In his book, HARPO SPEAKS, he said “The one running around and nuts, that’s the other guy. The one that sits down and plays the harp, that’s me.” When his grandparents emigrated from Russia his grandmother brought the harp along. We’re so blessed that she didn’t leave it behind. I love the look he always gets on his face when playing the harp. So quiet and contented.
@@Harfa_Traw Thank you. I must read _Harpo Speaks._ His musical gifts were amazing, and it's such an unusual and beautiful instrument. As they said on the Podcast, he runs around like a clownish Pan, chasing wood nymphs. The last thing you expect is for someone to fling a harp down into his path and transform him into an angel.
I love Harpo's mini journey to strictly adhere to the original music of the 2nd Hungarian Rhapsody. Then he moves it to his own jazz interpretation. This is a virtuoso harpist. Can you imagine what a full solo concert would have been like?
Yes, totally immersed! I saw him on an I Love Lucy rerun just this morning and he played a very unique version of Take Me Out To The Ballgame. Just gorgeous! And that same enraptured face.... only moments before and the moments after he was goofy and clowning, but during his performance it was just concentration and bliss. We just don't have artists like him anymore.
When I was a child, I couldn't wait for these musical interludes to be over. Now, I go back and rewatch the Marx Brother's old movies, and am entranced by their musical talent.
In 55 years of living , endless learning/reading/discovering like a voracious shark, all along the way.....I've never come across the likes of this man. A sprite, a clown, an elf, a saint, imperfect in his perfection, I love and respect him as the greatest human I have ever come across. Read all you can about him and copy him. He is all I aspire to be, and never will be. The Earth was fortunate to have him walk on it, and he will be the first in Heaven I run to meet. A guiding light for all who would aspire to be good, fair, nice,and noble. We humans do not deserve the likes of him. After all I have learned, he reminds me of how frail and silly I am in comparison. He destroys my arrogance, and simply makes me love.
I first read “Harpo Speaks” a long time ago when I was 14 years old (1974). He wrote about how his grandparents were stage performers back in Germany and that his grandmother’s harp sat in the corner with no strings. He grew up wondering how it sounded, thought that it was a cruel trick of fate that he couldn’t hear what it sounded like. So the very first time that he got a chance he had the harp restrung and taught himself to play.
@@Zerbey Harpo Marx was initially self-taught but in 1928, he met Mildred Dilling in a music store in Manhattan where she was trying out a new harp. Harpo heard her playing Poenitz' "The Music Box" and asked her to teach him to play it. That was the beginning of a decades-long relationship during which Ms. Dilling coached Harpo on his technique. I attended a master class with Ms. Dilling a few years before she passed away and she told us about the time Harpo, who was living in Hollywood at the time, called her at 3:00AM New York time - he'd forgotten about the time difference - to ask her for help with a piece he was working on. He had put his telephone near his harp and she did the same. I can't imagine anyone other than a true friend and a dedicated teacher giving an on-the-spot lesson over the phone in the small hours.
I read Harpo's auto biography "Harpo speaks." All say who knew him that he was a nice guy. He married only once and was from all accounts was one of the all time great marriages. He and his wife adapted children. His children speak of him with fondness.
@@Bogframe You're right I learned a great deal from it. Did you read the part about him being a paid piano player where he only knew 3 songs on the piano and that his brother Chico had previously had the job and was kicked out.
The way he leans into it at the end... It's such a sense of affection. Almost like he drops character to pay homage to it. Being gifted is one thing. Loving what you are gifted at is beautiful.
eternal life is ONLY through believing THE GOSPEL OF SALVATION through JESUS CHRIST, for IT is the POWER of GOD unto SALVATION to every one that BELIEVES... 1 CORINTHIANS 15:1-4
kids these days dont know whats talent. all they think of is playing on the phone and tablets. I remember playing records, looking at books and playing different kinds of instruments in school and with my family. fun times. Love Harpo Marx
These so-called "celebrities" today don't have talent, just a bunch of losers wanting attention. They are all forgotten in 10 years because they really don't have a heart for people, just money and mansions.
I can name another person who had a talent similar to Harpo: Larry Fine of the Three Stooges. He could play a violin perfectly! He had learn how to because of an injury he suffered as a kid.
Grew up enjoying the Marx Brothers amazing entertainment, Harpo was my favorite. He could run you through, so many emotions and always leave you smiling.
Nearly fifty years ago I was at a party in a large house in London. In one of the rooms the telly was on with 'A Night At The Opera' playing in the background. All these ?!$$ed people were (half) watching, laughing and talking. Being a huge fan of the Marx Bros I sat down to watch even though it was noisy (in the days before video, you had to catch your favourites where you could). When Harpo started playing 'Alone' on the harp, the room fell silent with everyone watching. He finished playing and everybody went back to being noisy again. Amazing.
