[log in to unmask] writes:

>1. Is this the same Allan Jones?
>2. Does he remember Donkey Serenade?

Oddly enough, I recall the work quite well.  As a child, I listened
repeatedly to a 78 from my parents' collection of Alan Jones in the Donkey
Serenade.  And surprisingly, it's not really a bad piece of music.  Oh,
it's cliched-- the donkey clopping along, the so-called "Spanish rhythms"
at one point-- but the basic melody is well-constructed, and the whole
thing gives any lyric tenor a nice chance to show off attractive tone and
good breath support.  Many fine tenors, such as the superlative Schipa,
recorded stuff (like Bixio) which was a lot worse.

Incidentally, Jones was also in the Marx Bros' A Night at the Opera,
playing the male sex symbol.

Barry Brenesal