Showtime

What: HPO Pops tribute to Arthur Fiedler

When: Saturday, March 1, 7:30 p.m.

Where: Hamilton Place

Cost: $36, $49, $59, senior $32, $45, $54, student $10, high school or younger $5

Call: 905-526-7756

You've got John Williams. Erich Kunzel. Keith Lockhart. But no name has been so synonymous with orchestral pops music than that of Arthur Fiedler.

Fiedler's reputation was primarily forged during a 49-year period beginning in 1930 as the conductor of the Boston Pops Orchestra. With his penchant for musical showmanship and business, he turned light classics into gold. At his death in 1979, the New York Times reported that he had sold upward of 50 million recordings.

Fiedler guest conducted the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra on a number of occasions. The first occurred on April 1, 1972, in McMaster University's Gymnasium where tickets cost $1.25. Other appearances followed in 1975.

With his mane of white hair and thick moustache, Fiedler's public persona was that of the archetypal grandfather. But what was Fiedler really like as a conductor?

According to Jean-Norman Iadeluca, one of a handful of current HPO musicians to have played under Fiedler, "he always wanted to show you that he was in control."

But sometimes that approach backfired. Like the time Fiedler didn't like the sound of the snare drum at an HPO rehearsal. In an effort to please the maestro, the drummer tried another snare drum, but to no avail. Another percussionist then fetched another snare drum from his vehicle. Still not the sound Fiedler wanted.

"Maestro, I know exactly what you want. I'll bring it to rehearsal tomorrow," said Iadeluca to Fiedler. The next day, Iadeluca made a point of asking Fiedler about the snare drum. Fiedler had forgotten all about it, but had the drummer play the "new" snare.

The drummer, who had earlier been instructed by Iadeluca to play a loud, vigorous military-like rhythm on the snare, hit the mark with Fiedler.

"That's it. When I come here I want that drum," exclaimed Fielder, who was totally unaware that it was the first drum he'd turned down the day before.

"We used to joke -- two dynamics: loud and louder. He liked it loud and it had to be kind of showy," said Iadeluca of Fiedler. "He was not like a Zubin Mehta or a real classical music conductor. He was good at communicating what he wanted, but there wasn't too much finesse."

There was one thing, however, in Fiedler's favour.

"You knew when he was here it was going to be very entertaining. And you'd sell out the place," added Iadeluca.

Next Saturday, the HPO presents a Fiedler tribute.

Thankfully, there won't be any discombobulated discofied classics. But the concert will follow Fiedler's traditional and entertaining programming manner. In the first half, there'll be classics such as the Polonaise from Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin, Saint-Saens's Havanaise featuring the HPO's new principal second violinist, Bethany Bergman, as well as items by Rossini, and Johann Strauss Sr. and Jr.

The second half, of lighter fare, will include Leroy Anderson's The Typewriter, and Bugler's Holiday, a Sousa march, plus selections from My Fair Lady.

Hamilton-based conductor Daniel Swift will be on the podium.

Leonard Turnevicius writes on classical music for The Spectator.

leonardturnevicius@hotmail.com