Character Studies---Frank P. Banta(1870-1903)

Frank P. Banta, the silent piano man of Edison's company. He was a very hard worker, who cared very greatly about the quality of the records he was on, and wanted to be known as Edison's pianist. 

He did indeed achieve this goal, as to-day, he is the most well-known accompanist on records of the acoustic era. When record collectors hear Rag-Time piano behind any singer on a Victor, Edison cylinder, or even sometimes Columbia records, they immediately turn to Banta. Without considering the full evidence or facts, they turn to Banta, as he was everywhere on Victor records and Edison cylinders. This is true, but he was never on Columbia records---ever, period. This is something that needs to be known by record collectors who think it's always Banta who played the Rag-Time, which is partially true. Banta did indeed play wonderful Rag-Time, and he was a better overall musician than Fred Hylands. 

Mr. Banta was a quiet and solemn worker. He never had the means to complain about the obviously terrible working conditions he endured at Edison. The Conditions in which Fred Hylands worked were much better than the ones that Banta worked. Somehow, having Columbia stationed in an office building made working conditions better. Banta had to endure the rough and unsanitary world of working under old man Edison and Walter Miller. He came in every morning at about 8, with a case full of music, and dressed very modestly. He never wore the finest clothes, but he certainly had money, and was good with that money he had. He hid his alcohol and drugs deep in his case, so not even the nitpicky Walter Miller could find them if he dug through the case. He always had a nasty cough, and with that, he always had a rag with him to quiet himself as best he could. He enjoyed working with the singers and instrumentalists, and had some laughs with them here and there throughout the days. He was a very kind a soulful man, who had the easiest temper and personality to deal with of all the recording stars. He would always take that long trip back home each evening half walking, and half in a cab, which was one of the ways he kept to that slim figure of his. Many of the Edison staff wondered what the man was really like, as his piano playing was light and airy, even if he was playing rather "rough" Rag-Time behind some singers. The staff had rumours about him spread around, such as things related to him possibly being a Jew, and other things that would get him kicked out had Old man Edison found out himself. He was too good of a man for the manager to fire him, and he never caused any trouble or harm. Since he was always quiet, he wasn't really a big name on their staff, and other pianists under Edison, Fred Bachman and Albert Benzler, found him to be too meek on the piano, and that he wasn't ever meant to be a Rag-Time pianist. Banta was a silent and "behind-the-scenes" figure in the late-1890's at Edison, as well as Victor. He was a popular accompanist in vaudeville and for popular instrumentalists, not as popular as Fred Hylands and Burt Green, but to some degree, he was a better pianist. Banta's hands were not too long, probably able to just reach a tenth, and wasn't really a comical sight to watch when he played. When he played, he looked very intense, focused, and serious. Even when he played Rag-Time, his demeanor still had this feeling to it. When he played something gentle and slow, that was what he looked like, and his expression was still serious, but full of soul. He was easy to work with, and this is why all the instrumentalists liked him so much, as they wouldn't ever have to argue with him, unlike Fred Hylands(where the musicians would sometimes argue with him!). This easiness with him was the main reason why Vess Ossman liked him so much, and is why he stayed with him for so many years. Banta was always a worrysome character for the other staff members however, as he was so slight in figure, constantly had that horrible cough, and wasn't vocal with his true feelings about working at Edison. It worried some of the staff members occasionally, not all the time, but a select few would feel the need to chat with him kindly for recognitions that he was all-right. It took a while for Banta to really be known by the record buyers that he was a regular pianist at Edison, and that he was even playing sometimes. His playing was still quiet and light, which was unfortunate, because it really took away from really hearing him play with all his stylistic details. He very often played in the higher register of the piano, and more often he did this after 1901, why? That is something all the staff could never know. His Ragged style was loved greatly, both at Edison and Victor, and his light and out-of-the-way piano accompaniments were favored by the cornet and banjo players, as they would not need to tell him "BE QUIET!", or tell him to change anything about what he was playing. It wasn't all great that he was a stalwart worker, determined to get as much work done as's he could. This ethic started to get to him in 1902, juggling shows with recording very frequently for Victor and Edison, it began to wear him out much more often. He began to really feel the pain that Fred Hylands had been dealing with for years, Banta just hadn't learned of it earlier because he was healthier, and wasn't as heavy. By 1903, he made his only piano solo, "Violets", which was a beautiful rendition of the popular ballad of the same name. Only six months after this piano solo was made, Banta died of a mixture of all his ailments. He left a seven-year-old son, two year old daughter, and a widowed corset maker. Months after he died, the Edison staff all realised that is was them who forced him to work so much, to the point of where it killed him by the end of 1903. They took the blame and all went to his funeral, leaving a "trail of tears" along the dark march path in the cold of early December. 
Every time his Irish wife Elizabeth (Riley) Banta, heard his record of "Violets" she must have wept every time she heard it. 

I hope you enjoyed this!