The Donkey Serenade by Aspidistra

The Donkey Serenade by Rudolf Friml arranged by Adam Bakker
Performance by the Aspidistra Drawing Room Orchestra in lockdown
The song, whose melody enchanted post-war youth, was originally written as an instrumental in 1923. It was then used in the film The Firefly, based on a 1927 Broadway operetta, by Rudolf Friml and Otto A. Harbach. It tells the story of Nina Maria Azara, a beautiful and alluring singing spy for Spain during the Napoleonic Wars. Her mission is to seduce French Officers into revealing Napolean's intentions toward Spain.

[@karenwimhurst7515]

Fab...donkey's obviously riveted. What a great arrangement!

[@theaspidistradrawingroomor3980]

Thank you Karen

[@roxigregory]

So gifted!! Thank you for sharing your talents with us x

[@theaspidistradrawingroomor3980]

Thank you Roxi :-)

[@Crabbydon37]

Oops…Alan jones!

[@modestoalvarez603]

DESDE MEXICALI, PERO USTEDES SON BIEN CHINGONES, PERRONES, ES DECIR, DE LO MEJOR.

[@robertatwood7736]

Best version since the original Alan Jones!

[@theaspidistradrawingroomor3980]

Thank you Robert :-)

[@theaspidistradrawingroomor7146]

Wow what a compliment! Thanks so much Robert :-)

[@Crabbydon37]

Anyone remember James Melton?

[@redgey5163]

This is the best version i've heard of this piece. Fun fact: Hitler's favorite piece of music apparently.... 🤷🏻‍♂

[@theaspidistradrawingroomor7146]

Thanks so much 🙂

[@garethbaymills]

Bravi and thank you.

[@theaspidistradrawingroomor3980]

Thank you Gareth :-)

[@borf9717]

Thank you. This is one of my favorite songs. You captured it I the form I love.

[@theaspidistradrawingroomor7146]

Thanks so much

[@TimFatchen]

One of the few good things to come out fo all the lockdowns are the scattered examples of distanced ensembles like this. not just the joy of the technical skill (both musical and engineering) but the finger being given to the universe/politics and all the rest. This is lovely and I wish I'd seen it two years ago when I was also trapped--but with a keyboard to hand! (additional applause for the donkeys at the tail end too)

[@theaspidistradrawingroomor7146]

What a lovely comment! Thanks so much Tim :-)

[@raffarhythms8470]

Bravo !!!

[@theaspidistradrawingroomor3980]

Thank you so much :-)

[@modestoalvarez603]

DONKEY SERENADE IS A GREAT PIECE OF MUSIC. FROM 1937. THANKS FOR YOUR VIDEO.

[@theaspidistradrawingroomor7146]

Thank you so much Modesto.

[@Crabbydon37]

Really nice!

[@mickeymouse2able]

Pretty damn amazingly cute 👏👏👏👏

[@theaspidistradrawingroomor7146]

Thanks so much 🙂

[@alexwkmusic]

Amazing!

[@theaspidistradrawingroomor3980]

Thank you Alex :-)

[@AdamBakker-o6h]

Since the tragic death of Ana Arnold in 2021 in a road traffic accident we have been unable to post anything on this KZbin channel. Further Aspidistra videos can be seen on the channel we started since: www.youtube.com/@theaspidistradrawingroomor7146. On this new channel you will find a video of the concert we gave in memory of Ana: kzbin.info/www/bejne/ZqazioqEnMuFbac

[@davidmalone662]

Thank You from Dave Malone Altoona Pa

[@theaspidistradrawingroomor7146]

Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for listening :-)

[@leylilopezsan6510]

Fantastic!

[@theaspidistradrawingroomor3980]

Thank you so much :-)

[@fredmaney528]

Thank you so much. I thoroughly enjoyed that, and appreciate the time and effort.

[@theaspidistradrawingroomor3980]

So pleased Fred. Thank you for listening :-)

[@brittanylamprecht7194]

Thanks:)

[@theaspidistradrawingroomor3980]

A pleasure Brittany. Thank you for listening :-)

[@jacquiebockius1523]

Fun fun song. I visit it regularly after seeing the Alan Jones version on TCM. I can sing along as the musicians play.

[@theaspidistradrawingroomor3980]

That's wonderful to hear Jacquie. Thank you :-)

[@lisabscreativeworld9238]

I love that we live in a time that this technology is possible! Bravo!!!

[@theaspidistradrawingroomor7146]

Thankyou so much for this lovely comment Lisa :-)

[@josephalexandergemmell9979]

this is most charming! thanks for posting! saludos, joe!

[@theaspidistradrawingroomor3980]

Thank you so much Joseph 😃

[@josephalexandergemmell9979]

@@theaspidistradrawingroomor3980 you're so welcome! i knew this started out as a saion piece, it is so right of you to have brought it back. it also makes me very happy that people have not forgotten friml.

[@theaspidistradrawingroomor7146]

@@josephalexandergemmell9979 It makes us happy too. And so happy it's appreciated too. One of our favourite pieces to play. We now have a few versions of it from live concerts we've done together since lockdown - here's a link to us performing it in Lundy last Summer - kzbin.info/www/bejne/rqXIiqqrd9eFY7c - just an iphone recording but I liked it so much I decided to put it on the concerts channel anyway.