I’m one of the younger folks (15) and night at the opera is my favorite film! Hopefully it’s nice to know the young ones of today still know the classics. I’ve shown that one to all my friends :) now we quote Groucho all the time!
Because of Harpo as a child I fell in love with the Harp. He was amazing. He always touched my very heart and soul. I was only 6 or 7 and this man could make me tear up with his playing! Thank you Harpo it was my honor to watch you the man play this beautiful instrument!💕
This is one of very few times in my life I can't find the words to describe this man, his comedy and especially his music. All I can think of is fantastic.
I wonder if people stood up and gave an ovation to this performance back when "Night at the Opera" was playing in the theaters. I would have felt compelled to do so myself. The first time I saw this as a kid, I cried. I realized that no matter how poor, goofy or different someone may seem to conventional society (or the "in crowd," as I defined it when I was young), they can still possess a great talent, an inner beauty that can be expressed in so many different ways. Thank you, Harpo Marx.
I never watched the Marx brothers movies but still liked Harpo. I had no idea what a fantastic master of the harp he was until I was flipping channels one day. I saw him looking at the harp and thought it was going to be a comedy bit. I was totally captivated by this mans talent. I could watch this all day.
Don't you love how he takes one song and plays around with it, changing rhythms, keys, the works. Listening to him and watching him (thanks for the great transfer, themethodman87) always, always brings a smile to my face and peace in my heart.
As a child if I knew he was going to play his harp, I would run to sit in front of the television and closing my eyes, I would let him take me away... to me he was the perfect harp player.
I'm lucky to have lived in the days of black and white TV. I remember this show and others like it. The classics are slowly going away but will never die. I will forever keep those days in my heart and memories.
I love these guys - all so individually talented in their own way and an unstoppable force of nature when allowed to share the screen, There will never be another family like them!
Harpo's playing was always my favorite part of every Marx Bros. movie I ever watched. Something about that instrument and the music it produced fascinated me.
BRAVO! Read his autobiography, it is motivating. I grew up watching the Marx Brothers movies, I ditched school with others to learn and really respect musicians from all walks of life by seeing how they too, stop to listen and give them an audience. Thanks for posting.
One of my favorite moments watching old classic tv or film was when Harpo showed up on Groucho's tv show as a surprise guest at a time when, apparently, Groucho hadn't seen him for quite a while. For a long moment the normally glib Groucho could only say "Oh, Harpo!" But with so much love in those two words that you couldn't help but shed some tears.
Harpo was the funniest and the most naturally talented of all the Marx brothers. He radiated a childlike joy that came through in everything he did. He proved that you didn’t have to say a word to get people to understand you. Another great who understood that was Lon Chaney Sr.
We'll never see dedication to perfecting craft like this again. The discipline behind such musical abilities....That's why videos records of this is so important- to document what is now gone. Sad.
@@gerrybongohead Hi, I've never heard this, but keep in mind that Harpo played a concert harp, which has numerous pedals (I think at least 7?) which control small rotating discs with (rubber-covered?) metal pegs which stop the strings at various intervals, raising or lowering the pitch. I don't think it's shown in this footage, but when he plays, like any concert harpist, Harpo's legs and feet are moving furiously working the pedals at lightening speed to change the notes for each different chord/scale he plays. I would imagine Harpo thus tuned his harp like a normal concert harp, probably to A-440 as the pitch had been officially raised in 1928 to this from the earlier standard of A-435. It's not like a banjo or guitar where there are only a few strings and lots of fretting needed by one hand... the harpist does all their own 'fretting' hands-free, using the pedals. Also, I imagine there's a limited range in which you could tune a concert harp up or down (ESPECIALLY up), before it collapses due to the overloaded string tension. It's more like tuning a piano than a guitar in this respect... all the tension of all those strings really adds up. If Harpo played what I would term a 'natural' or older-style harp, with no pedal mechanism, such as an Irish harp, I would imagine he then would have tuned it according to his taste and maybe retuned it, but those are smaller instruments that are probably a bit more forgiving of this. I'm not a harpist so cannot comment further on that topic, and invite real harpists to weigh in. I don't know where Harpo got his style from, but some clues may be found not only from studying 'legit' classical harp literature and piano literature, and also the swing-era jazz and pop piano styles of Teddy Wilson, Fats Waller, Ted Fio Rito, Frankie Carle, Eddie Heywood, Jr. and others, but especially in studying another jazz harpist who was active at this same time, Casper Reardon (who may be heard in at least a few dozen recordings here on TH-cam and also on SoundCloud, and