Wednesday, December 11, 2013

1979 Blue Show #9

Posted by Buckles at 12/11/2013 05:42:00 AM

6 comments:

Chic Silber said...


Of my favorite segments with the

thundering herd & Charlie waiting

to bring up the rear for this

magnificent finish display WOW

These photos give me a chill

A very special time for us all

11 December, 2013 08:45
Chic Silber said...


How old was Charlie in 79

11 December, 2013 09:15
Eric said...

It was the BEST elephant act I ever saw! And Bill Pruyn's music score for it was the BEST ELEPHANT ACT MUSIC I ever heard (or played.)

11 December, 2013 12:07
Jeff Darnell said...

Eric,
Is there a recording? I hear it in my mind…. would love to listen again!
JD

11 December, 2013 12:34
Eric said...

Jeff,

When “Buckles Kaleidoscope” was still up and running, it used to have a video clip of the “Exotic Eastern Adventure” elephant act (along with its music) taken from the 1978 TV Special.

The fanfares and much of the music were taken from the Broadway musical “Kismet,” which, in turn, had been adapted from the music of Borodin.

Following the ringing of a gong and a fanfare from "Kismet," the exotic mood was immediately established by an excerpt from “In the Steppes of Central Asia” (called “Sands of Time” in “Kismet.”) When the elephants made their entrance, it was to some of the energetic dance music from “Kismet.” This was followed by the “Bacchanal” from Saint-Saens’ opera “Samson et Delilah.” Next came the “Wedding Procession” from Rimsky-Korsakov’s opera “Le Coq d’Or.” Other selections that I’ve been able to identify are “The Girlfriend of the Whirling Dervish,” “Orientale” (Cui), Borodin’s “Serenade” (called “Night of My Nights” in “Kismet”), “Procession of the Sardar,” “War March of the Tartars” (Karl King), and a fragment from “Scheherazade.” The high-energy “Kismet” dance music was reprised when the elephants made a fast exit from the arena. Again, it was the BEST elephant act music I ever heard.

11 December, 2013 19:55
Jeff Darnell said...

Thanks Eric! I'll have fun searching iTunes for these!

12 December, 2013 10:09

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