Why there’s a sudden interest in Henry Mancini ?

 

Italian/American composer Henry Mancini would have been a hundred years old last April 16. He was born in Ohio to a family of Italian immigrants on April 16, 1924. He died on June 14, 1994 from pancreatic cancer. Mancini grew up to become a conductor, arranger, flutist, pianist, concert performer and one of the greatest composers in the history of film music. Moon River, Days of Wine and Roses, Music from Peter Gunn, theme from ‘The Pink Panther,’ Once is Not Enough, Charade and so many others. No wonder a lot of people want to celebrate him. I do, too. STAR / File

SOUNDS FAMILIAR - Baby A. Gil - The Philippine Star 

July 6, 2024 | 12:00am

I initially found it strange that items about the Italian/American composer Henry Mancini were suddenly popping up online these past weeks when I thought there was no reason for them to do so. I love Mr. Mancini’s music very much but he had already passed away so what could be newsworthy about him?

It turned out that I was so wrong. The reason why media had developed a sudden interest in Mr. Mancini was because he would have been a hundred years old last April 16. He was born in Ohio to a family of Italian immigrants on April 16, 1924. He died on June 14, 1994 from pancreatic cancer. So that was why there was this concert at the Hollywood Bowl, a new tribute album and Michael Bublé is singing Moon River.

Mancini grew up to become a conductor, arranger, flutist, pianist, concert performer and one of the greatest composers in the history of film music. Moon River, Days of Wine and Roses, Music from Peter Gunn, theme from “The Pink Panther,” Once is Not Enough, Charade and so many others. No wonder a lot of people want to celebrate him. I do, too.

Mancini created pretty melodies. His works were nothing earthshaking but they were classy and made being lazy and listless, not only acceptable but utterly chic. What sort of image do you get when you hear Charade? Dinner on a boat sailing the River Seine. What about Speak Softly Love? I say fields and fields of sunflowers. What tune would you like playing in your head while walking the sidewalks of Manhattan? Once is Not Enough. And when you get to your destination at Tiffany’s? Of course, Moon River plays in your soundtrack.

There are more as I rediscovered while going over his bio for this piece. No wonder there was this pretty little tune The Sweetheart Tree at the end of “The Great Race.” It was by Mancini. Is there anything cuter than the Baby Elephant Walk from “Hatari.” He did the music for the most binged series of the ‘70s era “The Thornbirds.”  He worked on the music of “Me Natalie” with Rod McKuen, plus Moment to Moment, Dear Heart and who can dismiss one of my all-time favorites, the music of “Two for the Road” and its meaningful theme song.

Mancini also excelled as an arranger. His work on A Time for Us, the Nino Rota tune from “Romeo and Juliet” and Love Story by Francis Lai made the hit charts. He is credited with the clever use of Ravel’s Bolero in “10.” Remember Bo Derek and her corn rows rising out of the sea? And many more. Suffice to say, back in those days, the ‘70s and ‘80s eras, Mancini was the go-to guy if you wanted a movie score that was sentimental, sexy, trendy and which would become a hit.

Mancini recorded 90 albums during his lifetime. He was nominated 72 times at the Grammy Awards. He won 20 of them including Album of the Year for “The Music from Peter Gunn” in 1958, Best Instrumental Arrangement for A Time for Us, the love theme from “Romeo and Juliet” in 1969, then Record of the Year and Song of the Year for Moon River from “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” in 1961. He was nominated 18 times at the Academy Awards and won four times including Best Original Song for Moon River in 1961 and another Best Original Song again a year later for “Days of Wine and Roses.”

An interesting tribute album titled Henry Mancini, the 100th Sessions is set to drop soon. It is made up of new recordings of Mancini’s songs including Peter Gunn by Quincy Jones, John Williams, Herbie Hancock and Arturo Sandoval, the Moon River by Bublé and the theme from “The Pink Panther” by Lizzo and flutist James Galway, plus others.

Preparedness and collective action are keys to disaster resilience

BY MANILA BULLETIN

Jul 7, 2024 00:03 AM

  

---

 

The impact of climate change has become more evident. Heat waves a few months ago affected routine, canceling classes in school, prohibiting outdoor activities, and adjusting the way people went along with their daily schedules. When the rains came, the waters flooded streets and destroyed crops, causing billions of pesos in damage, threatening food security, and claiming many lives. 

We are familiar with the scenarios that climate change has brought on. After emerging from a long dry spell of El Niño, we are preparing for the La Nina weather phenomenon. The reality of climate change should by now create a deeper awareness on the importance of resilience, or our ability to recover quickly from disaster.

That is the focus of the Climate Change Commission’s (CCC) campaign on the role of climate resilience in safeguarding the Philippines from the escalating impacts of climate change. Its observance of National Disaster Resilience Month is focused on the theme “Bantayog ng Katatagan at ang Pagbubuklod sa Layuning Kahandaan” (Pillar of resilience and uniting for preparedness). Programs emphasize the necessity of proactive measures to enhance the country’s ability to withstand and recover from climate-related disasters.

Preparedness is the key to resilience and this requires that individuals stay informed of what’s happening around them, especially on community programs that have been designed for dealing with climate change. Being connected to one’s community can start with volunteer work. Use this day to find out where you fit in your barangay’s disaster preparedness programs.

“Solidarity and collective action are fundamental to climate resilience. Building strong connections with neighbors and community organizations, participating in local volunteer efforts focused on climate-related disaster response and recovery, and spreading awareness about climate resilience through schools, workplaces, and social networks are also important,” the CCC said. 

The agency’s programs also include calls to support climate-resilient infrastructure improvement and the adoption of sustainable practices, including recycling, energy conservation, and sustainable transportation. Any effort to lessen one’s footprint on this planet – such as reducing waste – can contribute to sustainable practices.  Start with avoiding the use of single-use plastic bags and containers, a situation which confront each of us daily.
The crucial role that local government units (LGUs) will play in the implementation of national climate change mitigation and adaptation plans has been highlighted by the CCC during the recent Eastern Visayas Summit on Climate-Resilient Development. Among the programs discussed were the National Framework Strategy on Climate Change, National Climate Change Action Plan, and the National Climate Risks Management Framework.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is preparing for a significant initiative next year with its new community-led climate adaptation project under the Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (KALAHI-CIDSS).

Now on its initial planning stage, the program is designed to tackle the dual challenges of poverty and climate change in vulnerable areas, particularly those prone to severe climatic hazards and home to indigenous populations.

Already, the DSWD has reported that the KALAHI-CIDSS has achieved “significant milestones, enhancing community resilience by constructing 1,250 community centers, multi-purpose buildings, and evacuation centers, providing safe havens during disasters.” It has also provided 928 units of disaster and pandemic response equipment, and built 3,566 quarantine facilities, re-purposed to manage public health emergencies during disasters.

The government programs to build disaster resilient communities need the support of individuals and families who make up the barangays.  Start with a disaster preparedness plan in your household.