We all know of Columbia's "Star pianist" Fred Hylands, who had his grueling term in Columbia's piano chair from 1897 to 1905.
Seen here:
(from my own art)
He was a funky fellow in a multitude of ways really. It's hard to fully describe his dynamic personality and creative means. As I have said many times before, he has been largely forgotten to many record collectors I know, and to many in general. Other than Hylands, there were two other pianists who came before him at Columbia. The first house pianist at Columbia was Fred Gaisberg:
(also from my art)
Why did they had two Fred's? I haven't the least idea.
Gaisberg was hired for Columbia back in 1890. When any records were made in 1889 and 1890 before Gaisberg, the artists had to play their own piano accompaniment, as was described by the managers at Columbia who saw Len Spencer make his first records back in 1889. When they found Gaisberg, he was a fresh 17-year-old piano prodigy who had hovered around Sousa for years in the 80's and was anxious for a real job.
How it was a real job working at Columbia. He became a part of their staff at the time of rounds, and also when some artists would invite the house pianists to their homes to make the records there, rather than in the studio. One great example of this was John Yorke Atlee who was the first to really work the hell out of Gaisberg. Almost every weekday, Gaisberg would venture off to Atlee's house in the city of Washington where Atlee would be waiting for him anxiously after working at the treasury department. Atlee really got a kick out of recording these whistling records at his home, so he wouldn't let Gaisberg leave, even when he was absolutely worn out and wanting to go on home. He would get there at about 8 in the eveing, and Atlee wouldn't let him go until well after midnight. And he did this four to five times a week!
That was only back in 1893 and early 1894 however. After that, Gaisberg was stuck in the actual studio. But around this time in 1894, he was starting to get involved with another Washington based company, Berliner. He was also Berliner's first house pianist. This job at Berliner forced him to devote less of his time to Columbia, but he can still be heard on Columbia's in 1894, 1895 and even 1896. In 1896, there was a bunch of personnel and staff changes at Columbia however.
At this time, piccolo and Violinist George Schweinfest was holding the piano chair as Gaisberg was not being seen nearly as often at Columbia.
Schweinfest(seen below at the piano):
That's Columbia's piano anyhow!
He didn't remain their pianist for very long, compared to the other pianists they had there. He was the one who filled the gap between Gaisberg and Hylands. Schweinfest had already worked there for at least five years as a piccolo player in their band and in Issler's parlor orchestra, since he played piano reasonably well, and he could sight read the music, he seemed perfect for the job. His praise didn't last too long though. Then came Hylands. Or Fred number 2.
This "second Fred" was nothing like their first one. He looked nothing like Fred no. 1 and his style was almost completely different. Hylands beat the piano, whereas Gaisberg tickled it. Hylands near broke his fingers, whereas Gaisberg twitched his fingers stylishly. It's funny to think of it that way, but that's the truth. Hylands was the last house pianist that Columbia had, as he came in at the tail-end of the "round" era. He didn't really understand what Len Spencer and Schweinfest had to go through for years. It's actually better that way, because that would have certainly killed him, or he would have lived only as long as Banta(if he had been at Columbia around the time that Gaisberg was there). He couldn't have handled the full-on "round" era(like in 1894 and 1895).
Well, that's about all I have this evening. I just played at a local San Francisco Cafe and I am absolutely exhausted now. So to close off, here is a cylinder I've been trying to decipher for the past two hours by John Yorke Atlee and Hylands in 1898:
(the music starts at 1:50, the guy just talks at the beginning)
I wish I could hear it better, and I wish it was played a little bit slower.
Anyhow, enjoy what you can hear.
(sigh)... I want to hear the piano better...
I hope you enjoyed this!
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