School of Syncopation - Jazz, Stride, Novelties & the Like

[fredbucket]

Harry Engelmann was a very talented English popular pianist and composer active during the 1920s - 1930s

Thanks for clearing that up for us, Frank.

Regards
Fred

[tobyjj]

Tobyjj & All,

I will see about scanning and posting these on PP in the next few days.

Frank Himpsl

That would be fantastic ...
eagerly awaiting
regards,
tobyjj

[tobyjj]

Greetings everyone,

I note there is still no response re Bert Whittam - someone must know more than me about him / have some samples of his music... anyone?
Frank, I'm still eagerly awaiting the Engelmann ... in the meantime, however, I wonder if you can answer this, since I believe you are a friend of Robin Frost's. Someone told me that Robin had written the following pieces:-

Toffee & Fudge
Stopped Up Syncopation
Last Raindrop
Flute Canon Rag
El Corrupto's Favorite
Orange Pie
Pain Perdu
Shoot Out at Bad Rock
Cold Soup

Do you know if this is true and if so, do you know where they might be available ?

Lastly (for this posting), Billy Mayerl featured prominently in the early posts in this forum - however, I saw no mention of the following pieces, which I would very much like to get my hands on:-

Maids of Honour
Vienna Story
Sussex Downs
Sennen Cove

and a transcription / arrangement
"Haymakers Holiday" (Colin Smith)

Can any kind soul help?

Regards,
tobyjj

[mballan]

Hello tobyjj

re. Bert Whittam - to be honest fairly obscure in the realms of British pianists / composers........aware he performed in dance bands from 1920/30's and was active until the 1950's in the UK. I would suggest you contact the British Light Music Society at www.lightmusicsociety.com and check with the librarian Hilary Ashton [she was very helpful when I approach her about another request recently]. The BLMS have quite an extensive library and have rescued many scores from oblivion [that organisations like the BBC and similar were looking to destroy in past decades]. They may be able to help with your enquiry . Otherwise beyond Frank [who is our resident expert in this area] I would be surprise if any PP members had anything else to add at this stage.

I think I may have Rippling Rhythm amidst my many scores - will check and let you know asap.

Malcolm

[fhimpsl]

Hello to Tobyjj and all,

Please forgive the delay on my scanning of the Harry Engelman sheets - it's not that I've forgotten, but technical issues raised their ugly heads and have me stalled for the moment. My large format scanner (which I like to use for original sheets because of the extra room on the glass plate) is out of commission with a non-functional power supply. However, I do have other equipment that I will put into service which will work fine except for some added difficulty in manipulating the sheet music. Also I need to find the Engelman scores (finding scores in my house is always an issue!). But rest assured I have them and will get them posted for all members ASAP.

Re. Robin Frost's compositions; I've been out of touch with Robin for some 10 years or so now and am unaware of all the compositions you listed with the exception of "Stopped Up Syncopation," which rings a bell. Robin was selling folios of his many wonderful ragtime compositions last I heard...you might try searching him out on the web as the pieces you are looking for may be available directly from Robin. I'm sure that he would be most accommodating.

Re. the Mayerl scores which you listed, I do have these but they are in the form of very poor photocopies as I recall. Both "Maids of Honour" and "Vienna Story" were composed very late in Mayerl's lifetime (mid 1950s) and issued by quite obscure publishers, hence their scarcity. The other two pieces I believe might have been published by Ascherberg, Hopwood & Crew; a much larger firm, yet these particular works are extremely scarce as well. Have you checked over the Syncopations thread archive for these? I know that Peter (aka Mr. P) and I posted most all of Mayerl's compositions in the past, but these numbers might well have fallen through the cracks. I can scan these as well but must warn you that the copies I have are not very good, so I can't guarantee the results!

Re. Bert Whittam: the name is familiar, but I need to check my files to let you know what I have of his compositions. As on the other pieces, I will be most happy to scan and post all that I have...just need time to handle the logistics of getting the work done! I appreciate your patience.

Best Regards,

Frank

[tobyjj]

Dear Frank,

I'm truly sorry if you thought I was pressing you - it really was not intended. If or whenever the Harry Engelmann appears it will be appreciated. I know from having scoured the site that you must have a fantastic and enormous collection of "hard-to-find" music and that you have been unstinting in your generous sharing of it.

I also have difficulty locating pieces of music I know, (or think I know), I have. My memory and "filing system" basically revolves around which cat was last seen sitting on a particular stack or whether it went, for convenience's sake, into the box of gardening tools or box of spare light bulbs during various house moves. Unfortunately cats move about a lot and spouses tend to unpack and reorganise moving boxes. !