also in a film short showing him playing). Here is a GREAT playlist of wonderful Casper Reardon recordings: soundcloud.com/peter-mintun/sets/casper-reardon-harp Besides Casper Reardon, there was also a contemporary of Harpo's named George Lyons, a ragtime harpist in vaudeville, who wrote a couple rags and a few dozen songs with his duo-partner Bob Yosco (who was a mandolin and 'cello player; both of them also sang, reportedly very well). I don't know how many encounters Harpo had with George Lyons (I haven't yet read his autobiography), but both being around the same age and in vaudeville at the same time, their paths MUST have crossed at least a couple times. I know of no commercial 78 recordings by Mr. Lyons or the duo, but he was supposed to have made a film short playing the harp in 1929, which I would LOVE to see!!! Here's their Wikipedia article. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyons_and_Yosco Finally, there was also the Automatic Harp, invented by J. W. Whitlock of Rising Sun, Indiana, made by his company in their small factory, and licensed to and sold exclusively by Wurlitzer in circa the 1906-1918 period. The rolls were made by Ms. Whitlock using published popular piano and piano/vocal sheet music, via her own drafting-board arrangements, I think. Several mechanical music collectors have commented on these arrangements sounding more like a 'piano' than a 'harp' (or making the harp sound like a guitar when played on it), but I don't know how many of them are actually harpists. I've only heard a few tunes on a couple of these instruments so can't comment further, except to say the few dozen left are neat relics of a bygone age, can still play new arrangements as well as the old ones, and are all worth saving... I wish more were left! Full story here: www.rickcrandall.net/whitlock-automatic-harp/
So beautiful! Harpo was my favorite of all the Marx brothers. In addition to being a wonderful comic, he was such a truly talented musician and beloved family man
I always marveled at his playing the harp...Beautiful instrument, and from what I know not an easy one to play either... foot pedals and all !!!! Lovely Harpo!!!! We miss you!! 🥰😘
After watching the Marx Brothers my father had to convince my that he was really playing . Then as i got older and read more about them and found what Master musicians they were .Even Groucho was a pretty good guitar player . What a family so talented and funny as hell
Wow…absolutely beautiful. You can tell he had passion for his music! The level it takes to master an instrument like the harp, takes years! That’s dedication for you.
Brilliant man he was. I saw a documentary on the Marx Brothers when I was a boy. They said that when he came home he wanted to see a child in every window
I just love the Marx brothers it always feels great after watching somuch playfull joy..... Im very lucky to see this crazy freedom they gave to all of the ppl who loves humor.....
I've always been crazy about Harpo's musicianship, and now I am rewarded by this TH-cam algorithm. And reading the comments I see 4the1stx that I am not alone in my reverence, & alot of you are youngsters too. Fantastic. "I would rather have Harpo harping in front o'me than2 have a frontal..." well you know the rest!
Always my favourite Marx brother right from being a little girl, and Harpo’s playing then was just superb...so enjoyed it, Thankyou for sharing, 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻😘
I'm stumped over and over by the talent that was in all the Marx Brothers. Nobody has ever achieved such precision over such a wide variety of arts. They are absolutely amazing.
The piece is nine minutes long, too long for such a film. It has always been adapted many times, in cartoons, films etc. and all types of instrumentations, and many liberties. Here the touch of swing is not unpleasing. It is already very difficult on the piano, imagine on the harp (Liszt was sort of a record in virtuosity.) The genius of Harpo is not to let the difficulty show.
Have a look at the Tom and Jerry Verizon in “Cat Concerto” I guarantee you’ll never be able to listen to this piece of music in quite the same way again ;-) :-)
Chico and Harpo were so blessed in their musical abilities. I always looked forward to hearing them play whenever a Marx Brothers film was shown on televition.
Just great Harp playing music 🎼🎶👍😃🎴 thank you for this video To all the Marx brothers that went home God Bless 🙏 to you and your families and friends rest in peace 😊❤
The beginning of my musical career at somewhere between 2 1/2 and three years old began with this one scene from this movie. It taught me intervals and how to play the piano without ever having had a lesson. Thank you Harpo.
Harpo always mesmerised me as a child and still does. An amazing musician, and when he played, pure magic and concentration. Just look at his face in the close ups! Love the Marx bros and always will.
I play The Piano, but, I, TOO, am IN *ABSOLUTE AWE*, of ANYONE who can play *THE HARP*. It is SUCH a*: (Dare I say it, *MYSTICAL*): (*CELESTIAL*): *BEAUTIFUL*: And, *DIFFICULT*(!!!): Instrument, to play:-0 It is on a *HIGHER* (*SPIRITUAL*) LEVEL: than ANY OTHER Instrument. If "*HARPO*" were HERE, RIGHT NOW: I would BOW DOWN, BEFORE him: (I WOULD PROBABLY *CRY*(!!!!)): And I WOULD KISS HIS (*BEAUTIFUL*) *HANDS*.(WHAT a *BEAUTIFUL* (*MUSICAL*) "*MENTOR*" *HE* has been to me, "*LO, These MANY Years*".;-) (HIS *LYRICISM*, I mean): (HOPEFULLY, I have been "*Channeling*" some of that: INTO *MY OWN* Music).
