Pianophilia

More novelty piano solos by Theo Uden Masman (very possibly the balance of his published output).

Frank

Sid Reinherz was a novelty pianist who recorded two 78rpms for the Gennett label, all being his original ragtime compositions. Of these, the best ones "The Boston Trot", "Monkey Business" and "I've Got My Fingers Crossed" were never published in sheet music form and I don't know if they have been transcribed (any PP members know of these in transcribed form???) The last rag which he recorded was published and became fairly popular; "Mah Jong." Later on he composed another novelty rag entitled "Scrambles." Here they are...


Frank

Ralph Reichenthal, who later went by the professional name of Ralph Rainger, is best remembered today as a wonderful songwriter, composing such tunes as "Love In Bloom," "Here Lies Love," "Blue Hawaii," and many others. Reichenthal made several piano roll recordings of popular songs when he was in his late teens, and one phonograph record on the Globe label (Arto master) that being his own composition "Piano Puzzle." This piece is not to be confused with Arthur Schutt's "Piano Puzzle" which was recorded but not published in sheet music format. Later on he wrote a few more, one of which entitled "Tick Tack Toe" is quite rare.

Frank

Donald Thorne was an English dance band pianist with a very individual playing style. He recorded two novelties of his own compositions on Parlophone (I believe, or maybe English Columbia), entitled "Firecrackers" and "Spring Feelin'". These were published in England and are wonderful fun to play, particularly "Spring Feelin'" which is hard to forget once heard. Enjoy

Frank

Dear Frank,
thanks for these great uploads!
I wasn’t familiar with the music of Theo Uden Masman and I’m really liking his rags, especially “Splinters”!!
Thanks also for the Donald Thorne pieces!! I love his “Spring Feelin’” and I was just looking for the sheet music!
I’m uploading the recordings of Spring Feelin’ and Firecrackers played by Thorne in 1928 for the group.
Also thanks a lot for the two rags of Sid Reinherz! I already had “Mah Jong” but didn’t know about “Scrambles”, which looks like a great piece!
I have his recordings of “Boston Trot” and “Mah Jong” (quite different from the score!) and then also “Monkey Business” from a compilation, in fact that’s why I don’t have it’s flipside, “I’ve Got My Fingers Crossed”.
So I’m also attaching the three recordings of Reinherz I have since he was one of the best ragtime players I’ve heard!
Speaking of Reinherz, I don’t know if anybody here is familiar with another nice rag he composed, entitled “Hot Coffee” and arranged and published by James “Slaps” White, another talented ragtime pianist (soon I will post my transcription of his piano roll of “My Favorite Rag”, much nicer than the published version).
I never found the complete sheet music of “Hot Coffee”; I know about this piece from the back cover advertisement of another score.
I attached here the back cover advertisement including a snippet of the piece and a midi file I sequenced from that,.
I hope you’ll find that interesting!
Finest RAGards
Luigi

Dear Luigi,

I am happy to hear that you are enjoying all the novelty piano solo postings! I had forgotten about Sid Reinherz's "Hot Coffee," however I do have
the score for that rag. Bad news is it's not in the "Reinherz" folder, which means it is with a ton of unfiled music and would take an eternity to find.

On the bright side, "Hot Coffee" was popular enough to have been issued on piano roll. Attached is the full version of "Hot Coffee" recorded from a
Wurlitzer nickelodeon roll as a midi file. Enjoy!

Best Regards,

Frank

One of my great passions is collecting movie concertos and similar such works.....such as Addinsell's famous Warsaw Concerto.....here is one which is equally enjoyable. Donald Phillips - born in East London in 1913. He did not have a musical background; his father was a tailor and his mother did pay for some music lessons, but although Donald had to leave school early, his love of music shone through. He was talent-spotted when, as a boy of 14, he was heard playing the piano at a pub in Maida Vale by the musical writer and publisher, Lawrence Wright.

Joined the Musicians' Union in 1936 and remained a member for nearly 60 years. During the Second World War, he served in the RAF and was part of a forces entertainment team. An accomplished pianist, he was musical director and accompanist for the entertainment stars of the 1940s to the 1960s — the Marx Brothers, Beverley Sisters, Dickie Valentine, Shirley Bassey, Donald Peers, Alan Jones, Dick Emery, Anne Shelton, Yana, Jill Day, Joan Regan, Anita Harris, Susan Maughan and, most recently, Ted Rodgers.

