Thursday, June 04, 2009

Theme Thursday - Clock

Now this is hilarious. I just did a photo essay on clocks here called Time Has Come Today about two weeks ago. I'm not going to republish it to fit the theme today (I really like each post to be fresh and unique), but before you read on, click here for a visit to the original. I'll wait...

... Okay. Now obviously, with all that two weeks ago I'm not gonna get real fancy today. But I got a closer-in shot yesterday of that residential clock tower on Dixon St. that I thought would go well today, especially with the music that will follow.


So, the music... For some reason, as soon as I saw the announcement on Sunday about this week's theme, Leroy Anderson's "The Syncopated Clock" started running in my head, starting with those woodblocks beating out the "tick - tock - tick - tock" before the strings come in. I grew up listening to Leroy Anderson's music; my parents were big fans. And of course we listened to his music as played by Arthur Fiedler and the Boston Pops. No, I didn't grow up here in New England, I grew up just north of Baltimore, MD. It's just that Fiedler sort of "adopted" Anderson and made him the de facto if unofficial composer-in-residence for the Pops, and they got first recording rights. So if you heard a Leroy Anderson piece on record or on radio when you were a kid - remember "Sleigh Ride"? "The Typewriter"? "Bugler's Holiday"? - chances are you heard the Boston Pops playing it. So this Thursday's music video is Leroy Anderson's "The Syncopated Clock" performed by Arthur Fiedler and the Boston Pops.



Photo & text © 2009 by A. Roy Hilbinger

19 comments:

  1. Oh! This takes me back! We had the Arthur Fieldler and the Boston Pops Festival of Hits collection. I know this piece well. (My favourite was always the Danse Macabre by Saint Saens).

    Kat

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  2. We had the same LP album, too, so this takes me right down memory lane. Thanks, Roy!

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  3. I really love that clock photo.

    And the music! What fun. I'm going to play it for my daughter, she'll love it.

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  4. Boy does "The Synchopated Clock" music bring back memories of my childhood. I knew what music you referenced without listening, tho' I did listen. Funny, it's that time thing again. Some of my clearest memories are from long ago. As for yesterday? Not so sure.

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  5. That sounds vaguely familiar. Must have heard it when I was a kid.

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  6. Lovely To See The Old B.B.C. Clocks! It does evoke childhood.[although not sure why? ]For some reason it reminds me of the Olden ~Days Kids Programme on British Telly The WoodenTops. Ah! Happy Olden Daze!!!!

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  7. Back when we had one tv station, Boston Pops became a weekly staple.

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  8. Roy, I first heard that song when it was the theme for the Early Show on TV in the 50s. The Early Show came on around 5pm and it showed movies.

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  9. Love the pic, very interesting post! :)

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  10. I'll have to come back later and listen - I am intrigued!

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  11. grat play. enjoyed the tunes and played well with the pick. took me back...

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  12. Your posts have a tendency to make me reminisce...

    Although I'd heard "The Syncopated Clock" as a child, I really got my fill of it as a teen in the early '70s. I lived in Massachusetts -- still do -- and when local (Boston) TV signed off, on a clear night, we could pull in channel 2 in New York City. That tune was the theme for The Late Late Show and The Late Late Late Show (no lie), and was the theme for The Early Show (as mentioned above) as well!

    FINALLY finished reading & commenting on all the TT posts which have gone up... I believe!

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  13. My that takes me back. My dad used to love the Boston Pops! Are we really getting that old . .damn the passage of time!

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  14. Why didn't I think of that? I love The Syncopated Clock. Thanks for the reminder.

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  15. Oh yes, this really takes me back! I haven't heard most of these in years! Great post for Theme Thursday!

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  16. My father was a huge fan so I grew up listening to it, too.

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  17. Bravo, Roy! On both posts. Tho' I do miss Fiedler...

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  18. well you have been successful turning back the clock for lots of roy's world readers!!

    thanks for the trip.

    speaking of time travel, have you seen the star trek movie yet. it's great...but I'm a scifi geek....maybe an all around geek.

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