One of the most underrated musical geniuses to ever live...and yet so self deprecating and humble...and funny...God bless you Harpo!!! (Thank you)
There's always one.
In his book, HARPO SPEAKS, he said “The one running around and nuts, that’s the other guy. The one that sits down and plays the harp, that’s me.”
When his grandparents emigrated from Russia his grandmother brought the harp along. We’re so blessed that she didn’t leave it behind.
I love the look he always gets on his face when playing the harp. So quiet and contented.
Which grandmother brought a harp from Russia? Minnie's mother or Frenchie's?
@@LeoOrientis Minnie’s mother, Fanny Schoenberg
@@Harfa_Traw Thank you. I must read _Harpo Speaks._ His musical gifts were amazing, and it's such an unusual and beautiful instrument. As they said on the Podcast, he runs around like a clownish Pan, chasing wood nymphs. The last thing you expect is for someone to fling a harp down into his path and transform him into an angel.
I love Harpo's mini journey to strictly adhere to the original music of the 2nd Hungarian Rhapsody. Then he moves it to his own jazz interpretation. This is a virtuoso harpist. Can you imagine what a full solo concert would have been like?
Another comedy sketch?
Whith a sleevefull of silverware
Truly a genius of music, comedy, and all emotion
Beautiful. And look at Harpos face while he plays. No more clowning. Just total love for his music.
It was always my favourite part of the Marx Brothers' films --- when everything faded away and there was nothing left except Harpo and his harp'
Yes.
Elisabeth4844
So well put.
Nedra Leggett, I so agree. Harpo was serious about playing the harpo and in this video, he face says it all.
Yes, totally immersed! I saw him on an I Love Lucy rerun just this morning and he played a very unique version of Take Me Out To The Ballgame. Just gorgeous! And that same enraptured face.... only moments before and the moments after he was goofy and clowning, but during his performance it was just concentration and bliss. We just don't have artists like him anymore.
A true master at the harp. Stunning performance. I was clapping. Can you imagine playing by ear. He never read music. Amazing talent
He was truly amazing
Oh I don’t know he played by ear! Even more impressive how do you even get that brilliant
When I was a child, I couldn't wait for these musical interludes to be over. Now, I go back and rewatch the Marx Brother's old movies, and am entranced by their musical talent.
I was the opposite. I liked the clowning, but when Harpo played, I was mesmerized.
In 55 years of living , endless learning/reading/discovering like a voracious shark, all along the way.....I've never come across the likes of this man. A sprite, a clown, an elf, a saint, imperfect in his perfection, I love and respect him as the greatest human I have ever come across. Read all you can about him and copy him. He is all I aspire to be, and never will be. The Earth was fortunate to have him walk on it, and he will be the first in Heaven I run to meet. A guiding light for all who would aspire to be good, fair, nice,and noble. We humans do not deserve the likes of him. After all I have learned, he reminds me of how frail and silly I am in comparison. He destroys my arrogance, and simply makes me love.
Well said, he was most certainly a incredible man.
Marx is love. Marx is life.
+triarii11 STFU
+triarii11 STFU
Agree :))))))
I first read “Harpo Speaks” a long time ago when I was 14 years old (1974). He wrote about how his grandparents were stage performers back in Germany and that his grandmother’s harp sat in the corner with no strings. He grew up wondering how it sounded, thought that it was a cruel trick of fate that he couldn’t hear what it sounded like. So the very first time that he got a chance he had the harp restrung and taught himself to play.
Such a great book. What a life he had!
He shows his real genius at 2:30 when he does a synchopated improvization on the classic piece. Just brilliant. What a gift he was and still is.
Nobody else played the harp like he did, he was entirely self taught and tuned it completely differently to how it was supposed to be.
Hey are you still alive
@@Zerbey Harpo Marx was initially self-taught but in 1928, he met Mildred Dilling in a music store in Manhattan where she was trying out a new harp. Harpo heard her playing Poenitz' "The Music Box" and asked her to teach him to play it. That was the beginning of a decades-long relationship during which Ms. Dilling coached Harpo on his technique.
