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MMD > Archives > October 2019 > 2019.10.14 > 03Prev  Next


Piano Roll Artists in Film Shorts on YouTube
By Jim Miller

While plunging fearlessly into the bowels of the MMD Archives for any
references to a short Pathe sound-film of Fairchild & Lindholm playing
dually, I did come across one under the article titled "Piano Roll
Artists in Film Shorts on YouTube," as authored, annotated and
thankfully posted by fellow reader/contributor Andrew Barrett in May
of 2013 thus:
https://www.mmdigest.com/Archives/Digests/201305/2013.05.30.03.html 

While getting too excited about the possibility of seeing wonderful
things I might not have before, I found that most of the original links
that Mr. Barrett had supplied are now dead links.  Not good, and so this
little update to them plus, some added few supplemental items not there
included.

1923 Eubie Blake & Noble Sissle -- "Video unavailable.  This video is
no longer available because the YouTube account associated with this
video has been terminated."  But it is here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QEdb-mYpt1A
Attachment thumbnail 1927 Frank Black -- "Video unavailable" but it is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4LZFaxHV80
Attachment thumbnail (duration 3:21) and here in full length: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QzSbql15FMs
Attachment thumbnail (d. 8:46) 1930 Roy Bargy link is good: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXHH9UH7j2o
Attachment thumbnail also is this Technicolor restoration of Bargy doing much of Rhapsody in Blue. This clip demonstrates how good "King of Jazz" can be: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YS6CJFsN0PE&list=RDDXHH9UH7j2o&index=2
Attachment thumbnail But for some very cruel tricks of timing and circumstance, we were not to have Perrella or Turner. 1931 Fairchild & Lindholm "Video Unavailable" but is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Px-62xoXdg
Attachment thumbnail Why was there not more of this extraordinary piano personage not filmed? Others completely missed too. 1934 Sims & Bailey Link is good: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Px-62xoXdg and, be SURE to read the YouTube poster's annotations, They are intelligent and full of good informational bits about the glamorous couple. This same goes too for original poster, Andrew Barrett. 1936 Zez Confrey, Byron Gay, Babe Ruth -- "Video unavailable. This video is private." -- but is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txMwn3HB6Ic
Attachment thumbnail "A Vitaphone Novelty" On obvious multiple counts, this is impressive beyond measure. The "Sultan of Swat" gets musical and creative, and shows to us quite a personality in addition to his greatly-famous America's Pastime expertise. Also, note the three darling harmonizing little sisters in the radio studio segment. They were not Brox's or Locusts nor Ponce's so, who were they and what became of them? Extraordinary close harmonization. 1936 J. Russel Robinson Link is good: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UHZIsfJ-m8U
Attachment thumbnail 1939 Ray Perkins "Video unavailable" but is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6TQEoDS-fQ
Attachment thumbnail There are shorter and part versions of this title available on YouTube, so the location timings as Andrew Barrett provides "44:00 to 46:24" might or might not be applicable. Most available are of the complete presentation. (duration 54:40) Perkins made only two, I believe, Licensee W-M titles but many others for Ampico and three good ones for Duo-Art. It would be useful to _see_ him in-action if only he can be found in all the footage. And to end, Andrew Barrett added: "There also used to be film clips of Vocalstyle artist (and well known vocalist and songwriter) Little Jack Little playing the piano, as well as a fantastic 1933 film of Ampico and Welte artist Ralph Rainger (Ralph Reichenthal) playing a medley of his own song hits, ending up with an overdubbed, split-screen piano trio with all three parts played by him! Sadly, these clips are apparently not currently on YouTube; they must have been taken down." Indeed, they must have been. Taken down. And now lost? He uses descriptor "sadly" whereas I would choose "tragic" presently, as regards this Rainger loss. Rainger was a supremely-fine pianist as well as composer, and was early-day friends, so I understand, with no less than Licensee's Vee Lawnhurst herself -- Lowenhertz & Reichenthal! As given this, what lesson then is to be taken here? "Here today, gone tomorrow!" maybe? Every sound-and-sight treasure I come across compliments of YouTube gets saved. The original question which led Andrew Barrett to place his posting was concerning Arden & Ohman's YouTube video of "The Piano Dualists," which for a time, at least now -- you guessed it -- is gone. To tide us over while we try to track-down that Rainger rarity, here are a few sound-and-sight piano treats that might have escaped the MMD readership's notice: Mark Hambourg (Welte; Duo-Art; Ampico) introduces and plays the Moonlight Sonata first movement. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nm9_Lwj0k4
Attachment thumbnail This gives one a fair measure of the man as presenter as well as musician. Pathe, however, interjects a few "moonlight' scenes for added excitement and, treats us to a short period of white vacuity (don't give up!) but, it's all worth it to see this special Leschetizky artist in action, who we usually are only to hear. His rendering is very much as Friedheim's is on Columbia: straight-forward, easy on excessive moonlight and, most convincing in ways not usually heard. Benno Moiseiewitsch. Warning: here is some big-scaled pianistic action for all Ampico aficionados: Wagner-Liszt's Tannheuser Overture! While here no longer in his prime, still, the master renders a heroic reading, leading us successively through the episodes and on-to the grandeur of the blazing virtuoso finale. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKDYla5C5cA
Attachment thumbnail (And, what a gentleman -- almost an extinct species these days.) And finally, as a refresher after that exhauster, we have the Five Locust Sisters with Matilda at the piano! She, Matilda Locust-Heart, recorded one sole record-roll for Licensee W-M, namely the Romance "Chant d'amour" op. 31 no. 2 by Pascal and, for good measure, one for Duo-Art, the Fourth Mazurka in B-flat by Godard. Although appearing not very imposing in the video (but really cute!), she was not exactly chopped-liver. Her credentials were serious and impressive, having been an authentic prodigy who studied under Lambert and Bloomfield- Zeisler, plus with some quite fine appearances under her belt. To this day I really regret not having had her Licensee record to play, when once she visited those many long decades ago. She was a very nice lady, kindly and quiet. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MrtD0vTpeps
Attachment thumbnail Jim Miller Las Vegas, Nevada

(Message sent Sun, 13 Oct 2019 04:13:30 -0700 (PDT) , from time zone -0700.)

Key Words in Subject:  Artists, Film, Piano, Roll, Shorts, YouTube

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