Re Robin Frost compositions
I agree that Robin Frost is helpful and accomodating. I too contacted him about 10 years ago and obtained all the folios he had available at that time and had some follow up conversations with him on how to play them (properly). Unfortunately, I have lost his contact details and the few, (admittedly somewhat desultory), "googles" I have done since have failed to turn up an active contact e-mail address. If anyone has an active e-mail address, I would be happy to contact him again. Incidentally when I was corresponding with him at that time, he told me that his rag / stride compositions were only done as a fun exercise and that he intended to concentrate on his classical compositions (of which he gave me one). I was surprised therefore when it was suggested to me that he had written those titles (previously posted, which I will not repeat).

Re Billy Mayerl
It is correct that a large number of Mayerl compositions were posted here and in the archives, but none of the titles I mentioned were featured. In fact quite a few of his compositions "slipped through the cracks". [For example, Sleepy Piano, Shy Ballerina, Leprechaun's Leap, Minuet for Pamela, Studies in Syncopation [x3], Modern piano tutor course in syncopation and some others whose titles I temporarily forget.] I had assumed that they weren't posted because they are relatively easier to find. If that wasn't the case I can fill in the gaps in the list if anyone wants them.

There seemed to be a conscious decision at that time not to post up (m)any Mayerl transcriptions / arrangements and I have been meaning to follow up on those. I think it was yourself and Oren (maybe) who were exchanging lists so as to avoid duplication of scanning time. I got the impression that either you or Oren (or both) had a substantial collection of Mayerl transcriptions / arrangements, though I never saw the actual lists. I do hope to follow up on that sometime. I may be able to fill gaps in my own list while plugging those in others'.

Incidentally, for members who might have missed it, there is a Mayerl transcription of "The Blue Danube" posted in the Strauss transcriptions thread. (I'm sorry I don't know how to put up the internal 'view topic' link.)

Anyway it is fantastic to hear that you might have the Mayerl titles I mentioned. They are indeed extremely hard to find and I'd love to see them regardless of their quality. They will, (almost), complete my Mayerl collection of his solo pieces.

On another note and starting another hare to chase, a friend recently brought the composer Alexander Tsfasman to my attention , a soviet jazz pianist and composer from the 30s. Here is a fine interpretation of a mayerlesque fantasy he wrote on "The man I
love".
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vYrY7-E0k0
Of course having heard that music, I now also want to find some of his sheet music - but I have not found any yet.

Re Bert Whittam
An additional piece of information I have gleaned is that he was still around, (or last heard of), doing something with Petula Clark in the 1950s - [playing in her backing group (only) I hope !]

Finally
Anyway - sorry for the long post, but in my defence let me state that I find this site absolutely fantastic. It allows people like me to soak up (and even consult) a body of collective knowledge of astonishing depth and breadth and to explore music that should never have been forgotten.

My hearty thanks to all who make this site work.

Best Regards,
tobyjj

[fhimpsl]

Dear Tobyjj and All,

I was able to locate the Whittam, Engleman and Mayerl folders yesterday, so the scanning can commence! My spelling of Harry Engleman's last name was incorrect; it is apparently Engleman and not Engelman. More on him later...

First on Bert Whittam: I have absolutely no biographical information on him except to state the obvious; that he was another of the very talented English dance band pianist/composers of the 1920s/30s whose compositional style can be traced to Billy Mayerl's wonderful novelty piano solos, or "syncopations." I have three of his compositions which are posted here: "Crown and Anchor," "Devil Among The Tailors," and "Rippling Rhythm." All three are quite well written out (another Mayerl trademark), but "Rippling Rhythm" is the best of the set.

Enjoy!

All Best,

Frank

Whittam, Bert - Crown And Anchor.pdf

Whittam, Bert - Devil Among The Tailors.pdf

Whittam, Bert - Rippling Rhythm.pdf

[fhimpsl]

Hello All,

A sure sign of impending old age is an ever increasingly forgetful memory. I was reminded of that fact yesterday when I opened the file on Harry Engleman and discovered that many years ago I had contacted him personally through a friend in England. He was very congenial and had favored me with a vintage photograph, his autograph and best of all the manuscript for one of his novelty piano pieces which was never originally published!!

I shall post these items first, as the rarest Harry Engleman items I can come up with. The photograph is of a duo-piano stage set with Harry Engleman on the right and Jack Wilson on the left. Wilson was yet another member of the Mayerl school of composing/playing, and wrote a number of fine novelty piano solos also if I remember correctly. I assume the manuscript of "Frisky" is in Engleman's hand as it was obtained from the gentleman directly.

All Best,

Frank

Engleman, Harry and Wilson, Jack - Vintage Photo.jpg

Engleman, Harry - Autograph.jpg

Engleman, Harry - Frisky (ms).pdf

[tobyjj]

Thanks Frank,

[fhimpsl]

Here are several pieces by Harry Engleman to chase away the winter blues!

Frank

Engleman, Harry - Cannon Off The Cush.pdf

Engleman, Harry - Chase The Ace.pdf

Engleman, Harry - Cuckoo In The Nest.pdf