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George Hamilton Green

George Hamilton Green Jr. (May 23, 1893 – September 11, 1970) was a xylophonist, composer, and cartoonist born in Omaha, Nebraska. He was born into a musical family, both his grandfather and his father being composers, arrangers, and conductors for bands in Omaha. His father was the conductor of an army band and growing up in his house, he had access to many musical instruments. From age four G.H. Green showed a prodigious talent as a pianist; he then took up the xylophone and by the age of eleven was being promoted as the “world’s greatest xylophonist” and was playing for crowds of 7,000-10,000. In 1915, when Green was 22 years old, a review in the United States Musician stated: "He has begun where every other xylophone player left off. His touch, his attack, his technique, and his powers of interpretation in the rendition of his solos being far different than other performers. To say his work is marvelous and wonderful would not fully express it." George Hamilton Green wrote several pieces for solo ragtime xylophone with accompaniment, as well as a xylophone method book which continues to be used by percussion pedagogues across the country. Some of his compositions for xylophone include: "Ragtime Robin", "Cross Corners", "Charleston Capers", "Rainbow Ripples", "Log Cabin Blues", "The Whistler", "Chromatic Fox Trot", and "Jovial Jasper" for piano and xylophone because of his experience on both instruments.

He was a popular recording artist starting in 1916 with the Edison Company and was employed, along with his two brothers, Joe and Lew Green, as the original sound music crew for Walt Disney's first three cartoons.

According to Nathaniel Shilkret, Green was not only a "wonderful xylophone artist," but an inventor. Shilkret said that Green designed the vibraharp at Shilkret's request.

Green was an important ragtime composer and authored many pieces that remain standards for the instrument even today. He retired from performing in the late 1940s to pursue a successful career in cartooning. Green would die in 1970, just a few years before a revival in the popularity of his ragtime xylophone music, and before his induction into the Percussive Arts Society Hall of Fame in 1983 The rebirth of his music was led by members of the NEXUS Percussion Ensemble in the late 1970s. Through their efforts, G.H. Green's xylophone music has been preserved and remains a relevant part of contemporary percussion pedagogy and performance.

Birth and Death Data: Born May 23, 1893 (Omaha), Died 1970

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1916 - 1934

Roles Represented in DAHR: xylophone, composer, vibraphone, marimba, arranger, celeste, leader, percussion, bells, lyricist, songwriter, drums

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

Recordings (Results 276-300 of 355 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Brunswick 970W-972W 10-in. 6/27/1925 Only a weaver of dreams Irving Kaufman ; Miami Marimba Band [Castlewood Marimba Band] Marimba band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, marimba  
Brunswick 1082W-1084W 10-in. 8/8/1925 My Hawaiian evenin' star Miami Marimba Band [Castlewood Marimba Band] Marimba band instrumentalist, marimba  
Brunswick 1085W-1087W 10-in. 8/8/1925 Golden memories of Hawaii Miami Marimba Band [Castlewood Marimba Band] Marimba band instrumentalist, marimba  
Brunswick 1381W-1383W 10-in. 9/22/1925 So long! I'll see you again Miami Marimba Band [Castlewood Marimba Band] Marimba band instrumentalist, xylophone  
Brunswick 1384W-1386W 10-in. 9/22/1925 Lullaby Lane Miami Marimba Band [Castlewood Marimba Band] Marimba band instrumentalist, xylophone  
Edison 5102 10-in. 10/27/1916 Caprice viennois George Hamilton Green Xylophone solo instrumentalist, xylophone  
Edison 5103 10-in. 10/27/1916 Schön Rosmarin George Hamilton Green Xylophone solo, with orchestra instrumentalist, xylophone  
Edison 5116 10-in. 10/31/1916 Tannhäuser march George Hamilton Green Xylophone solo, with orchestra instrumentalist, xylophone  
Edison 5117 10-in. 2/28/1916 Light cavalry overture George Hamilton Green Xylophone solo, with orchestra instrumentalist, xylophone  
Edison 5123 10-in. 11/1/1916 Souvenir George Hamilton Green Xylophone solo instrumentalist, xylophone  
Edison 5124 10-in. 11/2/1916 Liebesfreud George Hamilton Green Xylophone solo, with orchestra instrumentalist, xylophone  
Edison 5196 10-in. 12/5/1916 Morning, noon and night in Vienna : Overture George Hamilton Green Xylophone solo, with orchestra instrumentalist, xylophone  
Edison 5197 10-in. 12/5/1916 Hungarian lustspiel overture George Hamilton Green Xylophone solo, with orchestra instrumentalist, xylophone  
Edison 6006 10-in. 2/12/1918 Frivolity George Hamilton Green Xylophone solo, with orchestra composer, instrumentalist, xylophone  
Edison 6019 10-in. between 2/13/1918 and 2/14/1918 Watermelon whispers George Hamilton Green Xylophone solo, with orchestra composer, instrumentalist, xylophone  
Edison 6353 10-in. between 9/6/1918 and 9/18/1918 Hindustan All Star Trio Instrumental trio instrumentalist, xylophone  
Edison 6354 10-in. between 9/6/1918 and 9/18/1918 Just blue All Star Trio Instrumental trio instrumentalist, xylophone  
Edison 6398 10-in. 10/7/1918 Sand dunes All Star Trio Saxophone, piano, and xylophone instrumentalist, xylophone  
Edison 6399 10-in. 10/7/1918 Arabian nights All Star Trio Instrumental trio instrumentalist, xylophone  
Edison 6483 10-in. 12/31/1918 Southern dream George Hamilton Green Xylophone solo, with orchestra instrumentalist, xylophone  
Edison 6544 10-in. 1/3/1919 Sensation jazz All Star Trio Saxophone, piano, and xylophone instrumentalist, xylophone  
Edison 6545 10-in. 1/3/1919 The St. Louis blues All Star Trio Instrumental trio instrumentalist, xylophone  
Edison 6786 10-in. 5/13/1919 Fluffy ruffles Green Brothers' Novelty Orchestra Jazz/dance band composer  
Edison 6892 10-in. 7/31/1919 Western land All Star Trio Instrumental trio instrumentalist, xylophone  
Edison 6893 10-in. 7/31/1919 Shimmee town All Star Trio Instrumental trio instrumentalist, xylophone  
(Results 276-300 of 355 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Green, George Hamilton," accessed April 25, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/104861.

Green, George Hamilton. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 25, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/104861.

"Green, George Hamilton." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 25 April 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/104861

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