A journey through the music of our lives

Seniors at Hildreth House listen to vocalist Mary Crowe and Evelyn Harris on the keyboard performing songs from the 1920s and 30s. (Photo by Lisa Aciukewicz)

Musicians Mary Crowe and Evelyn Harris performed songs from the 1920s and early 1930s at Hildreth House on May 11. The program was the first in a series of three sponsored by a joint grant from the Harvard Cultural Council to Indian Hill and the Harvard Council on Aging. The next two sessions will be on Tuesday, May 25, and Tuesday, June 8, from 1 to 2:30 p.m., and will feature songs from the 1930s to early ’40s on the first date and from the’40s to the early 1950s in the last program of the series.

Crowe, a vocalist, and Harris, who plays the keyboard, are both on the faculty at Indian Hill Music School in Littleton. Both women were classically trained, and about a year ago they decided to “reinvent” themselves. They have always loved jazz, blues, and musical theater, and this is the repertoire they chose when they “plunged in” and went “where fools go.” Their success has been marked by the release of a CD and a lineup of gigs for the next several months. Crowe says that they are adapting as they go and having a wonderful time with this new venture.

For this series at the Hildreth House, Crowe and Harris wanted to play music that people remembered from different stages in their lives. Judging from the audience response, they were successful at that in their first program. As Nancy Reifenstein remarked, “There was only one song I hadn’t heard before.”

For each song Crowe gave a date, an artist, and a brief historical context, suggesting that she is not only a wonderful vocalist but a historian, as well. She noted that Ellington’s rendering of “Mood Indigo” in 1931 was the first performance with a microphone; “Can’t Help Lovin’ That Man of Mine” from Showboat was the first to raise the issue of race.

COA Director Ginger Quarles had included as part of the grant the opportunity for people to reminisce about the music, to share stories that they associated with the songs they heard. Quarles, along with COA board member Fran Nickerson, facilitated a conversation after the performance. Blanche Foss and others remarked that they knew these songs not from their original presentations but from the reprisals they have had over the years. Commenting that the songs all tell a story, the group felt that this music unites generations, rather than appealing to a rebellious youth. Arline Marteney recalled dancing to these tunes in college, songs like Cole Porter’s “Just One of Those Things” and Gershwin’s “Someone to Watch over Me.”

Buddy Schmidt, whose parents brought her up listening to opera, shared historical information on some of the songs.

Voicing their dismay at some of today’s popular music, the group expressed the hope that this music from the 1920s and 1930s will always be available.

All seniors are welcome to attend one or both of the upcoming programs.