Newsletter VOLUME 40, NUMBER 6 Formerly New York Sheet Music Society www.APSSinc.org MARCH 2019 Shana Farr: Living Inside a Song - An Appreciation of Barbara Cook By Jerry Osterberg appearing in a-number-of with her debut at the Laurie others not as well known, Some years before I saw Gilbert & Sullivan Beechman with Pure with informed narration and Shana Farr’s celebrated productions, essentially Imagination, Shana Farr has insight. Interestingly, Cook tribute to Julie Andrews at the extending an impressive been a welcome presence, and Farr had both appeared in Metropolitan Room, a resume of operetta and staging other productions some of the same musicals, program she later reprised at s among them The Yeoman of g n the New York Sheet Music i the Guard, The Music Man, l l i Society, as we were then B and Oklahoma. Before e known, I heard her perform at s o Barbara Cook became widely R a concert staged by the y known for The Music Man b Village Light Opera o t (“Goodnight, My Someone” o Company. Although I wasn’t h P and “Till There Was You”), a passionate fan of Gilbert & she starred in Plain and Sullivan, I attended their Fancy (“This is All Very New programs from time to time. to Me”) and Candide VLOG’s practice was to (“Glitter and Be Gay”). alternate G & S with Besides two additional plays Broadway musicals including she opened, The Gay Life (“I concert versions. One of Wouldn’t Marry You”) and these was a revue focusing on She Loves Me (“Ice Cream”), songs which had emerged Cook appeared in revivals of from theater productions to Oklahoma (“I Can’t Say stand on their own, becoming No!”), Carousel (“If I Loved the building blocks of the Shana Farr You” and “You’re a Queer Great American Songbook. One, Julie Jordan”), The King Having been introduced musicals, including The such as Whistling Away the and I (“Hello Young to the magnificence of John Student Prince, The Yeoman Dark: The Songs of Julie Lovers”), and Showboat McGlinn’s lovingly recreated of the Guard, Princess Ida, Andrews, In the Still of the (“Make Believe” and “Can’t musicals twenty years earlier, The Music Night, which Help Loving That Man”). I came to adore the music of Man, won a Bistro After a decade long Jerome Kern. On the day of Oklahoma, Award in 2015, absence, Barbara Cook the VLOG event, the The Merry the inspired returned to singing, program included “All the Widow, and Love Poetic, beginning a thirty-year Things You Are,” featured in The Pirates of and currently, collaboration with Wally Kern’s Very Warm for May, to Penzance. It’s Not Where Harper. As her arranger and become one of the best loved Given her You Start: The musical director, he songs of all time. To my great extraordinary Songbook of encouraged her transition to joy, the VLOG orchestration voice, range, Barbara Cook. the concert stage, starting incorporated Oscar and Supported with a debut at Carnegie Hall Barbara Cook Hammerstein’s extended performing by the superb in 1975. She was a verse, as had McGlinn’s, skills, it was inevitable that accompaniment of Mark consummate concert providing Shana Farr the Shana would come around to Janas, Shana’s well- performer from then on, perfect opportunity to shine. Barbara Cook. conceived structure wove traveling the world with Shana was a member of During her ten year long many of Barbara Cook’s Harper until his death in the Village Light Opera, career in cabaret, beginning best-known triumphs and Continued on page 3 PAGE 2 AMERICAN POPULAR SONG SOCIETY MARCH, 2019 President’s Message... American Popular Linda Amiel Burns, President Song Society Hi Gang, President: Linda Amiel Burns Greetings from sunny Mexico! I am writing this message from Vice Presidents: Joan Adams Puerto Vallarta, where I went to escape the cold winter for a few weeks. I am looking Sandi Durell forward to the March meeting with Ron Fassler, which Board Member Sandi Durell Treasurer & Membership: is producing. As a matter of fact, I have just spent some wonderful time with Sandi Glen Charlow and friends in “Paradise,” and will be back in the city in a few days after my R&R! Secretary: You will be able to say you saw her at APSS when she was Marilyn Lester just starting her career! We expect great things from the talented singer Hannah Jane Peterson, who was our February meeting’s Board Of Directors: Elliott Ames opening act. It is thrilling to be able to introduce young Bill Boggs discoveries to our membership: gifted performers who love the Glen Charlow Sandi Durell