Felix Arndt

Felix Arndt (May 20, 1889 – October 16, 1918) was an American pianist and composer of popular music. His mother was the Countess Fevrier, related to Napoleon III. His father, Hugo Arndt, was Swiss-born.

Educated in New York (his music teachers included Carl Lachmund), Arndt composed songs for the famous vaudeville team of Jack Norworth and Nora Bayes, and recorded over 3000 piano rolls for Duo-Art and QRS Records. He died in New York City from the "Spanish flu" influenza. Arndt is interred at Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, Tarrytown, NY.

Arndt is best remembered for his 1915 composition "Nola," written as an engagement gift to his fiancée (and later wife), Nola Locke. It is sometimes considered to be the first example of the novelty piano or "novelty ragtime" genre, published by Sam Fox Publishing Company. It was the signature theme of the Vincent Lopez orchestra, and a top ten hit for Les Paul in 1950. A vocal recording by Billy Williams, featuring lyrics by Sunny Skylar, became a minor hit in 1959.

Birth and Death Data: Born May 20, 1889 (New York City), Died October 16, 1918 (New York City)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1911 - 1951

Roles Represented in DAHR: composer, piano, celeste, arranger

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor B-11406 10-in. 12/20/1911 When Sunday rolls around "That Girl" Quartet Female vocal quartet, with orchestra composer  
Victor B-12237 10-in. 7/26/1912 Campin' on de old Suwanee Van Eps Trio Instrumental trio instrumentalist, piano  
Victor B-12238 10-in. 7/26/1912 Florida rag Van Eps Trio Instrumental trio instrumentalist, piano  
Victor B-12239 10-in. 7/26/1912 Persiflage Fred Van Eps Banjo solo, with piano instrumentalist, piano  
Victor B-12300 10-in. 8/8/1912 The smiler Felix Arndt Piano solo instrumentalist, piano  
Victor B-12301 10-in. 8/8/1912 Porto Rico Felix Arndt Piano solo instrumentalist, piano  
Victor B-12302 10-in. 8/8/1912 Sumurun girl Felix Arndt Piano solo instrumentalist, piano  
Victor B-12303 10-in. 8/8/1912 The merry-go-round Felix Arndt Piano solo instrumentalist, piano  
Victor B-12304 10-in. 8/8/1912 The haunting rag Felix Arndt Piano solo instrumentalist, piano  
Victor B-14419 10-in. 2/5/1914 Thanks for the lobster Fred Van Eps Banjo solo, with piano, drum, and traps (take 1); with piano and drums (take 2) instrumentalist, piano  
Victor B-14420 10-in. 2/5/1914 Notoriety rag Van Eps Trio Instrumental trio instrumentalist, piano  
Victor B-14493 10-in. 2/20/1914 Hacienda Felix Arndt Piano solo instrumentalist, piano  
Victor B-14494 10-in. 2/20/1914 Hesitation waltz Felix Arndt Piano solo instrumentalist, piano  
Victor B-14502 10-in. 2/20/1914 From soup to nuts Felix Arndt Piano solo instrumentalist, piano, composer  
Victor B-14503 10-in. 2/20/1914 Humoresque rag Felix Arndt Piano solo instrumentalist, piano, arranger  
Victor B-14541 10-in. 3/6/1914 Desecration rag (A classic nightmare) Felix Arndt Piano solo instrumentalist, piano, arranger  
Victor B-14587 10-in. 3/19/1914 Too much ginger Van Eps Trio Instrumental trio instrumentalist, piano  
Victor B-14588 10-in. 3/19/1914 The smiler rag medley Van Eps Trio Instrumental trio instrumentalist, piano  
Victor B-14589 10-in. 3/19/1914 Chinese picnic Van Eps Trio Instrumental trio instrumentalist, piano  
Victor B-15093 10-in. 7/29/1914 Old folks rag Van Eps Trio Instrumental trio instrumentalist, piano  
Victor C-15093 12-in. 9/4/1914 Old folks rag Van Eps Trio Instrumental trio instrumentalist, piano  
Victor B-15094 10-in. 7/29/1914 Too much trouble Van Eps Trio Instrumental trio instrumentalist, piano  
Victor B-15141 10-in. 8/24/1914 Toots Dr. Clarence J. Penney Mandolin solo, with piano instrumentalist, piano, composer  
Victor B-15142 10-in. 8/24/1914 Le trousseau Dr. Clarence J. Penney Mandolin solo, with piano instrumentalist, piano  
Victor B-15143 10-in. 8/24/1914 Indianola patrol Dr. Clarence J. Penney Mandolin solo, with piano instrumentalist, piano  
Victor B-15144 10-in. 8/24/1914 Love in June Felix Arndt Piano solo instrumentalist, piano, composer  
Victor B-15161 10-in. 8/31/1914 Go to it! Van Eps Trio Instrumental trio instrumentalist, piano  
Victor C-15162 12-in. 8/31/1914 Kakūda Van Eps Trio Instrumental trio instrumentalist, piano, composer  
