This video apparently barely scratched the surface of what he could do. Dexterity, musicianship, and a sense of humor - it would appear that we now know where Victor Borge learned some of his tricks. This is a delightful post.
TheStockwell. 1944, An Interesting year for listeners. The Robinson Family ( a precursor of Mrs dale's Diary; Billy Mayerl ( lovely to hear him again): & the V1s ( this is ours - Dad boosting morale). I'm 73 tomorrow & revel in clips like this. Many thanks Popexp & YouTube
"This austerity business" surely refers to post-war austerity measures. Mayerl was only in his mid-fifties when he died, and I suspect this was done around ten years before that.
It's going back a bit now. but one story I remember was that during WWll my teacher was not fit enough to fight. Dunno why, but he worked in munitions instead. He was a pro musician pre-war and had to stop playing. To keep his fingers in fettle, he praticed scales in downtime at work, on a plywood keyboard, marked out with ''dumb keys'. I tell you, he could really syncopate. I never fully mastered it. I guess the lessons were 'Master-classes' rather than lessons.
Is it your guess that this was made in about 28? I can't find a date anywhere that's associated with this film clip. I would have figured 35-36 based on the film and sound quality.
@Huckabeezer The archive suggests 1944. Mayerl's reference to "this austerity business" seems to corroborate the idea that this was made during wartime.
totally amazed to find this!!! Billy Mayerl was my great grandfather!! have to bring grandmar round to see this.. now i know where my over animated face comes from :)
It was pure luck, that i've discoverd a vinyl - King of syncopation a few years ago. I never heard about Mayerl til this day. Great news for me that also a video footage exists :-) What a great, relaxedly playing.
billy mayerls music reminds me of my grandmother so much it makes me want to cry sometimes. i'm sure she would have seen this when it was first broadcasted. i'm delighted to have found it now!
Thanks for posting this fascinating clip. I always thought 'Marigold' was one of Mayerls's more difficult compositions (others might suggest 'Scallywag', which he never recorded), but the fast tempo adopted here means that 'Marigold' is suddenly several degrees more difficult than before!
Agreed... I had read somewhere that he got so tired of playing the piece that he began playing it entirely too fast for his own amusement. But I don't know if he's doing that here, or if that is actually the tempo he regularly took it at.
I knew Mayerl's music but I had no idea he was such a great personality! I'd love to see Mayerl play all of Marigold, especially that B section with all the grace-noted tremolandi. Impossibly difficult!
totally wonderful - i am now a billy mayerl nut!!!! if there are any more video performances that anyone has , please post them . i got the big music book and am currently learning them . favorites are railroad rhythm, and the joker. Hurrah!!!!!!
AMAZING. Thank you SO MUCH for posting this! BTW: When he says "barrel organ", he actually means "barrel piano" or "street piano", and if you search for this on Youtube you can see he's pretty accurate in his imitation of the instrument, even down to the crash of notes caused by shifting the barrel in the middle of a tune! Some may decry this type of imitating as being trite, but I beg to differ; it is actually QUITE DIFFICULT to do this as spot-on as he does! Bravo!
You're welcome! Imitative or not, I still found it fascinating, and I was hoping some other Mayerl fans would surface when I posted this. I found it on the same site as the "world's largest piano" video.
This video apparently barely scratched the surface of what he could do. Dexterity, musicianship, and a sense of humor - it would appear that we now know where Victor Borge learned some of his tricks. This is a delightful post.
KPO6859 7 months ago
Have you seen the 1940 clip on WPA Film Library of Billy Mayerl & George Gee? Thanks for this one.
guggle86 9 months ago
the original McCartney
proche85 1 year ago
TheStockwell. 1944, An Interesting year for listeners. The Robinson Family ( a precursor of Mrs dale's Diary; Billy Mayerl ( lovely to hear him again): & the V1s ( this is ours - Dad boosting morale). I'm 73 tomorrow & revel in clips like this. Many thanks Popexp & YouTube
from HK
kingsott 1 year ago
@kingsott You are quite welcome, I'm glad so many people have enjoyed this.
popexp 1 year ago
1944 is the definitive date. That's the date given at the British Pathe website featuring this - and other - Mayerl clips.
TheStockwell 1 year ago
"This austerity business" surely refers to post-war austerity measures. Mayerl was only in his mid-fifties when he died, and I suspect this was done around ten years before that.
MichaelTravis3 1 year ago
My Piano Teacher took lessons from this guy. I am 71 myself, so work it out. Yes I'd say about 1928-9.
