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Price: $275.00 |
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NEAR MINT CONDITION |
VLADIMIR DUKELSKY - COMPOSER |
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Phone: 212-860-5541 * Fax: 917-677-8247
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Scarce, one page typed letter signed by the Russian born American composer, signed with his pen name, Vernon Duke, 6 March, 1950. Duke writes to the powerful head of Chappell & Co. Inc. music publisher, Max Dreyfus, offering his current curriculum vitae. (not included) Dreyfus has written, Dr. Sirmay, who handled Dukelsky for Chappell. (The Hungarian-American operetta composer Albert Sirmay.)
139 East 35th Street New York 16, N.Y March 6, 1950 Mr. Max Dreyfus ASCAP30 Rockefeller Plaza New York, 20 NY Dear Mr. Dreyfus: I would like to bring the enclosed to your attention. It will give you a concise idea of my material and performances during the past season. Yours faithfully, Vernon Duke Duke born on a train to Pskov in 1903, was a pupil of Gliere and Dubrovsky at the Kiev Conservatory. He escaped Russia in 1920, heading for Turkey and then the U.S. He moved to Paris and London and then settled permanently in the U.S, in 1929. He was the youngest composer to be commissioned by Serge Diaghilev for the Ballets Russe, his work, “Zéphyr et Flore” staged in 1925 was a major success which enabled him to meet Serge Kossevitzky, who became his benefactor. While he wrote a significant library of serious works, including 3 symphonies, a violin concerto, a cello concerto and a variety of choral and chamber works, it was popular song and Broadway scores which gave him the greatest fame……”April in Paris,” “Taking a Chance on Love,” “I can’t Get Started” and “What is There To Say” are among his most beloved hits. He wrote scores for, “Walk a Little Faster,” “Ziegfield Follies of 1934,” “Thumbs Up,” “Ziegfield Follies of 1936,” “Cabin in the Sky,” “Banjo Eyes,” “The Lady Comes Across,” “Jackpot,” “Sadie Thompson,” “Two’s Company,” “The Littlest Review” and “Zenda.” His film scores include, “The Angry God,” “Tars and Spars,” “Battle Stations,” “Cabin in the Sky,” “Night Angel,” “Tarnished Lady,” “Honor Among Lovers” “Heads Up” and “The Sap from Syracuse.” Dukelsky changed his name for popular compositions at the suggestion of George Gershwin. Interestingly, Dukelsky writes to Dreyfus at ASCAP, where he was a 50 year board member and not to his Chappell address. |