First Modern Marimbists
These recordings are not available anywhere else!!!
David Harvey has been collecting early recordings of Marimbists and Xylophonists for over 40 years. Presented in nine playlists is an amazing assortment of marimba and xylophone historical recordings spanning three quarters of a century, from the 1890’s through the 1960’s. A wide variety of musical styles are represented, performed by some of the most accomplished marimbists and xylophonists the world has ever witnessed.
This collection, The First Modern Marimba Music contains three playlists that are a part of the massive collection Marimba and Xylophone Recordings from History. This collection includes:
First Modern Marimbists Volume 1
First Modern Marimbists Volume 2
First Modern Marimba Ensembles
First Modern Marimba Music begins with two volumes titled First Modern Marimbists which highlight marimba soloists playing classical solo marimba with and without accompaniment, original marimba compositions, marimba transcriptions, jazz marimba, and pop marimba. These long-forgotten marimba performances were the genesis of today’s marimba movement! First Modern Marimba Ensembles includes dozens of marimba groups and many different types of musical arrangements, illustrating how the marimba ensemble genre first began a century ago.
This collection includes:
FIRST MODERN MARIMBA MUSIC
First Modern Marimbists Volume 1
1. "Barcarolle” . . (Offenbach) . . . Lou Chiha Friscoe (1919)
2. "The Rosary" . . (Nevin) . . . Lou Chiha Friscoe (1919)
3. "That Thing Called Love" . . (Bradford) . . . Norman Buster with Mamie Smith's Jazz Hounds (1921)
4. "Chromatic Foxtrot" . . (Green) . . . George Hamilton Green (1925)
5. "Those Panama Mamas" . . (Johnson-Bibo) . . . George Hamilton Green (1925)
6. "Dance of the Octopus" . . (Norvo) . . . Red Norvo (1933)
7. "In a Mist" . . (Biederbecke) . . . Red Norvo (1933)
8. "Underneath the Harlem Moon" . . (Giddens) . . . Jimmy Namaro (1933)
9. "Buffoon" (Confrey) . . Harry Breuer (1934)
10. "Over the Sticks" . . (Starita) . . . Rudy Starita (1935)
11. "Dance of the Octopus" . . (Norvo) . . . Rudy Starita (1935)
12. "My Toreador" . . (Padilla) . . . Joe Green (1938)
13. "The Pianist is Busy" . . (Gyldmark) . . . Richard Stangerup (ca. 1939)
14. "Oh! Lady Be Good" . . (Gershwin) . . . Jack Simpson (1941)
15. "Stampede" . . (Simpson) . . . Jack Simpson (1945)
16. "La Ronde des Lutins" . . (Bazzini) . . . Celso Hurtado (1947)
17. "Viennese Waltz" . . (Unknown) . . . Celso Hurtado (ca. 1947)
18. "Holiday for Strings" . . (Rose) . . . Vera Daehlin (1947)
19. "Evelina" . . (Arlen) . . . Vera Daehlin (ca. 1947)
20. "Body and Soul" . . (Green) . . . Jimmy Namaro (1964)
First Modern Marimbists Volume 2
1. "Perpetual Motion” . . (Paganini) . . . Doris Stockton (1948)
2. "Waltz of the Flowers" . . (Tchaikovsky) . . . Doris Stockton (1948)
3. "Staccato Samba" . . (Dinicu) . . . Jose Bethancourt (1952)
4. "Inspiracion" . . (Paulos) . . . Jose Bethancourt (1959)
5. "Marimba Merengue" . . (Parker) . . . Gloria Parker (1955)
6. "Nola" . . (Arndt) . . . Phil Kraus (1957)
7. "Jan" . . (Kraus) . . . Phil Kraus (1957)
8. "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring" . . (Bach) . . . Jack Connor (ca. 1957)
9. "Sheep May Safely Graze" . . (Bach) . . . Jack Connor (ca. 1957)
10. "Wasserspiele" . . (Ritter) . . . Wolfgang Pachla (1958)
11. "Concertino Op 21 Mvt 2" . . (Creston) . . . Wolfgang Pachla (1965)
12. "Fiddle Faddle" . . (Anderson) . . . Salvy Cavicchio (ca. 1960)
13. "Chorale: Herzliebstr Jesu" . . (Bach) . . . Vida Chenoweth (1962)
14. "Etude in B Major Op 6 No 9" . . (Musser) . . . Vida Chenoweth (1962)
15. " Zigeunerweisen" . . (Sarasate) . . . Charles Owen (ca. 1944)
16. "Concertino Op 21 Mvt 1" . . (Creston) . . . Charles Owen (1967)
17. "Etude: Whole Tone Op 6 No 8" . . (Musser) . . . Karen Ervin (1978)
18. "Etude in C Major Op 6 No 10" . . (Musser) . . . Karen Ervin (1978)
19. "Etude in Eb Major" . . (Pachla) . . . Wolfgang Pachla (1981)
20. "Four Stick Joe" . . (Breuer) . . . Val Eddy (1981)
Modern Marimba Ensembles
1. "Italian Echoes" . . (Unknown) . . . Cardenas Quartette (ca. 1911)
2. "Poet and Peasant Overture" . . (Suppé) . . . Hurtado Brothers Royal Marimba Band (1915)
3. "Otilia March" . . (Hurtado) . . . Hurtado Brothers Royal Marimba Band (1916)
4. "The Stars and Stripes Forever" . . (Sousa) . . . Imperial Marimba Band (1917)
5. "Sensation" . . (Edwards) . . . Yerkes Marimbaphone Band (1918)
