[Dixielandjazz] "If ever I cease to love"

[david richoux]

you can learn ANYTHING on the internet ;-)

http://www.rexorganization.com/traditions.htm

The Rex Anthem

The official anthem of Rex is "If Ever I Cease to Love", a hit song of 
the early 1870's era from a musical comedy named "Bluebeard". The 
musical's leading lady, Lydia Thompson, was performing in New Orleans 
at the time of the first Rex parade. The visiting Grand Duke Alexis of 
Russia, who had seen "Bluebeard" during his national tour, was also 
familiar with the song and with Thompson, to whom he had once sent a 
gift bracelet.

Bands in the first Rex parade serenaded the Grand Duke Alexis with the 
Russian national anthem as they marched past City Hall. When Rex, 
having dismounted at the Henry Clay statue on Canal Street, reviewed 
the parade, the bands played "If Ever I Cease To Love". Today, this 
song is played when Rex enters his Grand Ball and after the meeting of 
the Rex and Comus courts Mardi Gras night, signaling the end of the 
Mardi Gras celebration.


Dave Richoux
On Dec 24, 2003, at 2:14 PM, David W. Littlefield wrote:

> How important, why, and most crucially, in what way, is the place of
>  "If ever I cease to love" in the NO Mardi Gras tradition?
>
> I'm considering the tune for "DixFBv2" and want to add a note 
> explaining
> why it's there. It's on a "Dukes of Dixieland" Audio Fidelity album, 
> one of
> those Mardi Gras compilations has it, and someone sent me music for re 
> a
> gig it 20 years ago.
>
> Thanks.
> --Sheik
>
> _______________________________________________
> Dixielandjazz mailing list
> Dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com
> http://ml.islandnet.com/mailman/listinfo/dixielandjazz
>