I attended a master class with Ms. Dilling a few years before she passed away and she told us about the time Harpo, who was living in Hollywood at the time, called her at 3:00AM New York time - he'd forgotten about the time difference - to ask her for help with a piece he was working on. He had put his telephone near his harp and she did the same. I can't imagine anyone other than a true friend and a dedicated teacher giving an on-the-spot lesson over the phone in the small hours.
@@royjones1039 That’s an amazing story!!!!
I read Harpo's auto biography "Harpo speaks." All say who knew him that he was a nice guy. He married only once and was from all accounts was one of the all time great marriages. He and his wife adapted children. His children speak of him with fondness.
Anyone who hasn't read that book should. It's great!
@@Bogframe You're right I learned a great deal from it.
Did you read the part about him being a paid piano player where he only knew 3 songs on the piano and that his brother Chico had previously had the job and was kicked out.
I read it three times!
The way he leans into it at the end... It's such a sense of affection. Almost like he drops character to pay homage to it.
Being gifted is one thing. Loving what you are gifted at is beautiful.
Christopher C. Cooper, I noticed that to. His face and the way his body caresses the harp says it all about how much he loved playing the harp.
So very well stated, and in Harpo's face you see the truth in your words.
No need to say something more
They said it all . Thank you.
Lovely comment Christopher. He was a sublime musician.
It’s like watching a massage
Some people need to live for ever. These brothers are one of them.
I agree whole-heartedly. Harpo for sure. There are a few others as well. Charles Stanley,
eternal life is ONLY through believing THE GOSPEL OF SALVATION through JESUS CHRIST, for IT is the POWER of GOD unto SALVATION to every one that BELIEVES...
1 CORINTHIANS 15:1-4
You mean they are three of them
Manch... You said it right! Such pure gold lost. You'll never find musicians or comedians like them. Breaks my heart.
MRGF78 The Marx brothers were Jewish.
I have loved these guys since I was a child. Never get tired of watching them! 💜💜💜
kids these days dont know whats talent. all they think of is playing on the phone and tablets. I remember playing records, looking at books and playing different kinds of instruments in school and with my family. fun times. Love Harpo Marx
Happy 134th Birthday in Heaven Harpo Marx.
The concentration when he plays is really something and he's in another place altogether.
My dad talks about the Marx brothers. This is the first I’ve seen of it and I had no idea! Simply fantastic!!
Back when movie stars had more amazing musical talent stashed in their back pocket, than our strictly-musical celebrities possess today.
These so-called "celebrities" today don't have talent, just a bunch of losers wanting attention. They are all forgotten in 10 years because they really don't have a heart for people, just money and mansions.
That’s the vaudeville talent. Had to stay on top of it to stay in the circuit.
Yes yes you were born in the wrong generation and all that, truly you are a culturally superior ubermensch.
@@tomaspabon2484 every generation is dumb, from the antiquity to today. Even myths display morons and moronity at their core.
I can name another person who had a talent similar to Harpo: Larry Fine of the Three Stooges. He could play a violin perfectly! He had learn how to because of an injury he suffered as a kid.
Grew up enjoying the Marx Brothers amazing entertainment, Harpo was my favorite. He could run you through, so many emotions and always leave you smiling.
Nearly fifty years ago I was at a party in a large house in London. In one of the rooms the telly was on with 'A Night At The Opera' playing in the background. All these ?!$$ed people were (half) watching, laughing and talking. Being a huge fan of the Marx Bros I sat down to watch even though it was noisy (in the days before video, you had to catch your favourites where you could). When Harpo started playing 'Alone' on the harp, the room fell silent with everyone watching. He finished playing and everybody went back to being noisy again. Amazing.
I’m one of the younger folks (15) and night at the opera is my favorite film! Hopefully it’s nice to know the young ones of today still know the classics. I’ve shown that one to all my friends :) now we quote Groucho all the time!
@@clownfromclowntown awesome that people still watch them.
Great story!!!!!
@@clownfromclowntown this scene is from "A day in Casablanca"
Because of Harpo as a child I fell in love with the Harp. He was amazing. He always touched my very heart and soul.
I was only 6 or 7 and this man could make me tear up with his playing!
Thank you Harpo it was my honor to watch you the man play this beautiful instrument!💕
A fitting name to the greatest harp player I've ever heard. The joy he brings without a word is amazing
That's a bucketload of talent in one family
This is one of very few times in my life I can't find the words to describe this man, his comedy and especially his music. All I can think of is fantastic.
I wonder if people stood up and gave an ovation to this performance back when "Night at the Opera" was playing in the theaters. I would have felt compelled to do so myself. The first time I saw this as a kid, I cried. I realized that no matter how poor, goofy or different someone may seem to conventional society (or the "in crowd," as I defined it when I was young), they can still possess a great talent, an inner beauty that can be expressed in so many different ways. Thank you, Harpo Marx.