6. "Twelfth Street Rag" . . (Bowman) . . . Excelsior Marimba Band (1920)
7. "Georgette" . . (Henderson) . . . Blue and White Marimba Band (1924)
8. "Anita" . . (Betancourt) . . . Luis Betancourt Marimba Orchestra (1928)
9. "Linger Awhile" . . (Rose) . . . Marimba La Joya (ca. 1930)
10. "African Lament" . . (Lecuona) . . . Rudy Starita Marimba Players (1931)
11. "Adolorido" . . (Rodolph) . . . Marimba El Aguila de Mexico (1932)
12. "Bolero" . . (Rosales) . . . Century of Progress Marimba Orchestra (1933)
13. "La Cucaracha" . . (Traditional) . . . Pan American Marimba Band (1934)
14. "Begin the Beguine" . . (Porter) . . . Clyde Lucas Marimba Orchestra (1936)
15. "St Louis Blues" . . (Handy) . . . Marimba Pan Americana (1936)
16. "Russian Dance Trepak" . . (Tchaikovsky) . . . Ted Henkel Marimba Orchestra (1938)
17. "Clair de Lune" . . (Debussy) . . . Marimba Coeds (1947)
18. "El Gato Montes" . . (Penella) . . . Marimba Bonampak (1953)
19. "Soliloquy" . . (Bloom) . . . Earl Hatch and the Marimbatones (1953)
20. "Dance of the Comedians" . . (Smetana) . . . Marimba Masters
Presented in nine playlists is an amazing assortment of marimba and xylophone historical recordings spanning three quarters of a century, from the 1890’s through the 1960’s. A wide variety of musical styles are represented, performed by some of the most accomplished marimbists and xylophonists the world has ever witnessed.
"First Modern Marimba Music" begins with two volumes titled “First Modern Marimbists,” which highlight marimba soloists playing classical solo marimba with and without accompaniment, original marimba compositions, marimba transcriptions, jazz marimba, and pop marimba. These long-forgotten marimba performances were the genesis of today’s marimba movement! “First Modern Marimba Ensembles” includes dozens of marimba groups and many different types of musical arrangements, illustrating how the marimba ensemble genre first began a century ago.
The series “Xylophone Music from the Golden Age” showcases the xylophone as a virtuoso instrument in the 19th century up until World War II, featuring many well-known styles of xylophone solo repertoire. “Xylophone Ragtime” features authentic ragtime xylophone performances by twenty-two different xylophonists!
Also included in “Xylophone Music from the Golden Age” are other genres of solo xylophone music, such as “Xylophone Jazz,” “Xylophone Classics,” and “Xylophone Marches.” Additionally, there is a very special playlist showcasing an overview of twenty-five virtuoso xylophone performers, titled “Xylophonists from the Golden Age.” Finally, xylophone music in a small group setting is represented with the playlist, "Xylophone Trios."
“Marimba and Xylophone Recordings from History” is a groundbreaking collection of mallet-powered audio never before assembled in one place. This is a "must-have" listening experience for all percussionists!
INFORMATION REGARDING AUDIO QUALITY
The recorded performances included in “Marimba and Xylophone Recordings from History” predate the use of digital electronics in the music industry. These early recording sessions utilized a variety of evolving recording methods and media types, such as the first wax cylinder records, early shellac 78rpm acoustical phonograph records, electric 78rpm records, electrical transcription discs, vinyl LP’s, magnetic tape, and even live radio broadcasts that were captured onto discs as they occurred.
Consequently, a broad range of greatly varying audio quality is contained in the historical recordings offered here. The most sophisticated digital audio forensic engineering technology and methods have been applied to this project in order to bring these old recordings to life, and to preserve them for posterity. However, there are inherent limits to audio transfer technology. Over-processing of vintage recordings in an attempt to remove static and other noise inevitably compromises the music content.
All tracks included in “Marimba and Xylophone Recordings from History” have undergone advanced digital restoration to the extent that sonic improvement is possible. Any extraneous static, noise, or spectral limitations that remain are inevitable in a historical audio project such as this. We hope that the amazing marimba and xylophone music heard here more than justifies occasional audio imperfections in certain tracks. Please enjoy the music.
AUDIO ENGINEERING TEAM
Ron L’Herault, Norman Weinberg, Graham Newton, David Harvey