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 (Results 51-75 of 100 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
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  
(Results 51-75 of 100 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Arndt, Felix," accessed April 25, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/103634.

Arndt, Felix. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 25, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/103634.

"Arndt, Felix." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 25 April 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

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

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