I received an advanced copy of this novel through NetGalley, in exchange for a review. This is my personal opinion.
Susan & Lloyd Ecker have created an interesting, lush story of the life and times of Sophie Tucker. She is an icon of Vaudeville entertainment and the proverbial rags to riches story. She came to America as a young child, and her parents worked night and day to provide for her and her siblings. My favorite part of the story was her tour of Europe with her third husband, Al Lackey. She retraced the journey her parents took from the Ukraine to Connecticut, and I felt it was the most authentic she ever allowed herself to be publicly.
I have very mixed feeling about the book. It was always interesting and compelling and very well written. I have used several of Ms. Tucker's songs in my work as a music therapist with geriatric clients. So I had a vague sense of Sophie, but I really didn't like her when I got to know her better through this book. I found her to be so rude, pushy, abusive and crude. She is not someone I would ever waste time getting to know. But it was fun and interesting reading about her. I love the history of vaudeville, and enjoyed the inside look provided through Sophie's eyes.
I am curious about the revelations at the end of the book. I don't want to share them and ruin it for others, but I am very curious about how true they are. They do shed a kinder and more ruthless light on Sophie.
If you love showbiz stories, you will love this book.
Showing posts with label Music. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Music. Show all posts
Tuesday, November 18, 2014
Sunday, January 13, 2013
A Little Night Music
Last night I was privileged to hear the Philadelphia Orchestra.
http://www.philorch.org/concert/mozart-his-time-1?date=2013-01-12_20-00
It was an all-Mozart program, so the "chamber" sound of the orchestra was highlighted. David Kim lead the orchestra and Imogen Cooper was the piano soloist.
We almost didn't make it to the concert. Our daughter gave us the tickets. She bought the season ticket for the seats we have had since the Kimmel Center opened. It was hard to let go of those seats, but I knew with the trips to AZ, I would miss more concerts than I would be able to attend. Becca had given me the tickets last weekend when we had a family dinner. I put them in my purse. As Ted and I were getting ready to leave yesterday, I decided to change from my everyday, BIG purse, to a small clutch. Yup, I forgot to transfer the tickets, and didn't think of it until we were in Center City heading to a parking garage. Luckily, I called Becca, and she arranged with the box office to have replacement tickets for us! I was so grateful for computer systems that made this possible!
I have heard Eine kleine Nachtmusik, Serenade in G major, so many times, i didn't think anyone could make it "fresh" for me. But i was wrong. The small ensemble stood, except for the cellos and basses, and they danced while they played. There was movement in their feet, and, in their music. The tempo was quick, energizing. It was as if I was hearing it for the first time. David Kim is a talented leader and hope he will find his own conducting gig, although I would hate for the Philly Orch to lose him!
I have never heard, or heard of, Imogen Cooper before. There was little personal info about her in the program, so I went searching on line. She was born in England and studies in London, Paris and Vienna. She is one year older than I am, and has what appears to me to be a grueling schedule this year. She obviously has a lot more energy than I do.
Symphony 25 closed the program. For all my Mozart listening over the years, I don't believe I have ever heard this symphony before. No one wanted the concert to end. There were three curtain calls for David Kim and the orchestra, and there may have been more, but Kim dismissed the orchestra after the third bow.
As a little girl, I used to close my eyes as we traveled long distances and listen to the rhythm of the car. In short order, orchestra music would infuse with the rhythm. It was a magical time for me. I could listen to the music in my mind for hours, making long trips go by quickly. When I attend concerts, I like to watch the players part of the time, but I also like to let my imagination engage with the music. Sometimes I dance, or the music is like background soundscape to a movie that develops in my mind.
I will miss attending the Philadelphia Orchestra. They are a world class orchestra, and their new director, Yannick Nezet-Seguin, is bringing back a vitality and hopefulness that has been missing for many years.
I became a music therapist in the 80's, mostly because music has always been a source of healing for me personally, and, because I wanted to help others move into a better place in their own lives. There is a lightness and energy in Mozart that lifts one above the fray.
http://www.philorch.org/concert/mozart-his-time-1?date=2013-01-12_20-00
It was an all-Mozart program, so the "chamber" sound of the orchestra was highlighted. David Kim lead the orchestra and Imogen Cooper was the piano soloist.
We almost didn't make it to the concert. Our daughter gave us the tickets. She bought the season ticket for the seats we have had since the Kimmel Center opened. It was hard to let go of those seats, but I knew with the trips to AZ, I would miss more concerts than I would be able to attend. Becca had given me the tickets last weekend when we had a family dinner. I put them in my purse. As Ted and I were getting ready to leave yesterday, I decided to change from my everyday, BIG purse, to a small clutch. Yup, I forgot to transfer the tickets, and didn't think of it until we were in Center City heading to a parking garage. Luckily, I called Becca, and she arranged with the box office to have replacement tickets for us! I was so grateful for computer systems that made this possible!
I have heard Eine kleine Nachtmusik, Serenade in G major, so many times, i didn't think anyone could make it "fresh" for me. But i was wrong. The small ensemble stood, except for the cellos and basses, and they danced while they played. There was movement in their feet, and, in their music. The tempo was quick, energizing. It was as if I was hearing it for the first time. David Kim is a talented leader and hope he will find his own conducting gig, although I would hate for the Philly Orch to lose him!
I have never heard, or heard of, Imogen Cooper before. There was little personal info about her in the program, so I went searching on line. She was born in England and studies in London, Paris and Vienna. She is one year older than I am, and has what appears to me to be a grueling schedule this year. She obviously has a lot more energy than I do.
Symphony 25 closed the program. For all my Mozart listening over the years, I don't believe I have ever heard this symphony before. No one wanted the concert to end. There were three curtain calls for David Kim and the orchestra, and there may have been more, but Kim dismissed the orchestra after the third bow.
As a little girl, I used to close my eyes as we traveled long distances and listen to the rhythm of the car. In short order, orchestra music would infuse with the rhythm. It was a magical time for me. I could listen to the music in my mind for hours, making long trips go by quickly. When I attend concerts, I like to watch the players part of the time, but I also like to let my imagination engage with the music. Sometimes I dance, or the music is like background soundscape to a movie that develops in my mind.
I will miss attending the Philadelphia Orchestra. They are a world class orchestra, and their new director, Yannick Nezet-Seguin, is bringing back a vitality and hopefulness that has been missing for many years.
I became a music therapist in the 80's, mostly because music has always been a source of healing for me personally, and, because I wanted to help others move into a better place in their own lives. There is a lightness and energy in Mozart that lifts one above the fray.
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