Editor’s note: Arachnophonia (“Arachno” = spider / “-phonia” = sound) is a regular feature on our blog where members of the UR community can share their thoughts about resources from the Parsons Music Library‘s collection.
All links included in these posts will take you to either the library catalog record for the item in question or to additional relevant information from around the web.
Today’s installment of Arachnophonia is by student manager Julie (class of 2028) and features a vinyl collection of popular music played on piano from around the Prohibition era of the 20th century. Thanks, Julie!
It Had to be You: Popular Keyboard from the Days of the Speakeasy to the Television Era
It Had to be You: Popular Keyboard from the Days of the Speakeasy to the Television Era is a cozy, charming, and thoughtfully-curated collection of piano renditions of popular music from the Prohibition Era. The dreamy atmosphere of the recordings transports the listener back to the Roaring Twenties where the pianist was always the life of the party. The most favored speakeasy pianists played popular music of the time as it was written and without much theatrical flair to emphasize the melody for the benefit of the customers. As a result of those preferences, the music is easily recognizable and creates the perfect ambiance for cooking, crafting, homework, or, of course, hosting!
My personal favorite tracks are “Kitten on the Keys” by Zez Confrey, a fast-paced ragtime composition; “Aquellos Ojos Verdes” by Nilo Menendez, a Cuban song with a mellow Latin rhythm; and a jazzy rendition of “La Vie En Rose” by Louiguy and Edith Piaf, which is a lovely version of the well-known tune. Each of these piano covers blends seamlessly into the next, leaving the listener wanting nothing more than to spend an evening chatting and dancing away.