Songwriter Irving Berlin—”Easter Parade”

None of the people in the Jewish community of Tyumen, on the border of Russia and Kazachstan, watching how little Israel Isidore Beilin looked up with admiration to his cantor father, could have imagined that little Izzy would come to write both of America's two classic seasonal anthems: "White Christmas" and "Easter Parade."

This version of "Easter Parade" was recorded by the Roy Eldridge Quartet for Vogue in Paris, France, on June 14, 1950, with Roy Eldridge-trumpet, Gerry Wiggins-piano, Pierre Michelot-bass and Kenny Clark-drums.

People parading in their newest clothes during Easter dates back to the 4th century, when the Roman Emperor Constantine ordered his subjects to dress in their new Spring clothes and parade in honor of Christ's resurrection. The idea was to be baptized at Easter and wear the new white robes for the next eight days.

Eventually it became a European custom to present new clothes at Easter and this tradition followed the immigrants to America, where New Yorkers began parading in their finest Easter clothing since the 1870s. Sooner or later someone had to write a pretty song about that. And that someone would be Izzy.

"Easter Parade" was originally written by Izzy in 1917 as a song about a woman whose man had gone off to the First World War, and it was called "Smile And Show Your Dimple."

When Izzy needed a song for the 1933 stage show "A Thousand Cheers" he used the same melody, rewrote the lyrics and called the tune "Easter Parade."

Forty years before, in 1893, Izzy and his family had been driven from their hometown by an anti-Jewish pogrom by the Cossacks.

After a long and tiring journey the whole family of ten arrived in New York, where they settled, and, after having worked in several other jobs, Izzy began to write songs.

When the music sheet of his first published song was printed, the printer had misspelled Izzy Beilin's name as I. Berlin.

And that's how young Izzy became known to the world, as Irving Berlin (1888-1989).

Irving Berlin, writer of some 1500 successful songs, said he never learned to play on any key but F sharp. Izzy's style of working was to leave it to arrangers to write the harmony and to transcribe his melodies.

"I really don't read music," he explained. "I can pick out the melody of a song with one finger, but I can't read the harmony."

Berlin worked on a specially built piano, that had a hand clutch to change keys, and which is now in the Smithsonian Institute, almost a century after he recomposed "Easter Parade" on it.

Enjoy the music with every good wish for a pleasant Easter.