This is from "A Night In Casablanca".
@@eblackadder3 Thank you. Duly noted.
I never watched the Marx brothers movies but still liked Harpo. I had no idea what a fantastic master of the harp he was until I was flipping channels one day. I saw him looking at the harp and thought it was going to be a comedy bit. I was totally captivated by this mans talent. I could watch this all day.
Such a beautiful talented man, thanks to my parents, I was introduced to the Marx Brothers, and there will never be anything like them xx
Don't you love how he takes one song and plays around with it, changing rhythms, keys, the works. Listening to him and watching him (thanks for the great transfer, themethodman87) always, always brings a smile to my face and peace in my heart.
I will consider myself to have reached the highest plane of the afterlife if Harpo is there giving lessons to the angels.
Hey are you still alive
@@dulapeep1450 probably not, he's in the afterlife now
So that's why his name was "harpo" and he "played" along. 😉😁👌🎵🎼🎶
I Loved watching the Marx brothers escapades just to watch Chico and Harpo play musical instruments, as a child
Oh my God, that's just... that's just... that's one of the greatest things I've ever seen.
As a child if I knew he was going to play his harp, I would run to sit in front of the television and closing my eyes, I would let him take me away... to me he was the perfect harp player.
Genius after all these years its still brilliant!
I'm lucky to have lived in the days of black and white TV. I remember this show and others like it. The classics are slowly going away but will never die. I will forever keep those days in my heart and memories.
I'm only 23 but I grew up with vhs tapes of their films, was always and will always be brilliant
I love these guys - all so individually talented in their own way and an unstoppable force of nature when allowed to share the screen, There will never be another family like them!
Harpo's playing was always my favorite part of every Marx Bros. movie I ever watched. Something about that instrument and the music it produced fascinated me.
incredible. pure and raw... the beauty of this stops the breath. Thank you Harpo for playing to us and to the Angels :) RIP Sir.. you did it right :)
Hey are you still alive
The original and the classic, Magnificent Harpo Marx,
Nearly 100 years later
Every time I hear him play I cry
What, seriously??
BRAVO! Read his autobiography, it is motivating. I grew up watching the Marx Brothers movies, I ditched school with others to learn and really respect musicians from all walks of life by seeing how they too, stop to listen and give them an audience. Thanks for posting.
I love Harpo catching the feather in his shoe...Amazing Entertainer all-around
One of my favorite moments watching old classic tv or film was when Harpo showed up on Groucho's tv show as a surprise guest at a time when, apparently, Groucho hadn't seen him for quite a while. For a long moment the normally glib Groucho could only say "Oh, Harpo!" But with so much love in those two words that you couldn't help but shed some tears.
Seamlessly blends a romantic classical and ragtime jazz, on a harp...
Harpo ! a guy that was bullied at school so much he left early, and look at him play like a pro ! he got one over the bullies ! What a guy !
👏👏👏👏👏👏👏i felt like that needed a standing ovation he switched melodies like 5 times.... he could kept playing for hours
Harpo was the funniest and the most naturally talented of all the Marx brothers. He radiated a childlike joy that came through in everything he did. He proved that you didn’t have to say a word to get people to understand you. Another great who understood that was Lon Chaney Sr.
He was a master comedian and musician extraordinaire and should never be forgotten
We'll never see dedication to perfecting craft like this again. The discipline behind such musical abilities....That's why videos records of this is so important- to document what is now gone. Sad.
I love how he jazzes up the Rhapsody in the middle and puts all those "streamline" Swing Era chords on it.
@@gerrybongohead Hi, I've never heard this, but keep in mind that Harpo played a concert harp, which has numerous pedals (I think at least 7?) which control small rotating discs with (rubber-covered?) metal pegs which stop the strings at various intervals, raising or lowering the pitch. I don't think it's shown in this footage, but when he plays, like any concert harpist, Harpo's legs and feet are moving furiously working the pedals at lightening speed to change the notes for each different chord/scale he plays.
I would imagine Harpo thus tuned his harp like a normal concert harp, probably to A-440 as the pitch had been officially raised in 1928 to this from the earlier standard of A-435. It's not like a banjo or guitar where there are only a few strings and lots of fretting needed by one hand... the harpist does all their own 'fretting' hands-free, using the pedals.
Also, I imagine there's a limited range in which you could tune a concert harp up or down (ESPECIALLY up), before it collapses due to the overloaded string tension. It's more like tuning a piano than a guitar in this respect... all the tension of all those strings really adds up. If Harpo played what I would term a 'natural' or older-style harp, with no pedal mechanism, such as an Irish harp, I would imagine he then would have tuned it according to his taste and maybe retuned it, but those are smaller instruments that are probably a bit more forgiving of this.
