Identifying Pianists and etc.

We record geeks know these three pianists. We may not all be able to identify them upon hearing a different record, but we've all heard them before. The few who can identify their styles can hear them do certain things, and hear how they play certain things, and even specific accompaniments. 

I hate to say it, but the beloved Frank P. Banta we all know was still a little bit of a stiff when it came to Rag-Time. It can be heard in his playing, he's not as loose and open as Hylands was in playing Rag-Time, and just general music on the records. Here is a fantastic example of Banta's Rah-Time style:

*skip to 3:20 for the music to actually begin, the guy rambles on about the machine and etc.*

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=groIZgk0EJU

This was recorded the year that Banta died, 1903. 

Notice! Hear how Banta plays those syncopated patterns, they aren't entirely loose and free, they still sound very light and jumpy like the classical pieces he would have been taught in his youth. It's a very slight thing to notice really, but it can be heard if you listen closely.What I'm trying to say is:

Banta was not a saloon pianist.

Banta was a pianist who was trained little, much like Hylands, but the amount that he was trained, he was taught all the usual things that a child would have been taught in the late-Victorian era. This repertoire would have consisted of mostly master works of the great classical and romantic composers, and also some hymns here and there. Banta was a better overall pianist than Hylands though. Technique and stylistically, Banta was the most superior of all the early record accompanists. He was easily balanced, never too loud, played flawlessly (almost)all the time, didn't drink too much in the studio, and a very cooperative musician. He was also a mostly natural pianist(not nearly as much as Hylands though...). Banta did have a good feel on the piano when it came to anything he played, as he never played too fast for his hands to handle, and played his quick trills in the upper register as can be heard on pretty much every record he's on. 
Here is the one piano solo that his son Frank E. Banta spoke of years later:
http://cylinders.library.ucsb.edu/mp3s/6000/6475/cusb-cyl6475d.mp3
*Sorry it's so messy, but you can still hear all the things I was talking about*
For an interesting comparison, here's a re-recording of it by Banta's fellow Edison pianist Albert Benzler in 1905:
http://cylinders.library.ucsb.edu/mp3s/2000/2949/cusb-cyl2949d.mp3
*sigh* it's not the same without Banta...
especially at the section beginning at 1:20. Banta played that part almost in Rag-Time, his version is much more free and painted with emotion. 
Here's two pictures of  Benzler from 1900:

Benzler was actually a legitimate pianist, so Rag-Time wasn't something he could do very well. This  is easily mirrored in his remake of Banta's extraordinary piano solo. He tried, but no one could get his style and feel. He had his own style that was completely unique and mostly natural. 

Hylands' playing and style was a mix of too many things to put in one. It started with him somehow coming to find the wonder in playing the piano as early as age 7. He just blossomed from there, and his family noticed how extremely talented and natural he was on the piano by age 12, so then came the traveling. He traveled around the mid west area with his also talented sister until he was about 17. When he was fifteen, he was already writing shows and managing them with great ease. Also by this time, his father opened up a saloon/ grocery store. This is where Fred got his talents up on the piano, playing the predecessors to Rag-Time and hearing other wandering Indiana pianists. This is why Hylands' playing sounds so natural and free, everything he plays, not just his Rag-Time. He could play very pretty and sweet, but then when he could, he could be a riot playing out on a Cake-Walk behind one of those great singers. He's on a whole lot more records than most record collectors would think. He can't just be heard on Columbia's, he's also on Zon-O-Phone's, some Victors, and even can be heard on Leeds records later. Hylands' style was slightly reminiscent of Mike Bernard's and even Ben Harney's, only because he had to wheel them around in the theater business and vaudeville performing, so he must have tried at imitating them well, just like the mysterious Burt Green. Here's a fun one by Bernard in 1913:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWZMqNf15ws
One thing that can really be heard in Bernard's playing is the inspiration from Ben Harney, so this inspiration can also be heard in Hylands' playing as well. 
Hear some unusual and unexpected Rag-Time on this slow and pretty waltz song by Hylands:
http://cylinders.library.ucsb.edu/mp3s/8000/8799/cusb-cyl8799d.mp3
He plays more Rag-Time than a person would expect on this one, as he slips it in here and there and even throws in some of those trills he was so good at, and this was recorded in 1898! Hear the ending to really catch the Ragged playing. 
But Victor's are where the ears really need to be set up on the horns to hear the playing styles. It really varied at Victor, it was either Banta or Hylands primarily. 
Here's a few with Banta:http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/matrix/detail/2000000875/Pre-matrix_B-1388-Nobodys_looking_but_the_owl_and_moon

http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/matrix/detail/2000000540/Pre-matrix_B-1090-Not_by_a_dam_side

http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/matrix/detail/2000000581/Pre-matrix_B-1128-Go_way_back_and_sit_down

Here's some with Hylands: 
http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/matrix/detail/2000000582/Pre-matrix_B-1129-Quit_that_tickling_me
(amazing accompaniment Hylands!)
http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/matrix/detail/2000000978/Pre-matrix_B-1461-Melancholy_Mose

I hope you enjoyed this! Keep on digging through them records for Hylands piano accompaniments!