The Things We Learn

Because of the somewhat convincing urgings of a contemporary, I've lately been using libraries again. Basically the use has been of the reference sources, but use them I have been. I've even become a "Friend of NYPL." I attained this status by contributing $40. There are a few perks, and the money sent to them is far better than sending it to Channel Thirteen, a group of people I've been able not to send money to for nearly 40 years now.

Growing up we had a two family house, and rented the upstairs apartment. Fifty percent of the time this worked out well when my father selected good people. When he didn't, it was hell.

There was one particular "good" family that became our extended family. And I guess we became theirs. Their son was only a little older than I and we played well together. We didn't go to the same school, since George went to Catholic school and actually learned Latin. I was luckier.

George's paternal grandfather lived with them. I don't know what he retired from, but it was always believed by us that he had been a musician. A concert pianist. In their upstairs apartment their living room was taken over by a grand piano. They used the dining room as their living room. How someone ever got that piano up those stairs and into that living room is still a mystery to me. I was too little when they moved in, and not home when they moved out, so I never saw the piano movers. I wish there was video of that one.

I remember hearing the grandfather, also named George, play the piano. "Finger exercises," my mother said. There was always tons of sheet music all over the place. Despite my later learning to play the accordion and read simple music, I could never understand how someone could look at those notes and turn them into pleasant sound. I still don't.

Their last name was Trampler. So, when I would see the name Walter Trampler associated with classical music I always thought there was a family connection. It's not that common a name. But there was never anyone left to ask.

So I finally explored the world of library databases and found there was a book, not yet digitized, that listed the classical musicians of the 20th century. Baker's Biographical Dictionary. Surely I'd hit pay dirt.

A trip to the NYPL at Lincoln Center, the only library that had this book, was finally made the other day. They've nearly finished re-doing the plaza area, but the place to me never looks good. The opening scenes for the movie 'West Side Story' were shot on the cleared site before construction of the complex took place. That's the last time I thought the place looked good.

Anyway, Trampler was found. But only Walter, the famous violist. No George. No other Tramplers either. I did notice an entry nearby for 'Tony Orlando and Dawn.' How, or why this qualified for a classical directory is beyond me, but there it was.

I learned last year that Tony Orlando was of Greek heritage. This explained why he was a mucky-muck in last year's Greek Independence Day parade. A co-worker knew that his mother was Puerto Rican, and the father was Greek. I hadn't known that.

And there is was, in Baker's Biographical Dictionary. Michael Anthony Orlando Cassavitis, born 1944, New York, NY.

The entry on Walter Trampler gave no family tree clues. I guess I'd have to work with Genealogy.com to keep up the search. That would likely cost some money, and since the interest is only nostalgic, I'll pass.

After all, I'd probably only find out about Elvis.

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