I'm not a harpist so cannot comment further on that topic, and invite real harpists to weigh in.
I don't know where Harpo got his style from, but some clues may be found not only from studying 'legit' classical harp literature and piano literature, and also the swing-era jazz and pop piano styles of Teddy Wilson, Fats Waller, Ted Fio Rito, Frankie Carle, Eddie Heywood, Jr. and others, but especially in studying another jazz harpist who was active at this same time, Casper Reardon (who may be heard in at least a few dozen recordings here on TH-cam and also on SoundCloud, and also in a film short showing him playing). Here is a GREAT playlist of wonderful Casper Reardon recordings:
soundcloud.com/peter-mintun/sets/casper-reardon-harp
Besides Casper Reardon, there was also a contemporary of Harpo's named George Lyons, a ragtime harpist in vaudeville, who wrote a couple rags and a few dozen songs with his duo-partner Bob Yosco (who was a mandolin and 'cello player; both of them also sang, reportedly very well). I don't know how many encounters Harpo had with George Lyons (I haven't yet read his autobiography), but both being around the same age and in vaudeville at the same time, their paths MUST have crossed at least a couple times. I know of no commercial 78 recordings by Mr. Lyons or the duo, but he was supposed to have made a film short playing the harp in 1929, which I would LOVE to see!!! Here's their Wikipedia article. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyons_and_Yosco
Finally, there was also the Automatic Harp, invented by J. W. Whitlock of Rising Sun, Indiana, made by his company in their small factory, and licensed to and sold exclusively by Wurlitzer in circa the 1906-1918 period. The rolls were made by Ms. Whitlock using published popular piano and piano/vocal sheet music, via her own drafting-board arrangements, I think. Several mechanical music collectors have commented on these arrangements sounding more like a 'piano' than a 'harp' (or making the harp sound like a guitar when played on it), but I don't know how many of them are actually harpists. I've only heard a few tunes on a couple of these instruments so can't comment further, except to say the few dozen left are neat relics of a bygone age, can still play new arrangements as well as the old ones, and are all worth saving... I wish more were left! Full story here: www.rickcrandall.net/whitlock-automatic-harp/
This concept of music is gaining popularity today in classic music. This shows what a timeless genius he was.
amazing. such talent ...in those fingers. they were ultra talented ..everyone of the marx brothers
So beautiful! Harpo was my favorite of all the Marx brothers. In addition to being a wonderful comic, he was such a truly talented musician and beloved family man
He was a master and genius for musical talent. Amazing and uncanny skill. He was gifted.
STUNNING.!!!
FA-BU-LOUS.!!!
INCREDIBLE.!!!
Those were the days of a kind of actors, that just did not exist today!!!
Omg that is beautiful! He is amazing
I always marveled at his playing the harp...Beautiful instrument, and from what I know not an easy one to play either... foot pedals and all !!!! Lovely Harpo!!!! We miss you!! 🥰😘
You will like this !
th-cam.com/video/GQehZE3J3As/w-d-xo.html
After watching the Marx Brothers my father had to convince my that he was really playing . Then as i got older and read more about them and found what Master musicians they were .Even Groucho was a pretty good guitar player . What a family so talented and funny as hell
Groucho was the best singer imo.
Wow…absolutely beautiful. You can tell he had passion for his music! The level it takes to master an instrument like the harp, takes years! That’s dedication for you.
Brilliant man he was.
I saw a documentary on the Marx Brothers when I was a boy. They said that when he came home he wanted to see a child in every window
A pure genius!!! Thank you Harpo!!!
Harpo’s virtuoso skills are self taught. And notice how all the silliness drops away as he plays.
I just love the Marx brothers it always feels great after watching somuch playfull joy..... Im very lucky to see this crazy freedom they gave to all of the ppl who loves humor.....
Eventhough he's long gone I will always remember his harp playing
Harpo Marx playing the harp. the music RAPSODIA HUNGARA N 02 DE FRANZ LISZT. It was beautiful.
I've always been crazy about Harpo's musicianship, and now I am rewarded by this TH-cam algorithm. And reading the comments I see 4the1stx that I am not alone in my reverence, & alot of you are youngsters too. Fantastic. "I would rather have Harpo harping in front o'me than2 have a frontal..." well you know the rest!
Always my favourite Marx brother right from being a little girl, and Harpo’s playing then was just superb...so enjoyed it, Thankyou for sharing, 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻😘
Same here. I think it's because little kids 'get' Harpo. Groucho's double entendre and Chico's mangling of the language was not accessible to them.
I'm stumped over and over by the talent that was in all the Marx Brothers. Nobody has ever achieved such precision over such a wide variety of arts. They are absolutely amazing.
