[Dixielandjazz] Fw: [TPIN] Nerves of Steel

[Bob Romans]

You all might appreciate this humor off of the TPIN...
br
----- Original Message ----- 
From: <RRW1951 at aol.com>
To: <tpin at tpin.okcu.edu>
Sent: Monday, August 02, 2004 11:33 AM
Subject: [TPIN] Nerves of Steel


> Hi, friends,
>
> There was an obituary many years ago that told this humorous
> tale of what many of us would call either "nerves of steel" or
> "the intimidation factor".  Either way, it shows how some towering
> musicians use humor (and all trumpeters have a sense of humor!).
>
> Several years ago there was a special event to honor and commemorate
> the 89th birthday of a famous musician who had been the director of the
> Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia.  He was an accomplished
composer,
> pianist and music historian and a close friend of world-famous musicians,
> including Sergei Rachmaninoff and Jascha Heifitz.  He was also the father
of
> actor
> Efrem Zimbalist, Jr., and grandfather of television actress Stephanie
> Zimbalist.
>
> Efrem Zimbalist was his name.
>
> This special event was the naming of a music studio at Curits as the
> "Zimbalist Studio".  Someone made a lengthy (and apparently ponderous)
> speech about how grand it was. After the speaker concluded, a voice from
> the audience said,  "Now, let us pray."
>
> It was Mr. Zimbalist's voice.  He had a sense of humor.
>
> Another time a friend turned the tables on that sense of humor.
>
> Mr. Zimbalist, also an accomplished accompanist, was scheduled to
accompany
> Heifitz at the keyboard.  As the program was about to start, a large
figure
> loomed over Mr. Zimbalist and the piano.
> It was Rachmaninoff (who was about 6'6" tall, and not an understated
> personality!).
>
> "What are you doing here?" Zimbalist asked.
>
> "I'm your page turner", Rachmaninoff said.
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