[Dixielandjazz] concert fights and other disasters

[tcashwigg at aol.com]

Ahh yes that was back when being a muso was an honorable profession,  
as it was  during the sinking of the Titanic as well or so the movie 
would have us believe.


No doubt these incidents prompted the need for Liability insurance for 
musicians, just far too easy to blame all the mishaps and disasters  of 
history on this shifty lot.  :)

I hear tell there was a damned banjo player that started the shoot out 
at the OK Corral too.  And no doubt about it a Mariachi band probably 
started the fight at the ALAMO,  and Indian war  Drums cause the 
tipping of the Canoe, and 76 Trombones probably caused the war of 1812.

Cheers,

Tom

-----Original Message-----
From: mcclernan1 at comcast.net
To: Tcashwigg at aol.com
Cc: dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com
Sent: Fri, 11 May 2007 7:10 PM
Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] concert fights and other disasters

    One of my favorite stories is about Handel's "Music For The Royal 
Fireworks". Read this and you'll see why I chose portions of it for the 
Processional and Recessional at my wedding. Too good to pass up. 
 
  A Suite written by Handel to celebrate the signing of the Treaty of 
Aix-la-Chapelle which ended the War of Austrian Succession. It was 
commissioned by King George II (1740-1748). The treaty also firmly 
established George and his heirs the rulers of England, so he was 
understandably in party mood. 
 
  The work is a French-style suite, beginning with an overture in 3/4 
time and in D major. The subsequent 5 movements are stylized dances 
including "La Paix" (peace) and a final allegro called "La 
Réjouissance" (Rejoicing). As the piece was written to be performed 
outside in Vauxhall Gardens, the orchestration is heavy on the louder 
instruments available; oboes, bassoons and brass dominate. 
 
  It was a measure of Handel's popularity that a large paying audience 
turned up for a rehearsal of the work, causing one of London's earliest 
traffic-jams. 
 
  "The Gentleman's Magazine" carried the following report on Friday, 21 
April, 1749: 
 
  "Was performed at Vauxhall Gardens the rehearsal of the music for the 
fireworks by a band of 100 musicians, to an audience above 12,000 
persons (tickets 2s 6d). So great a resort occasioned such a stoppage 
on London Bridge, that no carriage could pass for three hours. The 
footmen were so numerous as to obstruct the passage, so that a scuffle 
happened, in which some gentlemen were wounded." 
  The actual premiere (on 27 April 1749) met with worse disaster. Not 
only was the orchestra drowned out by the fireworks and 101 cannon 
blasts, but there was a large scale fire. The orchestra performed on a 
specially-constructed stage. It was 100 feet high and topped by a 200 
foot sun. All made of wood. Some stray fireworks landed on it and it 
caught fire. Handel stuck to his conducting, whilst the audience ran 
for their lives... 
 
  On May 11, 2007, at 7:12 PM, Larry Walton Entertainment - St. Louis 
wrote: 
 
  > Well a couple of nights ago there was a slug fest at the Boston > 
Pops. (Should we ban the Boston Pops for inciting Riots?) Just a > 
little historical perspective, there were brawls when several > 
classical composers performed their music. 
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