Still more ultra-rare 19th century banjo film.

Another recently discovered Edison film reel of noted "banjo player" Hezekiah Urastus Anderton, from 1893.

This tune, "The Vassar Galop," comes from the repertiore of Frank B. Converse, and can be found in his Analytical Banjo Method, published in 1887.

Hezekiah idolized the great Converse, and frequently pestered him for banjo lessons, which Converse would agree to only if Hezekiah was sober, which was infrequent.

Vassar, of course, was a women's-only college from its founding in Poughkeepsie, NY, in 1861, until 1969, when it went co-ed. Frank Converse wrote in his Banjo Reminiscences series that the majority of his students were female, which might explain the title of this tune as well as Hezekiah's earnest if unsuccessful attempts to associate himself with Converse.

Well, enough of the history. Let's enjoy the "music."

Category:

People & Blogs

Tags:

• Premiere_Elements_4
• Classic_Style_Banjo
• Carl
• Anderton
• ancestor
• Vassar
• Galop
• early_film
• spoof

[ggrtr]

I've seen films from 1893

and this is not from 1893

I don't think they even had sound in film

in 1893?

[oldcremona]

Not sure but there could be magic involved.

[SouthernBelle1861]

Wow, this was great!

People on youtube are soooo gullible :)

[CautiousSaint]

Why is the sound quality so good for a 116 year old film??

[KnownastheMoss]

@frettedstrings1 It's gut, actually -- the guy who makes these vids doesn't play with steel strings. They do have a unique sound, don't they? Bright attack like steel, yet softer, like nylons. I use heavy gauge nylons myself which give a very snappy sound when played hard -- check out my videos for more music in this style.

[frettedstrings1]

This sounds like a steel string banjo, and I don't believe that steel string banjo came into fashion until well after the turn of the 20th Century.

[dyterdyter]

Your posture, the sound, the scientific facts, your clothes, everthing is so NOT old. try harder

[loversandfunerals]

I thought this was authentic, because it had no sound(because my headphones weren't plugged in) so I thought it was a real video, then I turned the sound on and was like "haha...no"

[JOHNNYFREEDOMdaREBEL]

Nice to see people who have no sense of humour, make fools of themselves here with their comments. There is even one really stupid comment here, which says "s bull shit. I'm a lesbian and", what in the world being a lesbian has got to do with this video is utterly beyond me. & even the Bossy ones come out of the woodworks, to dictate to others what they should do & not do.THANKS FOR YOUR VIDEOS & SENSE OF HUMOR, MAN KEEP MAKING THESE VIDEOS, I LOME ´EM. FINE BANJER PLAYIN´ SON !

[edisonphonographfan]

ok stop saying they didnt have sound in the 1800s they had sound films then they were just experimental and appeared in 1890s

and they had five string banjos long before the 1870s 80s 90s etc...

and yes they played three finger not scruggs style but still they played all kinds of styles scruggs killed banjo variety with his style because no one ever hears this wonderful music

none the less great playing enjoyed very much!!

cheers

[Luckylcs]

The real giveaway is the steel strings -- in the 19th century they would have been gut.

[theuc]

FAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAKEEEE­EEEEEEEEEEEE

[SweetJaneofGoth]

Like this is bull shit. I'm a lesbian and even I can see this is like totally fake.

Fuck you!

Next, how about a fake lessie banjo player from 1890 who pees in her petticoat while her LGF has her head up her knickers.