Hum along with ephemera

MUSIC IS EVOCATIVE OF 3 OF THE 5 SENSES; ears flapping, vocal cords activated, fingers strumming, toe tapping, clapping, watching the musical gifts of orchestra members on stage, reading the music and admiring at the lovely covers for sheet music.

Here is a selection. Hum along if you can.

Howzat was an album by the Australian band Sherbet released in 1976. It was number one on the charts for two weeks for 1976.

Women’s Weekly reports on 3 June 1959:

They love “My Fair Lady” in Mexico, Melbourne, and Moscow

“My Fair Lady” the record-smashing musical, goes on from success to success. It’s already been playing to capacity audiences in America, Britain, Sweden,Mexico, and Australia. And now it’s heading for Moscow following an invitation from the Russian Government.

Moves for the Russian staging began during the recent visit to America of Nikolai Danilov, the Soviet Deputy Minister of Culture. Asked by a reporter whether Russians would understand it, Mr. Danilov countered: “Do you think we are peasants?” He said he was sure Russian audiences would not object to the theme of “My Fair Lady,” even though it deals with the allegedly “decadent” upper classes of England….

Meanwhile in Melbourne!

“My Fair Lady” is the toast, talk, and triumph of the town.

Bookings pour in from New Zealand and all parts of Aus tralia. Special trains are being run from New South Wales transporting 132 passengers at a time to see it

The first trip was booked out in ten minutes.

Three more trips have been arranged, which include ‘best seat’ tickets for the show. Special buses come from Victorian country towns and from Adelaide, and special planes from Tasmania. Never before has any show in Australia warranted such services.

The Australian Professor Higgins illustrated looks very like the film’s Professor Higgins, Rex Harrison.

The Australian singer, Jill Perryman became a female lead in the key Australian production of ‘Funny Girl’, for which she won an Erik Award for Best Actress and led to major roles in other productions including ‘I Do! I Do!’ in 1969.

Here is another very singable tune; the original song was written by James Whitcomb Riley. The image is striking.

More sheet music shortly.