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Date: Fri, 13 Jul 2001 13:00:33 -0400
From: Douglas Tate
Subject: Re: the beginnings of classical harmonica playing

At 08:38 AM 07/13/01 -0700, Winslow Yerxa wrote:

>How did classical harmonica playing get started for
>sure?

Not a clue.

> Early names include John Sebastian and Larry
>Adler and probably others, but:

Yes...

- - Who was the first to take up concertizing as a
>classical artist (as opposed to including classical
>ditties in a music-hall performance)?

Adler was producing 78s from the thirties onwards, things like Claire de
Lune and La Fille aux Cheveux du Lin.

To my mind Sebastian was the earliest to make a real stab at a classical
career and to play the music with insight into the period.

However, I'm sure there were lower profile players doing the same thing
right from the start of the chromatic era.

>- Who was the first to make a classical record with
>the harmonica?

Pass... As I said... Adler did Claire de Lune ... (but so did Le Petomaine
soon after it was written ... and i understand it outsold Debussy's version
:)) )
>- What was the first classical piece actually written
>for the harmonica (not transcribed from pieces written
>for other instruments?

The first majorish works were
1940 Chiimark Suite for Harmonica and Orchestra Edward Robinson
for John Sebastian

1940 Caribbean Concerto for Harmonica and Orchestra Jean Berger
for Larry Adler Mills Music Inc , USA

1941 Gay Head Dance for Harmonica and Orchestra Edward Robinson
for John Sebastian

1942 Suite Anglais for Harmonica and Orchestra Darius Milhaud
for Larry Adler Boosey& Hawkes, New York, USA

You could say that the Milhaud was the first work by a highish profile
composer. (it was published dedicated to Adler but arranged for violin and
orchestra)

Hope that helps a bit

Douglas t