Cross Section

Andre Previn

These views, as he offered them, are as “A very lovely, poignant song. For follows: whatever it’s worth, my own opinion is Men’s Cologne: “I always use it. I that Harold Arlen is the best all-round use Moustache because it doesn’t smell songwriter alive. 1 really think so.” like a moustache. It smells nice." Paris: “I refer you to the lyrics in Streetcars: “I like them in San Vernon Duke’s tune, April in Paris. Francisco, particularly when you can’t Strangely enough, everything the song sit down and have to hang out the door. says is true. I think it is the loveliest To Erf They have blue ones in .” pop song ever written. Unless it is done han a miserably, it never fails to move me. Umbrellas: “I never use them. I like >f life. And the bridge is a masterpiece.” At tl rain, and I like to get wet.” Golf: “Even though right now it or the Borscht: “I hate it, hot or cold.” seems to be an international concern, dtr Press Agents: “If they’re men, they I’m not at all interested in it.” ide hi should be truthful; if they’re women, Whil The Grand Ole Opry: “I am hap­ they should be pretty.” is ha pily, completely, and utterly preju­ e;r o Narcotics’Pushers: “I just scored a diced against hillbilly music. It is get­ : eate film called House of Numbers, shot in ting harder and harder to differentiate San Quentin. I hope many of the in­ between hillbilly music and what is “En mates we used as extras were narcotics played on the Hit .” pushers. I only hope that the constant .north public juxtaposition of narcotics and Hydrogen Bomb: “I think everybody iho c musicians will come to an end soon.” hopes that our children will have to fill or look that word up in books.” Mr. Magoo: “My favorite animated :.a C cartoons, in the drawings and in the Liederkranz Cheese: “Not neces­ amnu person of Jim Backus. I wish they’d sarily Liederkranz, but I could easily Sympl animate Peanuts.” live on cheese. There’s a restaurant in “He Paris where the meal consists of at ns ju Kurt Weill: “He was one of the few least 50 variations of cheese, the last would By Don Gold songwriters who were good musicians. self a He did all his own orchestrating. His one of which makes you a social out­ cast for a week. I dig it.” "1 i Andre Previn is one of the most suc­ typical 1920s works are more important so ma cessful individualists in the field of musically than his current vogue indi­ Pocket Watches: “I have a fond­ just Í ness for any kind of beautiful watch, American music. cates.” GA He is a composer - conductor for Gian-Carlo Menotti: “A very great which, unfortunately, never prevents plana M-G-M studios in Hollywood. He is a theatrical composer; based on the me from being late for appointments.” concert conductor and pianist. He is a things of his I’ve seen, I feel they must La Boheme: “I don’t think there’s recoil jazz composer-arranger-pianist. He is be appreciated visually as well as au- any argument about Puccini. He still feel i one of the most recorded jazz musicians dibly. He’s a great author and di- triumphs, head and shoulders, over his the p on the west coast. rector.” countless imitators.” job: Previn is equally at home in front of Kim Novak: ‘Great for silent close- John Graas: “With no personal of­ If no u orchestra or u jazz group. ups.” fense meant at all, I still feel that the “Tl He maintains a great love for music, Sports Cars: “I’m on my third French horn is an orchestral instru­ you’r from Beethoven to Bud Powell, and is ment, not a jazz solo instrument." play devoting his life to satisfying this love. Jaguar now but only because I like the .Previn was born in Berlin, Germany, way they look. I’m not interested in Walt Disney: “I don’t want to dis­ racing or badges.” “It in 1921. He came to America at the age cuss the intrinsic artistic value of his 'elep of 10. He studied music with his father, T. S. Eliot: “The Eliot of The work, but Disneyland is ■ complete gas does, who continues to teach, and with Jo­ Wasteland I thought quite marvelous. for adults. It’s every cliche in the tion. seph Achron and Mario Castelnuovo- The Eliot of The Cocktail Party I can world come true, in life size, and it’s the 1 Tedesco. When he was 16, he was work­ do without.” overwhelming, marvelous.” and ing as an arranger-pianist and playing Four-Poster Beds: “I like very American Federation of Musi­ it de jazz dates. large beds. The posters are optional.” cians: “I pay my dues.” Elin Shortly after he was graduated from Stan Freburg: “A terribly funny for i Vitamin Pills: “They don’t wake high school he began his Hollywood ca­ man. And a very necessary humor, in R< me up or put me to sleep, so I don’t reer, a career which has provided him terms of the current repulsive fads of he i take them.” with increased responsibility since. He .” first doubles in brass in the jazz world, his Irish Coffee: “I’ve never had it, but Emil Gilels: “I heard him in Eu­ play most recent contributions be:ng as a I think it shows a lack of decision.” rope not long ago and I decided on the trat part of Shelly Manne’s group. way home to become a plumber. He’ll TV Home Slide Shows: “The biggest Previn is intelligent without being scare you to death. He’s unbelievable.” But pompous. He is sincere without being bore this side of the Lawrence Welk in I offensive. The opinions he expresses in television show. Unless the slides are Mort Sahl: “One of the few gen­ Mte this Cross Section represent his spon­ of my children, of course.” uinely funny, important entertaining viti taneous reactions to a variety of topics. Last Night When We Were Young: humorists I’ve ever seen.”

12 Down Beat