Harpo Marx and harp pedals

[M'Sharak]

I was watching the Marx Brothers' 1929 The Cocoanuts the other night, and came to the almost-obligatory "Harpo plays harp" number. It struck me that the piece he was playing called for a lot of rapid chord changes in some places, and it made me wonder if there had ever been film shot of Harpo's pedal work.

(The pedals, found at the base of the instrument, allow the player to change the tuning of certain sets of stings while playing, so that different chords or accidentals become available. Tunes with rapid chord changes necessitate rapid and sometimes tricky pedal work, almost like choreography for a complicated dance routine.)

Has anyone ever heard of or seen such footage anywhere?

 

[Professor Zoom]

I haven't. I've seen them all. (and yeah, very obligatory numbers)

I read a bio a few years ago and it said that Harpo self-taught and that his technique is very different than "normal" harp players.

 

[M'Sharak]

I haven't. I've seen them all. (and yeah, very obligatory numbers)

I've seen all of the major ones, at least, and some of the lesser, but I didn't figure on such footage being found in any of the movies -- those all tend to frame his head and hands, to the exclusion of everything else. If any footage like this exists, it would almost certainly be from outtakes, TV appearances or some other source.

I read a bio a few years ago and it said that Harpo self-taught and that his technique is very different than "normal" harp players.

The "different technique" part doesn't surprise me too much, but didn't all of the brothers receive some formal lessons? I think I recall reading that their parents insisted on it.

If you happen to remember the title or author of the bio you read, I wouldn't mind knowing, so that I might check it out at some point.

 

[gblews]

(The pedals, found at the base of the instrument, allow the player to change the tuning of certain sets of stings while playing, so that different chords or accidentals become available. Tunes with rapid chord changes necessitate rapid and sometimes tricky pedal work, almost like choreography for a complicated dance routine.)

No wonder they say harp is so difficult to play. I can't imagine playing guitar and switching to drop d on the fly, and to play only the occasional chord.

 

[A beaker full of death]

gblews, I love the avatar. I'm a huge Freddie fan myself.

 

[Professor Zoom]

I haven't. I've seen them all. (and yeah, very obligatory numbers)

I've seen all of the major ones, at least, and some of the lesser, but I didn't figure on such footage being found in any of the movies -- those all tend to frame his head and hands, to the exclusion of everything else. If any footage like this exists, it would almost certainly be from outtakes, TV appearances or some other source.

I read a bio a few years ago and it said that Harpo self-taught and that his technique is very different than "normal" harp players.

The "different technique" part doesn't surprise me too much, but didn't all of the brothers receive some formal lessons? I think I recall reading that their parents insisted on it.

If you happen to remember the title or author of the bio you read, I wouldn't mind knowing, so that I might check it out at some point.

I think Chico had "formal" training...which he used in the clubs to make some money...and apprently, Harpo used to go in and play for him as well...since they were hard to tell apart.

The best bio I read of the brothers was Monkey Business by Simon Louvish.

 

[M'Sharak]

^ I'll try to look that one up. Thanks!

I know that Chico had lessons, but apparently gambled away part of his lesson money before he got around to learning his left-hand technique; most of the tricks he does in the movies are with the right hand.

(The pedals, found at the base of the instrument, allow the player to change the tuning of certain sets of stings while playing, so that different chords or accidentals become available. Tunes with rapid chord changes necessitate rapid and sometimes tricky pedal work, almost like choreography for a complicated dance routine.)

No wonder they say harp is so difficult to play. I can't imagine playing guitar and switching to drop d on the fly, and to play only the occasional chord.

You should check out Adrian Legg, some time. I saw him play live, once. Woo. Hoo.

 

[EliyahuQeoni]

Groucho, Harpo, Chico and Sometimes Zeppo by Joe Adamson is another good Marx Bros bio.

 

[ITL]

I'm sure I heard of a bluesman from way back who would start in standard tuning and gradually move to an open tuning (not sure which one, but apparently it gave a good "ragtime" feel to the melody) during the course of the song.