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Recordings at Lastthe Lebduska Mystery I n the summer ofI97I Yaltah Menuhin introduced us to Giveon Cornfield , owner ofOrion Records, and his wife, Marion. Giveon had collected my recordings for many years, and he asked, "What could you record for me?" For thirty years all the record companies to whom I had proposed the music ofWilliam Grant Still had insisted that Still's music would not sell, but Giveon was delighted. Still attended all the recording sessions and contributed helpful suggestions. We recorded his Suite for violin and piano, Pastorela, "Blues," Here's One, Ennanga (an African word for harp) for violin, piano, and harp, and Summerland and Danzas de Panama for string quartet. The French mezzo-soprano Claudine Carlson, a close friend, recorded Still's Songs ofSeparation. These recordings were issued on two LP records with the joint support of Dr. Robert Bartlett Haas and Mrs. Joan Palevsky. These two sponsors were also patrons of an anthology edited by Dr. Haas, William Grant Still and the Fusion ofCultures in American Music. Dr. Haas had asked us to introduce him to Still in order to propose this project, and Verna and Billy were willing and able collaborators. Annette and I contributed an essay about the violin works, and Black Sparrow Press published the book in I972. One early evening during I972, I received an unexpected telephone call from New York from Mrs. Elizabeth Fehr, who asked, ''Are you the Louis Kaufman who bought several Lebduska paintings in the I930S?" "Yes, I am." She continued, "I was a close friend of Lebduska during his last years and I promised him I would write a book about his life and art. He 352 Recordings at Last-the Lebduska Mystery 353 Lawrence Lebduska and his painting Circus Horses. spoke warmly ofyour generous help. Do you still have those paintings?" "Yes, although my wife and I gave four Lebduska paintings in 1964 to Reed College in Portland, Oregon, in memory ofmy father and mother." Mrs. Fehr said, "Paul Anbinder of Rockefeller Press is interested in publishing my Lebduska book. Would you please send me photographs of your Lebduskas?" I agreed and Mrs. Fehr gave me her address. After receiving my photos, she called again, enthusiastically stating, "Mr. Kaufman, your Lebduskas are the finest I've ever seen! A friend of mine, Mrs. Julia Weissman, thinks so also. She is here with me and wishes to speak with you." Mrs. Weissman explained, "I'm writing a book with Herbert Hemphill , an important collector of naive American art works and painters, to be published by Dutton. May I have permission to reproduce two of your Lebduskas in that book?" "Yes, indeed, which paintings have you 354 • A Fiddler's Tale selected?" "I've chosen A Collector [that was my portrait], and an Oriental scene, The Land ofPease." (Lebduska meant "peace.") Julia, a passionate devotee ofAmerican folk art, soon became a good friend. Her book with Herbert Hemphill, Twentieth Century American FolkArt andArtists, was published handsomely by Dutton in 1974 and the edition quickly sold out! Mrs. Fehr sent me a gift-a very handsome colored lithograph she had produced from a Lebduska floral painting. I heard from Sally Avery that Anbinder was interested in publishing an Avery book by Hilton Kramer for Rockefeller Press. His secretary wrote to me requesting photographs of several of our Avery paintings. Alas Anbinder then left the press and both the Avery and Lebduska book projects abruptly ended. Mrs. Fehr called again, proposing we try for a university exhibit of Lebduska's work with an illustrated catalogue and text byJulia Weissman, for she had prepared a resume of Lebduska's life and work. This would fulfill Mrs. Fehr's promised pledge to the late Lebduska. I discussed this with Dr. Robert Bartlett Haas at UCLA, who had helped us with the Korngold memorial concert. He thought UCLA might sponsor a Lebduska exhibit and that he might be able to find a sponsor to provide funds for a catalogue. Bob was to lecture in Stockton, California, and Mrs. Fehr was to speak to a therapy group in Santa Cruz, not too far away. They met in Santa Cruz. We were en route! Bob returned to Los Angeles and reported that Mrs. Fehr was a practitioner of primal scream therapy, based on the premise that birth is very painful to the newborn and causes later mental problems. Her cure advised patients to crawl on the floor and scream loudly. She had a group...

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