Variations on Kerry Dancers

After Pearl Harbour, Leonard was drafted so while waiting to be called up he enrolled at USC to study composition with Ernest Toch. As a homework assignment, while only 17, he composed the Variations on Kerry Dancers. Toch's comment when he heard them was, "Very impressive but you are the only one who could play these.". Unfortunately the music score has been lost, so this home recording is the only trace we have of this composition.

Kerry Dancers Home Recording Before Cleaning

In 1942, when this home recording was made, people would home record by cutting a plastic disc. The white stuff you see, is mould or fungus which had been growing on the varnish while this home recording was sitting in the closet for over 50 years.

Kerry Dancers Home Recording After Cleaning

A special thank you to Peter Trill of Vancouver BC who cleaned up this disc, and then transferred the audio to CD. The sound quality, while not obviously of studio standard, was good enough that MSR and Leonard agreed to include it in the Early Years 4 CD set. Also on this home recording were two early versions of Midnight on the Ciffs.