I've always found it just a bit surprising how many people are familiar with this old record.
What's not surprising is how many of them have such clear and fond memories of it.
I guess the first time I heard it I was expecting something more tropical and less sober, but was soon charmed by its sweetness.
As musical director of what had started as an infantry glee club in WWII, Leonard de Paur (1914-1998) became a driving force not only in male choral music, but also in the Folk Music revival.
Among his many other achievements following his work with the chorus, de Paur would go on to a career in television as a musical arranger and conductor, and as the director of community relations for New York's Lincoln Center.
See also:
- A very impressive list of de Paur's credits appear in his New York Times obituary.
- A Leonard de Paur bio page at the Columbia College Chicago website, which also yields a page for members of The De Paur Infantry Chorus.
- Leonard de Paur listed at the Internet Broadway Database.
- 'Beware of Pretty Chords' - A TIME Magazine article on de Paur's Infantry Chorus.
- A helpful illustrated history of Calypso music in its various incarnations can be found at
'Calypso: A World Music' - - An online exhibition from The Historical Museum of Southern Florida. There is mention of the de Paur Chorus in an interesting section on the 'Calypso Craze' in America.
From the 'Calypso Christmas' LP
(Columbia Records, 1956),
Listen to The de Paur Chorus -
Leonard de Paur, Conductor:
Christmas in de Tropics
De Virgin Mary Had a Baby Boy
Sweet Little Jesus Boy
Mary Had a Baby
La Virgen Lava Panales
Christmas Present for Sallie
Mary's Little Boy Chile
Oh, Poor Little Jesus
Roun' de Glory Manger
Mary, Mary, Where Is Your Baby
What You Gonna Call Yo' Pretty Little Baby?
Ring de Christmas Bells
(click for audio)
- - OR download all 12 tracks in one 28.6 Mb zipfile.
I've always found it just a bit surprising how many people are familiar with this old record.
