Mommies and Daddies"[citation needed]
Bratton died in Brooklyn, New York, aged 80.[1]Wikipedia

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Christmas letter

Vigil