That was crazy and amazing. It was cramazing! 😄🎶🎵🎼
This mesmerising clip took me back to my childhood. The Marx Brothers movies were a sanctuary for us kids as was Laurel & Hardy.
Him catching the feather with his worn out shoe, thats just as good as it gets lol.
Love Harpo and all the Marx brothers they were truly amazing and funny
Franz Liszt, Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2... with a few 'liberties' in the arrangement. ;)
Harpo always took liberties ;)
and not just with the music. But who cares? He played divinely.
The piece is nine minutes long, too long for such a film. It has always been adapted many times, in cartoons, films etc. and all types of instrumentations, and many liberties. Here the touch of swing is not unpleasing. It is already very difficult on the piano, imagine on the harp (Liszt was sort of a record in virtuosity.) The genius of Harpo is not to let the difficulty show.
Have a look at the Tom and Jerry Verizon in “Cat Concerto” I guarantee you’ll never be able to listen to this piece of music in quite the same way again ;-) :-)
A few liberties...and the silverware! :-)
There's definitely an 'In A Mist' reference there.... incredible. When Harpo played his harp, it was a dream...
I miss the marx brother's and their music. The shit on tv nowadays. The kids miss out on a lot these day's. Good job pollies
Yes so right
Chico and Harpo were so blessed in their musical abilities. I always looked forward to hearing them play whenever a Marx Brothers film was shown on televition.
So nice to see the best of the best again and again...Thank you for posting it!!!
Hi are you there
Just great Harp playing music 🎼🎶👍😃🎴 thank you for this video
To all the Marx brothers that went home God Bless 🙏 to you and your families and friends rest in peace 😊❤
I love how he goes Italian then jazz then Italian then fades it back into the element of his stage character
We stand in awe of this Artist. Artistry indeed ! Rock & Roll in comparison pales miserably. Real Music
Wow god whatever what a fantastic opportunity for a movie .
'Harpo Speaks'! - the most observant, touching, intelligent, uplifting biographies I've ever read.
Clap, clap, clap, clap, I loved it! He is so good. Thanks for posting. I also read with love his autobiography. It's worth reading folks.
Que geniales eran estos hermanos no solo hacian humor si no que tocaban también los instrumentos.verdaderos talentosos
They were all so incredibly talented!!
this has alway been my favorite rendition of this piece
Such beautiful playing. Harpo was definitely a very interesting man, to say the least.
Harpo is one of my very favorite people in the whole world!
I love Harpo playing the harp. Look forward to it in all their movies
Such a brilliant man. Harpo speaks is worth a read!
He played a real instrument that's why he's brilliant
He was the best that ever lived
Music becomes “wonderful” when the harp gets involved! That and pizzicato strings.
The "like" button is not good enough to show how much I love this.
Simply beautiful, thanks for the upload.
Hi are you still alive
@@dulapeep1450 Hanging on.
How are you keeping?
i am 58 and yet he still inspires me to be more than i think i am, thank you harpo
I remember watching him play that harp when I was a little boy and he just amazed me that man was so talented
The beginning of my musical career at somewhere between 2 1/2 and three years old began with this one scene from this movie. It taught me intervals and how to play the piano without ever having had a lesson. Thank you Harpo.
Gotta love it when someone can tear the guts out of a piano, turn it on its side and play beautiful music on it!
So talented and you. Can see here the pure joy the man had when playing
Harpo always mesmerised me as a child and still does. An amazing musician, and when he played, pure magic and concentration. Just look at his face in the close ups! Love the Marx bros and always will.
Unspeakably beautiful. I am always amazed at people who can pluck music from a harp.
I play The Piano, but, I, TOO, am IN *ABSOLUTE AWE*, of ANYONE who can play *THE HARP*.
It is SUCH a*:
(Dare I say it, *MYSTICAL*):
(*CELESTIAL*): *BEAUTIFUL*:
And, *DIFFICULT*(!!!):
Instrument, to play:-0
It is on a *HIGHER*
(*SPIRITUAL*) LEVEL:
than ANY OTHER Instrument.
If "*HARPO*" were HERE, RIGHT NOW:
I would BOW DOWN, BEFORE him:
(I WOULD PROBABLY
*CRY*(!!!!)):
And I WOULD KISS HIS (*BEAUTIFUL*) *HANDS*.(WHAT a *BEAUTIFUL* (*MUSICAL*) "*MENTOR*" *HE* has been to me, "*LO, These MANY Years*".;-)
(HIS *LYRICISM*, I mean):
(HOPEFULLY, I have been "*Channeling*" some of that:
INTO *MY OWN* Music).
Anytime I watch a Marx Brothers movie, I look forward to Harpo playing the harp: lovely.
What are you doing after 11yrs?