[Harp-L] Re: Thomas Hart Benton

[Richard Hunter <turtlehill@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Benton recorded at least one LP (33 1/3 RPM) of light modern classical 
pieces, including "Gay Head Dances" (Gay Head being a place on or near 
Cape Cod, as opposed to a declaration of sexual preferences or 
activities--this was the 1950s, after all).  I think the LP was called 
"Saturday Night at the Bentons", or some such title.  I have no doubt 
that it is long out of print.

I played the same pieces as part of a concert series on Cape Cod in 
1978-79, and they are not easy.  I had to modify some of the lines to 
make my execution more musical (specifically, a broken C# diminished 
arpeggio--not easy to hit all those jumps legato at speed).  On the 
recording, Benton apparently hits them without fuss.  So he had some 
facility, which means he played frequently.  Whether or not he was a 
harmonica virtuoso, he loved the harmonica.

Regards, Richard Hunter
hunterharp.com
harmonica blog at http://myspace.com/richardhunterharp
Latest mp3s always at http://broadjam.com/rhunter

ndavid.coulson@xxxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
> Have you heard him play? Are there any existing recordings of his 
> playing? In his autobiography he talks about his harmonica orchestra, 
> for which he recruited players from his painting assistants. It would be 
> cool if there were recordings of that!