great songs of the past who will help to keep good music alive Will Friedwald and growing! Michael Lavine Marilyn Lester Hannah Jane Peterson I cannot thank the beautiful Shana Farr enough for her Sandy Marrone sensational tribute to Barbara Cook. It was a joy to see her Jerry Osterberg Andrew Poretz remarkable performance last month, and to hear the incredible comments we Judy Stewart received. With the brilliant Mark Janas at the piano, and Shana’s lovely vocals, we Tom Toce shared an unforgettable afternoon. We were all moved by the show, learned so much Membership Mailing Address: about Ms. Cook’s artistry, and are truly grateful that these gifted performers shared American Popular Song Society their talents with us. You can read all about our wonderful February Program in this P.O. Box 5856 issue, and see some terrific photos by Rose Billing. Many thanks also to Maryann Pikesville, MD 21282 Lopinto who expertly videotapes our one-of-a-kind presentations for the APSS [email protected] (212) 315-3500 (Linda A. Burns) archives. Please remember to check the Newsletter & the Website and make note of the N E W S L E T T E R change in this season’s dates, as the April and June meetings will be held the THIRD Editor/Publisher: Jerry Osterberg [email protected] Saturday of the month, and not the second, as usual. Local 802 has special events Contributing Editor: Marilyn Lester [email protected] booked for their s g Associate Editor: Joan Adams n i membership, and we are l l [email protected] i B glad we were able to Graphic Designer: Glen Charlow e s [email protected] arrange the change with o R or y b [email protected] them. o t I am eager to see you o h all at the March 9th P meeting, and am hopeful that by that time, Spring will be just around the corner! Best wishes, Linda Glen Charlow with Shana Farr MEETING LOCATION: Local 802 – Musicians’ Hall 322 West 48th Street. Program: 1:45 – 3:30PM. Come early to look thru Sheet Music & CD’s & stuff, all FREE. MARCH, 2019 AMERICAN POPULAR SONG SOCIETY PAGE 3 Shana Farr.... that the younger singer gets it. music,” a sentiment quite There’s also her recent album She appears to have a kinship evident during her program for Out of the Shadows, which Continued from page 1 with the senior performer the members of the American features the songs of Johnny 2004. Cook appeared with the which belies her years. While Popular Song Society on Mercer, Henry Mancini, New York Philharmonic in the Shana had great fun with “I February 9. For those who Anthony Newley, Frank concert version of Stephen Can’t Say No!” and “Ice couldn’t attend the meeting, Wildhorn, Noel Coward, and Sondheim’s Follies in 1985, Cream,” she captured the you can hope that she’ll bring Irving Berlin. inhabiting the devastating gentle tenderness in back the show. And, if anyone torch song “Losing My “Goodnight, My Someone” needs a demonstration of her Mind,” opening an emotional and “If I Loved You” and full- acting skills, Love Poetic, connection to Sondheim’s throated emotion of “Not a containing both music and music that was evident for the Day Goes By,” “Losing My dialog, fits the bill perfectly. remainder of her s g n career. Indeed, it’s i l l i difficult to imagine B e s such songs as “Send o R in the Clowns” and y b “Not a Day Goes By” s o t o without the passion of h Barbara Cook’s P voice. Jon Weber, who’s accompanied Shana Farr for many years, once asked rhetorically, referring to Shana “How does she do it? Where does that Mind,” and especially “Hello Every word and lyric of the voice come from?” Jon may as Young Lovers,” underlying its successful production came well have been talking of heart-breaking elements. from the songs of Noel Barbara Cook. Cook may or A few years ago, Coward and Cole Porter, along may not have been a role Shana Farr remarked “I love to with much hard work by Mark Janas model for Farr, but it’s clear share my love and passion for Shana in making it seamless. Opening for APSS on Hannah Jane Peterson: February 9, and supported You’re Gonna Hear from Me beautifully by Mark Janas, she made another striking debut By Jerry Osterberg much to the delight of the Hanna Jane Peterson may only be seventeen, but she is audience. The latest of our clearly an “old soul” in her choice of material and role models, young hopefuls, Hannah notably Rosemary Clooney, Ethel Merman, and Judy Garland. impressed with both her songs Had she been around in the glory days of Broadway musicals, and vocal ability.