Playing Favorites 8/6/22

 

I seem to have fallen into the habit of posting Playing Favorites on Saturday the tagging it a Friday Favorite. At first it was write a draft on Friday, then revise and post it on Saturday. Well, this post is written, revised and posted on Saturday, so I suppose I can’t tag it as a Friday Favorite. For the sake of honesty, I’ve dispensed with the Friday tag in favor of calling it simply Playing Favorites. This is a four-layer favorite, a beautiful song, written and performed by my favorite pianist for one of my favorite movies, which happens to have the most beautiful opening titles of any film I can remember. Add performances by Katharine Hepburn by Henry Fonda and you have a four-layer favorite with frosting. If you have not seen On Golden Pond you owe it to yourself to track it down. Yes, its old (1981) and a little dated, but if you are reading Bud’s blog, you are used to that. Henry Fonda is the perfect curmudgeon and Katherine Hepburn the ever-optimistic wife taking care of him as he slows down. The cinematography is, including the opening title, is done by Billy Williams.

The music score, including the Title music of the same name, was written and performed by Dave Grusin, perhaps my favorite pianist. If you’re not a jazz fan, you’ve most likely heard his music via soundtracks that he’s composed for films like The Firm, The Graduate, On Golden Pond and Tootsie or perhaps via the themes he composed for the TV shows like St. Elsewhere.  In addition to an Academy award, he’s won 12 Grammys as a composer and as an arranger has worked with many names you’d know instantly: Billy Joel, James Taylor and Quincy Jones.  For the last twelve years, he’s concentrated on jazz and classical compositions and performing with other iconic artists like guitarist Lee Ritenoir. I consider him the most elegant of pianists and that shows best when he plays his more contemplative compositions.  This is his performance of On Golden Pond a from the titles of the film. Stunningly beautiful.

Enjoy.

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