“Danny Kaye Leads the Orchestra”
The Age – Mar. 12, 1958
NEW YORK, March 11 (A.A.P.) – Danny Kaye bestrode the podium at Carnegie Hall last night and the New York Philharmonic Orchestra is still recovering from the shock.
The first half of the programme, before a capacity audience, had been conducted by Dimitri Mitropoulos, and featured music of Weber, Strauss and Falla.
Kaye took over the second half, making his entrance with a dozen batons under his arm.
The concert was to aid a pension fund.
Kaye shook hands with the concert master and assistance concert master; worked his way through the orchestra, shaking hands with musicians, and then came to the female harpists.
They each received a tender kiss.
In winding up for his first downbeat, Kaye lost one of his batons, which flew into the audience.
Techniques
From then on the comedian conducted, aimed a crossfire of comment at the players, and threw back incidental remarks to the audience.
He demonstrated what he described as the following techniques of conducting:
The grinding-
Kaye then put a chair on the podium, sat down in it and gave a heart-
“I don’t know about you people out there, and I couldn’t care less. But I’m having the greatest time of my life.”