MiCompre 1 year ago
That's amazing. Do you know any stories you could share?
popexp 1 year ago
That's amazing. Do you know any stories you could share?
popexp 1 year ago
@popexp
It's going back a bit now. but one story I remember was that during WWll my teacher was not fit enough to fight. Dunno why, but he worked in munitions instead. He was a pro musician pre-war and had to stop playing. To keep his fingers in fettle, he praticed scales in downtime at work, on a plywood keyboard, marked out with ''dumb keys'. I tell you, he could really syncopate. I never fully mastered it. I guess the lessons were 'Master-classes' rather than lessons.
MiCompre 1 year ago
Good lord he plays it so fast :O amazing
panny14 1 year ago
Takes me back to England around 1928 rowing on the thames this makes me cry every time
TheNaomiengland 2 years ago
Is it your guess that this was made in about 28? I can't find a date anywhere that's associated with this film clip. I would have figured 35-36 based on the film and sound quality.
Huckabeezer 2 years ago
@Huckabeezer The archive suggests 1944. Mayerl's reference to "this austerity business" seems to corroborate the idea that this was made during wartime.
popexp 2 years ago
Most interesting. I'm really just starting to learn about Mayerl
Huckabeezer 2 years ago
totally amazed to find this!!! Billy Mayerl was my great grandfather!! have to bring grandmar round to see this.. now i know where my over animated face comes from :)
fredwinu 2 years ago
Wow..to have someone like this in your own family!! Unbeatable. I am now on a hunt to find any 78s, remasters, etc. of your great-grand dad!
Huckabeezer 2 years ago
A gem of a listing.. The great man himself
ta455driver 2 years ago
Absolutely classic. What's not to like? A true master indeed - not just of the piano but of entertainment.
MountainSideUK 2 years ago
It was pure luck, that i've discoverd a vinyl - King of syncopation a few years ago. I never heard about Mayerl til this day. Great news for me that also a video footage exists :-) What a great, relaxedly playing.
StrideBatty76 2 years ago
billy mayerls music reminds me of my grandmother so much it makes me want to cry sometimes. i'm sure she would have seen this when it was first broadcasted. i'm delighted to have found it now!
asloem 3 years ago
Thanks for posting this fascinating clip. I always thought 'Marigold' was one of Mayerls's more difficult compositions (others might suggest 'Scallywag', which he never recorded), but the fast tempo adopted here means that 'Marigold' is suddenly several degrees more difficult than before!
honkytonkpiano 3 years ago
Agreed... I had read somewhere that he got so tired of playing the piece that he began playing it entirely too fast for his own amusement. But I don't know if he's doing that here, or if that is actually the tempo he regularly took it at.
popexp 3 years ago
I knew Mayerl's music but I had no idea he was such a great personality! I'd love to see Mayerl play all of Marigold, especially that B section with all the grace-noted tremolandi. Impossibly difficult!
salexlindsay 3 years ago
Great find! Depressing to hear him play Marigold like that - I'm still struggling with it at snail pace....!
roobee55 3 years ago
WTF THIS ISNT NIRVANA
roobstertails 3 years ago
By the way, that dog makes a noise I've never heard before! I didn't think it was possible for a dog to make that noise!
KawhackitaRag 3 years ago
What a great musician and pianist!
A true master.....
Thanks for this!
MichaSchlechtriem 3 years ago
Thanks so much for sharing this with fans!!
shimmymoon 3 years ago
totally wonderful - i am now a billy mayerl nut!!!! if there are any more video performances that anyone has , please post them . i got the big music book and am currently learning them . favorites are railroad rhythm, and the joker. Hurrah!!!!!!
musicman43 3 years ago
Many thanks for posting this splendid entertainment from a bygone era.
Ivanhoe2 4 years ago
Brilliant and witty.
rupepill 4 years ago
AMAZING. Thank you SO MUCH for posting this! BTW: When he says "barrel organ", he actually means "barrel piano" or "street piano", and if you search for this on Youtube you can see he's pretty accurate in his imitation of the instrument, even down to the crash of notes caused by shifting the barrel in the middle of a tune! Some may decry this type of imitating as being trite, but I beg to differ; it is actually QUITE DIFFICULT to do this as spot-on as he does! Bravo!
KawhackitaRag 4 years ago
You're welcome! Imitative or not, I still found it fascinating, and I was hoping some other Mayerl fans would surface when I posted this. I found it on the same site as the "world's largest piano" video.
popexp 4 years ago