Victor B-15163 10-in. 8/31/1914 Azalea waltz Dr. Clarence J. Penney Mandolin solo, with piano instrumentalist, piano  
Victor B-15375 10-in. 11/10/1914 Scotch songs Felix Arndt Celeste solo instrumentalist, celeste  
Victor B-15376 10-in. 11/10/1914 Home, sweet home Felix Arndt Celeste solo instrumentalist, celeste  
Victor B-15377 10-in. 11/10/1914 Entr'acte gavotte Dr. Clarence J. Penney Mandolin solo, with piano instrumentalist, piano  
Victor B-15432 10-in. 11/25/1914 Old folks at home Felix Arndt Celeste solo instrumentalist, celeste  
Victor B-15433 10-in. 11/25/1914 Old black Joe Felix Arndt Celeste solo instrumentalist, celeste  
Victor B-15434 10-in. 11/25/1914 When you and I were young, Maggie Felix Arndt Celeste solo instrumentalist, celeste  
Victor B-15435 10-in. 11/25/1914 Silver threads among the gold Felix Arndt Celeste solo instrumentalist, celeste  
Victor B-15439 10-in. 11/30/1914 Drink to me only with thine eyes Felix Arndt Celeste solo instrumentalist, celeste  
Victor B-15440 10-in. 11/30/1914 To a wild rose Felix Arndt Celeste solo instrumentalist, celeste  
Victor B-15441 10-in. 11/30/1914 My old Kentucky home Felix Arndt Celeste solo instrumentalist, celeste  
Victor B-15558 10-in. 12/31/1914 Nearer, my God, to Thee Felix Arndt Celeste solo instrumentalist, celeste  
Victor B-15559 10-in. 12/31/1914 Silent night, holy night Felix Arndt Celeste solo instrumentalist, piano  
Victor B-15632 10-in. 1/27/1915 The original fox trot Van Eps Trio Instrumental trio instrumentalist, piano  
Victor B-15633 10-in. 1/27/1915 I wonder what will William Tell Van Eps Trio Instrumental trio instrumentalist, piano  
Victor B-15634 10-in. 1/27/1915 At an old trysting place Felix Arndt Celeste solo instrumentalist, celeste  
Victor B-15635 10-in. 1/27/1915 Whispering hope Felix Arndt Celeste solo instrumentalist, celeste  
Victor B-17399 10-in. 3/30/1916 Nola Felix Arndt Piano solo instrumentalist, piano, composer  
Victor B-17400 10-in. 3/30/1916 An operatic nightmare Felix Arndt Piano solo instrumentalist, piano, arranger  
Victor B-19200 10-in. 2/19/1917 Marionette Felix Arndt Piano solo instrumentalist, piano, composer  
Victor B-19238 10-in. 3/5/1917 Humoresque Felix Arndt Piano solo instrumentalist, piano  
Victor B-19290 10-in. 3/19/1917 Valse bleue Felix Arndt Piano solo instrumentalist, piano  
Victor B-19706 10-in. 4/20/1917 Narcissus Felix Arndt Piano solo instrumentalist, piano  
Victor B-29716 10-in. 3/20/1924 Nola Roy Bargy Piano solo, with orchestra composer  
Victor B-32486 10-in. 4/30/1925 Nola Nathaniel Shilkret ; Victor Salon Orchestra Orchestra composer  
Victor BVE-32486 10-in. 5/11/1925 Nola Victor Salon Orchestra Orchestra composer  
Victor BVE-35802 10-in. 7/12/1926 Nola Frank E. Banta Piano solo composer  
Victor BVE-35803 10-in. 7/12/1926 An operatic nightmare Frank E. Banta Piano solo arranger  
Victor BVE-37111 10-in. 12/8/1926 Nola Carson Robison Whistling solo, with piano (self-accompaniment) composer  
Victor BVE-40597 10-in. 11/18/1927 Nola The Revelers Male vocal quartet, with piano composer  
Victor BVE-49732 10-in. 2/22/1929 Marionette Motion Picture Orchestra Orchestra composer  
Victor BS-07808 10-in. 4/15/1937 Nola Tommy Dorsey Orchestra Jazz/dance band composer  
Victor PBS-042340 10-in. 1/8/1940 Nola (Theme song of Vincent Lopez) Vincent Lopez ; Suave Swing Orchestra Jazz/dance band composer  
Victor BS-066847 10-in. 7/16/1941 Nola Leonard W. Joy ; Victor Salon Orchestra Orchestra composer  
Victor MBS-092788 10-in. before 5/1/1951 Nola Mariachi Vargas Instrumental ensemble composer  
Victor D7VB-1788 10-in. 10/22/1947 Nola Three Suns Instrumental trio composer  
Victor PBS-Test-1368 10-in. 12/23/1934 Nola Weyert Moor Ensemble Instrumental ensemble composer  
Victor [Trial 1912-07-26-01] Not documented 7/26/1912 Rag Felix Arndt Piano solo instrumentalist, piano  
Victor [Trial 1913-10-27-05] Not documented 10/27/1913 [Piano solo] Felix Arndt Piano solo instrumentalist, piano  
Victor [Trial 1913-10-27-06] Not documented 10/27/1913 [Piano solo] Felix Arndt Piano solo instrumentalist, piano  
Victor [Trial 1914-02-06-01] Not documented 2/6/1914 Humoreske Felix Arndt Piano solo instrumentalist, piano  