During his long career, mostly out of the limelight, he was regarded as a true “Tin Pan Alley man”. Among his compositions were Old Piano Rag, A Live Show is the Best Show, Broken Date, and To Him We’re All The Same. Two major mini-concertos stand out: Concerto in Jazz – recorded by several leading orchestras including Sidney Torch, Mantovani and George Melachrino; and Skyscraper Fantasy was probably his best-known work, although its transatlantic style sounded more like the work of an American composer, than a Londoner.

Donald Phillips’ music was played and sung on both sides of the Atlantic by artists, bands and orchestras, including Winifred Atwell, Russ Conway, Lalo Schifrin, Liberace, Billy Cotton, Sid Phillips (no relation) and Sidney Torch.

He died in 1994 in Hemel Hempstead.

I have posted his Concerto in Jazz.

Malcolm & Mr P

mballan wrote: During his long career, mostly out of the limelight, he was regarded as a true “Tin Pan Alley man”. Among his compositions were Old Piano Rag, A Live Show is the Best Show, Broken Date, and To Him We’re All The Same. Two major mini-concertos stand out: Concerto in Jazz – recorded by several leading orchestras including Sidney Torch, Mantovani and George Melachrino; and Skyscraper Fantasy was probably his best-known work, although its transatlantic style sounded more like the work of an American composer, than a Londoner.

Donald Phillips’ music was played and sung on both sides of the Atlantic by artists, bands and orchestras, including Winifred Atwell, Russ Conway, Lalo Schifrin, Liberace, Billy Cotton, Sid Phillips (no relation) and Sidney Torch.

He died in 1994 in Hemel Hempstead.

I have posted his Concerto in Jazz.

Malcolm & Mr P

Dear Malcolm,
thank you so much for "Concerto In Jazz"!
I have a recording of the concerto played by pianist Arthur Young with Mantovani's Orchestra. I like it, with that mixture of ragtime, novelty, jazz, boogie woogie.
Of course concertos aren't generally my cup of tea and I'm certainly fonder of Phillips' "Old Pianna Rag", especially the piano solo version played by Russ Conway!
Do you already have Alberto Semprini's "Mediterranean Concerto".
I post it here. I also have the piano solo recording of that played by Semprini himself, if you want.
Best
Luigi

fhimpsl wrote: On the bright side, "Hot Coffee" was popular enough to have been issued on piano roll. Attached is the full version of "Hot Coffee" recorded from a
Wurlitzer nickelodeon roll as a midi file. Enjoy!

Best Regards,

Frank

Dear Frank,
thank you so much for this piano roll scan of "Hot Coffee"!!!
It's great to listen to the complete piece! It was time I was wondering about the rest of it!
I really like Sid Reinherz's music, too bad he didn't have many pieces published.
Another pianist that I find interesting is Willard Robison. His piano solo recording of "Out Of The South" is a favorite of mine.
Here I post his folio of rags, "Six Studies In Modern Syncopation", featuring sketches of his syncopated works. It's too bad they don't seem to be complete...
The recording of "Out Of The South" features one part not included in this folio. The pdf features 2 folio pages in a scan.
I also quite appreciate the songs he recorded accompanying himself at the piano, although I think he was rather buttery as a singer. I think more or less the same of other favorite pianists of mine who also sang, like Art Gillham or Seger Ellis (but I adore Ellis as a pianist!).
Best
Luigi

Hi Luigi,

Glad you liked "Hot Coffee." One of these days I'll find the sheet music and post it asap. On the Willard Robison I have his Autograph record (flipside is
"Up And Down In China" and agree the recorded versions are better than the sheet music. This is usually (but fortunately not always) the case.
Both Robison and Seger Ellis made piano rolls, and in Ellis' case he recorded his original blues-stomp "Texas Wail" which was not published as
sheet music and to my knowledge never transcribed from the roll. A good candidate for a transcription someday!

All Best,

Frank