Vaudeville Accordion Classics
Count Guido Deiro (1886-1950), Italian-American composer and accordion virtuoso, was a major force in the popularization of the accordion in the early 20th century. A vaudeville star by 1910, he was the first piano accordionist to make sound recordings and solo radio broadcasts. For many years Deiro was a headline attraction at the great vaudeville houses throughout America and abroad, and made more than 100 recordings for the Columbia record company.
Concert accordionist Henry Doktorski has recorded all of Deiro’s music—47 new recordings including waltzes, rags, marches, polkas, and Deiro favorites: My Florence Waltz, Egypto Fantasia, Sharpshooter’s March, and the Broadway hit, Kismet. Doktorski’s dashing and sparkling performances of Deiro’s music quickly confirm the reason for Deiro’s immense popularity.
In 1913, Deiro met Mae West, the young vaudeville performer and burgeoning sex symbol. A passionate romance ensued and the couple married secretly. Henry Doktorski’s liner notes candidly detail their relationship, and photographs and newspaper clippings from Deiro’s own scrapbooks are included in this two-CD set, consisting of 2 hours and 25 minutes of music.
Guido Deiro’s delightful compositions are a window onto an era long past—an artist delighting audiences with soaring melodies, instrumental virtuosity, and abundant high spirits. This anthology will be exuberantly received not only by accordion aficionados, but also by audiophiles in mainstream music circles, much like the rediscovery of Scott Joplin’s music, twenty-five years ago.
Tracks
Total time: 2 hrs. 25 min. 32 sec.
CD one: 73:23
1 Temperamental Rag
2 Pink Slippers Valse
3 Preparedness March
4 Il Pentimento Waltz
5 Royal Flying Corps March
6 Kismet Fox Trot
7 Orazione E Marcia Militare
8 Western Stars March
9 Moonlight Waltz
10 Hand Grenade Throwers March
11 Deiro Rag
12 Muskateers March
13 Deirina Mazurka
14 I Don’t Care Polka
15 Lido Tango
16 Queen of the Air March
17 Valse Caprice No. 1
18 Neapolitan Polka
19 My Florence Waltz
20 Egypto Fantasia
CD two: 72:09
1 Zampa Rag
2 Lola Fox Trot
3 Breitenbush March
4 Tango Tosino
5 Guido’s Royal March
6 Light & Shadow Waltz
7 Variety Polka
8 Valse Pirouette
9 Marines March
10 Dolores Waltz (by Waldteufel)
11 Los Bomberos March
(Tracks 12-27 are from Guido Deiro’s Royal Method for Piano Accordion)
12 Accordionette Waltz
13 Young Accordionist March
14 Little Accordion Player Waltz
15 Torpedo March
16 Beautiful Girl Waltz
17 The Peasant Quadrille
18 Radio Waltz
19 Dimples Polka
20 The Accordion Girl Waltz
21 Sharpshooter’s March
22 Veno (Duet) Fox Trot
23 Jewel Waltz (Duet)
24 King Boy (Duet) Fox Trot
25 Minneapolis March (Duet)
26 California Mazurka (Duet)
27 Sharpshooter’s March (Reprise) recorded on Guido Deiros own 1924 Guerrini accordion.
Released November 2003.
How to order this CD:
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Overseas customers, contact Henry for shipping rates.