Victor [Trial 1914-02-06-02] Not documented 2/6/1914 Chinese picnic Felix Arndt ; Edward T. King ; Fred Van Eps Instrumental trio instrumentalist, piano  
Victor [Trial 1914-02-06-03] Not documented 2/6/1914 The smiler rag Felix Arndt ; Edward T. King ; Fred Van Eps Banjo, piano, and traps instrumentalist, piano  
Victor [Trial 1914-06-26-03] Not documented 6/26/1914 Medley Dr. Clarence J. Penney Mandolin solo, with piano instrumentalist, piano  
Victor [Trial 1916-05-05-03] Not documented 5/5/1916 Somewhere a voice A. Musgrove Robarts Male vocal solo, with piano instrumentalist, piano  
Columbia 19572 10-in. 9/26/1911 Snow time Columbia Quartette Male vocal quartet, with orchestra composer  
Columbia 19594 10-in. 10/9/1911 When Sunday rolls around Ada Jones ; Walter Van Brunt Female-male vocal duet, with orchestra composer  
Columbia 39574 10-in. 9/25/1914 Soup to nuts Van Eps Banjo Orchestra Banjo orchestra composer  
Columbia W140610 10-in. 5/16/1925 Nola Charles Bourne ; Phil Ellis Piano duet composer  
Columbia W140777 10-in. 7/21/1925 Nola Walter Feldkamp ; Alan Moran Piano duet composer  
Columbia W141519 10-in. 1/19/1926 Nola Hotel Hollenden Orchestra ; Carl Rupp Jazz/dance band composer  
Columbia W143148 10-in. 11/24/1926 Nola Carson Robison Whistling solo, with piano composer  
Columbia W148028 10-in. 3/7/1929 Nola Paul Whiteman Orchestra Jazz/dance band composer  
OKeh S-70555 10-in. Mar. 1922 Nola Hotel Pennsylvania Orchestra ; Vincent Lopez Jazz/dance band, with piano solo composer  
OKeh W80207 10-in. 11/11/1926 Nola Carson Robison Whistling solo, with piano composer  
Brunswick 8149 10-in. approximately May 1922 Nobody loves me now Benny Krueger’s Orchestra ; Margaret Young Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band composer  
Brunswick 7700-7702 10-in. approximately Mar. 1922 Nola Carl Fenton’s Orchestra Jazz/dance band composer  
Brunswick 9977-9979 10-in. 2/23/1923 Nola Fredric Fradkin Violin solo, with piano composer  
Brunswick 10148-10150 10-in. 3/19/1923 Nola Fredric Fradkin Violin solo, with piano composer  
Brunswick E27306 10-in. 4/9/1928 Nola Fredric Fradkin Violin solo, with piano composer  
Brunswick E24455-E24457 10-in. 9/15/1927 Nola Victor Arden ; Phil Ohman Piano duet composer  
Brunswick E25330-E25331 10-in. 11/29/1927 Nola Victor Arden ; Phil Ohman Piano duet composer  
Brunswick C1862 10-in. 4/2/1928 Nola Sid Williams Piano solo composer  
Edison 3482 10-in. between 12/21/1914 and 12/29/1914 Kakuda Van Eps Banjo Orchestra Banjo orchestra composer  
Edison 6211 10-in. 6/13/1918 Clover club Imperial Marimba Band Marimba band composer  
Edison 8386 10-in. 3/17/1922 Nola Vincent Lopez Orchestra Jazz/dance band composer  
Edison 11189 10-in. 9/10/1926 Nola Ernie Anderson ; Jacob Louis Merkur Banjo solo, with piano composer  
Edison 11190 10-in. 9/10/1926 Marionette Ernie Anderson ; Jacob Louis Merkur Banjo solo, with piano composer  
Edison 11466 10-in. 1/25/1927 Nola Carson Robison Whistling solo composer  
Edison 11828 10-in. 8/1/1927 Nola Murray Kellner Dinner Music Ensemble Instrumental ensemble composer  
Columbia (U.K.) CA15885 10-in. between June and October 1936 Nola Walter Landauer ; Maryan Rawicz Piano duet composer  
Columbia (U.K.) WL429 10-in. 5/6/1927 Nola Clément Doucet Piano solo composer  

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Arndt, Felix," accessed April 26, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/103634.

Arndt, Felix. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 26, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/103634.

"Arndt, Felix." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 26 April 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/103634

External Sources

Wikipedia: Felix Arndt

Discogs: Felix Arndt

Grove: Felix Arndt

IMSLP: Felix Arndt

IMDb: Felix Arndt

Linked Open Data Sources

LCNAR: Arndt, Felix, 1889-1918 - http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n82063875

Wikidata: Felix Arndt - http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q777367

VIAF: http://viaf.org/viaf/106990277

MusicBrainz: Felix Arndt - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/9f3de31e-10bd-404e-a449-a9ee575e0741

Wikipedia content provided under the terms of the Creative Commons BY-SA license

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