'Piano Sale' (comic sketch on early Berliner disc)

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Menophanes
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'Piano Sale' (comic sketch on early Berliner disc)

Post by Menophanes »

In Fred Gaisberg's autobiography, published in America as The Music Goes Round and in Britain as Music on Record, there is a description of a recording improvised, he says, by Emile Berliner himself with Gaisberg's accompaniment; Berliner personates an auctioneer who tries in vain to stir up interest in a rickety piano by alleging that it is the very one on which Wagner composed Die Götterdämmerung.

Now I have a disc dated 26th May 1896 which at first glance seems to be the very one described in the book. However, I have my doubts about this. The passages which Gaisberg quotes from the auctioneer's patter do not quite match (according to him the auctioneer's closing remark is 'Johnny, hand me that perambulator', whereas the record ends 'Hand me that oil-stone and that frying-pan'), but the major difference is that on the record the reciter is unquestionably George Graham and is named as such. Moreover, extracts from Gaisberg's diaries cited in Jerrold Northrop Moore's biography of Gaisberg, Music in Time, indicate that a record named 'Piano Sale' already existed in 1895.

I wonder, therefore, if anybody knows of an even older recording of this sketch in which Berliner himself really does play the auctioneer. As it is, I would like to think that a second voice on my record, which derisively offers a bid of three dollars, could be Berliner's own – but I doubt it. At least, though, I can surely hope that the pianist on my copy is Gaisberg in person.

. . . Where is your appreciation of music? Where is it? Why, on dis pianner Richard Wagg-ner got his foist [sic] inspiration to write the Götterdämmerung – I dunno what that is, but anyhow he wrote it on dis pianner . . .


Oliver Mundy.

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Victor A
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Re: 'Piano Sale' (comic sketch on early Berliner disc)

Post by Victor A »

What an interesting idea! I'm sure the record's content is quite fun as well.
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Menophanes
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Re: 'Piano Sale' (comic sketch on early Berliner disc)

Post by Menophanes »

Looking again at Dr. Northrop Moore's book (which I find I mistitled: it is actually A Voice in Time), I find that Gaisberg mentions 'Auction Sale of a Grand Piano' among a group of records which he carried on a promotional trip in March 1895. Clearly there must have been a version of the sketch before that of May 1896, though I find it hard to believe that Berliner, with his German accent, could have taken the leading role in it. (George Graham was already a Berliner artist, since an item by him is also in the March 1895 list.) Probably this original version was never pressed on the new shellac material, so that it is easily imaginable that no copies would have survived. The sketch remained popular for some years; Burt Shepard recorded it at least twice.

Oliver Mundy.

Menophanes
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Re: 'Piano Sale' (comic sketch on early Berliner disc)

Post by Menophanes »

The 1896 'Piano Sale' can now be heard on my new web-page http://www.oliviastationery.co.uk/cylin ... rding.html.

Oliver Mundy.

jboger
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Re: 'Piano Sale' (comic sketch on early Berliner disc)

Post by jboger »

Can't answer the question but would like to point out that I have an early Columbia record ca 1901-02. It's a comedy skit that depicts the auction of the contents of a pet store. Some very, very bad jokes. For example, the first item sold is a pair of angora kittens. The auctioneer informs us that the kittens are very nice and although angora they are never "angory." So you have your auction of a piano, and mine of a pet store. Do we have an antiquated comic genre here from 100+ years ago? Are there other auction comedy skits on early 78s? Would be interesting to know.

estott
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Re: 'Piano Sale' (comic sketch on early Berliner disc)

Post by estott »

Years ago i heard "Auction Sale of a Music Store" the main joke is that the demonstrator plays the same hackneyed tune badly on every instrument, to the crowd's growing displeasure.

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