melvind Posted March 7, 2021 Share Posted March 7, 2021 (edited) This record is from 1937 by Lionel Hampton. A fine recording, but there is a little hidden melody fragment in it that is a bit surprising. Check out the few seconds of piano melody at 01:36 in the video. For the contest, the first one to correctly identify this melody will have the distinct privilege of being the first one to be correct! I could give hints and will if need be, but someone other than me will recognize this little melody. Reply with what you think it is. “China Stomp” by Lionel Hampton and his Orchestra 1937 Edited March 7, 2021 by melvind Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tinfoilphono Posted March 7, 2021 Share Posted March 7, 2021 Chicago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melvind Posted March 7, 2021 Author Share Posted March 7, 2021 18 minutes ago, Tinfoilphono said: Chicago. Interesting choice, but not quite. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melvind Posted March 7, 2021 Author Share Posted March 7, 2021 Hint: Italian opera clown Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melvind Posted March 8, 2021 Author Share Posted March 8, 2021 Hint: Late in an aria sung by the tenor putting on his clown makeup, his wife, and her lover. Jealousy, infidelity, and a double murder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phonogfp Posted March 8, 2021 Share Posted March 8, 2021 Oh - right! "Tears of a Clown" by Smoky Robinson! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melvind Posted March 8, 2021 Author Share Posted March 8, 2021 (edited) 27 minutes ago, phonogfp said: Oh - right! "Tears of a Clown" by Smoky Robinson! No, that isn't it either... Another hint: the last part of a famous Caruso (and many other tenors) aria. If no one gets this one I will reveal what I heard. Edited March 8, 2021 by melvind Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tinfoilphono Posted March 8, 2021 Share Posted March 8, 2021 Pagliacci. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melvind Posted March 8, 2021 Author Share Posted March 8, 2021 (edited) Yes, Rene! You win. ? It is the last part of the Aria "Vesti la Giubba" from Pagliacci. Here are the 5 seconds from China Stomp that quotes the melody. China Stomp Excerpt by Lionel Hampton and his Orchestra 1937-cr.mp3 And, here are 11 seconds of Enrico Caruso singing the same melody. I Pagliacci, opera- Excerpt from Vesti la giubba.mp3 I have no idea why in "Chinatown, My Chinatown" there would be a quote from an Italian opera, but it is clearly there. Here is some info on Pagliacci and Caruso in case you are interested. The one act opera “I Pagliacci” by Ruggero Leoncavallo is about a traveling Commedia dell’arte theatrical troop in Italy. Cannio, the tenor, leads the troop and is married to Nedda who is the female lead. Another troop member, Silvio who is Nedda’s secret lover, causes Cannio to lose control when he finds out about them. He sings the aria “Vesti la giubba” (Put on the costume) just before the show must go on. During the performance Cannio has finally had all he can take and he kills both Silvio and Nedda in front of the audience. Exciting, beautiful music, and a very tragic story makes I Pagliacci one of the most popular operas of all time. Enrico Caruso's recordings of the aria, from 1902, 1904 and 1907, were among the top selling records of the 78-rpm era and reached over a million. Caruso holds the Met record for the most performances of Canio in Pagliacci, having sung the role 116 times over the course of his Met career. Edited March 8, 2021 by melvind 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phonogfp Posted March 9, 2021 Share Posted March 9, 2021 I was robbed! ? Here is an excerpt from "Tears of a Clown," by Smoky Robinson and the Miracles: "Just like Pagliacci did, I try to keep my surface hid..." This illustrates two things: 1) Dan is not a Motown fan, and 2) Listeners to pop music in 1967 might know who Pagliacci was. How many would today? Now to hide my tears at the injustice handed me today... George P. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neilvanstem Posted March 9, 2021 Share Posted March 9, 2021 All to modern for me. Loud too. I like the older music say 1890s to 1920s (early). To hyper too makes me nervous. I want a waltz at my age! ha ha Neil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melvind Posted March 9, 2021 Author Share Posted March 9, 2021 (edited) 18 hours ago, phonogfp said: I was robbed! ? Here is an excerpt from "Tears of a Clown," by Smoky Robinson and the Miracles: "Just like Pagliacci did, I try to keep my surface hid..." This illustrates two things: 1) Dan is not a Motown fan, and 2) Listeners to pop music in 1967 might know who Pagliacci was. How many would today? Now to hide my tears at the injustice handed me today... George P. Now George, calm down. Tears of a Clown, unfortunately, does not quote the melody I presented. ? But, it is a fine song. Just the mention of Pagliacci in the lyrics doesn't mean it quotes the melody. I have nothing at all against Motown and the opera Pagliacci is still pretty well known even today! ? You are runner up, so it isn't all bad. Enjoy your second place loss if you can! ? Edited March 9, 2021 by melvind Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phonogfp Posted March 10, 2021 Share Posted March 10, 2021 Dan, for me second place is a win!? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melvind Posted March 10, 2021 Author Share Posted March 10, 2021 10 hours ago, Neilvanstem said: All to modern for me. Loud too. I like the older music say 1890s to 1920s (early). To hyper too makes me nervous. I want a waltz at my age! ha ha Neil Well, here is 7 minutes of a 1921 waltz medley for you! https://youtu.be/wQ_b_gCVRVU 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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